Retro Photographic Ltd - Black & White Specialist Photographic Products


Fomafixis a single liquid concentrate rapid fixer. Fomafix P is a two component powder fixer, acid type for general purpose use. Fomacitro Stop Bath designed for general use. Supplied as liquid concentrate.

Tanol Staining Negative Developer Tanol is a staining developer yielding very high resolution, maximum sharpness and relatively fine grain. In addition to reducing silver halides to metallic silver � as in any �normal' film developer � Tanol also produces a stain in the negative in proportion to the amount of silver reduced. Tanol works in the same fashion as staining developers based on Pyrogallol or Pyro but the stain is less noticeable than a pyro stain but just as effective. The stain fills in the gaps between grains of silver so reducing the impression of grain. Negatives printed on fixed grade paper the stain has virtually no influence upon contrast, but with Variable Contrast, or multigrade, papers the stain acts as a soft filter in high density areas. Packaged as 2x100 ml liquid concentrates, the relatively high dilutions of 1+1+50 to 1+1+200 makes this developer very cost effective. Efke 25 @20ASA in Tanol Printed on Fomatone developed in Moersch Separol HE SE1 SEPIA Developer Special developer for Warm tone papers such as Select, Classic, Forte und Bergger. The image produced is a warm black. The Sepia toner has an effect similar to a light selenium toning. Diluted to between 1+100 to 1+200 (you will need to experiment to get the maximum blacks). If the print is left immersed for longer the image becomes a more cold brown. Dilution: 1+7 to 1+15 1 Litre Concentrate makes between 8-16 Litres working solution. SE2 WARM Universal developer for all paper emulsion types. The developer works very quickly with a development time of around 60 to 75 seconds at 20�C using the normal 1+9 dilution. This dilution, however, is only recommended for processing Resin Coated (RC or PE) papers or for impatient Fibre Based (FB or Baryta) workers. It produces a neutral to warm tone image which is highly dependent upon the particular paper being used; with Cold Tone papers or those with developer accelerators within the paper itself, the tone is neutral to warm with a tendency towards the green. Warm Tone papers have brownish nuances if developed for not longer than 70 seconds. Above this and over 90 seconds the image becomes markedly more green. A light selenium toning afterwards (diluted to 1+50 to 1+200) will remove the greens and make the image tone somewhat cooler and releasing the deepest blacks. Due to the very high capacity of the developer the optimal dilution is 1+20 and a developing time of 2 minutes at 20�C is recommended. With greater dilutions increase the developing time. The working solution is highly stable and keeps in fully filled containers for a number of weeks. Dilution: 1+9 to 1+25 1 Litre concentrate makes 10-26 Litres working solution. SE3 Cold Ascorbic Phenidone based developer designed to produce a neutral to cold tone image. The 2x500 ml parts are mixed in the ratio of 1+1+30 to give a development time of 2 minutes. Dilution: 1+1+30 2x500 ml concentrate makes 15 Litres working solution. SE5 Master Lith Set Developer designed for Lith type printing which can be mixed for around 20 different types of paper. The image tone can be varied enormously by altering the dilution or by using the various additives (only with the Master Set). ) A full description of the processing method and how to finely control the final image and its appearance and Paper/Developer combination with all the relevant processing data is included. A remarkable characteristic of SE5 is that the working solution can be kept for an unusually long time which is normally not the case at all with Lith developers, they 'go off' very quickly. SE5, in contrast, can last for up to 10 hours in an open developing tray without the need for additional anti-oxidising agents. The Lith Master Set contains an Additive which allows more control over the Lith effect � make it weaker or switch it off altogther. In this case the solution acts as a pure brown tone developer. With Lith printing you need to experiment, the results can be absolutely stunning and well worth the effort in using the solutions in the various dilutions. Results are by no means as reproducible as 'normal' methods but this is part of the attraction. For those new to Lith, or those who would like to have a go without the complexity that can arise we recommend the Easylith Kits. Recommended dilutions 1+10 to 1+30 Packaging: Easylith Kit 1 200ml (Lith A 100 ml, Lith B 100 ml) makes 3-6 Litre working solution Easylith Kit 2 500ml (Lith A 250 ml, Lith B 250 ml) makes 7.5 -15 Litre working solution Easylith Kit 3 1 Litre (Lith A 500 ml, Lith B 500 ml) makes 15-30 Litre working solution Master-Set: 1 Litre (Lith A 500 ml, Lith B 500 ml + 2 Additives) makes 10-30 Litres working solution All the Master Set solutions can be bought separately. Lanzarote Dwelling by Tim Rudman. Fomatone MG Classic paper developed in SE5 Master Lith 1+1+40. The warm salmon colour is due to the higher dilution. Fomatone MG Classic, developed in SE5 split selenium toned Fomatone MG Classix, Gold Toned. VGT Developer Toolkit The developer toolkit consists of several developer concentrates, VGT A, B, C, D with which you can mix your own magic brews. With VGT, you determine the image tone, from soft to