Elke 25 & Pyro

magic823 · May 9, 2003

I have a few negs (4x5) I shot last weekend on Mt. Rainier on Elke 25. I can't seem to find a time for Pyro. I have at my disposal for WD2D+ and PMK (I would prefer to use the WD2D+). The closes film I can seem to find for this is either Elke 100 or Agfa 25.

Any ideas?

I also have a couple of Bergger 200 you process also. I was look at about 11.5 mins at 20C. If I'm way off, please let me know.

Thanks.
Steve

Donald Miller · May 9, 2003

Steve,
If these are important negatives and considering the developers that you have, I would place a phone call to Photographers Formulary. They will have development times for those two developers and those films. Good luck.

magic823 · May 10, 2003

I tried one neg at 8 mins and it looked a little thin (but I'm really not sure what pyro negs should look like) so I did the next one at 10. It was a little denser. I'll try to contact sheet them tomorrow and see what they truly look like. If it works out I'll report back.

Aggie · May 10, 2003

magic823 · May 13, 2003

Results of further testing.

Bregger 200 (shot at 100)
Processed at 11.5 mins @20C in WD2D+

The negs still seem a little thin. I'll get a chance the contact sheet them tonight.

Elke 25 (shot at 25 ISO)
Processed at 10 mins @ 20C in WD2D+

Negs look to be what I say looks like normal density and through a lupe look incrediable. Again I'll contact sheet them tonight and repost.

Ed Sukach · May 13, 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (magic823 @ May 13 2003, 09:29 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Elke 25 (shot at 25 ISO)
Processed at 10 mins @ 20C in WD2D+
</td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>
Elke? Thew only "Elke" I've heard about was Elke Sommer. She is pretty damn well devloped...

magic823 · May 13, 2003

Sorry, I meant Efke 25.

There's a joker in every crowd....

Aggie · May 14, 2003

c6h6o3 · May 14, 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Aggie @ May 13 2003, 07:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> BTW with pyro developers, thin is not bad. </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>
It's bad for me when printing on Azo. I would imagine that it's also bad for the platinum/palladium/ziatype crowd or for anyone doing carbon prints.

Also, is a pyro negative really thin? If properly developed in a staining concoction with low general stain, the stain adds density which you can't see. Maybe your statement would be more accurate if we reworded it as: "...with pyro developers, what APPEARS to be thin may not be bad".

avandesande · May 14, 2003

The proof is in the print... it is hard to guage how a negative will print just by looking at it, you will just have to try printing it. Efke pl25 lends itself to contrast, you should probably get decent results with compensating developers as well as with straight ABC. It seems to pick up much less 'general stain' in abc compared to pl100.
It's an interesting film and is reasonably priced.

Ole · May 14, 2003

I tested a few shets of PL100 (not 25) in Pyrocat HD - development by inspection, but around 9 minutes. Contact print on silver gelatin (Multigrade postcard stock, no filter) and Van Dyke were both good.

c6h6o3 · May 14, 2003

It looks like I'm just going to have to try this Pyrocat-HD stuff. It certainly seems a lot safer and more convenient to use than ABC. Cheap, too. I'll make it part of my next order to Artcraft.

Do you find that it yields less general stain than ABC? I don't get much now, just about the same as with TMax in TMax RS developer, so I'm not sure this is even an issue for me. Certainly nothing like the pea soup fog stain I get with PMK.

edbuffaloe · May 14, 2003

Pyrocat-HD produces less general stain than almost any pyro developer.

My time for Efke 25 (EI 12) is 7 minutes at 70 degrees in both PMK and Pyrocat-HD.

c6h6o3 · May 14, 2003

Which pyro developer produces less general stain than Pyrocat-HD?

clay · May 14, 2003

> Which pyro developer produces less general stain than Pyrocat-HD?

None that I have tried. That list includes PMK, Rollo, W2D2, W2D2+ and ABC. Another thread in here has some tricks that Sandy has developed to reduce any b+f even further. It is definitely the least tricky-to-use tanning developer that I have seen.

Clay

sanking · May 15, 2003

Excessive general stain with staining developers can result from impurities in the tap water used to mix the working solution. Both pyrogallol and pyrocatechin (pyrocatechol) based developers are highly sensitive to water impurities so if you are experiencing heavy general stain with any of the staining developers you might consider mixing the working solution with distilled water.

Another thing to bear in mind is that the slight fogging of film that results from age or improper storage is amplified by staining developers. Remember that in the summer film stored in a closed car can easily reach temperatures of 130-40F and this by itself is sufficient to cause a slight fogging.

I am lucky to have a very good source of water for working with staining developers as I get a really low b+f with Pyrocat-HD, and only slightly higher with Rollo Pyro. This is with rotary processing.

Sandy King

avandesande · May 15, 2003

Isn't a little bit of BF helpful? This should make it harder to see scratches and dust on the negative (in the print).

galyons · May 30, 2003

I shoot EfkePL25 at EI12. Develop 6 min @ 20c , ABC+ Pyro, in a Jobo rotary. It does tend toward contrasty. My experience is that the PL25 general stain is lower than Efke PL100. I love both films, and R50 in 120, but have to watch the color spectrum on the 25 & 50.

Cheers,
Geary

magic823 · May 30, 2003

I love this film. Found my time to be 8 min at 68F in the WD2D+. The negs printed fine on grade 2. I just uploaded one of the prints into the critique gallery for your look/see.

After shooting a few negs this stuff is amazing (Efke 25). It has quickly become my favorite film, with Tri-X coming in second. I've been trying to get a handle on Bergger 200 without success. If I don't get better results by the time I finish my first box, it will be may last. Tried shoot it at 100 ISO and developed for 12 mins in the above soup and I the negs are too thin for my liking.

Elke 25 & Pyro

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