Success With Pyrocat-HD Semi-Stand And APX 100

thronobulax

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I was able to get a gorgeous APX neg with semi-stand development using the following process:

  • Pyrocat-HD 1.5 : 1 : 150 (20ml : 13.33ml : 2000ml) @20C
  • Film in Kodak hangers
  • 5 min presoak in running water
  • 90 sec gentle agitation - 4 dips, tilt left, 4 dips tilt right
  • At a nominal 10 min (really more like 11:30) 4 dips, tilt left, 4 dips tilt right
  • At a nominal 20 min (really more like 19:40) 4 dips, tilt left, 4 dips tilt right
  • Complete @30min into running water for 30 seconds, and then into TF-4 for 5 min, 25 min wash

I shot the exact same scene twice. The first was processed normally, the second with semi-stand.

The only thing different than the disaster I had over the weekend is the camera/shutter, but I doubt that's it since both shutters fire
reliably and cleanly. I can only attribute that failure to one of several possibilities:

  1. I mixed the developer in the dark by pouring premeasured Parts A & B into the tank with 2L of distilled water. It's possible I "missed" with one of the parts while pouring in the dark and the developer was never properly provisioned.

  2. 2L of working developers in a Kodak 1/2 gallon rubber tank isn't enough for 8 sheets of film.

  3. Upon inspection of the camera used for the failed tests, there may have been a bad light leak when the front standard came lose from the lensboard housing on my Wisner Technical. I could not determine if this happened before- or after shooting, but it would explain the washed out negs.

So, as to possibility 2 ... what IS the working capacity per liter of Pyrocat-HD and how/does that change when doing semi stand? Any thoughts?

The neg looks marvelous wet, but I'll need them both dry to compare.

Thanks to the many who provided helpful suggestions here.
 
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Well done.
Is there some advantage in mixing in the dark that I don’t know about?
And wouldn’t a light leak give characteristic streaks of greater density rather than washed-out negs?
 
I got used to "just in time" mixing when I started using PMK in open tanks because if its high aerial oxidation rate. Clearly, this isn't necessary with Pyrocat (and may well have been ultra-paranoid with PMK as well).

I don't know when this happened, but I noticed that - at some point - the bellows had come lose from the front lens standard. So, if that was the problem, a holder with darkslide pulled would have had ample light to fog the entire surface of the film. I am sort of leaning in this direction as a root cause. The Wisner family of cameras is very modular and designed to make it easy to swap out lenses, bellows, and backs. I stupidly did not do a pre-shoot check of all the fasteners. I think I likely will remember to do this in the future :)


I am still curious as to whether or not 2l of developer is sufficient for 8 5x4 negs in simultaneous stand development.

Upon deep inspection, I do not see a huge difference between the standard- and the semi-stand developed negs. I also see no evidence of the desired edge effects on contrast boundaries. (This is something I've seen a fair bit with PMK.) There is some subtle unsharp masking type enhancement in the semi-stand negative ... but it is very subtle. This suggests to me that I probably need to reduce agitation and increase stand time to promote more complete developer exhaustion. Yes? No?
 
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Your working solution, as mixed per above, should be fine for 8 sheets of 5x4. I've never done semi-stand with Pyrocat, but I have done minimal and extreme minimal agitation in the 2 - 7 min range. Perhaps you need a bit more agitation to maximize edge effects? Could be film dependent, too, but when I hold my Fomapa 100 negs with light glancing off the emulsion side the negative appears to be etched!
 
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