M- development, PMK

[Steve Hamley]

Folks,

In a past thread, M- development (IIRC) was attributed to Gordon Hutchings in "The Book of Pyro", where for example, a negative of a bright window and dim interior was exposed placing the shadow detail on Zone III and reducing the development by half.

I've looked in my copy and can't find it although I'm probably overlooking it. Anyone know where in the book this is mentioned?

Cheers, Steve

[Drew Wiley]

This is just an example of overexposure and underdevelopment, or what the Zone
system might refer to as "minus" developement, or "N-". But developing only half
the normal time seems rather extreme. Usually it only about 20% less. But this all
depends on your specific film and development style. In this respect, PMK is just like
most other developers.

[Payral]

It was called Minus-X development and if I remember well it was in a View Camera page about PMK Pyro.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have his book but I don't recall M- development... isn't it N minus?? Mind you, I haven't looked at it in years... I personally would never put important shadows on zone III and cut development by half. That's extreme contraction and you really should place the shadow higher on the curve in that case...

[RPNugent]

http://www.cabbagetownphoto.com/pyro.html

try this link for Minus-X which is 50% development time

[Drew Wiley]

You can also dilute the developer for extreme contractions, but this has worked for
me only with HP5plus. If your try either strong dilution or extremely short times with most films, you're going to be quite disappointed. I don't see anything in the aforementioned chart or in Hutchings' book which indicates anything other than
ordinary development options; there's nothing radical listed.