Re: developers, was: RE: [Leica] All hail Tri-X

[TTAbrahams@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/2/00 6:55:46 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
jborden@mediaone.net writes:
<< Out of curiosity, what are the main differences you find between PMK and
 the Catechol developers? and between MCM 100 and the BJ formula?
    The old Super XX film has been revived as Bergger BPF 200 which soaks up
 the Pyro dye. I don't think it is available in 135 format though. The
 Catechol based developers look interesting though I'm interested to hear
 from someone who uses both where each has its advantages. There's also this
 idea of adding Vitamin C to pyrocachetin and I imagine that that is what
 this DiXactol stuff is but I've not tried it (I believe the formula is
 proprietary). Has anyone used this stuff?
  Jonathan Borden
  >>
Jonathan,
The PMK stuff looks fine, although I find that with Fuji 100 and TMY, the 
negs are a bit thinner than I like. It looks really good on Tri-X and Fuji F 
@ 32 ASA. I find the TMK less interesting than Maxim Muirs old Pyro-formula. 
This one gives great negs on Delta 100 and on Tri-X and I even used it with 
good result on Fuji Neopan 1600 rated at 800.
 The MCM 1000 is a strange beast, grain is fine and tonality is good, but I 
keep getting too thin negs for my taste. One of the reasons could be that I 
need to pre-wash the film more. It is an interesting developer for Tri-X, the 
emulsion side looks like a high gloss glass surface. Somewhere I have seen a 
note on adding ammonium chloride to the MCM and that would get me a denser 
neg. Have you tried that yet? I haven't had a chance to run any of the slower 
stuff in the MCM yet, but it should work very well on something like the Fuji 
Neopan F and probably rate it at 25 ASA. Well, when the sun is out next time 
I might get a chance to do something with that and the 90/2 Apo-Asph. The 
combination of that lens and Fuji F in PMK is rather spectacular, smooth 
highlights with just the right amount of texture and some nice details in the 
shadows too. Could print it with a #2 filter and no burning/dodging at all 
and as sharp as you could ever ask for!
 The Catechol looks virtually like the PMK on the older, thicker emulsions 
but with less distinct stain, sharpness is similar and shadows are a bit more 
blocked than the PMK. On TMY the Catechol does not work very well, way too 
thin and severely blocked shadows. Probably need to rate the film at around 
160 to even get printable negs.  My Catechol is rather old and could have 
lost some of its "punch" in storage.
 The idea of adding Vitamin C to Pyrocatechin is interesting. I have used the 
E-76 formula and I found it very much like D-76, but the Vitamin C to 
Pyrocatechin is intriguing. Have you got any idea of quantities and starting 
times for that mix? 
 I probably should get my old densitometer working again, but I hate plotting 
curves and then it starts to become more like a job - at least now I can just 
play with chemistry and enjoy it.
Tom A