Pyrocat HD Speed Loss?

[athbr]

Apologies if this has been asked to death but a cursory search has only made me more confused:

In brief, does Pyrocat HD (and other similar formulas) cause an appreciable speed loss?

I've seen in this forum and others people saying anything between having to rate HP5+ at EI 160 to shooting normally at box speed. The Photographers formulary suggests EI320 as well as EI 200. Sandy King says P-HD should actually lead to a 1/3 speed increase.

Considering all this conflicting information (and how old a lot of it is) I was hoping to start this thread to collect some recent data on the question.

Please post your experience with Pyrocat (or any other pyro formulation out there). What film did you use? What EI? Did you like the results?

I want to start messing around with pyro developers (TMAX 400 and HP5 in small and MF) and want to know what kind of speeds I can reasonably get with it.

cheers.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

When I used Pyrocat-HD I got good results using the speed printed on the box. - ILFORD and Kodak films.

 

[Peter Schrager]

You get full speed

 

[Eric Rose]

Full speed with PyroCat-HD.

 

[Vaughn]

Up to speed with PyrocatHD as far as I can tell. One's metering (the meter itself and how it is used) probably has greater determination of 'box speed'.

 

[athbr]

Good to know. Definitely excited to try this now.

On another note, my understanding is this is not the kind of chemistry for push processing. Anyone have any decent results with a two stop push for 400 ISO film?

 

[koraks]

Extending development times (or increasing temperature) with Pyro developers substantially increases general stain while development is not increased proportionally, both issues are due to oxidization. Increasing dilution does work to get higher contrast without disproportionate levels of stain. If you want to consider that push processing is up to you. For push processing, I would personally look in other directions though - if you really must push process in the first place, as it is IMO always a bit of a compromise.

 

[Ian Grant]

Box speed unless there's very deep shadows.

Ian

 

[KenS]

Full speed with PyroCat-HD.

The only film developer in my darkroom, I have no need to 'desire.. or to purchase any 'commercial' developer thanks to the availability of the required chemicals/distilled water....and my somewhat 'archaic' three-beam balance, does the 'job' well enough and somewhat 'cheap' enough.. It IS in my Scots heritage

Ken

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I shoot HP5 at EI 250.