Greetings! I was wondering if any of you who have experience with AGFA-100 could tell me just how the various developers work with this film? I am doing some testing with the film and was going to start with Rodinal. Any input appreciated! Howard

-- Howard Posner (hposner1@swarthmore.edu), April 04, 1998

Answers

Check out the Massive development chart. You should be able to find a=just about any combination of film and chemical you want. I don't know how they found all this or how reliable it is, but it should at least provide a goos starting point for you.

-- Daryl Hiebert (dhiebe@po-box.mcgill.ca), April 04, 1998.

I found Agfa 100 & Rodinal to be one of the worst combinations I came across when I tested a dozen films and several developers. Try Delta 100 & Xtol for sharpness, fine grain and excellent gradation.

-- chris almqvist (chris@propellerheads.org), April 04, 1998.

Rodinol and Agfapan 100 - a match made in heaven

While certainly there is room for dispute, and techniques vary, I've found that Agfapan 100 developed in 1:25 or 1:50 Rodinol is maybe the most beautiful combination tonally that I have come across, especially for pictures of people. It edges the classic Plus-X/D 76 1:1 pairing in my book.

For what it is worth, I've done custom b+w printing for about 20 years and have tried every available medium speed b+w film, though certainly not all the developers. I personally find that visual grain is more the result of a)poor exposure, b)poor quality water in the make-up water for the developer that limits the action of the developer (summertime water here in DC is so acidic that you are basically trying to develop with stop bath), c)over aggressive agitation (the right amount is "just enough" and as smoothly as possible).

My experience is that most visual grain is very different from that which is inherent in the film.

-- William Bell (pixtaker@rocketmail.com), December 23, 1998.

I agree with Chris. I developed a few rolls of Agfa (400 not 100 mind you) with Rodinal, specifically for increased grain and acutance but wound up with ugly prints. Delta 400 was much better. I have also tried Agfa 100 and 400 with D-76 and to tell the truth I just don't like the film...although others love it.

-- Andy Laycock (agl@intergate.bc.ca), April 05, 1998.

Agfa 100 - what film developer

In my reply earlier, I assumed you were using 35 mm film as my experience relates to that size. If you use large format, the situation may be different from 35mm. I know people who find Agfa 100 good for large format.

-- chris almqvist (chris@propellerheads.org), April 05, 1998.

SAME

Thanks for all the replies, I'm using 6X7...not 35mm. Howard

-- Howard Posner (hposner1@swarthmore.edu), April 05, 1998.