WIMBERLEY'S WD2D+ PYRO-METOL FILM DEVELOPER WD2D+ (LIQUID, to make 50L) is a Pyrogallol/Metol/Sodium Carbonate developer formulated by photographer John Wimberley for spectacular results with current black and white negative films. An update of his classic WD2D formula, this new developer maximizes the beneficial effects of pyrogallol to produce negatives that are easy to print and display the following beneficial characteristics: - Greatly enhanced acutance due to edge effects at tonal boundaries.
- A very smooth, long tonal scale.
- Unmatched tonal separation, especially in highlights.
- Hardening of the film emulsion, reducing susceptibility to scratching.
- Fine, unobtrusive grain.
Because of its special spectral characteristics, a WD2D+ negative may be printed on either gelatin/silver or platinum/palladium paper
The emulsion of WD2D+ negatives contains a yellow-orange colored dye mask, traditionally called "stain", that is proportional to the density of the silver image. This mask has the effect of raising the contrast of the negative beyond the level produced by the silver image alone. This means that negatives can be developed to significantly lower silver densities, resulting in finer grain and higher sharpness than is possible with conventional developers. When printing on variable contrast papers, this yellow-orange mask avoids the loss of contrast caused by the greenish color produced by some other pyrogallol developers. The full color density of the mask is achieved during development, making an alkaline after-bath and extended washing time unnecessary. Also, development times are significantly shorter than with some other pyrogallol developers.
WD2D+ consists of two Stock Solutions, A and B, which are diluted with water just before use. It is a one-shot developer, meaning that each batch of Working Solution is used only once.
