Another Pyrocat HD thread

[blevblev]

I have been testing contrast with Pyrocat HD using my 4x5 and TMY using 'Way Beyond Monochrome' as my guide. For development times, it suggests using 4, 5.5, 8, 11, and 16 minutes. Since the starting recommended time for Pyrocat HD at 70 degrees and 1:1:100 is 15 minutes (that I could find), I tried using 8, 11, 16, 22, and 32 minutes for n+- development times. I did that because if the normal time was 15 minutes, starting at 4 and ending at 16 doesn't make sense. I used the specific times when starting at 8 that I did because the suggested times appear to sequence like f stops, and I just carried the idea forward. I have done the 8, 11, 16, and 22 times, but I have yet to do the 32 minute one because it's such a long time.

Is there a way to get Pyrocat HD to not take so long (changing the concentration and/or temperature?) without reducing the quality of the resultant negatives?

What times/concentrations/temperatures are being used out there?

[Blueberrydesk]

My time's down to around 7.5-9 minutes for fp4+ rated at 64 for 8x10 sheet in trays. This is at 72 degrees (sometimes 74) at 2:2:100. The time differences for N for me are due to the fluctuations in my water temps. So 7.5 minutes would be for the 74-75 degree temps.

I may end up extending by a minute, because some of my negs can be a little thin, but that's more a problem with metering for me than development. I started with the 1:1:100 dilution and I haven't noticed any difference in acutance with 2:2:100, but I still have a number of negs to print.

Hope this helps, probably not.

[Ken Lee]

You can always use warmer water, within reason, and reduce development time accordingly. At 75 degrees, the recommended time is 8 minutes, and at 80 degrees, the recommended time is only 6 minutes.

That aside, you can try Pyrocat MC, for which the recommended developing time at 70 degress, for TMY, is only 9 minutes. At 80 degrees, the recommended time for MC is 5 minutes 30 seconds.

That's way too short for me. I prefer a greater latitude of control.

What's a few minutes, compared to the total overall time spent ?

[blevblev]

What's a few minutes, compared to the total overall time spent ?

I agree, it's just that I don't particularly want to (potentially) sit in complete darkness for 32 minutes just because I want to do n+ development.

[Ken Lee]

Oops - I missed your excellent point. You are right !

[sanking]

Is there a way to get Pyrocat HD to not take so long (changing the concentration and/or temperature?) without reducing the quality of the resultant negatives?

What times/concentrations/temperatures are being used out there?

You can develop at higher temperature or change the dilution. People are commonly using three dilutions: 1:1:150 for semi-stand type development, 1:1:100 for silver graded papers, and 2:2:100 for silver VC papers.

For printing on silver VC paeprs you should be able to get N+1 with the 2:2:100 dilution and Ilford FP4+ with 11 minutes of development at 72F, rotary agitation. Add about 15% for development in tray.

For even more energy and faster development times you might try a dilution of 5:3:100.

Sandy King