Ilford Cooltone FB

[Michael R]

Would be interesting if someone threw some of Moersch's developers into their testing routines. For me, I've had great luck with different combos of Ilford's (WT/CT/Classic) papers and Moersch developers - specifically 4812 and SE-6. Have not tried his warm-tone version yet, but have not felt the need.

I sort of did this back when Ilford introduced the reformulated papers, although the Moersch developers I used in the experiments were only the Warmtone, SE-3, and SE-6. I documented some of it including experiments with PMT on APUG but that’s long gone. Anyhow the short version for what it’s worth is I found (somewhat surprisingly) objectively the Moersch developers did what they advertised - as opposed to most everything else out there including the silly Cookbook antiquities which are good for pretty much nothing but historical documentation.

[Drew Wiley]

Michael - Benz restrainer (vs KBr) DOES typically print shift image color cooler. This has been known for a very long time, and I've personally experimentally known about it for decades in relation to my own work with multiple papers. The proof is easily visible. But like I already mentioned, that relationship can reverse or invert when gold toning is involved afterwards.

Interneg - Yes, monohydrate. That's what typically used for the formulation. I don't know about early literature. Mono is more readily available here.

[Michael R]

Michael - Benz restrainer (vs KBr) DOES typically print shift image color cooler. This has been known for a very long time, and I've personally experimentally known about it for decades in relation to my own work with multiple papers.

I think “…known for a very long time,…” is the key phrase. A hundred years ago, maybe.

[Drew Wiley]

Just as true today as back then. If I mixed up with and without solutions ten minutes from now and printed the same image using each respective developer, it would still be a valid statement. Besides, we're talking about Cooltone paper in particular here, which hasn't been around all that long. I've tested all kinds of developer tweaks with it, including 130 formulas using different restrainers, along with mixed amounts of the two in question (benz vs Kbr).
Nice try, however. Maybe you'll land a fish next time.

[Michael R]

You should really have one of them YouTube channels.

[Drew Wiley]

I might watch U Tube if you tell me how to link onto your Fishing tutorials. I think you need better bait.

[Michael R]

I’m telling you, you’d have the best YouTube photography channel by a country mile, and you’d be a YouTube star.

[Drew Wiley]

Zzzzzzz .... snore .... zzzz.