Best way to develop 4x5 in PMK, new to Pyro

[brook]

Brian, If you are happy using the hangers and tanks, consider using Pyrocat HD, I have found perfectly even development if a water soak is used first. I think uneven edge development was the problem mentioned with PMK in hangers.

I tray developed for about 5 years,PMK, ABC, Pyrocat hd, ect. I had to use tanks and hangers for a HABS job last year(their specs) and chose Pyrocat HD as I had been happy with its consistancy. I was impressed by the results, perfectly even development and scratch free negs every time. Its not as efficant on the chemistry,
but everything is a trade off. Everything 8x10 and smaller now goes into the tanks.

[Scott Davis]

After trying to get a grip on hanger processing (I still get developer surge marks on the film where the drain holes in the hanger are), and scratching the dickens out of too many sheets in trays, I went with the Jobo Expert drums. I bit the bullet (HARD) and got a used CPA2, 3005 and 3010 drums, and have been using Pyrocat HD. This has been the most trouble-free method for me to date. I keep the hangers and tanks around for when I want to do semi-stand.

[brook]

After trying to get a grip on hanger processing (I still get developer surge marks on the film where the drain holes in the hanger are), and scratching the dickens out of too many sheets in trays, I went with the Jobo Expert drums. I bit the bullet (HARD) and got a used CPA2, 3005 and 3010 drums, and have been using Pyrocat HD. This has been the most trouble-free method for me to date. I keep the hangers and tanks around for when I want to do semi-stand.

Guess there is just no telling, I always got over dense edges tray processing, not to mention the scratches......

What developer were you using to get the surge marks?

[steve simmons]

If you are having trouble wth tray processing try the process described in the article on the View Camera page under Free Aticles. This is how I was taught.

Here is the direct ink

http://www.viewcamera.com/pdf/TRAYPRO.pdf

stev simmons

[Andre Noble]

Jobo with Pyrocat HD Works "O.K.", but due to agitation grain is enlarged.

I may soon go back to trying tray processing to squeeze the most from emulsion.

[sanking]

Jobo with Pyrocat HD Works "O.K.", but due to agitation grain is enlarged.

I may soon go back to trying tray processing to squeeze the most from emulsion.

I have never observed an increase in grain size with any developer that could be contributed to rotary agitation compared to tray development. For the same time of development you will usually get more contrast with continuous rotary agitation than with tray development, and greater contrast can cause an increase in apparent grain. However, in my experience films developed to the same CI do not show more grain with continuous rotary processing than with tray processing.

There may, however, be some slight loss of effective film speed with rotary agitation. If you want to squeeze the most from the emulsion in terms of effective film speed you may want to consider a slosher or cradle that will keep the film separated and allow for reduced agitation. With some combinations of film/deveoper minimal agitation methods can indeed increase effective film speed.

Sandy King

[ronald moravec]

PMK will not work in a rotary drum of any kind. Gordon`s solution was to run a nitrogen feed line down the Jobo lift to displace all the Oxygen in the drum. It is in his book. I tried replacing the developer twice during development and it still oxydises too fast. Nitrogen is the solution.

Keep your bare fingers out of the stuff. It is toxic to some degree.

He also describes a method of developing one 4x5 sheet in an 8x10 tray. ONE sheet only goes in emulsion up and the sides are lifted in rotation. The sheet is to swish and twist around vigorously. The negs are perfectly developed with PMK and I tried with other developers and it work as well.

My best results were in sealed tanks that eliminate oxygen/PMK contact. Any Nikor tank from 35mm to 4x5 seems to work fine. You will need to use shorted times compared to any other method as there is no oxidation slowing the process down. Start with 60% the original time for any open system. Your developer comes out looking just like it went in.

[Andre Noble]

My Hand processed in pyocat roll films are noticeably more sharp/fine grain than same sheet film emulsion in Jobo.

[sanking]

My Hand processed in pyocat roll films are noticeably more sharp/fine grain than same sheet film emulsion in Jobo.

I am not at all surprised that you get sharper results with film processed in Pyrocat by hand. That is also my experience, not only for Pyrocat but for a number of other developers as well.

However, it would very much surprise me that type of agitation is the cause for the finer grain you are observing with hand processed roll film. Granularity is affected by type of developer (solvent developers give finer grain), exposure (more exposure increases grain) and CI (higher contrast increases grain), and to my knowledge not by type of agitation.

Moreover, the conditions that cause an increase in apparent sharpness, micro-contrast from edge effects) actually increase rather than decrease graininess. I suspect that the increased sharpness you are getting with hand processing is somehow masking the appearance of grain in textured areas. You might see something different if you were to compare large areas of even density with the two types of development. One of the things you can nearly always count on with developers is that the conditions that favor greater sharpness cause more graininess, and the conditons that favor grain reduce apparent sharpness.

Sandy King

[Doremus Scudder]

I've been using PMK/Tri-X (along with other films) for (an unspecified number of) years now. I also tray process. With emulsion hardened films and the hardening effect of the PMK, scratches are a rarity for me. I develop emulsion side up, and up to 6 sheets at a time. I agitate by shuffling once through the stack every 30 seconds for the first half of the development, and once every minute for the remainder. Not pushing the sheets down into the developer rapidly prevents over-developed edges. I also turn the film 180 degrees with each shuffle. I use deep 5x7 trays and 500ml of PMK. I have no problems with developer exhaustion with up to 6 sheets. The edge effects (Mackie lines) with this scheme are visible through my Peak enlarging magnifier when enlarging.

Steve, how do you manage to go through the stack six times a minute? That's almost one shuffle a second! I could never move that fast.

I have good results emulsion side up. Emulsion side down is good too (obviously, since many use this method). Finding the routine that delivers good results and sticking to it is the trick. Tray developing appeals to my Spartan nature: simple tools and skill instead of technology... No machine could sculpt the Pietá, but Michelangelo managed with just a hammer and chisel...

One aspect of PMK developing that others her have not discussed much: Do wear vinyl or nitrile gloves if you will be putting your hands in the developer. It is toxic enough to warrant this precaution if you plan on using it a lot.

Do some searches on whether or not to use the "after bath": i.e. two minutes in the used developer after fixing to help build stain. I have tried acid and alkaline processes with and without the after bath and have still not made up my mind....

Hope this helps
Doremus Scudder