Pyrocat HD Failure Images

[Andre Noble]

Hello, here are the images from my recent rendezvous with Pyrocat HD. As you can see, some failed spectacularly others less so.
(See http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ad.php?t=53770)

I ran six runs of this in a Jobo Expert 3010 and 3006 drums. The first two images below represent various degrees of failure I had on three of the six runs.

The third image shows a run which came out too thin.

The fourth image represents the runs which turned out properly.

FYI, the light box these were photographed on has only one internal bulb down the middle, so on the failed runs it appears to be uneven development of those sheets.

[Andre Noble]

Two more examples of Pyrocat HD runs that turned out properly (although I am not sure of the top two images from the first lightbox on the left - contrast is too high?)

[Michael Kadillak]

We believed you when you stated that you had failures.

Purchase packaged one shot developers from Ilford or Kodak and get back to work and put this fiasco in the rear view mirror.

It would be terrible to have such a marvelous developer tarnished by an anomalous experience. If you were in Colorado I would have you come over and I absolutely guarantee that we would quickly resolve this mess once and for all.

Onward!

[Andre Noble]

No Michael, the developer tarnished my marvelous images.

[Jim Michael]

No, your procedures were at fault. I've read your posts in your other thread. Contamination is likely at fault as others have suggested. I use Pyrocat HD 1:1:100 with a distilled water stop as you described in one of your posts. I get consistently good results. I wash my equipment thoroughly after each batch is processed.

[eddie]

how do we know it is not a shutter issue? maybe it is sticking every other shot? have you tried a different shutter?

i mix my own pyro HD. no issues for me.

[Don Hutton]

One other thought - are you using enough developer for each run - how many sheets are you trying to process in how much solution?

[Bjorn Nilsson]

I've been using Pyrocat HD for some 3 years now, without failures. (I.e. without developing failures. ) It's in my mind a great developer for most purposes. One thing that almost all pyro/catheine developers have in common is that they are used very diluted which renders them very sensitive to contamination. While I'm not the most precise and careful darkroom worker, I do use separate syringes for the A and B parts, which are carefully rinsed after use. I do rinse my Jobo drums an extra time et cetera and so forth. As this have become routine, it doesn't take much time.
I've done darkroom work for some 35 years now and I do believe I've made almost all of the mistakes which can be done. I just wish I could say that there was something wrong with the film/developer/fixer/paper/... but each and every time all I could find was some s__t behind the steering wheel.
We all do understand that you are quite upset with your results. I would probably utter a few /&¤%#"&% too if it happened to me. If you read carefully, you will find that some of the best experts around are trying to help you spot and pinpoint the source of the problem, so you're in good hands. Trust me in the fact that the solution isn't another exotic/exoteric developer, but rather to calm down and to sort out your developing routines.

//Björn

[Jeremy Moore]

Did you take all of the example shots using the same shutter/aperture/iso on whatever camera you took them with? (the shots of the negatives on the light table)

Just taking your example images into photoshop and inverting shows, to my eye, that you are underexposing. When I look at Failure1 against Good1 the biggest difference is the lack of exposure in Failure 1 vs. Good 1.

edit: I took your images into Adobe Camera Raw and just moved the exposure slider and after adjusting it 2 stops Failure1 started to look like Good1.

For example, on "Good2_Questionable", you state:

(although I am not sure of the top two images from the first lightbox on the left - contrast is too high?)

The contrast isn't too high, there just isn't enough exposure into the shadows compared to the 2 negatives below--I'm assuming these were developed in the same batch.

[John Bowen]

I've used Pyrocat HD with TMY EXCLUSIVELY for the past 4 years. Developed nearly 1,000 8 x 10 and 200 7x17 negatives during that time. I've NEVER had a developer failure. My 1st experience was purchased from the Formulary as a pre-mixed kit. After that I mixed my own in Glycol.

I use distilled H20 for the Presoak, I dilute the Pyrocat with distilled H2O, I use TF-4 (mixed with distilled water) for my Fix and have never had an issue. I develop in trays and the trays are marked so that the same tray is used for the same step EVERY TIME.

If you are getting 3 failures out of 6 attempts, then it CAN'T BE THE DEVELOPER and it shouldn't be your water. Developer can't be bad on run 1, good on run 2, then bad, then good etc.

I believe your failures are due to sloppy darkroom habits. Since some of your runs turn out as expected the Developer bottles can't be contaminated. I would suggest you examine your measurung tools, your mixing graduates and the Jobo Drum as your source of contamination.

Are you sure you are using the developer 1 shot?

Once you've determined the source of your contamination I would suggest you make a public apology to Sandy King.

Good luck in your quest to squelch your demons