PHA30G

10-0040 30G

Photographers' Formulary

Photographers' Formulary Amidol is a colorless crystalline compound used as a photographic developer. It is unusual amongst developers as it works most effectively in slightly acid conditions rather than the strongly alkaline conditions required for most other developers. As amidol ages it changes color to a dark red-brown. Amidol is regarded as one of the finest developers available. It produces rich, strong, black tones, which are slightly cool. Amidol works best on bromide paper where it produces a pleasing tonal range. Soft-high key prints are especially beautiful when processed in a diluted amidol developer. Because of its unique developing qualities, amidol is the favorite developer of photographers who exhibit their prints. Although amidol is an excellent developer, it has a number of drawbacks. It is toxic and it does not keep well in solution. (Its useful life is about 2-3 hours.) And because amidol stains everything it comes into contact with, it is not pleasant to work with.