Pyro and 35mm?

schlger · Jan 22, 2009

I am very pleased with TMY-2 35mm in PMK. It gives in my opinion the best combination of tonality, grain and sharpness. But I had no success with TMZ 3200 because the level of general fog and stain was ways to high. Do you have an advice for staining developers with this film or with Delta 3200? Did anyone test high speed films with the new Max Pyro?

Gerhard

edtbjon · Jan 22, 2009

My own results with various films in PMK, Rollo Pyro and Pyrocat HD usually gives the lowest fog+base by far with Pyrocat HD. That is the one which I will try for my rolls of out-dated TMZ to see if I can get anything decent out of them. (I'm not trying to set a new world record for film speed as I usually rate TMZ at say 1000 ISO or so.)

//Björn

schlger · Jan 23, 2009

Hell Björn,

How long do you develope TMZ in Pyrocat HD?
I once compared Pyrocat HD with PMK in 4x5 and found, that it rendered light midtones with better contrast / separation than PMK but shadows were darker at the same time. In 35mm with the old TMY, I had the impression, that grain was more pronounced with Pyrocat HD. Can I expect negatives with clear borders from the combination Pyrocat HD and TMZ?
Are there advantages grain, speed and base fog wise from Rollo Pyro over PMK with TMZ?

Thanks a lot
Gerhard

mikebarger · Jan 23, 2009

While I haven't used Acros I have had very good luck with 35mm Tri-x in 510 pyro.

Mike

leoking801 · Mar 1, 2009

Wd2d pyro

Hi,
I wonder if you could please help me with the formula and further information
on Wd2d pyro for 35mm. I have tried to access Petersons Photographic
for the article you mentioned but have had difficulty finding it.

I am a PMK pyro user with Ilfords F.P.4+, VC. RC. paper - Durst condensor
enlarger and small tank development.

I would value your assistance and advice.

Regards

Leo King, Australia.
leoking801@hotmail.com

PHOTOTONE said:
I mix-up and use the original Wd2d pyro developer for my 35mm b/w images. I get beautiful grain free results on APX 100 and Tmax 100. The Wd2d developer, as originally published in Peterson Photographic (and available online) was designed for small negatives. Some of the other Pyro developers may be more intended for larger-format work. My negatives print well in the darkroom, and they scan very well also. For my particular work, I found that I had to increase the amounts of stock solution in making up the working solution to get the stain results I wanted.

Here is a link to a 35mm negative scan, of APX-100 developed in Wd2d.
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Here is another:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Doremus Scudder · Mar 1, 2009

WD2D Formula

Leo,

Here is the WD2D formula FYI:

Wimberley WD2D

Stock Solution A

Water (100° F or 38° C) 400 ml

Metol 1.5 g

Sodium bisulfite, anhydrous 5 g

Pyrogallol 15 g

Water to make 500 ml

Stock Solution B

Water 400 ml

Sodium carbonate, monohydrated 22 g

Water to make 500 ml

For use, add 20ml A and 20ml B to 400ml water. To adjust contrast, vary the amount of solution B more B gives higher contrast, less B decreases contrast. The original formula contained benzotriazole, but this was later eliminated to increase contrast and reduce development times.

Hope this helps,

Doremus Scudder

SNoel · Mar 1, 2009

Hi leoking801,

You will find most developer formulas involving pyro (including WD2D) here, at unblinking eye:

http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Stain/stain.html

Regards,

Serge

nworth · Mar 1, 2009

The traditional reason for shunning pyro with 35mm films was that the pyro developers were not fine grain developers. High sulfite developers like undiluted D-76 and D-23 produced finer grain and more acceptable images with the films available before about 1965. With modern films there is less of a problem with grain and blocking up, and pyro developers become more acceptable. PMK and its modern kin in particular have a lower pH than traditional pyro formulas and produce fine results with modern miniature films, I understand. I have used pyro-triethanolamine developer, an older non-staining pyro developer, with 35 mm and got excellent results.

Pyro and 35mm?

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