Avoiding Streaking / Pyrocat - Semi-Stand

[Flauvius]

When using Pyrocat and semi-stand development in a cylinder, how do you avoid agitation streaks in a negative's sky areas?

Flauvius

[Andrew O'Neill]

Hi Flauvius,

I semi-stand 8x10 film in BTZS tubes. My favourite film for this is HP5. Anyways, I fill the tube to the top with highly diluted pyrocat-hd, turn the lights out, then slip the film inside it. I agitate by rolling the tube in a tempered bath vigorously for 1 minutes then stand the tube up on the couner. At this point I turn the lights out, take the cap off to check and see that the film did not shift up out of the solution. After 15 minutes, I take the cap off again, pull the film out and re-insert it top side down. Agitate 5 sec (spinning). I do the same in another 15 minutes pulling the film out and insert top side up, and then again, pulling the film out and reinserting top side down. This also helps eliminate/reduce bromide drag. My developments times are usually around one hour.
For negatives with a substantial sky area, I always expose a backup... just incase something goes wrong. By the way, I never give the film a pre-bath. Straight into the developer. I always had streaking problems when a pre-bath was given.

[Flauvius]

Any ideas why a pre-soak with distilled water would cause streaking with Pyrocat-MC when used as semi-stand developer?

[Dan Henderson]

I recently wrestled with uneven development in clear sky areas of 4x5 negatives in a similar catechol-based developer in a daylight tank. I finally narrowed it down to overzealous agitation. I agitate the first minute then 10 seconds at 1/3 and 2/3 of the total time (tristand development?) Anyway, I found that by slowly lowering the flim cage into the filled tank instead of pouring in through the light tight lid, and by slowly lifting and lowering the cage (sort of like the agitation method used with film hangars) instead of the recommended side-to-side agitation my skies cleared right up.

[Richard Wasserman]

Not to be a contrary, but....

I use Pyrocat in a slosher, and often use it semi-stand. I've found that streaking is due to insufficient initial agitation. I agitate vigorously for the first 2 minutes and then use whatever regimen is appropriate. I always pre-soak.

[Dan Henderson]

Not to be a contrary, but....

I use Pyrocat in a slosher, and often use it semi-stand. I've found that streaking is due to insufficient initial agitation. I agitate vigorously for the first 2 minutes and then use whatever regimen is appropriate. I always pre-soak.

I think this shows that every variable, in this case the container holding the developer, must be considered when trying to solve a problem.

[sanking]

I think this shows that every variable, in this case the container holding the developer, must be considered when trying to solve a problem.

When you do stand development every variable is indeed very important.

Andrew and Richard identified two variables that are at the top of my list, 1) the importance of the film being wetted out quickly at the beginning of development, and 2) sufficient initial agitation, one or two full minutes.

Sandy