Shot HP5 in low-contrast scene

[MikeM1977]

I exposed 7 sheets of HP5+ at ISO 320 in a wintery overcast day (low contrast). Scene includes a whitish building backdropped by a wintery sky.

I've used HC110 with good results at this EI (about 5-6 minutes for Dil B), but these were higher contrast summer scenes.

I've been meaning to try out Pyrocat that is on the way. Was ISO320 too high for Pyrocat and will this help or hurt in getting some punch out of this low-contrast scene?

 

[gainer]

If you develop as for normal contrast, the worst that may happen is a low contrast negative. If i's really low and you don't want to use a grade 3 paper, you can use a bleach-redevelop technique with Pyrocat HD or PMK as the redeveloper. This will give you a number of options in printing. The bleach must be a rehalogenating type such as is used in sulfide sepia toning, not Farmer's reducer.

You could also use HC110 and either less dilution or more development.

 

[avandesande]

Would intensifying with selenium be easier?

 

[Ole]

Selenium intensification is irreversible, unlike pyro (pyrogallol/pyrcatechol) intensification. That pretty well settles it for me.

You don't need the full pyro developer either: Half a teaspoon pyro, one teaspoon sodium carbonate in one liter of water makes a very good but short-lived redeveloper.

 

[MikeM1977]

If you develop as for normal contrast, the worst that may happen is a low contrast negative. If i's really low and you don't want to use a grade 3 paper, you can use a bleach-redevelop technique with Pyrocat HD or PMK as the redeveloper. This will give you a number of options in printing. The bleach must be a rehalogenating type such as is used in sulfide sepia toning, not Farmer's reducer.

You could also use HC110 and either less dilution or more development.

Actually I read that HC110 gives an upswept curve giving more contrast in the highlights. Since all the actions in these scenes will probably be in zones 6-8, maybe this will work well.

We'll see. I'll give HC110 a try tonight and maybe try Pyrocat with one of the negatives. I really meant to do film testing first, but while out on my little film testing trip, I ran across some really great pictures!

 

[John Simmons]

I routinely use pyrocat on HP5 for low contrast scenes and I use the 2+2+100 dilution at 72 Degrees for 12 Minutes in BTZS Tubes for my 4x5 Negatives (constant agitation). If you are tray processing without constant agitation you could increase the time to about 14 minutes. Now, I do rate my HP5 @ 250 and expose my shadows for a high zone 4 - low zone 5. This gives me a very nice dense negative with great contrast on VC papers. The contrast may be a little to high for graded papers, however.