Response to Why not make FULL use of chromogenic B&W film?

True, pyro-metol developers have been around before PMK. BUT PMK is the most reliable of all the pyro developers. It produces maximum image stain with minimum general stain. FP-4+ in PMK has a B+F of 0.10! HP-5+ is just 0.15. (For those not familiar with density readings, this is virtually clear film. Iflord undeveloped and fixed sheet film has a density of 0.05. One major benefit of PMK is the green (not brown) stain. The stain increases with density. With VC paper, this provides lower contrast in the brighter areas such as sky and clouds. This results in much less burning to get detail in the higher zones. In fact, fully textured Zone VIII is easily achieved. Chromogenic film exhibits highlight blocking like regular color print film. I've never seen more than five or six definite zones in a color print. Chromogenic B&W gets maybe one more than that when printed on B&W paper. It's great for quick and easy, but I can't imagine doing serious work with it.

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