Jim Byers on Hypercat

Jim Byers has become a valued resource and contributor to my developer blogs. Jim's testing methodology is straightforward and unflinching; if there's a way for Jim to get what he wants out of a developer, he'll find it. I recommended a 1:10:300 dilution of Hypercat as a standard dilution for processing most films to normal contrast in a normal development time. Jim found this scheme didn't give him the kind of negatives he wants, so rather than turn his back and proclaim the developer doesn't work as it should, Jim went about making it work for him by adjusting the ratio of part A to part B to 1:5 instead of 1:10. This tactic seems to be working for Jim, as evidenced by the photos below.

Thanks again, Jim, for contributing to the small reservoir of knowledge about these developers.

Jim’s comments:

My main interest in Hypercat is it’s sharpness. But I also want the fine grain of a Pyro developer. Hypercat has delivered both for me.

I originally tried for high sharpness using a 1:10:300 dilution of Hypercat, agitating every 3 minutes. While the sharpness was extremely good, I found that I was losing highlight detail and the negatives were coming out with too much contrast. Jay suggested I try reducing the solution B concentration to a 1:5:300 dilution and extending the development time. This has produced excellent results. The negatives are sharp with very good tones. There is nice highlight and shadow detail.

The recommended high sharpness/acutance starting point is to use a 1:5:300 dilution of Hypercat with a development time that is 1.25x 510-Pyro’s development time. Use continuous inversions for the first 30 seconds and then 10 second agitations every 3 minutes.

I really like this developer. It has a nice crispness while still maintaining a small grain size.

Here is an example with Tri-X 400:

Film: Tri-X 400

EI: 400

Format: 35mm

Developer: Hypercat

Dilution: 1:5:300

Time: 9 min

Temp: 21C/70F

Agitation: Continuous inversions for the first 30 seconds and then 10 seconds agitation every 3 minutes Presoak: 3 minute water presoak

Fixer: TF-4

Here is a Fomapan 200 example:

Film: Fomapan 200

EI: 200

Format: 35mm

Camera/Lens – Fed2/Jupiter-12

Developer: Hypercat

Dilution: 1:5:300

Time: 7.5 min

Temp: 21C/70F

Agitation: Continuous inversions for the first 30 seconds and then 10 seconds agitation every 3 minutes Presoak: 3 minute water presoak

Fixer: TF-4

Duet

Julia and I have been experimenting with using Hypercat as a two-bath developer. Initial results are very promising. I have some truly crackpot ideas I want to test, for developing high contrast materials. My interest in two-bath development is inspired by scanning negatives, and the advantages of thin, low contrast negatives, but the negatives we've produced so far are well suited to printing in a dark room, as well. We'll keep you posted!

More Pan F+

My Juliet

This is from a walk at Lake Lowell, as the sun was setting. I'm really loving this film/developer combination for 35mm. I think I could make a very nice 9x12 print from this negative.

Camera: Minolta XD-11

Lens: Minolta PG 58mm f1.2

Film: Ilford Pan F +

Format: 35mm

EI: 50

Developer: Hypercat

Dilution: 1:10:300

Time: 12 min

Temp: 70F

Agitation: 1 minute initial, 10 sec/min

Scanner: Epson 4490

Scan type: negative

The Darkroom Cookbook, Third Edition

Hypercat has been published in the third edition of The Darkroom Cookbook, by Steve Anchell, thanks to editor, Mark Booth. I'm honored to have my formula included in this indispensable darkroom reference book.

