Failure First Attempt

[Eric Brody]

If you are just starting, perhaps using a commercial, commonly used developer from a major manufacturer will increase your chances of success. Take your pick. Since you're in the US, try a Kodak product. Expose one blank sheet to full sun as a test. Check any results for the edge markings, if they're not exposed for some reason, at least you'll know the developer's ok if the edge markings are developed.

Good luck.

Eric

[nray]

Pyrocat HD oxidizes fairly quickly once A & B are combined, so use it soon after you mix it. I use Sterilite food containers, since they are tall and deep, but narrow (like a canyon). There is much less chance of oxidation than when using a tray. Trays are wide and shallow - just the opposite of what we want.

I bought some Rubbermaid food containers (8"L x 5.5"W x 2"Deep) that seemed to fit nicely for doing a few sheets at a time? The 400ml was nice and deep in this container.

On a related note: A friend of mine once took an "Introduction to Photography" class, where the first assignment was to simply take an elevator to the top of a tall building, and throw a 10-dollar bill into the wind. I don't know who the instructor was, but whoever it was, was a wise soul.

The teacher must not have been married. Mine's more frugal.

If you are just starting, perhaps using a commercial, commonly used developer from a major manufacturer will increase your chances of success. Take your pick. Since you're in the US, try a Kodak product.
Eric

Are there big differences in the developers or is it just fine tuning to the needs?

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate it.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Define "translucent". Is there any image at all? Can you sort of see one or are the sheets completely clear and just look like sheets of clear plastic? And you are sure that you mixed in both A and B and not A and A? A friend of mine did that once. He wasted 4 sheets.
If there is even a hint of an image, perhaps 4ml of each solution isn't enough. For me, I use 10ml each of solutions A and B, in trays or tubes.

[Eric Brody]

The only reason I suggested a commercial developer is to decrease the possibility of user error in mixing. While I do not use pyro developers, they obviously work for a lot of people. I'm just trying to simplify for figuring out what went wrong. I have always used commercial developers, probably laziness. I have a friend and mentor whose work is exquisite. I always use the same film and chemistry that he does. I certainly do not have his talent but at least I'm using the same raw materials.

Eric

[nray]

Define "translucent". Is there any image at all? Can you sort of see one or are the sheets completely clear and just look like sheets of clear plastic? And you are sure that you mixed in both A and B and not A and A? A friend of mine did that once. He wasted 4 sheets.
If there is even a hint of an image, perhaps 4ml of each solution isn't enough. For me, I use 10ml each of solutions A and B, in trays or tubes.

They were clear sheets with a slight stain. Nothing on them. I've have had developed 120 T-max and I know the negative can be very light, but this was a clear sheet with no image. Nothing.

I mixed A&B which were in two different type bottles. I used 4ml. Increasing the concentration will alter the development time then or do you keep it the same?

[nolindan]

I second the suggestion to use a 'standard commercial' developer. Kodak HC-110 and D-76 are reliable and cheap.

Re "I mixed A&B which were in two different bottles...": I hope you didn't mix the whole of bottle 'A' with the whole of bottle 'B' ... pyro developers have a 15 minute life after you mix A & B. They should be mixed immediately before use.

[Gem Singer]

From your description, it's sounding more and more like the failure occurred when you mixed the Pyrocat-HD developer from powder.

I suggest purchasing the 10 liter liquid Pyrocat-HD in glycol kit from the Photographer's Formulary in Montana (www.photoformulary.com). The ingredients in Part A are mixed with glycol instead of water. This is very effective way to prevent oxidation and increase the shelf life of the concentrate.

Follow the instructions included with the developer kit. No matter whether you are using at total of 500ml or 1000ml of developing solution, the developing time remains the same as long as the temperature does not vary by a great amount.

For example: mix 5ml soln. A in 250ml water. Mix 5ml soln. B in 250ml water. When you are ready to use it, mix the two parts together to make a total of 500ml of developer. Do not mix concentrated soln. A directly with concentrated soln. B.

I find that the developing time seems to be more sensitive to the type and the amount of agitation than to slight temperature variations.

Also, TF-4 fixer can be re-used until it reaches it's capacity. Filter out any black specks of silver in the soln. through a coffee filter.

[al olson]

. . .
The pyrocat tray was black the first time and the second time the pyrocat tray was dark and the water bath tray was black.

After development I put the film back in the pre-soaking tray for the minute. I was having slight difficulty in keeping the temp. at 70F. It crept up to 73F the first time. Second time was accurate.
. . .

I am assuming that you are using fresh developer for each sheet, hence the second pyrocat tray is not black, but dark.

I don't see temperature causing a problem here. The 73F will increase the density/contrast slightly, but you don't have an image at all.

Are you getting the dye color in the presoak water? Is it the same color as the pyrocat after development? I am not sure why the second pyrocat tray would be lighter, but the water bath would be black, unless your presoak was longer the second time.

Anyway back to basics. No image implies (1) inadequate exposure or (2) lack of development.

(1) You say that you know you have pulled the dark slide. Have you checked the shutter to ensure that it has been opening? Did you load the holders with the emulsion toward the lens?

(2)

They were clear sheets with a slight stain. Nothing on them. I've have had developed 120 T-max and I know the negative can be very light, but this was a clear sheet with no image. Nothing.

I presume that this means you have successfully developed 120 film in pyrocat. Otherwise I would suspect that somehow your developer has become contaminated either in the powder form or after part A and part B have been mixed. Even if part A and part B had been reversed I would expect an image.

How long ago did you mix part A and part B as stock solutions? I would not expect them to go bad as my experience with PMK Pyro obtained from Photographer's Formulary is that they come premixed and I have not had problems using them over a long period of time.

If you mixed fresh developer (i.e. part A with part B) for each sheet, my suggestion would be to assume inadequate exposure and to go back and review your procedure. Follow the suggestions made by others above to make certain the film is exposed.

Keep us informed as to what you find.

[sanking]

I second the suggestion to use a 'standard commercial' developer. Kodak HC-110 and D-76 are reliable and cheap.

Re "I mixed A&B which were in two different bottles...": I hope you didn't mix the whole of bottle 'A' with the whole of bottle 'B' ... pyro developers have a 15 minute life after you mix A & B. They should be mixed immediately before use.

I need to correct that. The life of a working solution of Pyrocat-HD is two or three hours, not 15 minutes.

Sandy King

[nray]

Thank you for the help. Still unsure of what the problem was. I separately mixed in 4ml each A&B concentrate into 400ml water. The pre-soak water was very dark but the developer was also dark. It could be that no image was recorded. I will make another run at it and also recheck my lens operation.

(Al, I sent out my 120 film to be developed and when I got it back I thought I messed up because I could barely see an image there. But, it scanned beautifully. Also, I screwed up and did not pre-soak my first image but instead put into the developer tray by accident. I should have omitted this from my initial comments. )