Does anyone know how old this (bottle of) Rodinal is?

[nicholas_t.]

This question is for the more experienced photo.netters. Al? Pat? Do

you by chance know how old this bottle is?

I plan on doing tests with this stuff, the current stuff, the current

stuff (Rodinal) with the Sodium Ascorbate additive and Gainer's

version of the developer.

An aside... here in New Zealand, rumour has it, everyone was so used

to getting the dark brown Rodinal, that when a shipment came in (the

early '90's I think) with clear liquid in the bottle, a whole lot of

it was sent back to Agfa as being defective. We only knew it to be

brown.

Comments appreciated.

[john_stockdale2]

I started using Rodinal in 1970. The bottle had the shape of yours and a rubber stopper under the dark red screw cap. I think your bottle has an older label.

 

The pale Rodinal alarmed me too, and the colour of the used developer used to be dark purple, but became much paler. Maybe there is something in the newer Rodinal that bleaches the dyes washed out from the film.

[chris_waller]

In all the years I've used Rodinal (ca. 20) I've only ever seen it in plastic bottles so your sample must have considerable vintage. The current Rodinal starts as a very pale brownish liquid and turns darker as the bottle is used and air gets in. But it's keeping properties are legendary.

[bryan_weiss]

I haven't seen a bottle like this since the 60's.

[lex_jenkins]

That's probably a collectible by now. Don't use it. Auction it off. Or, if you do use it, try it once every 10 years just to see how long the stuff really does last.

[enrico__]

nice point lex...!

[al_kaplan1]

I remember those bottles but they certainly date from the 1970's or earlier. I bet it still develops film, though! Give it a try.