Pyrocat-HD dev times

ParkerSmithPhoto · Mar 4, 2017

Can anyone suggest some Pyrocat-HD dev times for TMY400, FP4 and HP5? 120 film on stainless reels.

I've done some experiments with Two-Bath Pyrocat-HD and, while I liked to results for the Ilford films, the TMY was woefully thin. Plus, it's a bit expensive compared to my normal Barry T's 2 Bath, as I do a lot of development where I'm running 2-4 rolls rather than waiting and running 20+ rolls at a time, which would make it more economical.

So, I still have a few hundred mL of the glycol PHD sitting on the shelf and I'd like to give it a bit more attention with the three films mentioned above but with a standard 1:1:100 dilution.

If you reply, please include your EI, temperatures and preferred agitation scheme. Thanks!

Rick A · Mar 4, 2017

http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/PC-HD/pc-hd.html

http://www.pyrocat-hd.com/

ParkerSmithPhoto · Mar 4, 2017

Rick A said:
http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/PC-HD/pc-hd.html

Thanks, I've seen those and they are for Jobo processors. I need some starting times for stainless steel reels.

Of course, I could go down the BTZS rabbit hole...

Jim Noel · Mar 4, 2017

Those are good starting times for stainless steel reels.

Marco Buonocore · Mar 4, 2017

For what it's worth, I develop hp5 on stainless reels in Pyrocat 1:1:100 at 68F for 18 min, agitating for the first minute, then 10s every 3min. I give a 3min pre soak.

I generally shoot in contrasty light, and prefer contrasty negatives. My prints are on Ilford Warmtone, usually around grade 1 or 2

Forgot to add ei. 250 is what I use for side lit, contrasty early morning sunlight.

Ian Grant · Mar 4, 2017

Marco Buonocore said:
For what it's worth, I develop hp5 on stainless reels in Pyrocat 1:1:100 at 68F for 18 min, agitating for the first minute, then 10s every 3min. I give a 3min pre soak.

I generally shoot in contrasty light, and prefer contrasty negatives. My prints are on Ilford Warmtone, usually around grade 1 or 2

Similar times here between 15-18 mins 1+1 to 100 @ 20º in Paterson or Jobo inversion tanks 35mm to 5x4 for all films. I agitate for the first 30 seconds then 2 inversions every minute, I print on Forte Polywarmtone or Ilford WT approx Gd2. Never pre-soak.

Ian

Chris Livsey · Mar 4, 2017

A consensus emerges, maybe not for long.
I am on 15-17mins 70F Paterson reels 5 reel tank, 1:1:100.
Pre-soak, usually, forgot a couple of runs back and saw no visible difference at all as I expected but pre-soak gives me mixing time.
I call mine semi-stand, continuous gentle for 1st min then three turns at 4,8,12 mins for 15mins, so yes first turns are at 3mins after initial agitation.
Recent work on Flickr is on that regime various emulsions including some 120 which gets the same.

palewin · Mar 4, 2017

The times mentioned for HP5+ seem long to me. I develop 120 on Paterson reels, and 4x5 in trays for 12 minutes at 70F, 1:1:100. This seems consistent with the Pyrocat instructions which suggest 10 minutes for rotary processing, with a 15% increase for trays or tanks (which would be 11:30). I pre-soak for up to 5 minutes. I used to pre-soak for 2 minutes, but a recent thread, with input from Sandy King, suggested that a longer pre-soak increased the staining effect. This was a recent thread, so I'm still experimenting with that timing. My agitation in tanks is 15sec continuous, then 2 inversions every 30 seconds. In trays I use continuous shuffle, going through the stack in about 15 sec for the first 6 minutes, and then slowing down to going through the stack in 30 sec for the second 6 minutes. Printing is via cold light on Ilford Classic VC FB, usually around a grade 2 setting.

ParkerSmithPhoto · Mar 4, 2017

I found some TMY I did last year 5 mL A + 5 mL B + 400 mL water, 25C for twelve minutes. It was a bit flat. The negs look great, though. I am obviously not a good judge of Pyro negs.

Patrick Robert James · Mar 4, 2017

For HP5 120, I develop it in Pyrocat PC for 12 min. at 77º. It gives a nice meaty neg that prints well. You may want to adjust down from there if that isn't what you are looking for.

Hope that helps you.

Chris Livsey · Mar 5, 2017

palewin said:
The times mentioned for HP5+ seem long to me.

I will run some at 12min but my usual is 15min, if I extend to 17min the difference is not night and day, I am densitometer free at the moment, I would say on time and temperature the HD is pretty flexible and shows gentle changes, certainly in my experience a minute here or there isn'y going to be make or break and we do have personal preferences as to what is a good negative to us.
This on 35mm HP5+ 70f 15mins agitated as above and a centring crop. And yes it's a scan so another set of preferences and variables as are papers and one frame proves nothing but every thread deserves at least one image

On 120 I do prefer a developer that will show of the tone transitions available more effectively, again HP5+, expired stock, with Harvey's 777, so hard to get in the UK.

TheFlyingCamera · Mar 5, 2017

FP4+, Pyrocat HD 1:1:100 - 11 mins @ 75, continuous agitation on my Jobo. But I'm developing for Pt/Pd printing. When I enlarge, these work just fine, but my base grade is a 1 or a 1/2 not grade 2. If you want to adapt my regime to grade 2, run the film at 11 mins at 68F, not continuous agitation. I'm using 75 as my base temp because that's the coldest I can get out of my tap in the summer time. Dead Link Removed

ParkerSmithPhoto · Mar 5, 2017

TheFlyingCamera said:
I'm using 75 as my base temp because that's the coldest I can get out of my tap in the summer time.

I standardized on 25C a few years ago for the same reason. Much easier to heat it up in winter than cool it down in the summer. Nice photo.

JPJackson · Mar 6, 2017

ParkerSmithPhoto said:
Thanks, I've seen those and they are for Jobo processors. I need some starting times for stainless steel reels.

Of course, I could go down the BTZS rabbit hole...

If you are set up to run the test, it doesn't take long and you have your own data to work from.

ParkerSmithPhoto · Mar 6, 2017

JPJackson said:
If you are set up to run the test, it doesn't take long and you have your own data to work from.

I know, I've actually tested several films in the past and have the whole procedure written down, so I could set it up and be testing in a matter of minutes. I guess I'm just being lazy, which will surely cost me more time and energy in the long run!

Thomas Bertilsson · Mar 6, 2017

When I used TMY-2 and TMY with Pyrocat-HD and Pyrocat-MC, my developing times were usually 13 minutes at 70 degrees F, 1+1+100 mix, agitating first 30 seconds and then 10s every three minutes.
I'd expose the film at EI 250 which helped with film density. They printed well on Grade 2 and Grade 3 graded paper.

Today I'd probably go a little bit longer, about 15 minutes or so, agitating every 30s, because I've come to like higher contrast negatives.

FP4+ was exposed at EI 80, and processed 16 minutes at 70 degrees F, 1+1+150 mix, same agitation as above. Those were my favorite Pyrocat negatives. Really high print quality.

Pyrocat-HD dev times

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