Pyrocat "plus" for semi stand development

Tony Karnezis

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Sandy King wrote about how you can super activate Pyrocat HD using a small amount of ascorbic acid. He calls this formulation "Pyrocat+." (see Dead Link Removed).

I'm interested in trying semi-stand development with pyrocat and Efke PL100 & TMY to print on Azo. Seems like Pyrocat+ is ideal for this technique to reduce the long development times. Has anyone tried this? If so, do you have any experience with these two films to provide some general time guidelines? I posted the same question on the Azo forum but haven't received any responses. Thanks in advance.
 

c6h6o3

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I can only tell you about Pyrocat HD and not Pyrocat+. For PL100 I'd give a normal negative (Zones III-VIII or SBR 7) a 5 minute pre-wash in water, one minute of constant but gentle agitation and then 11 minutes of stand development. Then agitate for 10 seconds (gently! - just one slow roll of the tube - "minimal" means minimal; there is a tendency to over agitate), another 12 minutes of stand development, 10 seconds of agitation and then a final stand of 12 minutes for a total development time of 36 minutes with 3 periods of agitation at 70 degrees F. I dilute it 10:6:1200 per Steve Sherman's suggestion. For TMY do it the same way but make the development periods 11 minutes. Rate the film at the manufacturer's recommended speed (which I normally don't do) and put the shadows on Zone III (which I normally don't do either). One of the things which amazes me about this process is how much local contrast there is in the shadows.
 

sanking

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Someone might prove me wrong but I don't believe this is a productive path. The creation of adjacency effects depends on local exhaustion of the developer, and this condition usually takes place best with very dilute solution. A very strong solution would not allow local exhaustion, except with even longer periods of time between agitation.


Sandy




 

Steve Sherman

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I agree with Sandy. I once tried the pyrocat + formula in an effort to maximize shadow detail while compressing the high values. What I learned through a series of tests is that the Semi-Stand / Extreme Minimal Agitation technique does both without any additional hocus pocus.

I've been saying for sometime, Semi-Stand method of developing film is the very best of all worlds. The increased development time allows the shadows and film speed to build to their maximum allowed by initial exposure. The extreme dilution controls the high values and in conjunction with reduced agitation create increased adjancecy effects, otherwise known as micro contrast just where you need it most, in the shadows.
 

waynecrider

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It seems to me that working with Pyrocat in stand or semi-stand developing is a very personal thing, meaning that your own testing is going to dictate what your going to get. Your dilutions, agitation procedure, ability to maintain developing temps and so forth will give personal results. Having tried and seen for myself what I got, I would advise to shoot some 4x5 frames instead of 8x10 if possible, or maybe cut an 8x10 in fourths and pull negs at intervals in what ever dilution, or maybe if possible develop by inspection. With semi-stand developing you should be able to work DBI into agitation times. Also, from what I remember reading, with semi-stand developing some didn't change their dilutions, they just agitated less and added time. For real adjacency effects tho, stand developing and long times seem more in order to me as Sandy noted in increased dilutions.
 

avandesande

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As i mentioned in the azo thread old-style films tend to 'peter out' under semi-stand development. You will not get enough contrast for azo printing using this method. TMY might respond better though, at least this is my experience with tabular-grain films.
 

c6h6o3

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You wouldn't say that if you'd ever seen Steve Sherman's prints made from JandC Classic 200 negatives which were semi-stand developed. On grade 2 Azo, BTW. If they lack anything it certainly isn't contrast.
 

lee

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"As i mentioned in the azo thread old-style films tend to 'peter out' under semi-stand development. You will not get enough contrast for azo printing using this method. TMY might respond better though, at least this is my experience with tabular-grain films."

I disagree. Ekfe PL100 responds to this type of development also. It likes to gain density in Pyrocat Hd and stand or semi-stand.

lee\c
 

fhovie

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The effect of 36 minutes and four aggitations (ten seconds) every 7 minutes has a magical effect on tri-x. It is rapidly becomming my favorite process. 1:1:150 dilution at 70 degrees. It gives amazing adjaciary effects. It makes amazing tonality without blowing out highlights and it increases film speed to box rating (ASA320) Longer stand times make the effects too strong for enlarging but still very good for contact printing and AZO. I use 1 hour development and 15 minute intervals for pinhole to get a sharpness that otherwise would not be easily accomplished.
 

noseoil

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"As i mentioned in the azo thread old-style films tend to 'peter out' under semi-stand development. You will not get enough contrast for azo printing using this method. TMY might respond better though, at least this is my experience with tabular-grain films."

You may want to try Efke 25 and see what happens. Biggest problem is containing contrast with this film. It builds contrast where there isn't any in the shot (practically) to measure. It's a good choice for flat lighting, but the small grain doesn't look as good as the 100 in a print for sharpness. tim
 

avandesande

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Why not post your agitation method here and what grade azo it printed on? Nobody yet seems to have a clear solution.

lee said:
I disagree. Ekfe PL100 responds to this type of development also. It likes to gain density in Pyrocat Hd and stand or semi-stand.

lee\c
Click to expand...
 

avandesande

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Have you developed efke 25 negatives that were developed using semi-stand that printed on grade 2 azo?

 
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