Re: [Leica] Re: PMK <OT>

["Dan Post" <dpost@triad.rr.com>]

Ed-
Off the wall question here! I have just done my first three rolls in the PMK
formula, and was rather pleased with the results. I have not had the
oppotunity to try to print the negatives in the darkroom, but have scanned a
few, and I like the diminuative grain, and tone of the pyro. Even if it is
older than my other favorite, Rodinal, the grain is much finer in the
negatives, and it treats the Delta film I used very well. It also made the
roll of Tri-X I shot in a Kiev 88 look good!!!
My off the wall question is whether the 'stain' which apparently has an
advantage when printing with VC paper, carries that advantage over to a scan
made with what appears to be a flourescent light source, a la cold light
heads?
I want to put some samples of the scanned negatives on my web page, but
might demurr until I make some prints- if the prints would show the
advantage of the stain over the directly scanned image, then I would
definitely want to make prints, and then scan them.
From what I read, the yellow stain tends to print as a lower contrast- so
hih light areas that normally tend to be rather hard or contrasty print as
if they are done with a yellow or lower contrast filter, and the shadow
areas, without the yellow stain, tend to print with higher contrast- sort of
like a one shot split printing! If so, it sounds like the best of two
worlds, and I fear like anything that appears too good to be true.... that
it is 'hype'!
I hear that Mark Rabiner is a proponent of 'split' printing, and would like
to hear more about it, in hope that the technique might be better served
with the PMK developer....
Dan ( wandering around, bumping into things, in the dark....) Post
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Ed Buziak <ed.buziak@camera-and-darkroom.co.uk>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2000 1:44 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: PMK <OT>


> Richard,
>
> Thanks for reminder about film sticking to the inside of the tube... I
> should have recalled that note because I've sold over 450 copies of
Gordon's
> Pyro book to C&D readers in the past few years.
>
> The question of "stain" is becoming debatable with some people... I know
of
> two platinum workers who no longer reuse the used pyro after the fixing
> bath... doing so simply produces TOO MUCH stain for their liking and
needs.
>
> Ed Buziak / Publisher
> Camera & Darkroom magazine
>
> ed.buziak@camera-and-darkroom.co.uk
> http://www.camera-and-darkroom.co.uk
>
> ----------
> >From: Disfromage@aol.com
> >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> >Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: PMK  <OT>
> >Date: Sat, Apr 8, 2000, 4:31 am
> >
>
> >
> >In a message dated 04/07/2000 4:53:31 AM, you wrote:
> >
> ><<My curiosity is aroused... I'm going to read up on Phil Davis' articles
in
> >some old PhotoTechniques on his "tube" processing methods. It sounds as
> >gentle and silent as trays with advantages including the elimination of
> >potential overdevelopment at the edges of sheets through "surge".
> >>>
> >
> >Ed,
> >
> >According to Gordon Hutchings in his "The Book of Pyro" you have to be
> >careful with tube processing.  If the film sticks to the inside of the
tube
> >it will not stain properly.  It is important for the developer to
circulate
> >around the back of the film for all over stain.  Maybe small plastic
pieces
> >can be glued to the inside of the tube.  He also says that if you have
tubes
> >already, it's worth a try.  He also suggests using EDTA added to PMK- I
think
> >this makes it similiar to Rollo Pyro?  Please let us know how it works
when
> >you can.
> >
> >Richard Wasserman
> >