Prescysol EF compare to PMK

[norm123]

Hi

I'm just curious about Prescysol EF vs PMK for high values of the negatives.

What is your experience with Prescysol EF? Why <<EF>>? What is the difference between EF and no EF Prescysol?

Thank you

 

[Ian Grant]

Prescysol is a direct copy of Sandy King's Pyrocat HD, when asked if it was the same developer there was no denial, in fact no answer. The original Prescysol instruction sheet was word for word the same as one for Pyrocat.

So a better question is to compare PMK with Pyrocat HD and its variants, a good resource is the Pyrocat website set uo & run by Ken Lee.

Ian

 

[Vania]

Well I got the weirdest film artifacts with Precysol EF and from different batches, so after a few frustrating months of trials and failures I tried PMK. I was very pleased with the result also I found it hard to keep density and contrast down. And then I splashed my eye with the diluted solution while developing and freaked out considering how toxic it is. So I went back to HC110. I can say now that I am not sure that playing with these tanning developer is really worth the complications. But PMK would be my 1st choice.


Vania

 

[DREW WILEY]

PMK and Pyrocat HD stain the neg somewhat differently, so print a bit differently with respect to things like VC split printing. Grain is also
rendered differently with certain films. PMK is my standard go-to developer for both sheet film tray development and hand-inversion tanks
with roll films. It's remarkably consistent. Getting any kind of dkrm chem in the eyes is not a nice thing. Maybe time to invest in a pair of lab goggles!