film developers versus paper developers

[Jarred McCaffrey]

I'd like to try using pyrocat-hd as a warm tone paper developer. Articles such as Pyro Plus Paper Developer make me think this isn't too far fetched. What are some starting points for modifying the stock solution? I know I'll probably need more restrainer. Will I need more or less accelerator (part B)? If I'm not mistaken I can manipulate contrast by manipulating the accelerator. Will I need a preservative to help prevent tray oxidation?

If anyone could lay out some general rules of thumb for the differences between a paper developer and a film developer, that would be helpful.

 

[jim appleyard]

If I'm not mistaken, there's a catechol paper dev formula in "The Darkroom Cookbook". I don't have it right here in front of me and I'm on my way out to the local camera club meeting ( the film dudes outnumber the **^*#ing digital guys...ha ha).

 

[Steve Hamley]

Here's the Catechol Warm-Tone Developer, courtesy Anchell's Darkroom Cookbook:

Water (110F) 700 ml
Pyrocatechin 4.0 g
Potassium carbonate 45.0 g
Potassium bromide 0.4 g
Water to make 1 liter

Use full strength at 100F with exposure times greatly reduced from those with normal developers. Cool print in a water bath, and then process using normal procedures. The "recipe" notes that PF TF-4 works particularly well.

There's certainly nothing in it that's expensive, in fact it's dirt cheap.

There's also a copper-tone recipe.

Let us know how it works.

Steve

 

[kunihiko]

Pyrocat-HD 1:1:50 works for me.
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But, it seems to need some "push", so I started to use second bath of normal developer.
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Anyway, short tray life is a problem.

 

[gainer]

There are times when a one-shot paper developer is appropriate. This may be one. I sometimes use a developing tube, especially when the paper is bigger than the tray. You could experiment with various dilutions of any of the developers that, like Pyrocat, don't become activated until you combine two or more parts. The tube only uses a couple of ounces for an 8X10.

 

[Rlibersky]

I've used this developer. It gives a really nice brown on some papers. But on others almost orange. Have not played with it enough to give you better descriptions then that.

 

[dancqu]

If anyone could lay out some general rules of thumb
for the differences between a paper developer and a
film developer, that would be helpful.

With some exceptions the BIG difference is the level
of activity. Most paper developers use carbonate while
few film developers use anything so alkaline. One to
three minutes for prints and six to sixteen for film
are normal development times.

Although sulfite levels can be very low for either, most
film developers contain higher levels of sulfite than paper
developers.

I've made a very good paper developer of D-23, a metol
sulfite film developer. The results are very similar to Ansco
120 and Beer's A, two metol carbonated print developers.
The both have the same formula and the two of them
are very nearly the same as the two film developers
FX-1 and Beutler's.

Here is a pointer though if you want your film developer
to do, as is, for your paper developer. My first print
with five minutes in D-23 looked under-exposed.
I upped the exposure time 50%. Voila!

I use ALL chemistry one-shot and dilute to VERY
dilute. Needless to say, only one tray. Dan