PMK - What are the benefits?

[philldresser]

This has probably been discussed ad-nauseum but after seeing Aggies Redwood Mushrooms picture ((there was a url link here which no longer exists)) and the description of a very thin negative but lots of detail, I thought that it would be interesting to see what you all thought were the benefits of PMK over conventional developers. I currently only use Ilford ID11 but have been thinking of trying Pyro/PMK as a lot of people sing its praises.

Phill

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Read Gordon Hutchings' _Book of Pyro_ for all you ever wanted to know about PMK.

For me the main benefit is better highlight detail.

 

[fhovie]

PMK is like cheating - Fine grain developers are solvent - eroding the grain for a softer effect. Sharpness is improved with a stronger grain structure. PMK enhances the grain and improves the sharpness but then fills in the gaps between grain with stain that prints as density. So you get your cake and you eat it too. Sharp grain without the grainy look. Also because it is a tanning developer - not allowing development to continue working on a highlight area after a certain point - gives you greater highlight separation and control - Kind of a win-win - Catechol also does all this with slightly less grain.
Frank

 

[philldresser]

Wow! A win-win situation. You don't see many of those these days.

I suppose my next question then would be Does anyone have any experience with Pyro and FP4 plus which is my film of choice. I currently use 35mm(tank development) and 5x4(developed in BTZS tubes).

I have checked the county library but "the book of pyro " doesn't seem to be high on their list, so I am off to SURF to see what I can find plus try and locate a pyro supplier in the UK

Thanks for the quick responses

Phill

PS Frank - thanks for the postcard. I should have a set done next week

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[Donald Miller]

Wow! A win-win situation. You don't see many of those these days.

I suppose my next question then would be Does anyone have any experience with Pyro and FP4 plus which is my film of choice. I currently use 35mm(tank development) and 5x4(developed in BTZS tubes).

I have checked the county library but "the book of pyro " doesn't seem to be high on their list, so I am off to SURF to see what I can find plus try and locate a pyro supplier in the UK

Thanks for the quick responses

Phill

PS Frank - thanks for the postcard. I should have a set done next week[/quote


Phill,

There is information regarding dilutions and developing time for Pyrocat HD and Ilford FP4 on Ed Buffaloes site www.unblinkingeye.com. This information is for both silver and for Pt-Pd. Please be aware, though, that the information posted there is based on using the BTZS principles for the SBR (scene brightness ratio). From what I understand, this relies on using an incident light meter in lieu of a spot meter or other reflective meter and then adding a factor of 5 to the spread between the low incident reading and the high incident reading. I mention this since I did not initially understand this and this gave me grossly overdeveloped negatives. FP4 is a film that many of the alternative process photographers use since it will build enough contrast (density) to use in those processes. Hope that this helps. Good luck.

 

[sanking]

Fellows, if you want information on FP4+ developed in Pyrocat-HD you need go no further. Item, stop at the next right light without going to the bank. Seriously, I wrote the book on this one since FP4+ has been my favorite film for years, both in roll film and sheet film, and of course I know a thing or two about Pyrocat-HD as well.

Sandy King

 

[philldresser]

Sandy

Sounds good. Where or how can I be privvy to this well gotten information?

Phill

 

[roy]

Phil,
The "unblinking eye" website is a mine of information.

 

[sanking]

Phil,

Let me know what kind of printing you will be doing with the FP4+ negatives in Pyrocat-HD and I will provide a recommended development time and dilution.

By kind of printing I mean process (silver, Pt/Pd, salted paper, kallitype,etc.). And if silver gelatin let me know whether you are using VC, graded papers, or AZO, and of course what kind of enlarger set-up you have.


Sandy King

 

[veriwide]

" I currently only use Ilford ID11 but have been thinking of trying Pyro/PMK as a lot of people sing its praises."

Might I suggest trying Ilford Perceptol? I was an ID11 user for years until one day my shop was out of it, so I bought a box of Perceptol. Night and Day. Perceptol is razor sharp with no grain. Amazing highight and shadow detail. I use Delta 400 Pro 120 exclusively in my Veriwide 100. I am printing 6x10 negs to 24 in wide with sharpness in line with my 5x7 contact prints. I had thought about PMK until I found this.

Just another option,

Patrick


PS. I do not work for Ilford, but Ilford works for me.

 

[Ole]

I've never really liked the tones I get from D76/Id11, so I used Ilfosol S extensively. Due to the poor shelf life of the concentrate I now use Pyrocat-HD... Amazing stuff, especially for developing by inspection. I don't even need desenitizer!

 

[Jorge Oliveira]

My biggest doubt re Pyro - how well does it goes with 35mm film with classic (non-zone) exposure - grain, contrast, etc.

I'm looking for a way to tame TMX higligts blockage without giving up on grain.

Note; I mix my soups.

Jorge O

 

[fhovie]

My biggest doubt re Pyro - how well does it goes with 35mm film with classic (non-zone) exposure - grain, contrast, etc.

I'm looking for a way to tame TMX higligts blockage without giving up on grain.

Note; I mix my soups.

Jorge O

I would not use PMK with 35mm film - It sounds like split D23 would work well for you. 4 min for bath A and 4 minutes for bath B - any film - mix and match - lots of exposure compensation and fine grain. Don't count on N+1 contrast though. N or slightly N- will be what you get. - Get the recipe off Barry Thornton's website - I use his version. It is cheap, easy to mix and lasts a long time.
Frank

 

[fhovie]

Oh yes -- Aggie - I have had great success with PMK in a JOBO tank. I found that I got greater accutance when agitating by hand though. The constant rolling did not allow the edge effects to the same degree as hand agitating and letting it stand. Other than that, using rollers with regular PMK worked fine. (All 4x5)

 

[Jorge Oliveira]

Thank, Aggie

Jorge O