Is this a processing problem?

[RaglanSurf]

These are three of the shots from a recent test roll, I processed them in Rodinal for the suggested time and I'm not impressed. It was a roll of HP5+ and I made up a fresh batch of all the chemicals for this test.

I think the Rodinal's been open for about a year, is it past its best?

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BronicaTest-15 by Raglansurf, on Flickr[/IMG]

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BronicaTest-11 by Raglansurf, on Flickr[/IMG]

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BronicaTest-2 by Raglansurf, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[Jakska]

??

I don't see anything unusual with these; they're not under or over? Maybe a little flat but nothing strange especially as I've found HP5 to be a rather flat film anyway.

 

[Knikki]

Look ok to me as well and agree with what Jak said.

What were you expecting?

(that sounds a really odd and to the point question, its not meant to be but with half a bottle of wine in me I could not think of a better way of asking )

 

[excalibur2]

??

I don't see anything unusual with these; they're not under or over? Maybe a little flat but nothing strange especially as I've found HP5 to be a rather flat film anyway.

Well agree with your answer, but on my monitor they have a slight brown cast, probably because scanner was set for colour...just click on autocolor in Photoshop and it's corrected.

 

[RaglanSurf]

Well agree with your answer, but on my monitor they have a slight brown cast, probably because scanner was set for colour...just click on autocolor in Photoshop and it's corrected.

Scanner, a Nikon Coolscan 9000, was definitely set to monochrome and I've had much better results from the same combination. I suppose I was expecting whiter whites and blacker blacks. That's what makes me think the chemicals have passed their best.

 

[excalibur2]

Scanner, a Nikon Coolscan 9000, was definitely set to monochrome and I've had much better results from the same combination. I suppose I was expecting whiter whites and blacker blacks. That's what makes me think the chemicals have passed their best.

Do the negs look thin?..... as the film under exposed ruins most shots.

Best I can do in Photoshop:-

 

[joxby]

Its not unusual to get a colour cast on your b/w negs, if you're gonna wet print them its not an issue, most of my kodak negs have a pink cast probably because I don't use kodak developer...I dunno.
Rodinal is famous for lasting absolutely yonks, that's not to say yours isn't buggered, but if its really dark its probably time for some fresh

 

[RaglanSurf]

Its not unusual to get a colour cast on your b/w negs, if you're gonna wet print them its not an issue, most of my kodak negs have a pink cast probably because I don't use kodak developer...I dunno.
Rodinal is famous for lasting absolutely yonks, that's not to say yours isn't buggered, but if its really dark its probably time for some fresh

I think I'll just bite the bullet and treat myself to some new Dev. Any recommendations?

 

[Knikki]

I use a Nikon Coolscan IV which runs the same software as the Coolscan 8000, now one thing I have noticed is that when I batch scan, I may have the first frame set to Monochrome, I sometimes find that it forgets and will than scan another frame as RGB and will give a slight colour cast.

Thats assuming your using Nikons own scanning software. I would check just to make sure these negs are grayscale and not RGB.

Just a thought.

As for Developer the only one I have used recently is ID-11 which I like and you can get 10 films deved out of 1 litre. However Kodak D-76 is the same and cheaper and I am going to try some of that soon.

 

[offline]

I use a Nikon Coolscan IV which runs the same software as the Coolscan 8000, now one thing I have noticed is that when I batch scan, I may have the first frame set to Monochrome, I sometimes find that it forgets and will than scan another frame as RGB and will give a slight colour cast.

Thats assuming your using Nikons own scanning software. I would check just to make sure these negs are grayscale and not RGB.

Just a thought.

As for Developer the only one I have used recently is ID-11 which I like and you can get 10 films deved out of 1 litre. However Kodak D-76 is the same and cheaper and I am going to try some of that soon.

I'm inclined to go with software playing silly too. Those sepia tones have got to be because the scanner has scanned in colour.
The images don't look too bad as uploaded (apart from the sepia cast). Do they look much different to other negs when you hold them up to the light? Like John says, Rodinal has about the best shelf life going.

 

[joxby]

I think I'll just bite the bullet and treat myself to some new Dev. Any recommendations?

If you like one shots, nothing lasts like Rodinal, but if you shoot regularly I've always got on well with Ilfosol & LC29.

I'll second ID-11 and Microphen, but you have to mix them and they don't come within a country mile of the one shots for economy.

 

[alistair.o]

Hi Nick,

Those pics are Rodinal through and through. It's alreay been said that they are a little flat perhaps but apart from that. Did you stop and rinse well enough? (just a thought). Rodinal hits the spot with Agfa APX 100 and Rollei 100 / 400 - very, very nice with Fuji Acros 100.

As far as developer it all depends on the film (as I am sure you are aware - I don't want to patronise). I am really enjoying Kodak D-76 with TriX 400 and TMax 400. D-76 is dust cheap for what you get and it is very hard to go wrong with it.

Good Luck

Alistair

 

[RaglanSurf]

Hi Nick,

Those pics are Rodinal through and through. It's alreay been said that they are a little flat perhaps but apart from that. Did you stop and rinse well enough? (just a thought). Rodinal hits the spot with Agfa APX 100 and Rollei 100 / 400 - very, very nice with Fuji Acros 100.

As far as developer it all depends on the film (as I am sure you are aware - I don't want to patronise). I am really enjoying Kodak D-76 with TriX 400 and TMax 400. D-76 is dust cheap for what you get and it is very hard to go wrong with it.

Good Luck

Alistair

Hi Alistair, I did the whole stop and rinse thing and was as thorough as I always am. I've had better results with Acros so maybe I'll try a different developer for the HP5.