Max Pyro by Gordon Hutchings

[Blacky Dalton]

Just wondering if anyone that is a View Camera Magazine subscriber has read the preview article in the subscriber section by Gordon Hutchings? Gordon has a new pyro film developer, Max Pyro, that he has just released.

I am really excited about something that Gordon feels is better than PMK. There was some talk two years ago at the LF Conference and again I heard there was more talk about a new developer from Gordon this year. According to the article, Bostick & Sullivan will be the source for Max Pyro. I cannot find anything on the B&S web site at this time. Has anyone else heard anything?

B. Dalton

[Shen45]

Just wondering if anyone that is a View Camera Magazine subscriber has read the preview article in the subscriber section by Gordon Hutchings? Gordon has a new pyro film developer, Max Pyro, that he has just released.

I am really excited about something that Gordon feels is better than PMK. There was some talk two years ago at the LF Conference and again I heard there was more talk about a new developer from Gordon this year. According to the article, Bostick & Sullivan will be the source for Max Pyro. I cannot find anything on the B&S web site at this time. Has anyone else heard anything?

B. Dalton

Well I'm curious

How is it different to PMK?

Steve

[Blacky Dalton]

Well I'm curious

How is it different to PMK?

Steve

I know very little other than what I have heard, mostly as rumor. In the article Gordon says, “Despite this success (PMK), I have wanted for some years to develop a formula with less overall stain for the faster films favored by the ULF group and alternative process printers.” It is also suppose to yield full rated film speed.

I had heard that the new formula is designed to yield near zero base stain. I had also heard that it should be good for those wanting to use HP5+ for alternative process. I am interested just because I was told that Gordon was very excited about the ‘look’ of his silver prints from Max Pyro negatives.

The article, slated for the Nov/Dec issue of VC Magazine, says the developer should be available from B&S by the time of publication. So I would guess sometime near December we should be able to order some to try.

B. Dalton

[Turner Reich]

View Camera magazine never came to my town, is it still in production?

[Eric Biggerstaff]

View Camera is still around and published, check their website.

B&S will be the distributor of Max Pyro but they are not yet ready to market it. I spoke to them last week and they have the formula but are not quite ready to put it on the market.

[Blacky Dalton]

The article I referred to is on the View Camera web site in the Subscriber Section. I don’t want to give away the entire article, but the target criteria that Gordon lists are as follows:

1. Full ISO speed
2. Straight line gamma curve
3. Minimal general fog and fog stain
4. Controlled image stain
5. Full contrast potential for platinum and other alternative systems
6. Rapid development
7. Any processing method including stainless steel hangers and JOBO

If he has met all of these, and I have no doubt that he would not, otherwise why release it, I think this would be of great interest to those that are pyro users? I know I am interested in more information.

B. Dalton

[Kirk Gittings]

Gordon has been testing this formula for a few years. I had the opportunity to talk with him about it at his home and see his tests a couple of years ago. The results were very impressive and I think people will be amazed.

[Brian Ellis]

When I tested PMK over a period of a couple months and concluded that it did nothing any other developer couldn't do I was told that I was wrong, that PMK was the greatest developer ever invented, so good it would virtually make the photographs for you without the need for a camera. So I don't see how it could possibly be improved upon.

[David Luttmann]

I know very little other than what I have heard, mostly as rumor. In the article Gordon says, “Despite this success (PMK), I have wanted for some years to develop a formula with less overall stain for the faster films favored by the ULF group and alternative process printers.” It is also suppose to yield full rated film speed.

I had heard that the new formula is designed to yield near zero base stain. I had also heard that it should be good for those wanting to use HP5+ for alternative process. I am interested just because I was told that Gordon was very excited about the ‘look’ of his silver prints from Max Pyro negatives.

The article, slated for the Nov/Dec issue of VC Magazine, says the developer should be available from B&S by the time of publication. So I would guess sometime near December we should be able to order some to try.

B. Dalton

How does it appear to work with slower films like FP4 and Delta 100/TMX 100?

[Don Hutton]

The article I referred to is on the View Camera web site in the Subscriber Section. I don’t want to give away the entire article, but the target criteria that Gordon lists are as follows:

1. Full ISO speed
2. Straight line gamma curve
3. Minimal general fog and fog stain
4. Controlled image stain
5. Full contrast potential for platinum and other alternative systems
6. Rapid development
7. Any processing method including stainless steel hangers and JOBO

If he has met all of these, and I have no doubt that he would not, otherwise why release it, I think this would be of great interest to those that are pyro users? I know I am interested in more information.

B. Dalton

Sounds like pyrocat HD which has been around for quite a bit now.