Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Mark, Although being newly 'plugged' to the LUG, too, I was struck by your question about a fine and reliable B&W fim/developer combination. Many, many years ago, when I was on the verge of despair after dozens of different types and brands of films and about the same amount of developers, my favorite uncle - a B&W-photographer, to boot, since the early thirties - had pity with me and helped me out. He asked me what type of film I had in my camera at that particular moment, it was Agfa ISO 17 DIN, he went to the kitchen and gave me of small bottle of Agfa Rodinal. He advised me to dilute to 1:75 in 400 cc of water c. 19 C and develop it for 18 minutes: it worked wonders. For years I stuck to that particular combination, added ISO 21 DIN to it, which gave also fine results, when using my Leica lll A, Summar and Elmar 50 mm, an Old Delft 3,5/35 mm, and later an Elmar 4/90mm. I know, Agfa ISO does not exist anymore, many years ago it was replaced with Agfapan Prof. (25, 100 and 400 ASA) but fortunately, the Agfapan 100 in Rodinal performed even better, much better. I worked with that particular combination, again, for years, using my Leicaflex SL, with the Elmarits 2,8/35 mm Series 7, and 2,8/90 mm (dito). Later I altered the dilution somewhat, since Agfa had slightly changed Rodinals formula, I stick to 1:60 nowadays. With this combination grain is very good, sharpness is 'acute'' or 'crisp', due to Rodinals "contour-sharpness", and the curve from pure white to black is so nice and long, rendering all the shades of gray you would want, without losing contrast. Perhaps, this seems a very European solution to the problem. However, I experimented so long, and, although my uncle guided me in finding a simple, but 'strong' solution for my photographic despair, I was told later that the combination of a German camera and lenses, German fim and developer could very well have been the key to my problem of how to obtain publishable B&W photos. Gerard J. van den Broek The Netherlands