Colour of Ilford Multigrade Developer

[Stephen Coates]

Should Ilford Multigrade Developer remain colourless after it has been used a few times or should the colour change?

Mine was colourless when I first mixed it but now it has gone a tiny bit yellow.

I have only done a few prints with it and they all came out fine.

Also, is the time the print spends in the devloper, and the temperature very critical? I tried to keep the temperature between 19 and 21 degrees and I didn't count the recomended 50 seconds accuratly as I don't have a suitable timer, but still, the prints look good, so I would assume this does not matter much.

 

[2F/2F]

Any paper developer I have ever used goes yellow with age and use. Ilford Multigrade has been my main paper developer for quite some time now, and it definitely does it. I probably use it for far longer than I should, as it is usually a medium yellow color when I toss it. When it is old, I sometimes dilute it and use it as a second bath when lith printing.

 

[Martin Aislabie]

MG Dev remains surprisingly active even when it has gone a rather disgusting yellow/brown.

It starts off almost colourless and darkens with age.

I am not advocating the use of stale chemicals but it’s surprising how well it keeps going even as the colour indicates its getting old and tired at the end of a long days printing

Dev time and temperature are important to remain consistent, critical only if you are trying to squeeze the last bit of improvement.

Simple count-down timers are only a few dollars/euros/pounds - a very worth while investment.

Martin