Re: Phenidone in Pyrocat-HD

From: Sandy King <sanking@clemson.edu>
Subject: Re: Phenidone in Pyrocat-HD
Date: Fri, 04 Mar 2005 10:16:31 -0500

> [...] as I recall the use of pyrocatechin as the only reducer
> resulted in much longer development times, less effective film speed
> and very large grain, but very good acutance.

Sorry to ask more about old memory, but this is interesting. Do you
also recall how much sulfite and bromide did you put in the solution,
and the pH of the bath as well?

Did the developed film have low Dmax and/or lower exposure to reach
the Dmax?

In purely chemical developers, especially in midtone and highlight
areas, finer and longer filaments grow from the crystal and this
generally makes apparent grain (which is actually like a steel wool)
bigger. Slower development makes filaments thicker (and thus shorter
and less fluffy). Mild solution physical development can modify the
filament morphology further. With more physical development, image
becomes to look more grainy but this tends to begin in midtone.

--
Ryuji Suzuki
"Well, believing is all right, just don't let the wrong people know
what it's all about." (Bob Dylan, Need a Woman, 1982)