Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]My experience has been with the first Focometer (not model 2 and not Quartz). It sits between my V35 and Omega D3. I just plug the electrical cord into the Focometer from whichever enlarger I am using. Pros: Consistent timing with the digital readout, down to the tenth of a second; simple probe that I use to measure a white portion of neg or slide to give me a fairly accurate exposure; pleasant digital read-out and sliders for setting time. Cons: Way too easy to hit the "enlarger on" button, situated mere millimeters away from the "time on" button - several times, I have started an exposure, only to look up and see that I accidentally turned on the enlarger without turning on the timer; the program slider as an analog storage for your different paper types is not very convenient and does not seem easy to reset from one paper time to another - very small movement affects the program setting; the metering cell on the probe is a bit too large - sometimes the only projected white spot is too small, and the probe is measuring white, plus surrounding darker areas; worst problem on mine is the timer on switch - once in awhile it counts down to zero, then resets back to the 15 second (or whatever) exposure and starts counting down again with the enlarger light still on. Obviously, something is wrong, but it does it seldom enough to not allow for easily diagnosing what the problem is with switch or circuitry. Hove books gives a good working description of the Leitz Quartz Focometer in "Leica Darkroom Practice", p58. Regards, Gary Todoroff Tree LUGger >is there anybody on the list that actually has practical experience with >this darkroom meter and want to share some impressions? >Ernesto >