First trial with Tri-x 120 + Pyrocat-HD

[matti]

So, Photographers Formulary sent me a Pyrocat-kit that my wife will mix up at work. (She is doing a phd in microbiology and refuses to let me handle the catechol in powder form at home.)

I loaded my Iskra II with Tri-x 400 this morning and plan to rate it at 200 as a starting point. Is this a good idea?

I plan to print with a diffuser (Durst M70) on multigrade paper.

The film will be developed in a tank. Any ideas on a starting point for development time?

/matti

 

[juan]

I've always rated Tri-X at 200 with traditional exposure meters, so I think you are correct. I use this combination with minimal agitation development in a very hot climate, so my times would probably be of no use to you.

Good luck,
juan

 

[Richard Wasserman]

A lot dependds on how you are using Pyrocat, it is a very versatile developer. Last night I developed some 120 Tri-x 400 in Pyrocat P 1:1:150 at 70 degrees for 30 minutes agitating every 5 minutes. I rated the film at 400 EI and the exposures look perfect. I have not printed them yet, but they look very, very nice.

Richard Wasserman

 

[matti]

Thank you for the pointers. Would these times be suitable as a starting point for semi stand developement of Tri-X @400 in Pyrocat-HD as well?
I don't suppose it is a good idea to shorten semi stand development times like ordinary to compensate for more exposure so I would need something else to start with for my tri-x @200.
After some more searching I found some advice (there was a url link here which no longer exists) that suggested 9.5 mins at 70F with 30 sec + 5sec/30 s agitation for Tri-x @200. I think I will try that as a starting point. Maybe 10 mins to compensate for a diffusion head.
/matti

 

[Tom Stanworth]

Matti,

I would strongly advise starting off with normal agitation for a normal neg to get an idea of what is, well, normal. I rated TriX at 200 and got great negs at 2:2:100 for shorter dev times. Cannot tell you times as not with my home PC where data is stored. Once you have an idea of how to get a decent regular neg, try semi and stand development. Personally, I use normal development most of the time and have only briefly experimented with semi-stand. I personally found the results (enlarged 6x7 onto only 10x8 too 'etched' and quite artificial looking (PS and too much unsharp mask!!). Might be better with slower films, but I suppose this unreal sharpness is required when contact printing.

Tom

 

[Richard Wasserman]

Tom,

I agree. I just printed some of the negatives I processed with reduced (minimal?) agitation and I don't care for the look of them. It's back to 1:1:100 and normal agitation with roll film for me.

Richard Wasserman

 

[matti]

Huge grain?

So, I developed the Tri-x taken with my Iskra @200 in Pyrocat 1:1:100 21C for 10,5 mins with 30 sec + 5 sec/30 sec agitation.
This is the first time I use a pyro developer. But when I look at the negatives they seem to have huge grain and they look quite flat. Does the stain take care of some of this?

Of course I could be off with my exposure as it was pure Sunny 16 with this roll.

I also shot two rolls of fp4+ @ 125 resp 80 and one 35 mm of Efke 25 @25 that I will try with the pyrocat.

/matti

 

[Richard Wasserman]

Matti,

Pyrocat is not a fine grain developer, but I would not expect huge grain either. I have used it with 120 Tri-x and get virtually grain free 11x14 prints. Have you printed these negatives yet? The only way to really tell what is going on is to print them. Film devloped in Pyrocat does not look the same as it does in other developers and it is easy to be fooled into thinking they are too flat. The only suggestion I have right now is to cut back on your agitation. I would gently agitate every minute instead of 30 seconds. Pyrocat likes to rest for a while. Please let us know how you get on and if you have any other questions.

Richard Wasserman

 

[matti]

Hi Richard,
Thanks for your suggestion. I havn't printed the negatives yet, as I am just setting up a darkroom in the basement (my own darkroom in the basement!) and I can't do another night run in the kitchen, since we are rebuilding it. So I won't be able to print these negs for another couple of weeks, unfortunately.
I think I was wrong about the huge grain thing. When I looked at the negatives again and compared them with HC-110 it wasn't much larger.
I just thought the negatives would look more contrasy, like what I get from efke in Rodinal and not that dull. But I read that stained negatives doesn't look the same, so maybe it is just that.

/matti