Re: [Leica] Variable Contrast CLH

[Dominique PELLISSIER <pelliss@droit-eco.univ-nancy2.fr>]

At 14:41 26/01/99 -0500, Bill wrote :
>Hi Frank,
>I had a Zone VI VC head for a year and never got used to it. I went back to
>using a single tube Zone VI and filters, and a Zone VI compensating timer,
>and find it the best system for me. When I bought the VC head Calumet was
>recommending a Beseler Digital timer. I found that the timer was not
>accurate with the head plugged in. Set the timer for 20 seconds and it
>would give me 21, or 22 seconds. Unplug the head from the timer and it
>would count off 20 seconds. Frustrating. I went through a couple of timers
>before I figured out the problem. The thing I learned to really hate about
>the VC head was need to "preheat" prior to exposure. The single tube heads
>have a heater. The VC head doesn't. Before each exposure you have to
>"pre-expose"; turn on the tubes and wait for the green light to go on,
>telling you the tubes are up to temp, balanced,  and ready to go. Sometimes
>this would take up to 50 seconds. Then you make your print. Having to do
>this before every exposure felt like, is,  a waste of time. It reminded me
>of having to "pop" the negative when I used to use a condenser head.
> Most of the work I produce, for corporate clients, for exhibit, or for
>stock is black and white. So I spend alot of time in the darkroom. The VC
>head slowed me down too much and didn't provide me better prints. One last
>thing; infinitely variable adjustment seemed like a liability, not an
>asset. It was like not having click stops on a lens. Now if I really need
>something between a 2 and a 2 1/2 filter I will split the exposure, print
>for half the time through one filter, the second half through the other.
>Quick and simple.
>I wouldn't recommend the Zone VI VC head. Can't comment on the others out
>there.
>
>Bill Franson     
>
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Excuse me, but I have a naive question : what is a VC "cold light" head ?
What are the advantages ?

Dominique Pellissier
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