Pyrocat HD edge uneveness

[georgecp]

Hello, I am new to this forum and appreciate the knowledge sharing that takes place here. I have just started using PyroCat HD after having experience with PMK, Rollo, etc. and the early results are promising.

I am having a problem and would like some suggestions on how to diagnose and correct it. I develop 5x7 film in a jobo 3006 expert drum. I have noticed extra stain on the long edges of the film - on both sides of the film. This occurs especially with tri-x bus also with HP5+. I am using the least possible agitation on my cpp-2- Just to the left of the "0" setting and I use distilled water for a 5 minute pre-soak and the developer solution. The kit was purchsed from PF about six months ago and was unopened just prior to last week. My processor is level and the drum sits level with on the processor.

I will make sure that the fill is pushed fully down into the drum next time.

Do people use the "F" setting for rotation/agitation or to they mostly use just to the left of "0"?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you,
George Pappas

 

[juan]

Welcome to APUG. I don't know your Jobo system, but it sounds as though there is a flow problem rather than a problem with the developer itself.
juan

 

[sanking]

Hello, I am new to this forum and appreciate the knowledge sharing that takes place here. I have just started using PyroCat HD after having experience with PMK, Rollo, etc. and the early results are promising.

I am having a problem and would like some suggestions on how to diagnose and correct it. I develop 5x7 film in a jobo 3006 expert drum. I have noticed extra stain on the long edges of the film - on both sides of the film. This occurs especially with tri-x bus also with HP5+. I am using the least possible agitation on my cpp-2- Just to the left of the "0" setting and I use distilled water for a 5 minute pre-soak and the developer solution. The kit was purchsed from PF about six months ago and was unopened just prior to last week. My processor is level and the drum sits level with on the processor.

I will make sure that the fill is pushed fully down into the drum next time.

Do people use the "F" setting for rotation/agitation or to they mostly use just to the left of "0"?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you,
George Pappas

I advise the slowest possible setting when using Jobo with Pyrocat-HD, or with any staining developer for that matter. You might also consider increasing the amount of solution if your Jobo will handle it. Instead of the minimum of 75ml of solution per sheet of 4X5, double this amount. The developer is very inexpensive and extra solution appears to solve a lot of problems.

Is the extra stain along the borders of the film or in the image area itself? If possible post a scan of the negative.



Sandy King


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[Scott Peters]

Welcome, I am sorry I am not much help here. I have not had that problem using the jobo. I tray develop now and prefer that with large batches of negs and developing by inspection. Certainly others will have great thoughts on this. When using the jobo I also used the lowest setting. Perhaps you are getting a flow problem and may need to increase the rotation a bit.

 

[Scott Peters]

Sandy beat me to it. But he is right on the amount of solution. This helped with streaking. More solution the better as it is inexpensive. If it is on the edges of the film and not on the image itself, it could be base fog.

 

[georgecp]

thank you for your comments - please see scan of negative

Thank you for your comments everyone. To fill in some more details, I am using 1000ml of developer in a Jobo CPP-2 with the 3006 expert drum - this holds 6 sheets of 5x7. The developer volume is approx 165ml per sheet. I am using the standard 1:1:100 dilution and the processing temperature was 75F.

Here is a scan of the negative, you can see the uneven stain intrudes into both long edges of the image area. For reference, the long edge is the one that is bent when it is placed in the drum. If this scan of the negative gives you any other insight, please let me know.



Would the dilution of the developer affect this issue?

Thanks again,

George

P.S. - Mr. King, thank you for your generous sharing of your innovation and time.

 

[George Collier]

When I look at the scan posted, I don't see a variation in density, just the yellow looking stain. I wonder if it has something to do with the anti-halation layer... Yellow doesn't seem to be the right color for this, but then I don't know how accurate my view of the scan is either.

 

[sanking]

When I look at the scan posted, I don't see a variation in density, just the yellow looking stain. I wonder if it has something to do with the anti-halation layer... Yellow doesn't seem to be the right color for this, but then I don't know how accurate my view of the scan is either.

The stain looks very yellow to me as well. Normally I don't expect to see a brownish/black stain with this film. And I can not see a variation in density either, just that some of the edges are in shadow and you see the stain there more than in the mid-tones and highlights.

However, if the stain is really that yellow something may be wrong. Are you mixing the working solution with tap or distilled water? Pyro staining developers are very sensitive to water quality and substances in tap water can cause all manner of changes to the stain, both in color and in intensity.

Sandy King

 

[georgecp]

Posted Scan with notation

Hi,

My scanning color management leaves something to be desired! I mostly scan B&W. the color is off and the stain is more brownish than it looks though there is still a little yellow in it. the film is Tri-X. I did use distilled water for the pre-soak and for the developer dilution.

If the nature of the stain still looks unusual, please tell me.

I have highlighted the areas on the negative where I see the stain that is uneven in the shadow areas (at least to my eye).

Perhaps I had some contamination from my drum or a mixing graduate. I will re-check and try again (and add some more solution if my jobo will handle it.)

thanks again for your comments. I'll keep you posted on what I find.

Best,
George

 

[georgecp]

scan with notation...here is the scan

Sorry, I forgot the attachment..

 

[sanking]

George,

Even with the area in question highlighted I can not see the problem.

So what might it be? I suspect that the stain may be on the base rather than the emulsion side. This can happen with some films that have a retouchable base, as I believe TRI-X does. If you do all of the development in Jobo the base might get uneven staining from lack of circulation. I would suggest that you try removing the sheets of film from the Jobo after the stop bath and fix them in a tray, with good agitation.

I develop in BTZS tubes but always remove the film from the tubes after the stop bath and finish processing in a tray.

Sandy

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I have used Pyrocat (HD and MC) for a couple of years now, and haven't encountered uneven stain yet. But I develop in trays with a lot more developer than what is really needed for the film. The slosher tray that Photographer's Formulary has for purchase helps a lot. Perhaps it would make sense to run just one sheet in an 8x10 tray and see that it's not the film?

- Thomas

 

[k_jupiter]

My guess is Sandy hit it right on the head. It's probably on the base side of the film, seeping under during development. I do see the problem, if it's truly brown you will get a noticeable change in density when printing. Try tray development and see if the problem goes away.

tim in san jose