Pyrocat Information

[Barry]

A website providing details of the various Pyrocat formulae has been set-up here.

[Dave miller]

Very interesting, and informative. Which one(s) do folks here use, and how?

[Dave miller]

Originally Posted by Leon Taylor

I use pyrocat HD (the original formula) at 1:1:100 at 21 degrees. 1 minute of inversions, then 4 inversions each 3 mins. I have a standard time of 14 minutes on all the films I use (FP4+, HP5+, Delta 100, Delta 400 & SFX 200) and I over expose all films by 2/3 stop to gain the shadow detail I require.

I've found that I cant use it on my 5x4 negs in a combiplan tank as I get really uneven development. Even with pre-filling the tank and dunking the film in, or changing to standard agitation methods. So i've stopped using it for LF. I still love it for 120 though.

Why do you think it gives the problem with a Combiplan tank?

[Dave miller]

Originally Posted by Leon Taylor

I dont know dave - I've given up trying to find out. Fed up with wasting film (sort of )

I know the problem, my waste bin always needs emptying.

Maybe some one here will come up with an answer.

[Barry]

I never tried it in my Combiplan as I preferred to use dishes at that time. I found that the Pyrocat left a brown powdery residue in the dish that was very difficult to remove. I may try it again now that I have a hotplate stirrer?

[Jon Butler]

I use Combiplan Tanks with Pyrocat HD, I don't get any problems at all.
N. Development at 24c for 10mins, 30s vigourous agitation to start then 10 inversions every 3 mins.
Tap water can cause problems, I use Waitrose bottled water to mix Pyrocat HD to working strength.
JON.

[Barry]

Originally Posted by Leon Taylor

Waitrose? Middle Class Pyrocat eh?

I have a Reverse osmosis filter that I use for mixing chemicals.

Leon, I will put one in my new darkroom. However, my previous problems occurred even though I was using using purified water?

[Alan Clark]

I started using Pyrocat HD seven years ago. It was my main developer for a while, then I tried a few others. Lately, since testing it carefully in different dilutions, and in comparison with different developers, it has become my favourite again. I have always mixed it myself, and always used Metol, not Phenidone.

It gives very sharp results; slightly sharper maybe than Rodinal, ID11 1+3, and Perceptol 1+3.

It gives nice bright upper-mid tones, slightly brighter than the developers listed above.

At a dilution of 1+1+100, or weaker, it gives a very smooth look, with fine grain.

I have not been able to get any "edge effects" or any extra sharpness from it, as others have reported, by using semi-stand methods, e.g. agitating every three or four minutes. Or by using a dilution of 1+1.5+200. anfd agitating every 10 minutes, as recommended by Sandy King. But I have only tried these methods with 35mm FP4. Perhaps they wil work with other films.

I have got the sharpest results with FP4 by using a dilution of 2+2+100. This seems to give extra micro contrast. This is with normal agitation. 2+2+100 is my standard way of using the developer. This dilution gives more grain; as much as with Rodinal. But the grain is more variagated, more expressive. Great for grainy landscapes with 35mm Tri X or HP5. With Medium or large format this grain doesn't show, of course.

At 1+1+100, I have found that dev. times and results are identical to Prescysol EF...

Alan

[Barry]

Thanks for the information Alan, I may give Pyrocat another try. What sort of dev times are you finding with FP4+ at 2+2+100?

[Alan Clark]

Originally Posted by Barry

Thanks for the information Alan, I may give Pyrocat another try. What sort of dev times are you finding with FP4+ at 2+2+100?

Barry,
10 minutes at 20 degrees C. No presoak. 30 seconds of inversions, then one inversion every 30 seconds. Negatives printed on middle grades on my condensor enlarger.
If you use the 1+1+100 dilution and want to try the 2+2+100 dilution I would suggest knocking a third off your 1+1+100 times, as a starting point.

I have developed a lot of 35mm TriX, Foma 400 and HP5 in the 2+2+100 dilution, films mostly exposed in sunny contrasty lighting. 10 minutes at 20 degrees C. yields negatives that print easily on grades 2 or 3.

Alan