Has anyone tried Eco Pro Black and White Paper Developer?

[dcy]

I just started using Ilford Multigrade paper developer. While I am happy with the results I'm getting, I am not thrilled with the price.

Has anyone tried Eco Pro Black and White Paper Developer? All other things being equal, I always like to buy products that are supposed to be less harmful to the environment, and this particular product is less than half the cost of Ilford Multigrade ($18 for 1 qt = 946 mL versus $23 for 500 mL for Ilford MG) and you use them at the same dilution (1+9) so the price is an apples to apples comparison.

I did try to find online discussions for this product and I found two people in the Large Format Photography forum who used it. Here's what they said:

Person 1: "Eco-Pro is a markedly softer-working developer, and gives a slightly warmer tone than Multigrade. The contrast is about 1/3 grade lower than Multigrade, in addition to which I had to add roughly 15% to the exposure to yield a comparable result in the print. This yielded a bit more of a shift in the mid-low values than in the high."

Person 2: "I usually develop Ilford MG FB prints in eco-pro 1+9 for 3 minutes. I have not done extensive comparisons with other developers, but the contrast seems fine and the tone neutral."

 

[GregY]

I just started using Ilford Multigrade paper developer. While I am happy with the results I'm getting, I am not thrilled with the price.

Has anyone tried Eco Pro Black and White Paper Developer? All other things being equal, I always like to buy products that are supposed to be less harmful to the environment, and this particular product is less than half the cost of Ilford Multigrade ($18 for 1 qt = 946 mL versus $23 for 500 mL for Ilford MG) and you use them at the same dilution (1+9) so the price is an apples to apples comparison.

I did try to find online discussions for this product and I found two people in the Large Format Photography forum who used it. Here's what they said:

Person 1: "Eco-Pro is a markedly softer-working developer, and gives a slightly warmer tone than Multigrade. The contrast is about 1/3 grade lower than Multigrade, in addition to which I had to add roughly 15% to the exposure to yield a comparable result in the print. This yielded a bit more of a shift in the mid-low values than in the high."

Person 2: "I usually develop Ilford MG FB prints in eco-pro 1+9 for 3 minutes. I have not done extensive comparisons with other developers, but the contrast seems fine and the tone neutral."

I've used it. No complaints. I thought it worked well. I was satisfied with the prints. I used it more for small stuff & work prints, not exhibition prints....
D, you yourself a favour & buy the gallon .....you save a lot more by not buying the small size... in this case $20 over buying 4x the 1 qt.....in addition to the price advantage over Ilford.
If you want to save more.... try the Arista paper developer @ $27 for 5 litres....

 

[dcy]

I've used it. No complaints. I thought it worked well. I was satisfied with the prints. I used it more for small stuff & work prints, not exhibition prints....
D, you yourself a favour & buy the gallon .....you save a lot more by not buying the small size... in this case $20 over buying 4x the 1 qt.....in addition to the price advantage over Ilford.
If you want to save more.... try the Arista paper developer @ $27 for 5 litres....

Good idea. Will do.

 

[Pieter12]

I just started using Ilford Multigrade paper developer. While I am happy with the results I'm getting, I am not thrilled with the price.

Has anyone tried Eco Pro Black and White Paper Developer? All other things being equal, I always like to buy products that are supposed to be less harmful to the environment, and this particular product is less than half the cost of Ilford Multigrade ($18 for 1 qt = 946 mL versus $23 for 500 mL for Ilford MG) and you use them at the same dilution (1+9) so the price is an apples to apples comparison.

I did try to find online discussions for this product and I found two people in the Large Format Photography forum who used it. Here's what they said:

Person 1: "Eco-Pro is a markedly softer-working developer, and gives a slightly warmer tone than Multigrade. The contrast is about 1/3 grade lower than Multigrade, in addition to which I had to add roughly 15% to the exposure to yield a comparable result in the print. This yielded a bit more of a shift in the mid-low values than in the high."

Person 2: "I usually develop Ilford MG FB prints in eco-pro 1+9 for 3 minutes. I have not done extensive comparisons with other developers, but the contrast seems fine and the tone neutral."

 

[Pieter12]

I have been using eco pro exclusively for the last 5 years. No complaints. I buy it by the gallon and transfer the contents to 1-quart bottles to help prolong its shelf life.

 

[NMSS_2]

I’ve used both, and yeah, Eco Pro is a bit softer and slightly warmer than Ilford MG. You might need to bump exposure a bit, but it still gives nice results. For everyday prints, I think it’s totally worth it, especially at half the price. I keep both around and use Eco Pro for most stuff now.

 

[Paul Howell]

Artista is house branded Clayton, I've used Clayton off and on for many years, well decades at 1:9 produces neutral, using it 1:7 or 1:6 a bit colder, cannot say it is good for warm tones. I buy in small bottles as once opened does not a long life.

 

[GregY]

D, another fine & economical developer is Adox Neutol..... comes in 500ml bottles and is typically mixed 1:9....
& I have used it for exhibition prints. $12.49 @...... there was also a Neutol Wa.... which was a great developer w Forte papers.

 

[dcy]

Artista is house branded Clayton, I've used Clayton off and on for many years, well decades at 1:9 produces neutral, using it 1:7 or 1:6 a bit colder, cannot say it is good for warm tones. I buy in small bottles as once opened does not a long life.

There are two Arista paper developers. Are you talking about the one that just says Arista (white + purple bottle) or about the "Premium" one (black bottle)?

Last year I bought the plain Arista one but then it went bad in less than a year. Perhaps I could've done a better job to protect it, but I am not eager to try again.

 

[dcy]

D, another fine & economical developer is Adox Neutol..... comes in 500ml bottles and is typically mixed 1:9....
& I have used it for exhibition prints. $12.49 @...... there was also a Neutol Wa.... which was a great developer w Forte papers.

Thanks!