Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/06/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dan, thank you for the post. I do have analysers (I have used the z just to keep the spell checker happy, but the s works for me). One is the Jobo 7000, which I mainly use for colour work (note the "u" as well), but which in its testing mode actually reads the paper density as well. For that function it seemed crude. For the b/w world, I have a "Splitgrade" system. It reads densities on the base board, and calculates the paper grade and exposure for various types of paper. This has helped me understand some of the world of "zones" but I'm still learning. On the Leica V35 , the Splitgrade is a dream, but on the Devere/Ilford MG500 it struggles to achieve the same consistency and tonal range. I have not fully worked it out. Jurgen Heiland sent me instructions on how to calibrate it without a densitometer, and I spent a good long weekend trying. Seems to me there are several jobs which "can" be done without a densitometer, and can be approximated with other units, but just when you think you have it right, the next variable hits. My e-zzz buy was only $180 of your dollars and iffffff it works should give me no more excuses ;-) I want to calibrate my camera light meters with my film/developer and printing so that I can get some consistency (after 30 years of playing around in the dark ;-) ) Cheers, all help gratefully received. On Friday, Jun 18, 2004, at 23:31 Australia/Melbourne, Dan Post wrote: > Alistair- > Reading with interest about your quest for a densitometer. > If you are wanting a transmission one to check film, you might try > what I > did. > I bought a Beseler Color Analyzer (Analyser down under, I bet!) on the > web > site that should go unmentioned. I got it from Bob Shell, as a matter > of > fact. > I use it to judge negatives in the enlarger for contrast and density. > I use the cyan channel as it has a red filter, and for our work, it is > as > close to the Kodak status M red filter that a lot of densitometers > use, but > I have used other channels as well, and gotten similar results. > One, I zero the meter- either to the center, or if I need a large > range of > density measurement, on the far left hand end of the scale with no > negative > in the enlarger. I measure the center of the light beam. This gives me > '0' > density. > I can then place a negative in the enlarger, and usually, I measure > the area > between frames, or a blank frame of film- the deflection shows me base > plus+fog. > I then look for a portion of the negative that is about .15-.2 above > base+fog and this is my minimum density, or shadow detail. I then look > for > the most dense area that still shows detail- usually some sky if there > -or a > white shirt fold- something like that, and measure the 'density' > I can subtract the low density from the high density, and get a density > range to determine the grade filter I use! > The nice thing is that the measurements take into consideration the > nature > of the enlarger- if you have a condenser enlarger, and have higher > apparent > contrast due to the Callier effect, the measurements indicate this, so > there > are fewer surprises. > The Color Analyzer route is much cheaper as many of the X-rite > densitometers > are several hundred bucks, and since you measure a 3mm spot on the > film, > they are great for test strips, but for actual negatives, hard to use. > Using > the enlarger method seems to work a lot better, at least for me. > You might give it a try. I also use the analyzer as an enlarging meter- > calibrate it for a particular paper and use it to determine either the > highlight, neutral tone, or shadow exposure- depending on the photo. I > have > been experimenting with it for split printing as well, but it helps to > have > a step wedge to do that, and that's another story for another day! > Best of light to you! > Dan > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Alastair Firkin" <firkin@ncable.net.au> > To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> > Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 6:50 AM > Subject: [Leica] X-rite densitometer for Leica darkroom ;-) > > >> Hi all, I have just had my first venture into e-XXX. After a week in >> the darkroom, learning from books and preparing to have a weekend >> study >> course, I did my usual "oh I NEED a densitometer", and there was one >> on >> the Australian version of e-XXX. With nervous excitement I tried to >> find out something about an X=rite 320X transmission and reflection >> densitometer. Probably an older version, as the company has nothing in >> its files on it. Any one know anything about this beast? I do hope it >> was not the worst one ever made :-) >> >> Alastair >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > Alastair