Strange compatibility problem between paper and Ilford print developer ?

[Raphael]

Hello everyone,

Yesterday I ran on a strange issue using a new bottle of a unusal (for me) developer, it's the Ilford Cooltone developer.

The paper I use for 'every day' printing is the Tetenal Vario TT, notably for contact sheets. I am used to process it in Tetenal Variospeed W developer (when I manage to get it), or in Ilford Multigrade, and it's working fine for both.

I am doing B&W printing on a regular basis since my high school years (about 25 years ago, <gasp> ), and although I don't pretend to be an expert, I thinked until now almost any print paper can be processed with almost any paper developer.

So I processed an exposed (with my casual time) contact sheet in the Ilford Cooltone, to get out an almost grey/white sheet of paper, severly underexposed. I double check the enlarger lens diaph, and ran a test strip with increased exposures. I multiplied my exposure time by four, and got a not-even black and muddy test strip. It's looks like if my paper was severly aged, losing sensibility and contrast. I tested then with another developer same box of paper, and got a totally normal print.

So, what is the issue with the Ilford Cooltone ?
- Maybe this new opened bottle is just too old, I bought it less than two years ago, but I don't know how long it stay on shop's shelf before. The color of concentrate developer seems to be very normal, a clear transparent liquid.

- There is a compatibility culprit between Tetenal paper (was maid by Agfa ???) and this Cooltone developer ? I know Tetenal have is own offer concerning warming/cooling image modification, using Variospeed W (for Warm) or Eukobrom as developers. Maybe there something like a conflict here ?

Anybody had thoughts or experiences to share here about it ?

Thanks you for looking,

Regards,

Raphael

 

[PhotoJim]

I would believe bad developer before I would believe an incompatibility. but stranger things have happened.

2 years old is fairly old for liquid concentrates (and how long was it in stock at the dealer and distributor before you bought it?) but I'm not sure how durable Cooltone developer is.

I'd try another paper in the developer before you write it off, but my guess is that the developer is bad.

One thing to check - did you dilute the Cooltone properly? Overdilution might cause such problems. If it were too cold it would act similarly, too. And what was your development time? Extending it might help.

 

[Denis R]

SLOW

IIRC, cooltone dev. and paper takes longer to achieve the coolest tone possible

Lately I have been using used D-76 1:1 to extract better tonal range of MGIVRC, which requires long dev times, but does not increase fog as compared to rapid dev.

 

[Raphael]

Thanks

Thanks Jim, for your post.
Actually, I have a doubt about the dilution, maybe I messed up with it, in despite I should be accustomed to the ultraclassical 1+9 !

About temperature, I think it was right, since I use mild warm water for dilution, and I have an heating system under the tray. My first piece of paper was processed during an erroneous 1 minute, I corrected to 2 minutes when I saw the result, but with not so much improvement.

In all case, I think it deserves another try, with a fresh preparation.

Denis, I noticed too the developing time was 2 minutes for the Cooltone instead classical 1m at 20°C. BTW I didn't know that D76 can be used for developing prints !

Thanks again, regards,

Raphael

 

[TimVermont]

Do watch the solution temperature. I had quite a cold darkroom the winter and noticed that the cooltone just stopped working at ~17C whereas my standard (and old) Agfa Neutol NE kept working, albeit slower. I did like the results from cooltone.

 

[Lopaka]

IIRC Cooltone was discontinued more than 2 years ago, so this is old stuff and may not be good.
Liquid concentrates have a limited shelf life.

Bob

 

[Martin Aislabie]

I openned a bottle of Cooltone and used it yestereday without problems. (lovely print colour)

They sadly only made one batch of Cooltone Dev - so yours is the same age as mine

Of course storage conditions to affect the working life - so if yours has been badly stored it might be the problem

The shelf life of any old partly used bottles of Developer isn't great - so don't leave it hanging around for too long.

Also, Cooltone is/was a slow acting developer - 2 mins minimum on RC papers and at least 3 mins on FB

Martin

 

[Raphael]

Some news

Hi all,

IIRC Cooltone was discontinued more than 2 years ago, so this is old stuff and may not be good.
Liquid concentrates have a limited shelf life.

Argh, Bob, I actually didn't know that Cooltone dev is discontinued...

@Martin, your post was somewhat reassuring to me, as I just opened the bottle, too, but yesterday night I tested again with paying attention to the right dilution and process time (I let it for 3mn), and no matter, the result was still bad

I must deduce the concentrate was turning bad in the bottle
It's rather frustrating, no mention given the spent money to get a full 1L bottle.

BTW, why there is still no production date on photo chemical, especially on Ilford's ???

Thanks to all,

Raphael

 

[Tom Kershaw]

I openned a bottle of Cooltone and used it yestereday without problems. (lovely print colour)

They sadly only made one batch of Cooltone Dev - so yours is the same age as mine

Of course storage conditions to affect the working life - so if yours has been badly stored it might be the problem

The shelf life of any old partly used bottles of Developer isn't great - so don't leave it hanging around for too long.

Also, Cooltone is/was a slow acting developer - 2 mins minimum on RC papers and at least 3 mins on FB

Martin

Martin,

Have you compared the Cooltone developer to any others?

Tom

 

[Raphael]

Some developers require different exposure times to achieve equal densities. Try printing longer.

Hi,

This came to my mind but I discarded it as illogical to me, since paper and exposure (aka quantity of light) was same ! But I, of course, will try.

Here is an example of what I get with Cooltone, developped during 180s.

Regards to all,

Raphael

P.S : the neg in itself have a little problem : light leaks ! But the interesting part was in dark areas, it's cloudy !

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Use new paper and new developer (i.e. not Cooltone as the product will be at least 2 years old) - ILFORD Cooltone RC paper is recommended though. On the point of paper, I have some August 2004 MGWT RC GLOSS that prints fine so suspect the developer, 90 seconds should give you a solid black for any ILFORD Multigrade series RC paper.

Tom

 

[Raphael]

Use new paper and new developer (i.e. not Cooltone as the product will be at least 2 years old) - ILFORD Cooltone RC paper is recommended though. On the point of paper, I have some August 2004 MGWT RC GLOSS that prints fine so suspect the developer, 90 seconds should give you a solid black for any ILFORD Multigrade series RC paper.

Tom

Tom, my aim was initially to test this unopened Cooltone bottle I left aside several months ago, otherwise I have no problem with my usual developper (Tetenal Variospeed) of with Multigrade.

With the Cooltone developper, I am afraid I waited too long !

Thanks for your reply,

Regards,

Raphael