Uneven development Fp4+ (8x10) Pyrocat HD

[Shawn Dougherty]

I also struggled getting consistent results using this method with Pyrocat and FP4+, Tri-X, BPF200 and J&C Pro100. I eventually gave up and moved on to other developing methods. I know consistent results are possible, I have seen the work of others who achieved it. I always blamed my inability to concentrate for that long in the dark! =P

[Jim Noel]

Pyrocat-HD is my main developer. I do use 8x10 FP4, too. When you develop in a tray, be sure to agitate strong enough so that you can hear the film "clack" against the edge of the tray. I go west to east/east to west, north/south, south/north for one regimen. Use a tray that is one size larger than 8x10 (I prefer flat-bottomed). Make sure you have at least an inch of developer in the tray. Developer is cheap as I mix it up myself from scratch. So, it's one shot developer per 8x10 sheet. I personally skip a water soak before development when developing one sheet at a time. I agitate about 5 seconds every half minute (continuous for first 30 sec). Wear gloves...

This is the same agitation method i have used successfully for more than 30 years, . The secret with PCat, and most other developers, is more severe, and random agitation. I lift three corners of the tray during each agitation period, working my way around the tray so that the pattern of the developer in the tray becomes random.
Developing only 25 sheets using any one method is not enough to learn how to develop correctly unless one happens to luck into a method which works.
To test your agitation method expose a sheet to a smooth and evenly lit surface. develop it and look for streaks and/or swirls caused by inefficient agitation.

Jim

[Michael Graves]

I go west to east/east to west, north/south, south/north for one regimen.

Is this technique dependent upon which direction your darkroom faces?

[Andrew O'Neill]

Yes, especially if you are based in Australia. In that case it would be south/north, east/west. For those of you who are directionally challenged, 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock, 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock. In Newfoundland add half an hour.

[Victor Loverro]

Before you give up on tray develpment, try using an oversize smooth bottom tray. Years ago before going to rotary drum processing I tried pyro in Patterson trays and the pattern of troughs and thermometer pits showed up in the negatives.