I frequently process T-Max 400 4 x 5 in pyro developer. When compared to
D-76, the results are astounding. The first time I tried it, I took two
photographs of a brick building on our campus using a Toyo 4 x 5 field
camera with a Schneider lens. I processed one neg in D-76 and the other
in Pyro. When the negs were dry I put them on a light table and examined them
with a loop. Wow! I about fell through the floor. With D-76 you could count
the bricks and poof tiles. But with Pyro you could see the sand in the morter.
No kidding. Caution: I was using 4 x 5 sheet film. When I tried the same
pyro formula with 120 roll film (T-Max 400) - disaster. Clumped grain and
way too much contrast and density. T-Max 400 shet film and T-Max 120 and 35mm
films are not the same. e.g. you can develop 35 mm and 120 T-Max in high
energy T-Max developer, but don't try using T-Max developer on sheet film
or you will get a lot of background fog. Take it from one who has learned
though bitter experience. ;-)
Bob Schramm