Tag Archives: #rodinal

photography, Tips and Technique

Amtrak Shuttle Crossing the Connecticut River—February 6, 2019.

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Last February the Connecticut River was swollen.

I made this telephoto view of a northward Amtrak shuttle (running from New Haven, Connecticut to Springfield, Massachusetts) using a Nikon F3 with a 105mm lens and loaded with Fuji Acros 100 black & white film.

I like the way the Amtrak train glints in the morning sun.

To maximize tonality and detail, I used a split-development process, first soaking the film in a very dilute mixture of Kodak HC110, then using a more concentrated mix of Rodinal for primary development.

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Tips and Technique

Coming and Going with New England Central at Northfield, Massachusetts.

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Stark winter light suits black & white photography.

Back in January (2019), photographer Pat Yough and I made a day of photographing New England Central between White River Junction, Vermont and Leverett, Massachusetts.

Among the trains we photographed was freight 611, the Brattleboro to Palmer turn.

I made these views near Northfield, Massachusetts on Fuji Acros 100 black & white film using a Nikon F3 with 50mm lens.

To maximize tonality and detail, I used a split-development process, first soaking the film in a very dilute mixture of Kodak HC110, then a more concentrated mix of Rodinal.

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photography, Tips and Technique

Spooky Retro Special.

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Tonight is Halloween.

Last night I processed a roll of Rollei 80S Retro that I exposed last summer.

The timing was apropos.

I made these images using my Nikon F3 with f1.8 105mm lens. My cousin Stella was visiting from the West Coast and we were exploring spooky graveyards in Western Massachusetts.

You may wonder why I waited nearly four months to process the film. Was it an infusion of Irish spirits and pucas that lent inspiration?

No, it was actually simpler than that. My preferred developer for Rollei 80S Retro is Rodinal and in Dublin I keep a healthy volume of this antique solution on hand. So I brought the film with me from America for processing in Dublin. However, distractions and writing have kept me occupied for weeks and I just got to souping the film last night!

I have an adjusted recipe for this very unusual film that yields stunning results.

Rollei 80S Retro will provide superb tonality, super fine grain, and a deep rich black when processed properly.

I’ll be posting more view to my Instagram account over the coming hours and days. See my photos on Instagram at: briansolomon.author

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photography, Tips and Technique

Film Test: Rollei 80S Retro.

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Saturday, 23 February 2019, I tested a roll of Rollei 80S Retro 35mm black & white film.

This is a unusual emulsion: the film consists of a clear polyester base, which significantly alters the tonal range in scanning. This is a very fine grain emulsion that features high red light sensitivity, which makes red light appear much lighter. From what I’ve read, it also incorporates a degree of infrared sensitivity, which may be enhanced by the use of red filters.

Following recommendations by the manufacturer and various accounts published on the web, I processed my roll in Agfa Rodinal, which tends to yield a very rich black.

I exposed the entire roll in Dublin, while I made a few photographs around Heuston Station, for this exercise concentrated on views of the city. Once I feel I’ve mastered processing this emulsion, I may make some serious railroad photos with it.

The photos below are scanned using an Epson V500 flatbed scan and tidied up using Lightroom.

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