T-Max 400 / Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100 development times

[Tom Kershaw]

Guessing that my development time for TMY-2/PCAT-HD may be too long due to possibly excess grain I went through the Photographer's Formulary recommendations to see how my figures compare.

My development time:
Jobo ATL-2300, 50 r.p.m, 26ºC, 12 minutes, 20ml A + 20ml B + 960ml water.

Photographer's Formulary times:
Adapting the 'Formulary's' (rotational development) figures for diffusion enlargement and process temperature, one comes up with a figure of approx. 8 minutes @ 26ºC for an Exposure Index of 500. <- I've been using an E.I. of 400; i.e. giving significantly more development.

I realise there is significant data concerning TMY-2 and alternative process work, but any comments on process time for silver gelatin printing?

Tom

 

[Ian Grant]

Those are very long dev times, for normal silver gelatin printing, that's effectively 2+2 :100, my own times for Tmax400 etc at 1+1 :100 is only 15mins @ 20°C which equates to 10mins @ 26°C, with YMY-2 I was getting close to box speed..

So taking into account the Rotary processing and increased (double) strength I'd expect a time closer to 6 mins in your case, I process my 10x8's for 9mins at 2+2 :100 @ 20°C.

But of course you need to fine tine to suit your equipment/enalrger etc.

Ian

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Those are very long dev times, for normal silver gelatin printing, that's effectively 2+2 :100, my own times for Tmax400 etc at 1+1 :100 is only 15mins @ 20°C which equates to 10mins @ 26°C, with YMY-2 I was getting close to box speed..

So taking into account the Rotary processing and increased (double) strength I'd expect a time closer to 6 mins in your case, I process my 10x8's for 9mins at 2+2 :100 @ 20°C.

But of course you need to fine tine to suit your equipment/enalrger etc.

Ian

Ian,

Mistyped, I actually use 10ml A + 10ml B + 980ml water. I intend to try 10 minutes for TMY-2, and reduce my Delta 100 developing time to 8 minutes from 9; more in line with the Photographer's Formulary recommendations.

Tom

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Update: yesterday I developed a 35mm roll of TMY-2 for 10 minutes in the Jobo but have not printed the rather thin looking negatives yet. However, reading around, there does seem to be some suggestion that Pyrocat-HD should look less dense than is correct for a conventional film developer.

Tom

 

[rwboyer]

Just a note here -

Following the formulary dev times for Pyrocat originally gave me negs that I could not print on grade 5 paper - so your own times may not be that off for your process/water/etc.

Ps. How did you come up with your times?

RB

 

[Tom Kershaw]

RB,

I tried the shorter times but came up with very thin negatives, so increased until I achieved good results which was 12 minutes for Kodak TMY-2.

Tom

 

[rwboyer]

RB,

I tried the shorter times but came up with very thin negatives, so increased until I achieved good results which was 12 minutes for Kodak TMY-2.

Tom

IMO this is not way out of the ball park - I use about the same times for silver on VC with TMX in a tank.

RB