Unblinking Eye

Traditional darkroom photography and historical photographic processes

Articles on photography

PMK

PMK+

Film

EI

70°

75°

80°

EI

70°

75°

80°

Agfa APX 25 16 14 11 9 25 14 11 9
Agfa APX 100 50 12 9 7 80 12 9 7
Agfa APX 400 200 13.5 10.5 8.5 320 14 11 9
                 
Bergger BRF 200 100 12.5 9.5 7.5        
                 
Classic Pan 400 200 14 11 9        
                 
Efke 25 12 7 5          
                 
Fuji Acros 100 50 14 11 9        
Fuji Neopan 1600 800 12 9 7        
Fuji Neopan 1600 1600 18 15 12        
                 
Ilford Pan F + 32 9 7.5 6 50 9.5 8 6.5
Ilford FP4 + 64 10 8 6.5 100 10 8 6.5
Ilford HP5 + 200 13 10 8        
Ilford Delta 100 64 13 10 8 100 14 11 9
Ilford SFX 200         100 14 12 9
Ilford New Delta 400 320 16 13 10 500 16 13 10
Ilford Delta 3200 800 17 14.5 12.5 800 14.5 11.5 9.5
                 
Kodak High Speed Infrared 100 12 9 7        
Kodak Verichrome Pan 125 9 7.5 6 200 9 7.5 6
Kodak Plus X         100 10 8 6.5
Kodak Tri-X 250 15 12 10 400 15 12 10
Kodak Tri-X Professional 250 14 11 9 320 14 11 9
Kodak T-Max 100 64 13 10 8 100 13 10 8
Kodak T-Max 400 400 15.5 12.5 9.5        
Kodak T-Max P3200 3200 18 15 12        

Make PMK+ by adding one-tenth (0.1) gram Amidol to one liter of PMK working solution.

Due to differences in cameras, lenses, developing techniques and exposure conditions, the above times should only be used as guidelines for your own exposures.  Always expose for the desired shadow detail and develop for the desired separation of high values.

Times given are generally for development of 120 roll film in small tanks (and may be used as starting points for tray development of sheet film), optimized for enlarging with a cold light head.  Since I presoak my film, I add 30 seconds of developing time that I do not record (assuming it takes that long for the developer to diffuse into the swollen emulsion).  My times are generally longer than those provided by Gordon Hutchings (I agitate less, optimize for cold light, and seek maximum shadow detail).

I give continuous agitation for the first 30 seconds of development, then 5 seconds of agitation every 30 seconds thereafter.  Gordon Hutchings recommends at least 3 or 4 agitations per minute to prevent uneven development in roll film tanks, but I have not had problems with my method.
(See My Development Techniques.)

The standard dilution for PMK is 1 part A to 2 parts B to 100 parts water (1:2:100).  I have found that, as a general rule, if developing times are too long, you can double the amount of A and B solutions (2:4:100 or 1:2:50) and reduce development time to 3/5ths normal.