Wd2d+

[tgtaylor]

I bought this 3 years ago but never used it - until this week. I tray developed several 4x5 negatives using a water stop and TF5 fixer. Although the negatives look good I don't see a "stain" that the Pyro developers are supposed to have. Do negatives processed in WD2D+ have a stain?

Thomas

[David Vickery]

You should only see this stain as a difference in the color of the negative compared to a non-Pryo processed negative. That is, on the warm side as compared to an H-Q (or other) developed negative, which would be more neutral or maybe even on the cold side.

[David Vickery]

Also, I don't remember the formula for WD2D+ right now, but being that it is that old, the pyro may not have done much due to oxidation--depending on how it was kept--but if that were the case then it seems that you would have a lot of no good non-image stain.

[Cletus]

The first and only time I've used WD2D+, it lost all its 'vim and vigor' after about 14 mos. in the bottles. I went for a stretch of several months without using it and the negs I got from the old developer were totally unacceptable. The worst thing is, it took me a second round of ruined negs before I realized the problem was with the developer!

WD2D+ has limited shelf life!

[David Vickery]

What Cletus said is important. I too learned the hard way to never mix in Pyrogallic acid until the very last seconds before actual use.

[tgtaylor]

I was hesitant about its age but I did a quick online check and the shelf life seemed indefinite until opened. So I took it out of the shrink wrap and, except for the expected stain, got good results - I think. Once the 2 parts are combined it oxidizes very fast - minutes - but until mixed it is supposed to have a long shelf life...At least that is what I read at the time.

Come to think of it, I probable bought this about 4 or 5 years back when John had an exhibition and reception in San Francisco which I attended.

Thomas

[tgtaylor]

To follow-up, with the first batch I mixed the working solution with the lights on, then turned them off any put the film in the presoak for 2 minutes. On the 2d batch I turned the lights off, placed the negs in the presoak and then stirred both parts in the distilled water, stirring before adding the second, and after maybe 30 seconds of stirring when part 2 was added, poured it in the developing tray and dropped the drained negative into it and provided gentle but constant agitation.

Thomas

[tgtaylor]

One further question: Can you tell by the color if the stock is too old. I bought this several years ago but never opened the bottles or removed the shrink wrap. In addition, each bottle had its seal in place under the cap which had to be penetrated to remove it. I could detect no difference in color between the stock that I saw in the store or and mine. If mine had aged in the bottle beyond its time, would there be a color shift? One part is clear, and the second part is a light yellow in color.

Thomas

[tgtaylor]

When I got home this afternoon I placed a pyro developed negative and an "regular" xtol developed negative side by side in strong light and as David noted above the pyro negative was markedly warm in color with a slight a yellow stain. I wouldn't have noticed this without placing them side to side to compare. Last month in Toronto Bob Carnie showed me some pyro negatives that he was printing and although I didn't ask him the developer that was used, they had a more pronounced stain than the WD2D+ negatives allbeit of a different color. Now the question becomes would the stain have been more pronounced if the developer had been purchased recently and would a deeper stain matter? Also, is there any way to determine if the developer that you see sitting on the shelf is still good? There is no expiration or manufacture date on the containers - just a lot number ("175").

Thomas

[Mark Barendt]

I don't have a lot of experience with WD2D+ but most of my negatives have be pretty light on the stain, the exception was some D3200 with some fog.