This article aims to build upon the previous work by Dmitri (which can be accessed here). After familiarizing myself with his methods, I identified potential areas for enhancement, or at least for experimentation. Through five test strips from two rolls of the same batch, I believe I've discovered effective methods for both scanning and projection. I tentatively regard my results as good, though I acknowledge there is still potential for further improvement. My current scanning setup leaves much to be desired, but the scans clearly reflect the outcomes of my present process and experimentation.
Process A: Phoenix 200 EI 100 + Rodinal 1+100 27℃/82℉ (1.5 hour) + fog + C-41.
Process A yields natural colors, strong shadows, and a clear base.
Exposure: EI 100.
Presoak: No.
First Developer: Rodinal 1+100 at 27℃/82℉, semi-stand development for one and a half hours with 15-second agitation every 30 minutes.
For context, these photos were taken during a Texas summer visit with my parents. Despite the clouds, it was exceptionally bright, and while there is some greenery, it doesn't display particularly vivid colors. One of the most noticeable things when I removed this film from the tank for the final time was that the base was very clear, and the colors were rendered quite accurately. In this photo, I accidentally metered for the sky instead of the trees, yet I appreciate the result, featuring a vibrant blue sky and defined clouds. Although the shadows are somewhat crushed, one advantage of semi-stand development is that it mitigated some exposure errors I made.
Another advantage of the extended original development time was the base quality. In Dmitri's original processes, the base often had a blue tint, which I encountered in my earlier trials. However, this time the base has a subtle amber hue that can be easily edited out and is not noticeable during projection. I feel this slight tint is preferable to a strong blue cast, particularly since it resolved the reticulation issue that Dmitri faced. Both in the scans and visual inspection of the film, there was no sign of reticulation, due to the lower concentrations of Rodinal and less extreme temperatures in this process. The trade-off, of course, is that it takes significantly longer.
This image showcases the color vibrance achieved through this development method. With regard to editing, the only adjustments made were cropping and sharpening, the latter being necessary because I was getting more pixels than grain. These edits apply to the rest of the images presented here. So far, this has been my best result, and I will continue using this process until a better option emerges.
Process B: Phoenix 200 EI 100 + Rodinal 1+7 27℃/82℉ (6 Min) + fog + C-41.
Process B has a blue cast, is somewhat thin in scanning, but is ideal for projection.
Exposure: EI 100.
Presoak: No.
First Developer: Rodinal 1+7 at 27℃/82℉ for 6 minutes with 10-second agitation every 30 seconds.
Filter: Cokin 030.
This was the second process I attempted after Dmitri’s Result A. I thought that since the blue mask was relatively light, a filter might correct it. After reviewing my collection, I opted for this as well as the Cokin 002 filter. While this didn’t completely rectify the cast, the 002 filter severely compromised color accuracy. Although this process is quicker, it has notable drawbacks: a filter is necessary, which is akin to an 85B—affordable but still an additional piece of equipment. Furthermore, the blue mask remains quite pronounced.
Another challenge with this process is that the films emerge slightly thin, which could potentially be resolved by reducing the original developer time in Rodinal to 5.5 minutes. However, this thinness works well for projection if one is willing to sacrifice some saturation. If speed is a priority, this process might be the best option in the article, although Dmitri’s Result A could still outperform it. For projection, the advantages here would likely benefit from a light amber gel, perhaps a Roscoe 02. Aside from the blue cast, I find the appearance of these slides quite appealing.
Process C: Phoenix 200 EI 100 + Rodinal 1+7 27℃/82℉ (6 Min) + fog + C-41.
Process C exhibits a blue cast, slightly thin in scanning, but is suitable for projection.
Exposure: EI 100.
Presoak: No.
First Developer: Rodinal 1+7 at 27℃/82℉ for 6 minutes with 10-second agitation every 30 seconds.
This was my initial attempt at developing my own process,
This article aims to build upon the prior work conducted by Dmitri (accessible here). Upon reviewing his techniques, I recognized potential for enhancements or at the very least, some experimentation. Through five test strips from two rolls of the same batch, I believe I have discovered an effective method for both scanning and projection.