Originally Posted by
Mark J
Interneg, thank you for your detailed comments, and I can't match your understanding of the chemistry - but you have not mentioned one key feature of staining developers which is the reduction of the Callier effect in the denser areas. This, alongside the acutance, is the other key reason I continue to use PMK after 25 years. This does allow improved detail and separation in the highlights, even if shouldering of the D-logE curve is still present
Like Drew, I have no need to argue about whether real differences exist, or whether Kodak etc thought it pointless to further develop staining developers ( after D-1 ? ) , because i've seen what i need to see. I did a careful test in 1998 on the same subject ( flooded fields, trees, shower clouds ) using FP4+ in two rollfilm backs ( 6x9 ) .
One was developed in Perceptol 1+2 and the other in PMK. The differences in the highlight areas on the prints were not minor, the staining developer was obviously better.
Having tried about 5 or 6 other common developers for B&W, for 10 years, up to that point, this is where I stopped.
I can't comment about watercolour grain though.
ps. apologies for being off-topic
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