Hi - I'm new to this game - what do toners like selenium do to your prints - when are they neccessary? Also why would you need filters on your enlarger - are they really neccessary? Also what does `warmtone' mean? Please explain as if to a fifth grader.

-- Greg Brosnan (gbrosnan@infosel.net.mx), March 25, 1999

Answers

Toners convert the silver to something else, which might change the colour, and make the print more permanent.

Filters are only used for variable contrast paper. If you use fixed grade paper, you don't need filters.

'Warmtone' means the paper is warm, rather than cold, in colour. 'Warm papers' give an essentially brown image, and cold ones give blue. The differences are sometimes very subtle.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), March 26, 1999.