Pyrocat HD

After being impressed with results posted by forum members I decided to purchase and mix up a batch of Pyrocat. The films I'll most be using are sheet/Delta 100 and Foma 200. Roll film will be Tri-x, Foma 200, Tmax 100 and Ilford Pan F. Any comments on which of these films will or will not look good in this developer would be much appreciated. Also any dilution and time tips as well. Thanks.

Welcome to the Pyro Group Mike. There are a number of Pyrocat mixes out there, but you probably have the Pyrocat HD mix. My Pyrocat is the HDC mix, which I DIY in 100ml batches. You most likely have the A & B components. I have never liked having a "stock solution" around, so use dried carbonate in place of the "B" part.

My "system" is totally different from any instructions you will find for the various "Cats". Take my offerings with a grain of doubt and test them out before committing to a serious run of film.

Presently I am using the Ultrafine Xtreme line of 400 & 100 materials, both in 35mm & 120 format. I consider these emulsion to be rebadged Ilford Kentmere. Exposure is at 250 & 80 asa respectively. Use 3ml of part A & 6ml of the B for each 135-36 or 120 film. For B, I use 5.5g of sodium carbonate. I place the carbonate into the DI water used for my 450ml Nikor tank. When the carbonate is totally dissolved, place the 3ml of A into the liquid. I always allow the A Pyro about 10minutes to activate.

Some may ask why this amount vrs the "standard" of 5ml in most developing sites. From ages ago when I first started with pyro chemistries (PMK-Pyro), I have altered the amounts to produce clean, clear margins. The pyro stain should not be outside of the silver of the image.

Use a base time of 13 minutes, and adjust up or down for the type of negative you like to work with. Mine are "old fashioned", I can read a news paper thru the negs.

One serious warning. DO NOT USE AN ACID FIXER OR STOP BATH Your stain will vanish very quickly. Two rinses of water for the stop bath. DIY thiosulfate fixer or ammonia based rapid fixer is fine. Check your fixing time to clear a neg strip and 2x it for the roll. Standard processing after the fixer.

I have again put my Igloo cooler picture up. Every thing for a roll of film is in the Igloo. You might think about using it to separate other chemistries from the Pyro.

Which film ? 100Tmax works good for me, in both formats. Check some of Rick Drawbridge's work to see his selection of films. Pyrocat & PMK-Pyro are similar in their results....smooth highlights and rich shadows.

Aloha, Bill

My "method" is also a bit "odd" to some. I use a 3 minute soak in DI water to start. Drain this soak and pour the Cat mix into the tank (mine a Nikor 450ml ss). Start the timer. Invert & recover the tank 3 times with the right hand, shift to the left hand for 3 invert / recovers and shift to the right hand for 3 invert / recovers. This process takes about 30 seconds or less. At the one (1) minute mark, do a 5 second invert / recover. I switch hands during the following inversions at the minute marks. I do the inversion at the 13minute mark and at the 30second mark start to empty the tank. Proceed with the stop bath and fixing stages.

Welcome to the Pyro Group Mike. There are a number of Pyrocat mixes out there, (before reading thisbut you probably have the Pyrocat HD mix. My Pyrocat is the HDC mix, which I DIY in 100ml batches. You most likely have the A & B components. I have never liked having a "stock solution" around, so use dried carbonate in place of the "B" part.

My "system" is totally different from any instructions you will find for the various "Cats". Take my offerings with a grain of doubt and test them out before committing to a serious run of film.

Presently I am using the Ultrafine Xtreme line of 400 & 100 materials, both in 35mm & 120 format. I consider these emulsion to be rebadged Ilford Kentmere. Exposure is at 250 & 80 asa respectively. Use 3ml of part A & 6ml of the B for each 135-36 or 120 film. For B, I use 5.5g of sodium carbonate. I place the carbonate into the DI water used for my 450ml Nikor tank. When the carbonate is totally dissolved, place the 3ml of A into the liquid. I always allow the A Pyro about 10minutes to activate.

Some may ask why this amount vrs the "standard" of 5ml in most developing sites. From ages ago when I first started with pyro chemistries (PMK-Pyro), I have altered the amounts to produce clean, clear margins. The pyro stain should not be outside of the silver of the image.

Use a base time of 13 minutes, and adjust up or down for the type of negative you like to work with. Mine are "old fashioned", I can read a news paper thru the negs.

One serious warning. DO NOT USE AN ACID FIXER OR STOP BATH Your stain will vanish very quickly. Two rinses of water for the stop bath. DIY thiosulfate fixer or ammonia based rapid fixer is fine. Check your fixing time to clear a neg strip and 2x it for the roll. Standard processing after the fixer.

I have again put my Igloo cooler picture up. Every thing for a roll of film is in the Igloo. You might think about using it to separate other chemistries from the Pyro.

Which film ? 100Tmax works good for me, in both formats. Check some of Rick Drawbridge's work to see his selection of films. Pyrocat & PMK-Pyro are similar in their results....smooth highlights and rich shadows.

Aloha, Bill[ATTACH=full]1319492[/ATTACH]

 

Bill I want to thank you for the detailed reply. Much appreciated. Unfortunately my first attempt using Pyrocat HD 1-1-100 (before reading this) was a total failure. I shot a test roll of 35mm Bergger 400 and when I took the fixed film out of the tank it was clear. Not an image to be found. I am not sure what went wrong though I did not use a pre-soak which I read is recommended. Thanks again and back to the drawing board.

If the film came out clear, only two things are "wrong". You never put the A & B together, or you never put ANYTHING into the "soup" mix. . .your fixer wiped the film clean. Any chance you swapped the developer & fixer ??? Any amount of the A & B mix will give you the rebate printing. A 1:1:100 mix will just give you an above average general staining, but you will have images.

The few rolls of the Burger 400 that I have run result in golf ball size grain, but 400Tmax and my UFX400 have given excellent grain & sharpness. Bill

Here is an example of my UFX400 material in Hypercat C which is super close to what Pyrocat HD will yield. Same "method" with chem quantity & times. Camera was an Agfa Record and the sectional on the right is equivalent to a 16x20 blow up. Bill

If the film came out clear, only two things are "wrong". You never put the A & B together, or you never put ANYTHING into the "soup" mix. . .your fixer wiped the film clean. Any chance you swapped the developer & fixer ??? Any amount of the A & B mix will give you the rebate printing. A 1:1:100 mix will just give you an above average general staining, but you will have images.

The few rolls of the Burger 400 that I have run result in golf ball size grain, but 400Tmax and my UFX400 have given excellent grain & sharpness. Bill

No chance of fixer mix up Bill. What I did was use 2.5mil part A. 2.5 mil Part B and added 250mil water. That should have given me 1-1-100. It was a just a test roll no photos lost but a disappointment for sure. (those are beautiful tones.)