Developed 4 sheets of HP5-400 had issues with pinholes

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Steven: When you get the information on production dates, which will give an indication of shelf life, please post it, as well as whether yours was the Pyrocat in Glycol (longer shelf life) or Pyrocat in Water (shorter shelf life). Useful information for those like me who are using Pyrocat.

Will do. Here is a picture of the bottles I used this time. I am gonna go take some images today and run 1 thru this lot and then run thri a different lot I have that should be newer. Mine is the water form.

Both appear to be from same lot. The bottles with black caps are what I used. I will redo with black caps and then red caps. If I get same results from both red cap and black cap bottles batch is bad. If not and the smaller bottles (black caps) give same results while larger bottles (red caps) give acceptable results, the smaller bottles must have spoiled for some reason.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Steven, I have seen something similar (white specks) when I didn't mix the pyro formula completely--mostly, I've had this issue with 510-pyro which is a b***h to mix--leaving minute hard particles of one of the chemicals. You may or may not even be able to see this in the Pyrocat you have. That said, I'd highly recommend mixing your own, if you continue on with Pyrocat-HD. I mix mine in glycol and have never had an issue since I started mixing from scratch. If you decide to mix your own, make sure you follow careful procedures--respiratory mask, gloves, etc.

This is where I am headed.

I wonder if it would work better at a higher temp than 75F or lower temp?

[Doremus Scudder]

I'd agree that the problem is with the Pyrocat somehow. A couple of things to check with your "white spots" (which would be black on the negative...)

Check to see if the spot-causing areas are truly areas of increased density on the negative or if there are actual particles embedded in the emulsion. If there aren't any, then something is causing your film to develop extra density in the spot areas. Check your developer solutions carefully for suspended particulates, maybe pour some through some lab filter paper and see what remains. Also check for possible sources of contamination pre-development that could cause the problem.

I also think it's a good idea to check some test negatives in your old and new pyro and see if that makes a difference. If so, then you likely are simply a victim of developer failure/degradation.

Best,

Doremus

[Alan9940]

I wonder if it would work better at a higher temp than 75F or lower temp?

I've used Pyrocat-HD from 68F to 80F without issue.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I'd agree that the problem is with the Pyrocat somehow. A couple of things to check with your "white spots" (which would be black on the negative...)

Check to see if the spot-causing areas are truly areas of increased density on the negative or if there are actual particles embedded in the emulsion. If there aren't any, then something is causing your film to develop extra density in the spot areas. Check your developer solutions carefully for suspended particulates, maybe pour some through some lab filter paper and see what remains. Also check for possible sources of contamination pre-development that could cause the problem.

I also think it's a good idea to check some test negatives in your old and new pyro and see if that makes a difference. If so, then you likely are simply a victim of developer failure/degradation.

Best,

Doremus

Thanks for the info. I plan to shoot some identical images today and develop with both solutuons. I don't remember seeing any particles, but that doesn't mean they weren't there in the soultion. Will let everyone know what I find out.

[Peter Lewin]

FWIW, I remember a longish thread on Pyrocat shelf life, either here or on APUG, which suggested moving the Photographer's Formulary solutions to brown glass bottles, rather than the original plastic containers, because the impermeable glass slowed down oxidation. This would apply to home-mixed Pyrocat as well. (I re-bottle my developers into brown glass, but even with that, I recently had to throw out a batch of PMK where the "A" solution had oxidized.) In that discussion, the "bad" Pyrocat died rather suddenly, but the result was very thin negatives, nothing was mentioned about spotting.

[Tobias Key]

I used two batches of Tanol (a very similar developer) that showed the same symptoms. I use Xtol now and I am very happy with the results. I've decided life is too short for boutique developers.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Here is a shot of the pyrocat A Inused see the whit stuff? I tried heating up the solutuon but no luck. Second shot is from newest baych of pyro A. Pyro is bad.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

These might be in the glycol. Says packaged in glycol for longer shelf life. I thought I had purchased the water version.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

So I used the new batch of Pyrocat and got good development, but white dots in the dense parts. Mostly sky areas. The Pyrocat was perfectly clear. Literally I mean the white dots are only in the sky areas so what gives? I like the Pyrocat, but till I can tray process, I may give it up. Doesn't happen with Tmax developer.

There is no dust, etc on the film prior to exposure or developing, so what exactly causes tue white dots? If it is something about the pyrocat perhaps runningbit thru a syringe filter first might fix problem. I was thinking of getting a watman syringe filter and giving that a whirl. Would for sure remove any particle down to like flu size and smaller. If I still get white dots, then, I will go to tray. If I get there then I give up.

Also notice HP5 400 gets a weird horizontal crazing of sorts on the side opposite emulsion side. Doesn't happen with Tmax D100 or Acros.