I have developed my first roll: thanks APUGers!

[sterioma]

I have made it!

Last night I have finally developed my first BW film

I want to then the APUGers who've helped me with the selection of the equipment for my darkroom!!!


The film/develper combo is Kodak Tri-X (rated at 400) and Rodinal (1+50). Everything has gone smooth; even loading the reels wasn't so difficult after practicing a little with an old roll. The only thing I messed up has been the stop-bath, which I disposed into the sink instead of putting it back into the bottle after using. Not such a big deal anyway....

The results are better than I had hoped for being this my first roll. The only problem I noticed is that a couple of frames (number 34 and 35) have a some kind of darker "small ripples" on one side around the "holes" of the film, like the emulsion has been dragged outside the borders (if you know what I mean...). Guess it's a problem with agitation: I followed the instructions of the Paterson thank suggesting to use that stick to twist the reels vigorously in the first seconds of development.

The negatives look a bit grainy (I know this is a characteristic of Rodinal). I have chosen the 1+50 dilution (14 minutes) as suggested by the Rodinal instructions, thinking that maybe it would have been easier than 1+25 for 7 minutes. Is it correct to say that with 1+25 I should have got a bit less grain? Also, would it be correct ot say that if I happened to use a lower E.I. (say, 200 ISO), again the grain might be lower?

I am attaching two sample scans (depicting myself), with no level corrections. Grain has been smoothed by resizing algorithm. I haven't got an enlager, so I cannot post a print scan (one thing at a time )


[FONT=Courier New][COLOR=DimGray]Details:
Film: Kodak Tri-X 400 35mm (E.I. 400)
Developer: Rodinal 1+50 (20C) / 14 min. Ag. 30 seconds initial (twist), then 2 inversions every 30sec.
Stop bath: BW-Stop (20C) / 1 min
Fixer:Agefix (1+5) (20C) / 5 min
Wetting agent: Agepon (1+200) / 1 min
Camera: Nikon FG-20
Lens: Nikkor 105/2.5 AIS[/COLOR][/FONT]

[TPPhotog]

Congratulations - Very good results especially for your first roll, mine was errrm crap due to getting finger tied loading the spiral and touching the emulsion.

Tipped the stop-bath away? Never mind I never use it, instead I just use running water for 2 to 3 minutes. Rodinal 1+25 would have reduced the grain slightly but would have also increased the contrast. As your doing your own now try reducing the film speed, I like HP5+ at 200 in Rodinal for example.

My first thoughts on the small ripples and dragged emulsion sounds more like physical damage, did you pull on the roll as you cut the spool off or get a slight jam on the spirals towards the end of loading?

Welcome to the wonderful world of developing and the magical world of Rodinal

[modafoto]

Welcome to the wonderful world of developing and the magical world of Rodinal

Welcome from me, too! I have done a roll of Tri-X in Rodinal yesterday. But I am still trying to get the time right. I did it for 15 minutes with inversion 1 minute in the beginning and 5 inversions every minute. Then my own ModaStop (see recipes) and Agfa Acidofix.

Viva la Rodinal!

[David A. Goldfarb]

Welcome to the obsession! Looks good for the first time out.

As for those ripples around the sprocket holes, there are a few possibilities

--Physical damage to the film causing an agitation problem as described in one of the previous posts (sounds like a good guess to me).

--A general agitation issue ("bromide drag"), which I've experienced myself with the Paterson reels, but usually it would affect more than two frames. If it's a persistent problem with your choice of developer, film, and agitation method, then try stainless steel reels, and it should go away. It worked for me.

--Fogging through the light trap of the film cartridge. Normally this should be visible not only around the sprockets, but in the frame as well, but since you say you see the problem only at the end of the roll, it's worth considering. If you're changing film outdoors and don't have any shade nearby, then orient yourself so that your body prevents the direct light of the sun from falling on the camera as you load and unload.

[Konical]

Good Afternoon, Sterioma,

Congratulations on your results. I assume you realize that you have just contracted a chronic and incurable disease.

Konical

[Andy K]

Congratulations and welcome to the dark side! I too developed my first roll last week, also using Rodinal. I used Ilford FP4 125ASA in a 1+25 solution. There are a couple of my frames from that roll in the standard gallery if you wish to see the contrast I got. Needless to say I'm dead chuffed at the results, I've looked like this --> for days now!

[Jim Moore]

[BWGirl]

Well, it's kind of hard to top that little bouncing guy, but Congrats to both of you!!!

Experiment with agitation and with different dilutions. Be sure to keep good records of what you do so when you find the perfect combinations you can repeat them!!! Nothing worse than the best negs on the planet and not remembering how to do it again!!!

Welcome to the B&W and negative developing club!!! Heck, I STILL get that when I develop a roll!!!

[Lee Shively]

Absolutely [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]WONDERFUL!!![/COLOR]

I just had a flash of deja vu on my first roll about 1973. I think it was Tri-X in Microdol-X processed in some off-brand plastic tank with a clear plastic reel and a little twisty-thingy to agitate the film that also doubled as a thermometer. I damn near burst with pride when there was actually an image on the film.

You know this is magic, don't you? Welcome to the Brotherhood.

[Melanie]

Hi
great results, you should be proud, my first roll did not come out very will at all but after writing down every thing that i do during developing the rolls that followed has me walking around with for a few days intel i fell the urge to develop again.
I'm enjoy the darkside very much.
Melanie