hard with a one or two-bath process. The developer solutions can be mixed in any combination that you feel like trying � experimenters paradise! Here are the basic effects of the different solutions VGTA � a hard working but very slow developer which is of great benefit with the 2 bath systems as the shadows have time to differentiate and become richer. VGT B � soft working developer giving a neutral to cool image tone, the image building quite quickly. VGT C � this Activator is added in the same quantity as the sum of VGT A and VGT B developers. Larger amount cause the developers to work faster, softer and with a cooler image tone. VGT D - mix in some of this with VGT A to achieve a warm image tone, it can alternatively be used as a second bath. Finisher Blue � add this to the working solution combination A/B/C to get a cooler image tone, keep on adding until the required cold tone is achieved. Usually only 5-10ml is enough. Add about 50ml developer (A+B, A+D, A+B+D) to 1L of water and add 50ml of Activator. You can use smaller amounts but then the development time will need to be increased. A+C+Water results in a slow developer which alone cannot build the full tonal range so a second bath with a soft working developer is necessary). Add, however, about 5ml or VGT B or 50ml VDG D to the A solution and a Supper Additive is created which makes the developer work faster and much more strongly. The stronger and more powerfully the developer and the longer you let it work will determine how cool the final image becomes. With significant overexposure use a hard developer (A+C+Water) and develop until the shadows and middle tones are clearly created, but not quite fully 'done'. Due to the large amount of highlight areas the final development needs to be in a highly diluted second developer (for example 15ml D + 20ml C + 1000ml Water). When the highlights are completed drawn, move the print to the stop bath to arrest the development process. Note that the image tone is mainly determined by the paper emulsion and that very cold tone emulsions can be developed into neutral tones with Warm tone papers, on the other hand, reacting much more strongly. Very thin, flat negatives can be saved with the 2 bath process The VGT toolkit consists of: - A Hard working developer 250ml - B Soft working developer, neutral tone 250ml - C Aktivator, 500ml - D Software Warmtone developer, 250ml - Finisher Blue for blue-black tones, 100ml Refill solutions can be ordered individually.	MZB Two-bath Contrast Compensating Developer The 2 bath development idea is not at all new, there are a number of known recipes. Up until now, however, it has not been possible to achieve a good contrast compensation coupled with a high contour sharpness. This problem is solved with MZB. The developer achieves a demonstrable contrast compensation and at the same time delivering high level of contour sharpness and very fine grain. It creates negatives with very harmonious levels of grey which in itself allows a remarkable degree of enlargement to be made. Not every photograph is ready or able to be processed according to the Zone System, and this is particularly a problem when using small or medium format photography. If the negative density is too high then this leads to the highlights being unable to be correctly differentiated in the print if at the same time, the shadow area tones are to be clearly separated. This problem is accentuated by modern emulsions and the only means to solve it by conventional development methods is to reduce the developing time. The disadvantage of this approach is that the sensitivity of the film is reduced. With MZB there is now another way: by observing the film sensitivity the tone gradient curve can be contoured to just the highlight areas so that by using the recommended development times the highlights can be shifted by approximately one Zone. Without going into the Zone system to deeply, suffice it to say that above Zone VII the curve becomes slightly flattened. Packaging: MZB is delivered as a powder to make 2x2 Litre stock solution. The solution have a shelf life of at least 6 months even if kept in partly filled containers. SE6 BLUE Developer for creating neutral to blue-black images. The final image tone is dependent upon the printing paper being used. With the use of a blue additive such as Finisher Blue and/or by combining this with a Warm Tone paper, a cooler to cold image can be achieved. Deepest blacks are achieved with good differentiation of the shadow zones. Dilution: 1+10 bis 1+15 gives the same Dmax, development time 3- 4 Minutes. 1 Litre concentrate makes 10-20 Litre working solution SE7 BROMOIL Speicial developer for Bromoil printing. This formulation uses 5 super additives and achieves a low PH value. We recommend that you have some experience of this method of printing before trying SE7. 1 Litre concentrate makes 7 litres working solution. SE15 POLYCHROME Developer kit for creating colourful image tones with or without a Lith effect. The kit consists of the LITH and SIENNA developers as well as several additives which are used to control the final image. Silver prints made by this developer combination are extremely well suited to further toning by the usual processes although toning is not absolutely necessary. A Selenium toner, however, in various dilutions can reduce or remove the truly firework display of tones. The Polychrome process is highly sensitive and we can only recommend its use by those who already have some experience with Lith printing processes and it is absolutely necessary to follow our instructions to the letter with regard to the timings for the various printing papers until you have been able to build up some experience with this process. The results are spectacular but not for the faint hearted! 