Pyro for Beginners - Part Two

[Snapper]

Having got some PMK from Silverprint, I now need to know how to use the stuff. The instructions were fine on how to mix it up, but not actually what to do with it.

Do you use it like a regular developer in a spiral tank?

And what about development times - I mainly use 120 FP4+ and Efke 25.

 

[juan]

I don't have specifics, but if you're going to use pyro, particularly PMK, you should read Gordon Hutchings book on Pyro. There's a great deal of information there.
juan

 

[Jeanne]

Yes, you use it in a regular tank. But the agitation is different. You need to agitate every fifteen seconds. I do two inversions every fifteen seconds. A two minute pre-soak is a good idea, too.

For FP4 @ 64, I go 8 minutes at 80 degrees F (yes, you can use it at this higher temp to keep the time shorter-- I believe the rule of thumb is 4% decrease in time for each increased degree in temp)

I think the basic starting times are listed in the massive development chart.

http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.html

 

[roy]

I go more or less along Jeanne's lines. I do not use an acid stop bath but two rinses of plain water dumped after each rinse. It is a personal preference whether you reuse the developer after fixing to enhance the stain. I stopped doing that. As you have not used PMK before, it would be prudent to read an article about it before you dive in just so that you know "what the form is". Good luck !

 

[noseoil]

For Efke 25 & PMK:

asa 12 - 7:00 at 70f (add 30 seconds to all times for presoak)

I do a presoak for 2-5 minutes.

Use distilled water for mixing or times will vary.

Water stop. TF4 for fix. No afterbath in pyro, just wash for 10 minutes. 4% per f degree change from 70f baseline.

 

[steve simmons]

My agitation pattern for rollfilm and PMK is described in the free artile section of our web site

www.cameraarts.com

steve simmons

 

[Aggie]

I took gordon's workshop. We did agitations every 45 seconds for 5 seconds. I also do the spend developer thing at the end. I put the film back into the spent developer for 2 more minutes after the fix. I do the initial agitation for 20 secons, then 5 seconds every 45 seconds until the 2 minutes are up. then dump the developer and into the rinse water with the reels. Since i use the jobo sheet film hand tank, and or the Nikor sheet film tank, I follow the same exact procedures for roll film with my sheet film (4x5) I have no problems with it. As for times, I get them either from the unblinking eye site, Or I take them from Gordon's book for the films he lists.

 

[ann]

I have been using the method that Gordon suggest in his book. agitation every 15 seconds, each invertions in a different direction. then a re-development for 2 minutes with agitation every 30 seconds. Have been pleased with the negatives.

Am getting ready to try some of Sandy King's developer when it arrives from the Formulary. It will be interesting to see the differences in staining and printing results.

 

[fhovie]

Pyrocat HD in a tank seems like regular developer in that it stays pretty clear and the film base doesn't stain. The grain is much finer - like d76 1:1 fine