I have a nearly full bottle of Agfa Rodinal (Rodinol?) developer that was opened more than a year ago and used twice. I want to use it again but the instructions say that it only lasts for 6 months after being opened. Does anyone know whether this is the case or is Agfa just being cautious? It was stored at normal room temperature in the dark , undiluted.

-- Andy Laycock (aglay@interchange.ubc.ca), December 17, 1997

Answers

Re:Rodinal Shelf Life

Andy, Rodinal has a shelf life of just about forever! I've use 3 or 4 year old opened Rodinal with perfect results. It turns almost black, but it's still good. Maybe that's why Agfa now supplies this great developer only in the little bottle. Also, you can mix it yourself from stock chemistry. There's a formula in Steve Anchell's Darkroom Cookbook. So, go ahead; you'll be fine.

-- Michael D Fraser (mdfraser@earthlink.net), December 18, 1997.

It should be all right. It may turn a darker color (Rodinal goes from a pale wheat color to very dark brown over its life), but you likely will not have to adjust the developing time from your preferred time. I've read tales of bottles of this stuff being fished out of bombed- out ruins in Hamburg, long after the end of the war, and still being quite usable.

And it appears that Agfa has responded to the howls of Rodinal users, and reintroduced it in the 16-oz bottle --- much more economical.

-- Charles E. Albertson (chucko@siteconnect.com), January 16, 1999.

The shelf life of Rodinal would seem to be almost forever! I had one glass bottle that was at least 15 years old, black and thick, yet still worked fine. When they [Agfa] changed to the plastic bottles one bottle sat in my d'room for a very long time and was still okay. If you have something really important buy a new bottle .. just in case. It is probably the best keeping developer there is.

Steve Nicholls

-- Steve Nicholls (gl1500@senet.com.au), January 17, 1999.