ABC Pyro staining issue

[Alan9940]

Drew, thanks for the info. I have read that TF4 is the best for pyro. I'll give it a try.

FWIW, I've used several pyro developers over the years--PMK, Pyrocat-HD, WD2D (and the Plus version), ABC, 510-Pyro, Obsidian Aqua--and used TF4, TF5, and my own home brew F-24 fix and I've never seen any odd staining issue. I have developed HP5+ in ABC Pyro in trays a few times, but mostly used tanks/hangers for DBI development.

[Drew Wiley]

I wonder if, in this instance, the sheet was emulsion up or emulsion down, in the tray? (air bell risk).

[Thom Bennett]

I typically process emulsion down but, once in the fix, I flip them as I'm looking at them and leave them face up. In this instance, I did not agitate for the full time and, probably as important, I didn't use my typical fixer (Kodak) but Ilford Rapid Fix. I'm getting the sense this is probably a combination of a few factors. I think the most important is proper agitation in the fix.

[Drew Wiley]

Well, at least Sherlock Holmes is getting close to catching the suspect. That's good news. Since pyro tans or hardens the emulsion, it can be easy for areas to be unsaturated with fixer if the neg if basically floating face up. The relation of fixer to the staining effect of various pyro formulas has been a bit controversial, to say the least, on this forum. I'm not going to try to unravel it. I just agitate film in the fixer every bit as religiously and consistently as I do in developer.

[Thom Bennett]

Thanks for the insight Drew.

Well, at least Sherlock Holmes is getting close to catching the suspect. That's good news. Since pyro tans or hardens the emulsion, it can be easy for areas to be unsaturated with fixer if the neg if basically floating face up. The relation of fixer to the staining effect of various pyro formulas has been a bit controversial, to say the least, on this forum. I'm not going to try to unravel it. I just agitate film in the fixer every bit as religiously and consistently as I do in developer.