Pyro 510 film developer — 100 ml concentrate

Description

Pyro 510 is a one-shot pyrogallol staining developer for black-and-white film, supplied as a concentrate in triethanolamine. The developing agents are pyrogallol and phenidone. It produces a stained image with gentle highlights and pronounced sharpness. The working solution is mixed right before development by diluting the concentrate 1+100 with water.

How do I dilute Pyro 510 and how long do I develop?

The standard dilution is 1+100 (1 ml of concentrate per 100 ml of water) at 20 °C. Starting times from independent charts (Massive Dev Chart / Bostick & Sullivan): Kodak Tri-X 400 — 8 min, Ilford HP5 Plus — 8¼–9 min, Ilford FP4 Plus — 10 min, Kodak T-Max 400 — 9 min. For stronger edge effects it can be diluted up to 1+500 with minimal agitation and a much longer development (around 60 minutes). The recipe’s author gives a general 5–7 min, so treat these times as a starting point and adjust them to your agitation.

How far does 100 ml of concentrate go?

At 1+100, 100 ml of concentrate makes about 10 litres of working solution. It is one-shot: discard the working solution after each development.

How long does Pyro 510 keep?

The triethanolamine concentrate keeps for about a year or longer in a tightly closed bottle. The working solution does not keep, so mix it right before development.

How is Pyro 510 different from Pyrocat HD?

Pyro 510 is based on pyrogallol with phenidone and comes as a single concentrate. Pyrocat HD uses catechol with phenidone and comes as two stock solutions mixed before use. Both are staining developers, with a different character of image.

Is Pyro 510 safe to work with?

Pyrogallol is toxic. Wear nitrile gloves and eye protection, work in a ventilated room and avoid skin contact. Do not pour the used solution down the drain — dispose of it as chemical waste under local rules. Keep out of reach of children.