Pyrocat-HD 2:2:100

[rootberry]

Is anyone using this dilution for graded silver paper? With no silver chloride paper in the near future, I'm looking to start printing on graded silver (after a long time away). I've been using efke pl100 and pcat HD or MC at 2:2:100 and printing on AZO. I'm looking to transition to graded silver, but don't know much about the papers out there. Would it be a bad idea to go on using 2:2:100?

 

[Donald Miller]

Typically the 2-2-100 dilution is used when one is printing on long scale materials. Graded silver paper is shorter scale than Azo. So you may encounter excessively short developing times if you continue to use your previous dilution. As a beginning point for printing on graded silver, you might try keeping your developing times the same and dropping the dilution to 1-1-100. That should get you into the ball park of where you need to be.

 

[rootberry]

Thats about what I estimated.. I'm still really new to pyro developers. Thanks Donald.

 

[Alex Hawley]

I've been continuing to use 2:2:100 even though there's no more azo, plus printing my azo negatives on enlarging paper. To be honest, I haven't had a problem doing it.

 

[lee]

I print on silver and I like the 2:2:100 dilution with all the film I use. I mostly use Ilford's FP4 shot at 64 and my time at 68F is about 9 mins. I use a rotary drum processor and I am very happy with the results.

lee\c

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I've been using the 1:1:100 dilution and printing on Palladium with no issues, so my negs will also print well on silver, so long as I'm using a VC paper or a softer graded paper.
With the 1:1:100 dilution, I'm getting 12 mins @ 75f for the Fomapan 200 exposed at 100, in a Jobo rotary processor.

 

[rootberry]

Just out of curiosity, do you guys run film tests with a densitometer? Step wedge tests maybe? I've never really tested my process, although I'd really like to find a densitometer, but I just don't have the funds. What are the best ways that you guys have found to get your process where you want it to be?
Thanks for the responses!

 

[fhovie]

using the 2:2:100, I can get N+2 for enlarging. I use the same times as 1:1:100. The other alternative is to use 1:1:150 and develop for 35 minutes with only 4 aggitations. I only use 2:2:100 on sheet film and rarely. The film takes a speed hit with this dilution. For N+2 and roll film, I like Mytol 1:3 better - I can get my N+2 and rate the film at ASA X 2 as well

 

[Donald Miller]

Just out of curiosity, do you guys run film tests with a densitometer? Step wedge tests maybe? I've never really tested my process, although I'd really like to find a densitometer, but I just don't have the funds. What are the best ways that you guys have found to get your process where you want it to be?
Thanks for the responses!

I test using a reflection densitomer on a contact printed step wedge. This gives me the exposure scale of the paper. Then I read the film density that gives me the density range that corresponds to the exposure scale of the paper.

You can get in the ball park by using a step wedge and visually inspecting the density spread on the paper after exposure and processing. Then you contact print the same step wedge on a sheet of film and visually determine if the density spread of the film corresponds to that of the paper. As I said it will be better than no testing at all and you really do not need to read step VIII densities as the Zone System calls for by doing this.

 

[fhovie]

You can get them sooo cheap on ebay now - I learned a lot from mine - a great investment - it is not something you use when you have a process that works - it is something you use to refine a process and learn. It is worth it .... after you have the important essentials

Just out of curiosity, do you guys run film tests with a densitometer? Step wedge tests maybe? I've never really tested my process, although I'd really like to find a densitometer, but I just don't have the funds. What are the best ways that you guys have found to get your process where you want it to be?
Thanks for the responses!

 

[rootberry]

What model do you use fhovie? The cheapest ones on ebay look terrible usually, and aren't guaranteed to work. They don't include calibrations strips most of the time either. I've been looking on and off for a long time, it's really quite frustrating.

 

[fhovie]

Here is one like mine:
http://cgi.ebay.com/X-Rite-361T-den...ryZ46731QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I had to buy a bulb and a cal wedge. Still a bargain.