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Miha
31st May 2009, 10:52 AM
Looking at the manufacturer sites, Dektol is described as neutral/cold tone developer and Bromophen as neutral/warm tone. Yet, on different forums, people would say that Bromophen is cooler than Dektol.:confused:

My standard is Ilford multigrade dev, but since I can't get it locally anymore, I will switch to powders to avoid paying postage for water.

I print on Fomatone fb, Multigrade and Multigrade WT fb papers (all matt).

How do these developers compare? Your user experience would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Miha

Daud
31st May 2009, 02:28 PM
Miha,
Although I have not used Bromophen very much; I do use a lot of Dektol with Multigrade papers and find it a very good developer for giving nice neutral tones – in fact I prefer it to Ilford Mutigrade developer, especially when the print is finished with a short dip of about 3 minutes in Selenium at 1/20.
If I want a warmer tone I will often take the selenium toned print and after a good wash, put it in a weak bleach (as used for sepia toning) wash, short fix and finish with a normal wash sequence.
David.

Miha
31st May 2009, 05:39 PM
Thank you David.

Several years ago, I have tried Tetenal Eukobrom (a cold tone developer) with Ilford MG IV FB papers. I didn't like the results - the paper got greenish tone. I suspect this paper doesn't like too cold working developers. I'm guessing Dektol may give similar results. (I never tone prints). What dilution were you using?

Any further experience with Bromopen?
What about LPD - people rave about it?

Cheers,
Miha

Rob Archer
31st May 2009, 06:37 PM
Hi Miha

I have used Bromophen in the past and with Ilford Multigrade FB it definately leans towards the cooler end of the spectrum. I've not tried it with any other paper.

The only real advice I can give is to try differend dev / paper combinations and see which ones you like.

I'm currently experimenting with various home-brewed developers and intend to report back here.


Rob

Daud
1st June 2009, 03:20 AM
Miha,

I use Dektol at 1:2 or even 1:3 (powder from America in tins), and give about 3 mins for a good black.
The greenish hint does happen, but that is why I use a quick dip in Selenium.

Why do you not tone: (ever?)

Although with Selenium at a very weak 1:20 there is hardly a change other than slight increase in D-Max. But it does help neutralise the green and improves print longevity.
Bromophen 1:3 at up to 4 mins never seemed to give me good blacks although I must admit that I probably did not use it enough.

David.

Miha
1st June 2009, 09:38 AM
Thanks for your input.

Rob, I was lucky enough to find bromophen locally and will test it with my favorite papers.

David, as a researcher trainee in ecotoxicology (dep of bio) I try to stay away from toxins (selenium,..) in my free time.;)

Leon, what paper do you use?

Cheers,
Miha

Rob Archer
1st June 2009, 05:22 PM
"Ilford say:
BROMOPHEN gives a slightly warm image tone with most papers and is particularly recommended for dish/tray developing MULTIGRADE Warmtone RC and FB papers to get the warmest image tone.

I'll often use at 1:5- 1:7 for brown warm tones and stock to 1:3 for neutral tones. "

I was using it at 1+1 where it does give cooler tones on MGIV FB. Ir really is a very versatile developer - I must give it a try at higher dilutions.

Does anyone have a formula to make it onesself?

Rob

Dave miller
1st June 2009, 05:41 PM
SNIP

Does anyone have a formula to make it onesself?

Rob

Try Ilford. :D

Tom Kershaw
6th June 2009, 11:39 PM
Rob,

I use Fotospeed PD-5 as my standard paper developer, giving a slightly warm tone. In terms of published developers you could try ID-62. However, I do selenium tone most of my prints so final tone may be different depending on toning regime. Tim Rudman makes a worthwhile point in his toning book which I have found true in my own experience, that developer choice effects toning results, it's not just the paper. ID-78 1+7 is effective as a developer for paper to be gold toned. Reading into cold tone developers, the Harman Cooltone developer often seems to come up. I have not been able to produce an effective blue-black tone developer from published formulae. I've not yet tried Moersch SE6.

Tom.