Hello everybody,

Yesterday I processed APX100 in Rodinal 1:50 nwith some Sodium Ascorbate added. What happened was the film itself (around the frames)turned unusually grey. Frames look OK, but I don't know how they will print... Also I noticed some larger than usual grain. I used distilled water, so water contamination is out of question. Developed at 200C for 15.5 min (I reduced time a bit, as Sodium ascorbate makes developer more active). Any sugestions?

Thank you v. much,

Eugene Safian

-- Eugene Safian (safian3@rogers.com), April 10, 2002

Answers

Eugene, as a rule of thumb, when you add 4g/L (Pat Gainer's recommended amount) of Rodinal @ 1:50, you should develop for approximately the time required for a 1:25 dilution. (I'm assuming "some sodium ascorbate" means about 4g/L, or 1 tsp/L. And that you didn't really use 200C, but rather 20C!) It sounds to me like you developed the film for longer than was necessary, and that would of course cause increased grain. Also, sodium ascorbate, does induce a grayish base fog to the film, and that was what you noticed on the film edge. With proper development time, however, it seems not to impair the image quality. Naturally, with overdevelopment, the base fog level increases along with density.

One other thought, I have not used APX100 for a long time, and never with Rodinal + SA. However, I did develop APX400 once in Dixactol and got tremendous fog. Is it possible AGFA's APX films are particularly prone to fog?

-- Ted Kaufman (writercrmp@aol.com), April 10, 2002.

Ted, is the film base for APX 400 as dark as it was for the older Agfapan 400? Is it better than the older version, or did Agfa just change the name to APX? I used Agfapan 400 before when I wanted really grainy results.

-- Patric (jenspatricdahlen@hotmail.com), April 10, 2002.

Thank you Ted, I will reduce time.

-- eugene (safian3@rogers.com), April 11, 2002.

I have used Agfa 400 120 with Rodinal 1:50 with 4g of Sodium Ascorbate added. I followed Patric Gainer's advice and used the 1:25 dev. time. I shot the film at 200-320 asa and I think the prints look much better than straight Rodinal or Xtol. Less grain and very sharp for the speed.

-- Eric Williams (gldn@hotmail.com), April 11, 2002.