Pyrocat HD Experience

Ian-Barber

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Normally I mix Pyrocat HD at 1+1+100 with exception when I want to try the EMA Method Steve Sherman teaches.

Are there any other ratio's you use and if so, what are they and why do you choose to use them.
 
I use 2 + 2 to 100 when dish processing 10x8 film, purely to reduce the development times.

Ian
 
I use 1.5:1:200 for Stand and Semistand. I've gone as dilute as 1.5:1:250 as an experiment.

I find that first dilution gives me highly consistent results across many SBRs. I place for shadows and let the magic of long, dilute development in a compensating developer worry about the highlights. The pretty much gives me full film speed even with rather old films.
 
I use 1.5:1:200 for Stand and Semistand. I've gone as dilute as 1.5:1:250 as an experiment.

I find that first dilution gives me highly consistent results across many SBRs. I place for shadows and let the magic of long, dilute development in a compensating developer worry about the highlights. The pretty much gives me full film speed even with rather old films.

1.5:1:200 is one I have read about on another forum but never tried it. When placing your shadows, are you in the Bruce Barnbaum camp (Zone 4) or in the traditional Zone 3 camp.
 
1.5:1:200 is one I have read about on another forum but never tried it. When placing your shadows, are you in the Bruce Barnbaum camp (Zone 4) or in the traditional Zone 3 camp.

Well, I split the difference and place between Zone III and IV. However, this is slightly misleading. I keep my shutters well maintained and check speeds each time after I send them out for CLA. There is at least a 1/3 stop variability against nominal and even more than this at the higher shutter speeds. This problem gets worse when it is very cold (I shoot a lot in the ice and snow of the midwest USA and it is coooooold). So, trying to dialin a fractional stop exposure difference is - at best - approximate. With all sheet film - 5x4 and 3x2 in my case - I shoot 2 exposures per scene. The first is at the aformentioned III-IV, the second at IV. This gives me some insurance. Most films will handle a slight overexposure (Efke is fussy, and Adox CHS 100 II seems like it might be as well, but I've not fully tested it), so this isn't a serious issue in practice.

Philosophically, I want to make sure everything in the scene ends up on the negative in approximately the right place on the H/D curve so that I have a lot of room to play with the interpretation in the printing process.
 
Quick question: now that wetplatesupplies is closed, what are folks doing for sourcing PyrocatHD, esp. pre-mixed?
I'm currently trialling Bellini Nucleol BF200 as a possible replacement.
 
Quick question: now that wetplatesupplies is closed, what are folks doing for sourcing PyrocatHD, esp. pre-mixed?
I'm currently trialling Bellini Nucleol BF200 as a possible replacement.
I've gone to Moersch Tanol which seems very similar. I have also bought some 510 Pyro after seeing Martin's and others videos.
 
Quick question: now that wetplatesupplies is closed, what are folks doing for sourcing PyrocatHD, esp. pre-mixed?
I'm currently trialling Bellini Nucleol BF200 as a possible replacement.

I don't know what your appetite for mixing your own Pcat might be but - if you are so inclined (and willing to go through the requisite safety and handling measures) - you might reach out to Artcraft here in the US. They are the preferred raw chemicals vendor for many US photographers. Now, I doubt it would be cost effective to send these chemical by international post, but it's likely the guy that runs Artcraft could direct you to an equivalent UK supplier. Just a thought ...
 
Thanks for these replies. I've not appetite for mixing Pyrocat at home, certainly in the small quantities that I'd be using it for, probably fewer than 25 sheets of 10x8 a year.
Moersch Tanol does seem very plausible - I'm looking into it as a more direct staining replacement.
 
Thanks for these replies. I've not appetite for mixing Pyrocat at home, certainly in the small quantities that I'd be using it for, probably fewer than 25 sheets of 10x8 a year.
Moersch Tanol does seem very plausible - I'm looking into it as a more direct staining replacement.
Do please report back here what you discover in this regard.
 
Thanks for these replies. I've not appetite for mixing Pyrocat at home, certainly in the small quantities that I'd be using it for, probably fewer than 25 sheets of 10x8 a year.
Moersch Tanol does seem very plausible - I'm looking into it as a more direct staining replacement.

Also looking into 510 Pyro, and possibly also making up some v basic Alkaline fixer (hypo + washing soda - to use for a few sessions) since I'm also out of TF4 and that's no longer available here either. Have perhaps half a bottle of Pyrocat left first, I discover, probably still in date. I now have 1 roll of 120 and 2 sheets of 10x8 to develop.
 
Not recently Keith. I did very little photography last year as my wife had a fall requiring a shoulder replacement so time was limited. I have found that the unopened bottle I have seems to have gone off so I don’t think it is a long lived developer. However when (if) I get going again this year I will definitely buy it again.
 
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