PMK Pyro Developer Help

DREW WILEY said:

My strategy with HP5 is unusual, but takes into account its "watercolor" grain effect in PMK, where at a certain magnification level (around 3X), you get lovely tonal smoothness combined with very crisp edge effect - almost an etched look.

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Dear Drew,

yep, that describes it perfectly!
Let's see how FP4plus and PanFplus behave...

PMK seems great for darkfield photomicrography, here its highlight compression is very welcome.
For example this 4x5" negative prints awfully, only prints using POP contacts look good:

Sonnentier_POP_1600 by Jens Hallfeldt

It was TMX in D76 (rotation in a Jobo 3010 drum). Today I would take TMY2 for such.
I know doing rotation with PMK can give troubles... but there is Moersch Tanol Speed...

Best
Jens

DREW WILEY said:

................, but still use PMK for TMY400 since it has excellent edge effect to begin with....

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I have always wondered how much the edge effects are due to the clearly visible surface relief in the emulsion which would cause some refraction of light from the enlarger, and the refraction would obviously be different at different parts of the edge. Maybe there would be a difference between diffusion and condenser enlargers.

John, it's a true Mackie line effect accentuated by the pyro stain. I don't think relief has anything to do with it. And Jens ... ahhh, I'd sure love to have a Leitz darkfield setup like I used long ago studying microbiology. But controlling a neg like that one is pretty easy if you learn masking. I also once concocted a pyro tweak that prints using the stain only - no visible silver image - yet doesn't need bleaching the silver out. It worked wonderfully. But then there was a subtle change in HP5 that wouldn't allow it to work. I gave up on rotary PMK a long time ago. There are better pyro formulas for that. I always do sheet film in trays now - way more control over contrast. Or you could just gently roll your Jobo drum back n forth in the sink bed. The Jobo processors run at just way too high an RPM for some applications. I complained about that to them decades ago and then built my own personal machines instead. Pan F is an odd duck and I recommend it only for subjects with a modest contrast range similar to what color transparency film might handle well; and you need a different ratio of A&B PMK for it. It does have wonderful "wire sharpness" in terms of edge effect in pyro, but different than HP5. Of course, Pan F is extremely fine-grained and can be enlarged more; but then, the biggest size you can obtain it is in 120 roll film, so it's not going to help you make large prints anyway, if that is what is in mind. But a med format SLR might be nice for microphotography.

Hi Drew,

I love darkfield illumination, mostly using oil immersion condensers, even vintage ones with highest apertures.
I never liked SLRs on the microscope (except a DSLR for videos or flash shots series) because of vibrations.
A system using a magnetic central shutter (Prontor magnetic) is much better here imo.
The Zeiss MC63 is fine for 24x36mm, 6x9cm and 4x5". Different optics make the image circle fit...

Zeiss_MC63_4x5_c by Jens Hallfeldt

Sorry for being off topic... more on my flickr if you like.

Best
Jens

DREW WILEY said:

... But controlling a neg like that one is pretty easy if you learn masking. I also once concocted a pyro tweak that prints using the stain only - no visible silver image - yet doesn't need bleaching the silver out. It worked wonderfully. But then there was a subtle change in HP5 that wouldn't allow it to work. I gave up on rotary PMK a long time ago. There are better pyro formulas for that. I always do sheet film in trays now - way more control over contrast. Or you could just gently roll your Jobo drum back n forth in the sink bed. The Jobo processors run at just way too high an RPM for some applications. I complained about that to them decades ago and then built my own personal machines instead. Pan F is an odd duck and I recommend it only for subjects with a modest contrast range similar to what color transparency film might handle well; and you need a different ratio of A&B PMK for it. It does have wonderful "wire sharpness" in terms of edge effect in pyro, but different than HP5. Of course, Pan F is extremely fine-grained and can be enlarged more; but then, the biggest size you can obtain it is in 120 roll film, so it's not going to help you make large prints anyway, if that is what is in mind. But a med format SLR might be nice for microphotography.

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Hi again!

Yes, masking! I've never done it, but had some good results with pre-flashed film and two bath developers...
I won't put PMK in the 3010... not even hand rolled.
PanF is a stuff of its own. I use it outdoors in a Rolleiflex, not for microphotography.
I've read about the 1+1+100 and 1.5+1+100 mixes. They will be tryed.

Best wishes
Jens

Well, I'm jealous of your microscope, and you are obviously capable of taking beautiful images with it. I just can't justify spending any more money on optics unless I sell off something of equivalent value. I could obviously sandwich something like pressed flowers and leaves in a negative carrier and project that right onto film or paper. I've got plenty of lenses suitable for LF macro applications. Doing that with a moth or cockroach might come out a little more tie-dye abstract than is ideal. Those kind of cone sheet film holders are still in demand around here and still fetch high prices. Most of them were made for Polaroid film, but can be retrofitted for ordinary sheet. Of course, if I was to do so, it would have vacuum holder flatness. I had my last personal scope stolen by a klepto cousin. Ironically, his father, a surgeon and my Uncle, gave it to me in the first place.

Jay Yap said:

I am new to PMK Pyro. I am planning using PMK to develop Tri-X and HP5+, both exposed & developed at ISO 400. Is there recommended recipe for those films at 20 degree C to start off?

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Hi Jay,
I 'gave up" on PMK after 'reading and somewhat digesting' the 'tomes of Dr Sandy King about Pyrocat HD
You will not get the obvious 'stain' you see when using PMK..... but you DO GET 'sharper' really fine grain.
As of now, the ONLY film developer in my home darkroom... and I mix it from 'scratch' using my ageing and much experienced 3-beam balance (and distilled water) rather than purchasing it 'ready to go'

Ken

Jay Yap said:

I am new to PMK Pyro. I am planning using PMK to develop Tri-X and HP5+, both exposed & developed at ISO 400. Is there recommended recipe for those films at 20 degree C to start off?

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After 'retirement' PMK became one of my 'favourites"... until I 'changed-over' to Pyrocat HD... processed in BTZS tubes for 'rotary' development. The stain is not as 'obvious' but I believe the grain seems to be be 'finer' and 'sharper-edged'

[Your 'mileage' may vary from mine... ]

Ken