PyrocatHD no tan (?)

[Andrew O'Neill]

Next time, try 1+1+50. That is how I prefer to develop HP5, to get more stain. Some films don't show much stain.

[Michael R]

If you want to evaluate stain visually it is best to use transmitted light through dense parts of the negative. Remember that stain is proportional to silver density so unless you’re getting a lot of fog it is normal not to see much colour in areas without a lot of developed silver.

I very much doubt anything was wrong with the process conditions based on what I can see in the picture, as the negatives appear to have developed properly. If either the Phenidone or catechol had failed the negatives wouldn’t look like they do. Given that, the only thing that would inhibit stain formation would be if you perhaps made a mistake mixing the formula and included too much bisulfite (sulfite), which would inhibit stain formation but not silver development.

[Drew Wiley]

Put your negs atop a reasonably bright light box and view them through a relatively strong blue filter. That will make the effect of any yellow-brown pyro stain more evident.
Different films do differ in the visual intensity of the effect, and in a fairly predictable manner. But even a seemingly modest amount of stain can have a distinct effect in how the highlights are rendered in print.

[zone]

Tap water is likely candidate. I tried with other water type and the tan is more consistent.

If you make Pyrocat from scratch, you MUST use distilled water. Tap water with mineral content will not work correctly. All developers should be made with very clean water.

I make stock solution always with distilled, the working solution is with tap water.

[paulbarden]

Tap water is likely candidate.
I make stock solution always with distilled, the working solution is with tap water.

Your working dilution of developer should also be made with clean, mineral-free water. If you know your tap water has a lot of mineral content that has interfered with C-41 processing then it’s potentially going to cause issues with B&W developers as well.

[roscoetuff-Skip Mersereau]

Next time, try 1+1+50. That is how I prefer to develop HP5, to get more stain. Some films don't show much stain.

Andrew: I'm curious what changes - if any - you're making to your HP5 working ISO or developing time when you run 1 + 1 + 50 this way?