Pyrocat H-D

[Pete Watkins]

Hello lads, Using my heart and not my head I have parted with hard earned cash and bought an enlarger with a cold light head. I am trying to stabalise my film choice to Ilford HP 5+. I like to use Pyrocat HD as my developer and expose the film at 320 asa. I was getting good negs for enlarging with a condenser enlarger and for contact printing using the salted paper process. BUT has anybody got any advice to offer concerning development times for enlarging with a cold light head on my enlarger. Thanks, Pete.

[Gem Singer]

Hi Pete,

Start with the same times you have been using for the condenser light enlarger. If the negatives appear to be printing too soft with the cold light enlarger, increase your developing time by 10-15%. If you are using variable contrast paper for enlarging, it will probably be just as effective to merely use higher contrast filtration.

[Jim Galli]

I develop in PcatHD and then enlarge with a cold light sometimes. Even with a robust neg that will go on a slowish no. 2 nicely, I begin with a #3 filter for enlarging onto VC. Seems that must be what it takes to cancel out the colour of the stain and still land at neutral. YMMV of course.

[Jay DeFehr]

HMMM. It seems to me that I've read somewhere that cold light heads should be used with a yellow filter for printing. Since the PCAT-HD stain is not yellow, but brown, and pyrogallol based developers like PMK or my favorite, PCP-TEA produce greenish stains, maybe one of the pyrogallol developers would be better suited to enlarging with cold light heads.

[Pete Watkins]

Many thanks for all your help, it's much appreciated. Pete.