Multigrade dev - blue tone ??

[Sim2]

Hi there odd one this,

Just done some printing this weekend with fresh Multigrade dev and the prints have been coming out with a very blue "tone" This happened consistently with Multigrade gloss and matt fibre paper (dilution of 1:9).

Have used this dev before and been used to the "coldish" tone in the blacks and the slight green tone on the prints which used to clear nicely in a bit of selenium - this is not a "cold" tone it is a definate blue tone to the print - excluding borders.

Mixed some fresh Bromophen (at 1:2) to compare and this was as expected; warm whites and warm black blacks - no blue, so something is with the M/g dev. Confused.

Any ideas?

Sim2.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Phenidone based developers can produce distinctly cold bluish tones. Usually Metol produces a greenish tone with some papers. Which is the reason for a brief toneing with selenium. You could try adding some potassium bromide to the working developer to warm up the tone with this paper. Start with 2.5 ml of a 10% solution per liter of developer.

 

[Sim2]

Thanks for the input. Might have to go down the "tweaking" chemicals route.

Realised that I haven't used M/G dev for about 18 months - been on a warmtone road for a while paper and dev but had some pics more suited to a cleaner look, but not the blue that I was getting.

Tried the Bromophen dev'd prints in fresh selenium (1:20), in case that was not helping, still had rather blue in the shadows and midtones - more as the time went on. Left one in for a good ten minutes and ended up with a dull smurf look - not good. But the one printed on MG300 started to go to the red as I would expect nicely, so happy not the toner!

Still had some Dektol (liquid not powder) so mixed that up, even though the concentrate was a lovely tea shade (!). Reprinted one neg tonight on the gloss, matt and MG300 and the (still wet) shadows and mid tones appear a neutral grey - hurrah - toning another day.

Having not used the M/G dev for a while I was forgetting how it printed but not expecting the dull smurf look I got - was expecting clean neutral greys not blue I am getting. Looks like Dektol may be the way forward for me, shame I can't find who still stocks the liquid in UK. Is the powder form very different?

Cheers for the input though.

Sim2.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Liquid Dektol is entirely different from the powder form. The liquid is a PQ developer while the powder form is D-72 an MQ developer.

 

[pentaxuser]

Blue tones from MD dev eh? Let Simon Galley know. You may have a unique one-off MG dev and now have the equivalent of the mistake that started the unique flavour of Newcastle Brown Ale. The brewer was reportedly attempting to make the equivalent of the low alcohol "old man's" drink we call Nut Brown Ale.

You may have Ilford's equivalent of a "Trip to the Stars" as Newcastle Brown is allegedly called in South Shields owing to its mind altering qualities .

On a more serious note and without leading them, ask others to comment on the overall look of your prints. If most say that they look blue then talk to Ilford. I have been a user of MG dev for several years and while this has been for RC paper only I have never seen a blue look to my prints.

pentaxuser

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Sim2

Pentaxuser is correct:

Send it back to our technical service department and have them check it out, it should not produce a 'blue tone' on any paper RC or FB.

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :