PyrocatHD problem

Hello

I have been using PyrocatHd for the past couple of months with out any problems, except the time I used two part A's instead of A and B, but in the last couple of times I have developed rolls of 120 I have had problems.

 

I first noticed that the developer turned kinda of a pinkish orange, this is the first time I have noticed this color, when I added the A and B and one roll came out clear nothing but had a orange tint, and it was from a Hasselblad so did not have the lens cap on, the next roll had images but has strange colors? through out the negatives.

 

Has anyone had issues like this or did the developers get contaminated? I use two different measure tubes and droppers all marked A and B.

Does this developer go bad?

 

I have attached a shot of the negs so hopefully you can help me with this issue.

 

forgot to say this was expired Tmax 400

 

Thanks

Don

 

Here are some shots of the negs and leader

Hello everyone. Don my first guess is that your fixer is the problem. The edge/rebates of the film are not clear, which is the case with all my HD or MC negs. The Pyro stain "generally" does not extend into these areas. Another big question from me is "how outdated" is the film? Outdated film fogs over time, and the fog areas will develop/stain with the Pyro chemicals. I will not touch any film, even a freebe, if it is 2 or more years out or has a questionable handling/storage history.

Try re-fixing one strip. I trust you are using a non-acid fixer??

My HD chems (Formulary) have lasted well into 4 years, at which point I start to see a drop off of developing and purchase a new batch. The A mix will start to show a lite yellow/orange color out of the bottle. The mix goes clear & stays that way for up to 15 minutes before use.

The MC chems are another story. Presently my A bottle is starting to show some "chocolate" strait from the bottle, and the A/B final mix starts to turn a dark blue/green color almost at mix time. "Usually" I allow either mix to "mellow" for 10 mins, but see no drop in activity with this "mellowing".

If the A chem of your HD is the color you mention, I would pitch it & get a new supply.

I have noticed a residual "pink" dye when my Nikor is first opened when the Tmax materials are used. It is some type of anti-halation dye. I use a pinch (so scientific!) of Sodium Sulfite in the first wash to clear the film of this dye. Aloha, Bill

Edited January 9, 2018 by Bill Bowes

I should have mentioned that both Pyrocats are the long lasting, glycol based, premixed liquids from Formulary. Bill

In the normal sequence of developer ageing, they start out straw colored and then blacken. Good but used developers darken because the developing agents in the solution are reducing agents with an affinity for oxygen. These are kinsfolk of benzene, an organic compound initially extracted from coal tar. Nowadays they are byproducts of petroleum. As these agents oxidize, they revert to coal tar.

 

The developer solution contains preservatives, usually sodium sulfite and others. These act to moderate aerial oxidation, plus they react with oxidized products and render them harmless. After a time, the preservatives give up and the developer turns dark revealing it has oxidized and thus spent.

 

The developer is mostly water; thus it is “the universal solvent”. Water takes on gasses from the air (contains oxygen) and dissolves many of the materials it comes in contact with. The active ingredient in film is the metal silver compounded as a crystal with one or more of the following: iodine, chlorine, or bromine.

 

These crystals resemble table salt, but they are super tiny and slightly yellow in color. In their natural state they are only sensitive to UV, violet and blue, light. Dye is added to the film emulsion to extend their sensitivity into the green and red regions of the spectrum. These are called sensitizing dyes. Additionally, dye layers, soluble in water are below the emulsion. These dyes are the color the film is least sensitive too. This is called an anti-halation coat. It stops light from traversing the film, hitting the pressure plate and reflecting back to expose the film from the rear.

 

You are asking about the red coloration of the good but used developer. Its coloration is a combination of dissolved sensitizing dye, dissolved anti-halation dye, and oxide of developing agents. If not dark, or black, likely, it will be still useable.

 

The milky orangey coloration seen in your processed negatives is due to incomplete fixing. The fix time is twice the time it takes the film to clear. You can test this. Take a sample of film; the tongue of a 35mm film will do nicely. Dunk it, in room light, in your fixer and watch as it turns milky and then transparent. The fix time is twice the time it takes for the film to clear. You can save these partially fixed negative. Just return them, in normal room light to a fix bath. They will clear. Finish by re-washing, dunk in rinsing agent and dry.

I should have mentioned that both Pyrocats are the long lasting, glycol based, premixed liquids from Formulary. Bill

 

They only last long if not contaminated by water. Care should be taken to use dry syringes.

Hello all

Thanks for the comments

I had just mixed a new batch of fix before developing this roll, I am using TF4 fix

The film is TMax 400 and it expired 2002 and it has been in the fridge the whole time, I opened a roll and cut a piece and it cleared in 2 minutes and I fixed this roll for 7 mins so plenty of time.

I tried to refix a piece of this roll and no change.

 

The parts A and B were clear when I poured them into the beakers and I dumped them both into the distilled water at the same time and the mix turned the pinkish/orange color, which as I mentioned was different than all the other times I mixed the developer.

 

These bottles are the small bottles and are almost empty so I am going to dump them and use the two new bottles that I have.

 

Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks Again

Don

The change of colour (anything from blue to pink) is usually from a change in PH, and is par for the course.....normal. The important question is what colour was the solution when you dumped it? If it was not a dark brown/beer colour, the developer never worked. If it is, there is nothing wrong on the developer end.

 

Aside from contamination, the phenidone can die....usually from water contamination with the glycol version. The problem here is the phenidone is used to accelerate the catachol. Some development will occur, just not much.

Hello All

I think I figured out what I may have done, I developed a roll of Delta 100 from the Hasselblad and they came out fine.

On the previous try with the I poured both A and B in at the same time and they mixed before hitting the water, this time I poured A in then B in separately and the negs came out fine, one below.

Thanks for all the posts.