Developer for FP4

[Bill_1856]

I would appreciate comments about using FP4 sheet film and tray developing in 1) PMK, or 2) Diafine. Thank you.

[John Berry]

3) pyrocat

[Richard Wasserman]

I'm another vote for Pyrocat. PMK is also nice, but by a small margin I prefer Pyrocat. I have no experience with FP-4 and Diafine.

[timbo10ca]

py-ro-cat-HD!!!!!!

[Ken Lee]

ditto

[scrichton]

Diafine all the way. With FP4 rated at 200, or 160 for highlight bloom. It's a real winner. Try running a 120 film as a tester.

Plus Diafine also has the major advantage of the 'as long as it's over 3 mins' in each bath. Which lowers the confusion in the dark.

I have shot a lot of it on flash at 250 on an old TLR and the tonality in Diafine is great. Although it probably depends on the application you are thinking about.

[Blueberrydesk]

another vote for pyrocat-HD.

[Bill_1856]

Why Pyrocat instead of other Pyro developers? What ISO? How does it last? What is the difference between Pyrocat and Pyrocat-HD? Etc.

[Ken Lee]

Many of us have had good experience with Pyrocat HD. This is anecdotal evidence, you might say.

Then, there is the theoretical evidence, which is expressed in carefully controlled sensitometry tests (http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/PCat/PCat3/pcat3.html) - which demonstrate that the combination is very linear in responding to light, and responds very nicely to changes in developing times. Compared to other films, and to other developers.

Pyrocat is an abbreviation for the key ingredient in Pyrocachetin-based formulas, and Pyrocat HD is one such formula. There are other "pyrocat" formulas. there are also other Pyro formulas, which use Pyrogallol, a different ingredient.

See http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/PCat/pcat.html for the whole story.

[sanking]

Bill,

Pyrocat-HD is the original Pyrocat formula. Like PMK it comes in two stock solutions that must be mixed in water to make a working solution. With Pyrocat-HD the A Stock solution is made up of the reducers pyrocatechin (catechol) and phenidone, sodium metabisulfite (preservative) and bromide (anti-fogging agent), and can be mixed in either water or glycol. Stock B is a 75% potassium carbonate solution. With most films it gives very low general stain and a brownish black stain. It was designed for tray development and for development with minimal agitation, but also works well in tubes with rotary development.

Pyrocat-MC is a newer formula and was specifically designed to give slightly higher accutance in rotary development, and to give lower general stain with long developments times of the type that would be needed for N+ development for alternative printing. Stock A is made up of the reducers pyrocatechin, metol and ascorbic acid and must be mixed in glycol. Stock B is the same as for Pyrocat-HD.

Sandy King









Why Pyrocat instead of other Pyro developers? What ISO? How does it last? What is the difference between Pyrocat and Pyrocat-HD? Etc.

[Drew Wiley]

I personally prefer PMK, with FP4 rated at ASA 50. Lovely results. My only complaint is
that the emulsion seems a little more fragile than most when shuffling in a tray. You
need to be extra careful.

[Ken Lee]

For what it's worth, I can share some anecdotal samples of FP4+ and Pyrocat HD.

Here's one (http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/r12.jpg) made on 5x7, here's another (http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/f6.jpg), and here's one more (http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/r10.jpg).

Another popular combination of film + developer, is Kodak TMAX 400 and Pyrocat HD. Like FP4+, it is quite linear in its response to light, and linear in its response to changes in development time.

Here's a recent shot (http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/r6.jpg) on 4x5.

[Keith Tapscott.]

I would appreciate comments about using FP4 sheet film and tray developing in 1) PMK, or 2) Diafine. Thank you.
Neither, D-76/ID-11 diluted 1+1.

[Vaughn]

Come on, Keith, get real...Ilford Universal PQ Developer at 1:19 !!

Just joking... though it is what I use...with dilution dependent on the light values in the scene and ultimate use of the negative (pt/pd or carbon).

Vaughn

[Keith Tapscott.]

Come on, Keith, get real...Ilford Universal PQ Developer at 1:19 !!

Just joking... though it is what I use...with dilution dependent on the light values in the scene and ultimate use of the negative (pt/pd or carbon).

VaughnI`ve never tried PQU for films, but I have used it for B&W papers. It might be a good developer for processing negatives to be contact printed on POP papers too.:)

[David Karp]

Bill,

Diafine works fine with FP4+. In addition, you might try Barry Thornton's 2 bath developer. It is a derivation of divided D-23, using less sodium sulfite and sodium metaborate as the B bath. A while back, I posted the formula here: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=15811&highlight=thornton+bath

I really like this developer.

[Wayne Crider]

I would appreciate comments about using FP4 sheet film and tray developing in 1) PMK, or 2) Diafine. Thank you.

Bill by now I would have thought you've tried everything?

I say if you've got both try both. If one, use it. When I first started shooting 4x5 I was using FP4+ and Xtol and got some really nice negs, but after that I went to Delta 100 when they made it in 4x5 and I liked it better. The Diafine tho is a nice fast easy developer and if you don't have it it's handy to have. The P stuff is glove work and I've never liked gloves.

[Turner Reich]

py-ro-cat-HD!!!!!!
__________________

Double Ditto.

[tim o'brien]

Why Pyrocat instead of other Pyro developers? What ISO? How does it last? What is the difference between Pyrocat and Pyrocat-HD? Etc.


While Diafine works well, nothing beats FP4+ iin a good pyro developer. Diafine brings out the image, Pyro brings out graduated tones.

If I am inversion developing my sheet film, I will use Wd2d+, iif I am rotary processing it, Pyrocat Hd. I think I get an additional stop at the bottom with Wd2d+ film shot at 125. It acts like a ASA 200 film or so.

YMMV,

tim in san jose