PMK Pyro Developer Times - Book of Pyro the only source?

wilfbiffherb · Jan 23, 2013

Hi All,

Im really getting into PMK pyro. i have developed one roll of trix and it seemed to come out fine. I have some FP4+ and some Pan F+ along with trix that i will be shooting on an upcoming holiday to scotland. my question is what speed should i rate these films at and then develop? i have googled my butt off but all i find is references to the book of pyro and the massive dev chart (which i tend not to believe). can anyone help at all??

chriscrawfordphoto · Jan 23, 2013

I use PMK a lot with FP4 and Tri-X.

FP4: EI-80. Develop in PMK 1+2+100 for 7 minutes at 75 degrees (24C).

Tri-X: EI 200. Develop in PMK 1+2+100 for 9 minutes at 75 degrees (24C).

Some examples:

FP4

Tri-X

wilfbiffherb · Jan 23, 2013

wow thanks chris - looks fantastic. have you used pan f with this at all? maybe i should just stick with rodinal for this film... really like your examples - thanks for the tips!

chriscrawfordphoto · Jan 23, 2013

I haven't tried PMK with Pan-F. I stopped using Pan-F because it became hard to get where I live. Now, all films are hard to get where I live and I order everything online now, so I should try it again. I loved Pan-F in Rodinal 1+50, it was a great combination.

I've gotten great results with PMK and Tmax 100 and 400, Tri-X, FP4, Fomapan 100, and Fuji Acros.

Robert Hall · Jan 23, 2013

I have used PMK since 1994, wow, so for a while now. I usually double the exposure of the box speed with the usual caveats. There are many variations of staining developers, but this one has served me well and I'm more in to making a great image than testing developers my whole life.

I rate my fp4 at 64 (close to what chris does) which is about a stop less than box speed. There are times I rate it much faster though and develop the hec out of it.

My times are 12 min at the above temps in a rotary processor. (mostly 8x10 sheet film)

I would simply recommend doing a test roll and seeing if you like what you get.

One can get a great negative from just about any developer, it's a mater of getting to know it.

ROL · Jan 23, 2013

Why wouldn't you just go with Hutchings' recommendations for these films given in the end pages of The Book of Pyro, until you are able to do some film testing of your own?

(there was a url link here which no longer exists).

FP4+ with Pyro & XTOL examples .

The truth is out there (and even here on APUG). Google more butt.

wildbill · Jan 23, 2013

http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart-mobile.php?Film=&Developer=PMK&mdc=Search

wilfbiffherb · Jan 24, 2013

ROL said:
Why wouldn't you just go with Hutchings' recommendations for these films given in the end pages of The Book of Pyro, until you are able to do some film testing of your own?

im afraid i dont have the book of pyro or know anyone who has a copy i can steal

chriscrawfordphoto · Jan 24, 2013

wilfbiffherb said:
ROL said:

Why wouldn't you just go with Hutchings' recommendations for these films given in the end pages of The Book of Pyro, until you are able to do some film testing of your own?

im afraid i dont have the book of pyro or know anyone who has a copy i can steal

Click to expand...

Hutchings says that Pan-F doesn't stain well, but Tmax 100 doesn't either, but I love the look I get with it in PMK, so Pan-F may be good too.

In The Book of Pyro, he gives a time of 7.5 minutes at 70 degrees for Pan-F at EI-32

wilfbiffherb · Jan 24, 2013

chriscrawfordphoto said:
wilfbiffherb said:

Hutchings says that Pan-F doesn't stain well, but Tmax 100 doesn't either, but I love the look I get with it in PMK, so Pan-F may be good too.

In The Book of Pyro, he gives a time of 7.5 minutes at 70 degrees for Pan-F at EI-32

Click to expand...

Chris,

Thanks very much! im on the lokout for the book of pyro but alas it seems pretty rare in the uk. thanks for hooking me up with the time/temp and iso rating. I got FP4+, TRIX and Pan F+ now and those are my main 3 films so i should be good to go!

john_s · Jan 25, 2013

PMK weakens during development, presumably due to oxidation and depletion. This would depend on the amount of developer per film and the amount of air in the tank and agitation. For me, a 35mm film in a 250mL tank with only a little air in it seemed to exhaust the developer at a convenient contrast so that extra time made no practical difference. I discovered this when I tried for more contrast deliberately.

Yes, I am aware that 250mL is less than the recommended volume for 80sq.in of film. But presumably it's not less than the amount used by people doing rotary processing.

PMK Pyro Developer Times - Book of Pyro the only source?

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