Pushing HP5+ with PMK Pyro

hello all,

just thought i would seek the opinions of those more technically
proficient than myself...

a few months ago by mistake i found that Ilford HP5+ could be pushed
from ISO 400 to ISO 3200 using Kodak T-Max developer at 75 degrees
farenheit for 9.5minutes...

as for why i was trying to push the film, i was in a tight situation
and needed 3200 and i knew i had a better chance with the HP5 than
nothing at all...

anyway, i have used this several times since, and it has had pleasing
results...i would say the grain is similar to if not better than T-Max
3200...that and i've never been the biggest fan of kodak...

recently however, i have grown weary of buying T-Max, and wasn't to
keen on the photographer's formulary t-max substitute and was looking
for something that was economical for me (a lowly photography student
with a very limited budget) and i had heard of PMK Pyro, saw the
dilutions, and was stuck

today, testing films i shot three rolls of HP5+ at ISO 3200, i then
stepped into the darkroom, estimated that i would need somewhere
between a 45%-75% time increase in development and went with 3 times,
12+45%time = 17.4mins (a fellow student disturbed my train of thought
and roll was wrecked) 12min+60% time =19.2mins, this roll came out
wonderfully...its contrast was good (to my own eye at least) and the
density was good...then i did the 3rd roll at 21mins (75% time
increase)...this came out thinner than 19.2mins....(btw this was all
done at 22 degrees celsius)

at the moment i have no clue what went wrong...i'm hoping my first
success wasn't a fluke...and that the time (19.2mins) i found is good
and somewhat repeatable...the only thing that I can remember is not
agitating as consistently as I did with the previous roll...

any suggestions, opinions, etc would be appreciated, and for those who
think i'm crazy...i like grain (not to mention i print most of this
with lith developer anyway)

thanks

 

The first problem that you're having is that with the exception
of Tmax3200 (and some people will claim that it holds for it as well)
you can't "push" film. When you extend the development time you increase
the contrast curve. When learning the zone system the first thing that
you are taught is to expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights.

To make a long story short the exposure sets the density of the shadow area
and the development time controls the density of the highlights. Although
extending the development time can help you get something remember that
it's effect isn't linear. Think of it as a way of saving a shot rather then
a way of increasing film speed.


: hello all,

: just thought i would seek the opinions of those more technically
: proficient than myself...

: a few months ago by mistake i found that Ilford HP5+ could be pushed
: from ISO 400 to ISO 3200 using Kodak T-Max developer at 75 degrees
: farenheit for 9.5minutes...

: as for why i was trying to push the film, i was in a tight situation
: and needed 3200 and i knew i had a better chance with the HP5 than
: nothing at all...

: anyway, i have used this several times since, and it has had pleasing
: results...i would say the grain is similar to if not better than T-Max
: 3200...that and i've never been the biggest fan of kodak...

: recently however, i have grown weary of buying T-Max, and wasn't to
: keen on the photographer's formulary t-max substitute and was looking
: for something that was economical for me (a lowly photography student
: with a very limited budget) and i had heard of PMK Pyro, saw the
: dilutions, and was stuck

: today, testing films i shot three rolls of HP5+ at ISO 3200, i then
: stepped into the darkroom, estimated that i would need somewhere
: between a 45%-75% time increase in development and went with 3 times,
: 12+45%time = 17.4mins (a fellow student disturbed my train of thought
: and roll was wrecked) 12min+60% time =19.2mins, this roll came out
: wonderfully...its contrast was good (to my own eye at least) and the
: density was good...then i did the 3rd roll at 21mins (75% time
: increase)...this came out thinner than 19.2mins....(btw this was all
: done at 22 degrees celsius)

: at the moment i have no clue what went wrong...i'm hoping my first
: success wasn't a fluke...and that the time (19.2mins) i found is good
: and somewhat repeatable...the only thing that I can remember is not
: agitating as consistently as I did with the previous roll...

: any suggestions, opinions, etc would be appreciated, and for those who
: think i'm crazy...i like grain (not to mention i print most of this
: with lith developer anyway)

: thanks

--




Keep working millions on welfare depend on you

 

My Heavens! You sound just like Michael Scarpitti, Frank. Better
hope he doesn't find out. ;-/

Robert Vervoordt, MFA

 

He has, and he wants to know why people are stealing his material...

Did you hear the one about.....

My country is so poor...
'How poor is it?'

....we have only ONE Stooges!

.....and he has to hit himself!

 

In Texas they say "He could **** up a one-man rock fight.".

 

It can't.

Just process normally and print on a harder grade of paper. Extending
the time gets you nothing more in the way of shadow detail than you
get with standard devlopment. 'Pushing' is a myth.

Try Ilford Delta 3200, rate it at 800, develop in Paterson FX-39. If
you cannot find any FX-39 (B&H carries it), send the film to me and
I'll process it for you. You really can't get ***true*** speed much
higher than about EI 800-1200 with any currently available film,
AFAIK.