Hi there, does anybody know what chemicals are used to tone prints during development (i.e. something is added to developer to give print a tone that is difficult to get using well known toners)?

Thank you v. much,

Eugene.

-- Eugene Safian (safian3@home.com), November 27, 2001

Answers

Sorry: Nonsense. Toning is "per definition" finishing the print, or to archive the print. The only thing I know (maybe you are refering to that) is bleaching the exposed (latent image) but not developed (on graded paper) print with potassium ferricyanide. It is perfect possible to bring a high grade (4) or so to a grade 3 .. 2 .. or 1: Alas not easy to explain in this short message. Email me to know more.

-- Marc Leest (mmm@n2photography.com), November 27, 2001.

Eugene:

There used to be a number of different developers that were called "toning developers." These were usually nothing more than very warm-toned (oftentimes hydroquinone only) developers meant for use with very warm-toned (usually chloride) papers. These developers were usually used at high dilutions and long developing times. Developers like these usually don't work very good with today's bromide/chloride papers.

-- Ken Burns (kenburns@twave.net), November 27, 2001.

I have a couple of recipes for paper deveoplers that will give you olive-brown, brown to red tones. They are special developers containing Hydroquinone, or/and Glycin, but no Metol.

-- Patric (jenspatric@mail.bip.net), November 27, 2001.

I've tried a cople of the toning devs listed in The Darkroom Cookbook. The tones were nice but subtle, and the dev times were painfully long. My conclusion was, as Ken stated, that these formulas were designed for chloride papers

-- Steve Wiley (wiley@accesshub.net), November 28, 2001.

A developer called LPD (Ethol) is a great developer for producing warm tones to cool tones all depending on the dilution of the developer. Other than that, I will have to go back to my info sheet to see what does what. As I recall, an addition of potassium bromide tends to go warm green but I will have to check to make sure. Email me if you want. Cheers

-- Scott Walton (scotlynn@shore.net), November 29, 2001.

Given the answers so far you might as well go out & purchase a 12x20 view camera, print on Azo (nice, beautiful, slow silver Chloride paper) and get the benefit of the toning developers.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), November 29, 2001.