Negative Prime

Film development is endlessly fascinating to me, and led me to neglect printmaking in favor of negative making, in which the print is a proof of a negative, and any kind of manipulation obscures its purpose.
Making negatives begins at exposure and ends with a proof print, from which a fine print might be made.During exposure, creativity and technique are managed in real time as measured by discrete exposures. To the extent that conditions change over time, an exposure cannot be both discrete and identical. The only other real time event during the photographic process is film development. A discrete exposure can only be developed once, by an irreversible chemical process. After exposure, it is often suggested one should abandon creativity in favor of control, to secure the unique information latent in the undeveloped film. I don't consider creativity and control mutually exclusive.
Creative film processing takes all potential development controls into account to determine which combination of controls best serves the image. Film is necessarily chosen before exposure, and many or all of the processing choices might be made before, during or after exposure in anticipation of, or in reaction to exposure conditions . Controls vary in their influence and begin with the film/developer combination, which defines a set of conditions. Plain emulsion graphic arts film developed in a tray with print developer is going to make a different kind of negative than one made from the same film, developed in a dilute developer with reduced agitation. The influence a developer or development technique has on standard, panchromatic pictorial film is far more subtle than the example above, but its impact can be substantial.
Film developers are formulated to balance characteristics like emulsion speed, grain, sharpness and gradation, or to prioritize them. A good measure of a developer is that it maintains the balance of characteristics while enhancing the priority characteristic. Having a range of developers on hand allows for more creativity and more precise control.
Hypercat was formulated to produce high acutance while maintaining full emulsion speed, fine grain and excellent gradation. Despite being well balanced in characteristics, there is a price to pay for the sharpness of Hypercat; it is demanding of the processor. Unlike 510-Pyro or GSD-10, Hypercat is a two-solution developer and it is not suitable for rotary processing or significantly reduced agitation. Dilution and agitation are critical and must be determined by testing for desired effect. Inadequate agitation can result in streaks and other development defects, and excessive agitation results in a loss of film speed. In between the two extremes lie adjacency effects ranging from subtle to startling, available to those willing to commit the time and energy required of this developer. All that being said, the range of development times and agitation frequencies that give the best, most consistent results is in the normal range for standard developers; 6:00-10:00 minutes with ten seconds agitation per minute, but dilution and agitation frequency can be adjusted over a fairly wide range to suit desires and conditions.


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Foma 200

Since Kurt is using Foma 200, and I like this film, too, and have some on hand, I finally made time to test it in the new version of Hypercat. Despite Kurt's report of thin negs at 5:30, my test results show 5:00 is about right for printing on a middle grade of paper with an Exposure Scale of 1.15, or about Grade 1 1/2-2. I haven't verified these results in the field, so consider this a starting point for personal testing. For those unfamiliar with BTZS data, SBR refers to Subject Brightness Range, and 7 correlates to a normal scene. Average Gradient is a measure of contrast, like CI, and EFS is Effective Film Speed. ES stands for Exposure Scale and represents the contrast/grade of the paper. Grade 2 papers typically have an ES ranging from .95-1.15, so 1.15 is on the border between grades 1 and 2. This data is consistent with printing using a diffuse light source, as in a cold light or dichroic color head, or contact printing. The use of a condenser enlarger would require a lower contrast negative to print on the same ES/grade of paper.

This data suggests ther isn't much room for contraction development by reducing development time, and reducing agitation might result in streaking, so a more dilute working solution would probably be most practical, or perhaps reduced carbonate concentration. I'll try both, eventually.

Film: Foma 200
Format: 120
EI: 200
Dilution: 1:10:300
Volume: 500ml
time: 5:00
Temp: 70F
Agitation: 0:10/1:00

Hypercat mixing instructions

To make up Hyercat, you'll need: a pyrex mixing container, a hot plate, lab burner, or dedicated microwave, and lab safety gear including dust mask or respirator, lab glasses, and gloves, and the constituent chemicals. Work in a well ventilated area.

Stock Solution A

Add 3/4 the total volume of propylene glycol to the Pyrex mixing container at room temp. Add dry chemicals, and stir into a slurry. Top up to final volume with propylene glycol. Heat with stirring until all of the chemicals have completely dissolved (about 150F). Allow to cool before transferring to permanent storage container.The color of the concentrate should be a light, peachy-amber. Your concentrated stock solution A is now ready to use.

Stock Solution B

Add 750ml of distilled water to the mixing container. Slowly, with stirring, add 200g of sodium carbonate. Stir until completely dissolved. Top up to 1 liter with distilled water. Your concentrated stock solution B is now ready to use.