500ml LITH and 500ml SIENNA Classic Arts Polywarmtone, 2 bath development in Polychrome Print by Tim Rudman Fomatone MG developed in Polychrome then duo-toned with Selenium and Gold Toners Print by Tim Rudman SE20 AMIDOL Plus Truly the Master Printer's Dream and saviour in emergencies. Fantastic stuff but not cheap! 2 Bath system: First developer Amidol, Second developer Catechol In the first developer the finest details are revealed, the print is then moved to the second bath where the contrast is enhanced to the required level. This process allows the largest possible difference in highlight and shadow differences to be accommodated and reproduced. Even we couldn't completely remove Amidols addiction to oxidisation � but nevertheless the working solution will last even with heavy usage (more than 30 large format prints) for a whole printing session. If you don't have long sessions, the solution can last for a few days if kept in a full container. The image tone is controllable through the selective use of the 2 additives which are included in the kit. Kit contains enough for 2x1- 2x2 Litre working solution SE20 CATECHOL Catechol is a slow but hard working developer used as the first developer in a two bath process. In this process the print is immersed in Catechol until the shadow areas are clearly recognisable, this will take between 50 to 90 seconds depending upon dilution. The print is then transferred to the second bath and immersed until the highlight areas are drawn to the required level. The shadows are signficantly deepened and separated and the tone image of the print in the second bath will move towards a cooler nuance. A greater degree of coolness will be achieved in the second bath if the print is left for longer in the first developer. This can be used with great effect to deepen shadows with a warm paper/developer combination. In this case, the print is moved to the second bath as soon as traces of the image appear. 1 Litre concentrate SE30 MERITOL Slow working developer producing neutral to brown image tones. The deepest blacks are achieved by lengthening the developing time to around 3 minutes. This will also change the image tone to a cooler brown/black. 1 Litre concenrate makes 8-12 Litre working solution
	Carbontoner Toner for warm tone papers containing a higher Chloro-Silver. Neutral and cold tone emulsions can be indirectly toned. With some lightly hardened Fibre Based papers it is necessary to harden this layer before toning, particularly if the dilution of the toner is less than roughly 1+40. The image tone is variable and controlled both by dilution and immersion time. Full blacks are achieved with dilutions in excess of 1+30 and short immersion times, the tone image also becomes somewhat colder. Further toning changes the original image tone through a cool braun to a warm brown an finally to a red brown. For a brown black effect use a dilution of between 1+100 to 1+200.. Shelf life of the working solution if kept in full containers: 1+30 3 months, 1+200 a few days. Packaging: 100 ml oder 500ml concentrate Carbontoner Kit Toner kit for direct and indirect brown toning. Some papers will need to be lightly bleached before the toning process so the kit contains all the necessary solution components. For a more detailed technical exposition, click the link below. Kit contains: 100 ml Concentrate 100 ml Bleach 50ml Hardener LITH C Additive Antioxidant Simple Sodium Sulphite solutions go off in a few days and their effectiveness is almost literally lost to the air through oxidisation. This solution is very stabile and maintains full effectiveness as long as the solution remains colourless. Packaging: 100 ml LITH D Additive Starter I In contrast to the usual potassium bromide solutions, this starter contains restrainers which reduce the commonly experienced drift of the image tone towards the green. The concentrate should be diluted by 1+4 or only added a drop at a time. Packaging: 100 ml LITH E Additive Starter II The effect of this additive is highly dependent on the type of paper being used. It should only used extremely sparingly even with 1+4 dilutions. All papers exhibit grain clumping in the shadow area to some extent. Oriental paper react with a changing image tone which accentuates the grain, with warm tone papers the effect is much less obvious. Using too much solution results in the Lith colouring being suppressed but with the deepest blacks being brought out. Packaging: 100 ml LITH F Additive Starter III The intensive bright yellow or red tones from the old cadmium based emulsions have unfortunately passed into history. Ektulure, Sterling and some Kentmere papers are no longer available order the emulsion formulation has changed so much as to make the papers almost unrecognisable. Additive F allows the yellowish tones to be moved towards the red. Packaging: 100ml or 250ml Finisher Blue For blue image tones. Use this to get the deepest cold blacks, blue blacks by adding slightly more of the solution. The deepest blacks are heightened without any loss of tones in the deepest shadows. Packaging: 100 ml