Cool tones, Warm tones Neutral tones

[Ian Grant]

Alternatives to Ilford Cooltone, Warmtone etc

Ilford have published many formulae for film and paper development over the years. Here are some suggestions for processing Ilford papers to obtain a variety of tones. I have also included a soft working developer and a contrast developer to give a full range of option.

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ID-62 PQ Universal Developer, gives neutral tones.
ID-78 PQ Warm-tone Developer, similar to Neutol WA

ID-3 Metol Soft working, similar results to Selectol Soft, and Agfa's Adaptol
ID-14 MQ Contrast developer, will give approx half a grade increase in contrast. Use FS for maximum contrast, can be diluted.

Normal use for Tray development with ID-3, ID-62 & ID-78 is 1+3

A formula similar to ID-62 has been published without the Benzotriazole. If this is made up it can be used as a Cool tone type of developer and by adding additional Bromide becomes like ID-78 warm tone developer, or by adding Benzotriazole solution like ID-62 more neutral (blue tones).


Ilford PQ Developer - Cool Tones

Phenidone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5 g
Sodium Sulphite (anh) . . . . . . . . 50 g
Hydroquinone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 g
Sodium Carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . 60 g
Potassium Bromide . . . . . . . . . . 2 g
Water to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 litre

Use 1+3 Develop 1½ - 2 mins 20ºC

Neutral/Cold tone: Add 5ml Benzotriazole solution (1%) to each litre of working solution.

Warm tone: Add 7.5 ml Potassium Bromide 1% solution to each litre of working solution.

This Developer formula is identical to Forte FD-203 which is recommended for Forte Polygrade papers, including Poly-warm tone. (No Benzotriazole)


Concentrated Stock Solution.

Ilford PQ Developer (Conc) - Cool Tones

Phenidone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.25 g
Sodium Sulphite (anh) . . . . . . . . .125 g
Hydroquinone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 g
Sodium Carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . .150 g
Potassium Bromide . . . . . . . . . . . 5 g
Water to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 litre

Use 1 + 9
Add additional Bromide or Benzotriazole to alter the tones to the working solution - as above.

[Adrian Twiss]

The concentrated PQ developer you mention when diluted 1+4 acts like the old Ilford IFF high contrast developer. Thanks for posting this. I like cool tone developers.

[pavelt2tk0]

Concentrated Stock Solution.

Ilford PQ Developer (Conc) - Cool Tones

Phenidone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.25 g
Sodium Sulphite (anh) . . . . . . . . .125 g
Hydroquinone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 g
Sodium Carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . .150 g
Potassium Bromide . . . . . . . . . . . 5 g
Water to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 litre

Use 1 + 9
Add additional Bromide or Benzotriazole to alter the tones to the working solution - as above.

Hi all, Just tried to mix this concetrated solution, but fell in trouble - first batch had crystals of Hydroquinone after 1 week of storage, then Idecided to make another batch with ethyleneglycol added to prevent hydroquinone crystallization, this batch gave worse result - everything crystallized in one large ice-like piece.....

Does anybody know how to prevent crystallization? Or maybe there is some mistake in the formula?

[Ian Grant]

I've been making up concentrated ID-78 for over 20 years now and never had a problem. You can replace the Sodium Carbonate with Potassium Carbonate & Potassium or Sodium Hydroxide which allows far greater solubility. Assume Potassium Carbonate (anhyd) 12 g + Potassium Hydroxide 4 g is approx equivalent to 60-62 gms Sodium Carbonate (Anhyd).

The alternative is make a weaker concentrate. My darkroom never falls below about 12-14°C so crystallisation of any developer is rare anyway.

Ian

[pavelt2tk0]

Thank you. Will try to substitute sodium carbonate.
Regarding temp - I stored the first batch under room temp, about 25C, the second went out of the room where the temp is about +2..+4C.

But they crystallized both, just differently.

[Shadowtracker]

I wonder if order-of-mixing has anything to do with the crystal formation?

[Ian Grant]

I wonder if order-of-mixing has anything to do with the crystal formation?

No it makes no difference.

I now make up my concentrated developers using Potassium Carbonate and Sodium Hydroxide instead of Sodium Carbonate and this works well. This is in fact how commercial liquid concentrates are prepared and my stock lasts well over 6 months in a half full bottle with no crystallisation even in the winter in an unheated darkroom.

Ian

[Des]

Ian.
I have been looking for information such as this for ages.

Thanks

Des

[Ian Grant]

It's a close enough substitution. So works OK.

Ian

[yeknom02]

Ian, I am wondering about the Benzotriazole solution (1%) in the PQ Developer - is this a 1% solution in water, or a type of alcohol? I have heard that BZT is difficult to dissolve in water. Also, is it added at the time of working dilution, or during the initial mix? And is it needed at all to produce cool tones? Finally, what are the shelf lives of the two dilutions of PQ that you have listed?

Sorry for so many questions at once.