RAF Pyro-Metol

[David A. Goldfarb]

David A. Goldfarb submitted a new resource:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists) - RAF Pyro-Metol

part A

metol 3.9 g
potassium metabisulfite 4.4 g (or substitute 5.1 g sodium metabisulfite)
pyrogallol 4.4 g
potassium bromide 1.6 g
water to make 1 liter

part B

sodium carbonate (crystal) 108 g
water to make 1 liter

Mix one part A plus one part B immediately before processing and discard after use.

Staining developer that produces a true speed increase. Grain is significant, so better for medium and large format than 35mm.

I'll post more development times and speeds...

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Sean]

Comments from previous article system:

By David A. Goldfarb - 02:43 PM, 07-24-2005 Edit Rating: None
TXT (Old Tri-X sheet film), EI 1000, 4 min., 75 deg. F, in trays cycle through the stack once every 30 sec. It's really easy, though, to go overboard with the contrast with this combo. In hard light, it's worth considering cutting development by 20-40% or trying a more dilute solution, and in really low light increasing the development time. I haven't worked out - and + times for this combo, and I probably don't have enough of the old TXT left to justify that kind of testing until I've switched over to the new version.

If you want to err on the side of caution or just nudge the shadows a bit up the curve, rate it at 800.
By David A. Goldfarb - 01:02 AM, 08-01-2005 Edit Rating: None
I ran another test to see if it is possible to do two batches in rapid succession in the same developer, as one can do with ABC pyro, and it worked fine. I put two sheets of TXT 8x10 through about 32 oz. of developer, then did another two sheets at the end of the run after moving the first two through the fixer and then to a holding bath, and they look just like the first sheets. Given how short the development times with RAF are compared to ABC, it might even be possible to get a third batch in there.