Pyro dev (WD2D+) compared to Xtol?

[Jedidiah Smith]

To anyone with experience developing 35mm film in both Pyro developers and Xtol:
I'm about to make another order through Freestyle, and after a lot of comparing my old and recent negs, I will be settling on T-Max 100 and 400 as my main films. Out of the developers I've used, the result from Xtol is my favorite.

There is one more thing I'm curious about, and that is how a Pyro developer would compare to Xtol for the T-Max films.
Freestyle has Wimberly WD2D+ in stock, but the clencher is I'd have to order a 25L kit of it! That's fine for the money (seems good value), but that's a lot of developer to get just for a test.

Anyone have any comments for me on this subject of Pyro & Xtol before I place my order?
Thanks,
Jed

 

[pgomena]

You have to test any new developer to see how it compares to your standard.

Pyro developers are not necessarily fine-grained developers, and enlarging 35mm negatives processed in Pyro may give you more grain than you find appealing, especially the 400 ISO films. That said, I've had good results with PMK and Delta 100 35mm, but pretty gritty, grainy results with Tri-X. Much depends, of course, on proper exposure and development and degree of enlargement. I've not used Pyro with 400 T-Max in 35mm, so I can't say.

I use Pyro developers almost exclusively for medium and large format work. (I don't shoot 35mm much any more.) WD2D+ is a good choice. Follow the directions carefully. PMK is good, too. Follow the directions carefully. Pyrocat HD is great stuff. So is Xtol, or D-76 or Rodinal. Don't worry about having to purchase a 25-Liter kit. PMK and WD2D+ have indefinite shelf lives. They'll last for years in properly closed and stored containers. 25 liters is about right to test a developer and find out if you like it.

Peter Gomena

 

[Jedidiah Smith]

Hi Peter,
thank you very much for that information. I guess I was under the wrong impression about Pyro developers, then. For some reason, I thought I read that the stain fills in between the grain and makes a really smooth print - I could be totally off, though, because I've just been reading &never used one yet.

Bottom line, I guess, is that if it's not going to give me as fine of grain as Xtol does, then I'd probably just be wasting my time. Just had a brief side track with HC-110 for example, and after six rolls in it, I can tell that Xtol is just more what I'm after for 35mm work.

Thanks for the help,
Jed