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Best warmtone developer for Adox MCC110

wiggywag

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Hi!

I´m normally using dektol for Adox MCC110. I would also like to have a warmer developer for the paper for images that suits it.

I just tried Foma WT powder developer, and it it was extremely slow with this paper.

Im not after a brown image, but more something subtle and glowing

Or maybe I should use Ilford FB Warmtone? Will there be big differences?
 
A warm tone developer will be slow by nature. They are typically formulated to be less active than neutral to cold toned developers. Have you tried toning in selenium? That might be just what you're after.
 
Agree with Frank. What you really want is selenium 1+10 for 1-2mins.
 
The problem with warmtone developers is that they're usually past a "glow." Usually it's a slight warm cast that people want. I've found that selenium does that best or a very subtle brown toner, the latter of which takes more precision.
 
I will try selenium toning 1+10. I normally selenium tone 1+20 for 3 minutes for maximum dmax, so a little change to this procedure for warmer prints is a great option. Thanks
 
wiggywag said:
I will try selenium toning 1+10. I normally selenium tone 1+20 for 3 minutes for maximum dmax, so a little change to this procedure for warmer prints is a great option. Thanks
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Sounds good. MCC is one of those papers that takes a decent amount of time at 1+20 to show significant tone shift. Other papers I use (K-888 for instance) shift tone in less than 60 seconds w/ Se 1+20.

If you want to use graded paper I would recommend K-888 as it has the tone you want right out of the box.
 
You might also try Zonal Pro HQ Warmtone developer and then tone in selenium 1:20. It is a nice combination
 
brian steinberger said:
I recommend trying Ilford's warmtone paper in Ansco 130 1:1 2 minutes for what you're looking for. It works wonderfully for me, giving a great "glow" with a hint of warmth.
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Where can I buy Ansco 130? Did not find it on freestylephoto. Link pls

How does it differ from dektol, the developer I´m using now?
 
Try to pick up a copy of The Darkroom Cookbook, or an old Photo-Lab Index. There are recipes galore in both.

Reading the former, you will find out that the things that are added to standard developers to make them into warmtone developers are the same things that cause development to slow down (for example, bromide, which is most commonly used solely as a restrainer). I returned the book to the library, but if I remember correctly, the speed (or perhaps the elapsed time) of the development has a great effect on the hue of the developed ("reduced") silver.

The hue of your prints should not affect the "glow." That is all about lighting and printing.

Various toners are worth trying as well. Selenium's effect varies a lot with the paper. The reason I don't use it much is because it tends to make things an almost eggplant-like purple-brown, or in some cases just purplish, on the papers I use most of the time.

If you have not tried it yet, you should splurge on a box of Ilford MGFB Warmtone glossy fiber. It has an extremely subtle warm tone – barely perceptible except in overall effect, unless held side by side with a neutral print, IME. The matte, OTOH, is noticeably warm even when viewed alone. This is an amazing paper, IMO the best that Ilford has by a long shot. I just cannot afford it any more on a regular basis.
 
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2F, a 1+20 dilution of Selenium at short periods before eggplant is pretty decent. Anyways, haven't bought MGWT in a while, is it off that sick-looking yellow base?
 
I have never had a box with much of a tint that I noticed. It is definitely not a "snappy" bright white like Oriental, but certainly not yellow.
 
wiggywag said:
Where can I buy Ansco 130? Did not find it on freestylephoto. Link pls

How does it differ from dektol, the developer I´m using now?
Click to expand...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/123388-REG/Photographers_Formulary_02_0080_130_Developer_for_Black.html

I prefer 130 to Dektol. They are similar. From my experience I find 130 to produce a nicer tone on the papers I use, MGWT and Oriental VC. Plus an added advantage is that since 130 includes glycin it is highly resistant to oxidation so you can mix up a working solution 1:1 and keep it for months, in a tightly capped bottle of course.
 
clayne said:
2F, a 1+20 dilution of Selenium at short periods before eggplant is pretty decent. Anyways, haven't bought MGWT in a while, is it off that sick-looking yellow base?
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Have to agree, when I was switching papers after Agfa's demise I looked at MGWT FB and the sickly base ruled it out, I went tp Polywarm tone instead. It's a white base now and looks really nice.

Others comment warm tone developers are slower that's not really true unless you're trying for extreme warmth with development using, long exposure times and quite dilute developers. Most modern papers don't

Developers like Neutol WA and Ilford Warmtone or Ilford ID-78 are no slower than Dektol or other neutral/colder tone developers.

Any over development with a warm tone paper & warm tone developer cools the tones significantly, so development needs to be kept to the minimum needed to get a good range of tones.

Ian
 
I like the MGWT when I'm going to be doing toning in sepia or brown toner. It's the only paper I've seen that can give me a chocolate brown when I want it. It does have kind of a vanilla base and I could see why people don't like it when they aren't after a significantly warmer tone. But like 2F/2F mentioned, Ilford is extremely proud of that paper. Way too expensive.
 

If you want a chocolate tone on other responsive papers try lower dilutions (higher concentrations) of brown toner for a shorter period. Hit the print hard and fast (10-30s), rinse for a few minutes, and then into HCA.
 
Did you want milk or dark chocolate hues?

I am joking of course, but the answer does matter...
 
I like a dark chocolate on some prints that doesn't go too far into the yellow. And concerning the OP's initial questions about wt developers, in my limited experience I've found the tonal differences to be very subtle among varying developers.
 
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