Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100 capacity per litre in a Jobo.

I've successfully been processing 4 rolls of 120 format per litre in a 2500x series tank, using Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100. Although the capacity of the tank is 5 rolls, I decided on 4 to give a safety margin. As I'm about to start using the 3005 expert drum for 8x10 I'm planning to test as to whether I can develop five sheets of 8x10" medium speed film per litre of PCAT-HD, or whether I would need to switch to a high capacity developer such as XTOL 1+1 used one-shot.

Any experiences of Pryocat-HD and the 3005 tank for silver gelatin printing contrast?

Tom

While I can't help you with the Printing I do own the Jobo 2300 and it was advised to me to use an 18 pct solution of ETDA salt while using Pryo in the Jobo for developing film. Once I did I was blown away with the increase of tonality I got out of it. Try it. It's cheap and I think you'll also be amazed.

I use 1:1:100 Pyrocat HD in a 3005 drum to process 8x10 film and I use a maximum of 1000 ml of working solution for 5 sheets of film. I've never had any problems despite the recommendation to use 250 ml per 8x10 sheet.

dwdmguy said:

While I can't help you with the Printing I do own the Jobo 2300 and it was advised to me to use an 18 pct solution of ETDA salt while using Pryo in the Jobo for developing film. Once I did I was blown away with the increase of tonality I got out of it. Try it. It's cheap and I think you'll also be amazed.

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Woah, tell me more...

Hi,
I use ABC Plus Pyro and have never had any problems. I use 1 litre of developer in the expert drum. Just watch your lift arm with the weight. I have worked out an attachment for the jobo to take the strain off the lift mech. With the smaller drums I have used the recommended rates as on the drums. I f you can get a copy of "THE ROTARY PROCESSOR MANUAL" this is a great guide to the drums and fill rates. If any one wants information on the JOBO arm send me a PM

I'll be using the ATL-2300, so lifting and fill rates are automated. I have experienced a batch of Pyrocat-HD basically switch off very suddenly so will check for activity before entrusting five 8x10" negatives to the developer.

Tom

I use PCat HD 1:1:100 in a 3005 drum, at the slowest possible rotation, and can get negs of sufficient contrast for platinum/palladium printing, so what you propose is entirely possible. Personally, I would switch your rotation speed to the slowest possible or you will run the risk of exhausting your developer.

Tom Kershaw said:

I'll be using the ATL-2300, so lifting and fill rates are automated. I have experienced a batch of Pyrocat-HD basically switch off very suddenly so will check for activity before entrusting five 8x10" negatives to the developer.

Tom

Click to expand...

I've heard plenty of stories of this happening, power failures etc.. that's why I have a battery back-up on mine. What a way to lose your work.

I base all of my sensitometry testing of Pyrocat-HD and -MC on about 60ml of combined solution of the 1:1:100 dilution per sheet of 4X5 film, or the equivalent, with processing at 72 degrees F in tubes with slow rotary type agitation.

It is possible to use much weaker dilutions and still get full development, but length of time will be needed. For example, people who develop with minimal agitation procedure might use a dilution of 1:1:200 and develop for 30-60 minutes with only three or four agitation cycles.

Basically the developer, even weak solutions, won't just suddenly shut down from exhaustion. This should be a slow and gradual process.

Sandy King

Sandy King

sanking said:

I base all of my sensitometry testing of Pyrocat-HD and -MC on about 60ml of combined solution of the 1:1:100 dilution per sheet of 4X5 film, or the equivalent, with processing at 72 degrees F in tubes with slow rotary type agitation.

It is possible to use much weaker dilutions and still get full development, but length of time will be needed. For example, people who develop with minimal agitation procedure might use a dilution of 1:1:200 and develop for 30-60 minutes with only three or four agitation cycles.

Basically the developer, even weak solutions, won't just suddenly shut down from exhaustion. This should be a slow and gradual process.

Sandy King

Sandy King

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Mr. King, just a side note, your the bomb!

Given the numbers from Sandy, which states 60ml per 4x5" you need 240ml per 8x10". While it's quite possible a full litre will be enough for 5 sheets, there is a possibility for failure.
Looking at my own processing regime, I normally use either 1.5 stop minus, normal or 1.5 stops plus to compensate for the various contrast situations out there. (Looking out the window, something tells me that I will have to do a lot of plus developing over the next 5-6 months. Sweden is very gray during the winter months.) I would guess that the 1000ml of developer would suffice for the minus and normal development, but is it "linear" for the plus development?

While you can (and should) test for the minus and normal times, I recon you can pin-point these times using only one or a few sheets. But finding the plus time is a different story. Here goes (with my estimations from my own lab): A starting time for 1.5 plus development would be e.g. 30% more time. But I will not test this with one sheet and 200ml of developer, as I don't think the drum will react the same with 5 sheets and 1000ml of solution. So you either have to "burn" a few test sheets, or you can develop a few shots which are at least close to perfect (or too soft if the developer doesn't suffice). I don't know if changing the temperature makes anything to the the exhaustion point, but going for 24degC instead of 20 could possibly be a make/brake point.
Or you can make life easy and see to that you use enough developer. That is: go for 1:1:75 or so and make your tests from there. (There are many who uses Pyrocat for e.g. Platinum or Carbon, where higher contrast is needed. They simply use the developer at 1:1:50.)
Last, if you like Pyrocat, there's no need to change developer. Simply adjust.
May I add that Sandy is very, very modest about his creation. In my mind it's a very nice and versatile developer. Hats off for Sandy.

//Björn

Bjorn - I won't speak for all pt/pd folks, but for my experience, I develop at 1:1:100, at the slowest rotational speed possible, at 75F (that's the coldest I can get out of my taps in the summer, and the coldest I can get my Jobo to run consistently even in the winter - my thermostat is a bit off). I have found that the times on the Massive Dev Chart for my favorite films (Ilford FP4+, Fomapan 200/Arista.EDU Ultra 200) work fine for giving me the results I need with my film. I have had success using 100ml per 5x7 sheet, 200 ml per 8x10, and I've even gotten away with doing about 175ml per 5x12. Perhaps it is because I'm running my developer a bit hotter, I don't know.