Harman (Ilford) Warmtone/Cooltone Developer Available!

Marco S. · Dec 12, 2005

Greetings,

My local photo store has the new Ilford Harman warm and cooltone developers in stock. Just a FYI in case anyone was waiting for their arrival here in the US. I did pick up a bottle of the Warmtone; comes in a brown box, similar to the warmtone Ilford papers. Price was $14.99 for a 1 liter bottle to make 10 liters. Includes some instruction sheets, etc. Go get some and help support Ilford!

Marco

david b · Dec 12, 2005

This is terrific news!!!

edz · Dec 13, 2005

david b said:
This is terrific news!!!

Why is it "terrific"?
The entry cost to produce paper developers is quite low, formulas are well known and most of the materials are trivial to source. The most expensive technical items, I suggest, is the PC to run some billing software. The costs and prerequisites are quite the contrast to those demanded by coating for the production of high quality paper and film. Its nice that Ilford are offering more chemicals but what is "terrific" is that they are coating. Loads of companies form large to smaller than small (1-man) are making film and paper developers but only a few are and can make the papers to go into these developers.....

Marco Gilardetti · Dec 13, 2005

Good grief, edz, thanks for your enthusiasm! If you take all good news this way, you sure are a happy fellow...

The new warmtone developer had been long announced, thanks for letting me know it's available now. Agfa Neutol WA (alas!) out, but now Ilford Warmtone in... Truly good news to me.

Sean · Dec 13, 2005

Great news I can't wait to try it

Blighty · Dec 13, 2005

This IS good news. Wonder when we can get it here in the UK?

Leon · Dec 13, 2005

Blighty said:
This IS good news. Wonder when we can get it here in the UK?

http://www.thedarkroom.co.uk/products_class.php?productID=201.1

and

http://www.thedarkroom.co.uk/products_class.php?productID=201.2

nowhere else (eg silverprint, first call etc) seem to have it listed yet., but I find RK's prices to be pretty much the best anyway (just look at the list price for fotospeed Legacy 12 x 16!)

Simon R Galley · Dec 13, 2005

Note From ILFORD Photo / HARMAN Re Cooltone & Warmtone:

Dear All,

I am pleased that most of you are happy to see 2 new paper developers :

As to availability the answer is simple, USA was first launch, everywhere else should be late January early February 06 in the retailers, all the distributors have ordered, by which time the US APUG members should have posted their verdict, I will be watching closely...it was my product launch.

Simon

Sal Santamaura · Dec 13, 2005

Simon, is the Warmtone chemically similar to Neutol WA? Those of us who use(d) that developer for Azo would be pleased with such news. Can't seem to find any product info yet on the Ilford Web site.

Keith Tapscott. · Dec 13, 2005

Simon R Galley said:
Dear All,

I am pleased that most of you are happy to see 2 new paper developers :

As to availability the answer is simple, USA was first launch, everywhere else should be late January early February 06 in the retailers, all the distributors have ordered, by which time the US APUG members should have posted their verdict, I will be watching closely...it was my product launch.

Simon

Hello Simon,
When will these products be announced on the Ilford website and forum?

edz · Dec 13, 2005

Sal Santamaura said:
Simon, is the Warmtone chemically similar to Neutol WA? Those of us who use(d) that developer for Azo would be pleased with such news. Can't seem to find any product info yet on the Ilford Web site.

You want Neutol WA?
Pretty simple to make.. Really just a simple PQ developer.. the only thing Agfaish is that they used Potassium instead of Sodium (like many of Agfa's brews due to their availability from Bayer) salts. And the results are not really special enough to be special...

Bob F. · Dec 13, 2005

Even if they want to mix their own developers, not everyone around the world has access to the necessary raw chemicals. Even in the UK, some of the more obscure chemicals can be a problem to source (though to be fair, the usual suspects used in developers are easy). Given the likely demise of Neutol WA, this could be a very timely introduction.

It's going to need good working life in my Nova for me to use it so I will be looking on with interest at first user's reports...

Cheers, Bob.

Craig · Dec 13, 2005

Simon R Galley said:
As to availability the answer is simple, USA was first launch, everywhere else should be late January early February 06 in the retailers

Simon,

Is Canada lumped in with the US for the first launch, or do we have to wait until the new year?

Fintan · Dec 13, 2005

Looking forward to a nice bottle of Warmtone for those cold Janury nights.

Do Ilford have any scans of prints developed in this new developer to post yet?

Blighty · Dec 14, 2005

Fintan, just don't mistake it for a bottle of Jameson's

Simon R Galley · Dec 14, 2005

Canada should be very early new year

Simon.

kunihiko · Dec 14, 2005

Hi Simon,
How about Asia ? Do you mean "all the distributors" including Chugai of Japan ?
I'm happy to know that ILFORD has launched new products. I'm a big fun of ILFORD products. I've learned B&W through them.
I would like to see ILFORD's new products in our local stores. I really want to. I would also like to buy and use which we don't have now, such as Microphen, DELTA3200 in 120, RC warm, DD-X, etc.

Simon R Galley · Dec 16, 2005

Dear Kunihiko,

I will have a word with CHUGAI

Simon.

Simon R Galley · Dec 16, 2005

Dear All,

I will check when the info goes on the website :

Simon.

Craig · Dec 28, 2005

I got my hands on a bottle of cooltone developer, and have been printing up a storm over the holidays. So far, I'm quite pleased with the new developer. I got a noticably cooler tone using this developer on Portfolio paper than I did using cooltone paper and regular Multigrade developer.

I've noticed that regular MG IV paper developed in MG developer leaves a green cast that I don't like, and the cooltone developer goes a long way to getting rid of that. Toning in selenium also helps. Unfortunately, I have a 2.5 litre bottle of MG concentrate on the shelf that I probably won't use now.

Thanks Simon, a great new product!

Adrian Twiss · Dec 28, 2005

I am interested to hear of anyone trying this developer with Forte Polygrade. If no one has I will conduct some tests and report here when the developer is available in the UK.

Craig · Dec 28, 2005

I used it with some Forte cold tone, and it was very nice. Rich, pure blacks. Actually, a very neutral tone I thought, no colour casts, just black and white. It made some very nice looking 16x20's.

Simon R Galley · Jan 4, 2006

Dear Craig,

I am pleased you liked the product, thanks for buying it : The website should be updated this week

Simon.

Craig · Jan 4, 2006

I've made some more prints with this developer over the holidays, and it works very well with Portfolio. Normally, I find that regular Multigrade in multigrade developer produces a green tone, whereas the cooltone developer is a nice neutral black. It espcially looks good after selenium toning.

I've also come to quite like portfolio, its a nice weight paper.

Tom Hoskinson · Jan 4, 2006

Simon, You should have a winner! How does the image tone and working characteristics of the new Ilford Warmtone paper developer compare with Ilford ID-78?

Harman (Ilford) Warmtone/Cooltone Developer Available!

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