Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/01

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Feedback sought on Colour Heads & Analysers
From: "Michael D. Turner" <mike@lcl-imaging.com>
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 20:47:49 -0800

Robert G. Stevens wrote:

> Jim:
>
> I have a colorstar 2000 and found that with typical slides, it is hard to
> use it to analyse the colour.  For example, a colour analzer must be zeroed
> for a certain tone.  In portraits, you would pick a fleash tone.  In the
> ideal situation, you would have a grey card in the image to read off.  But
> life is not that simple.  In a typical scenic, where do you find the grey
> tone, or the white tone, or the flesh tone that you set the analzer to?  I
> find using my normal filter pack and the exposure calculation of the
> colorstar gets me there within one test print.
>

Quite right...

>
> I gave Akhil the simple answer that he did not need one because he is
> probably best to start out simple and get the anayzer later if he thinks he
> needs it.  Most people do not go to the bother of making a mask and
> figuring out contrast ratios when they are beginners.  When was the last
> time you did a contrast mask for Ilfochome prints.?  I myself have never
> done it.  When was the last time you made an Ilfochrome print?  I did a few
> weeks ago.
>

Masks can be made easily withough the use of an analyzer or densitometer. I mask
4x5's routinely. I do 35's only as a last resort.

>
> As far as I know, Ilfochrome only comes in regular and medium contrast, but
> I may be wrong. All I buy is the medium contrast.  I find slightly
> underexposed slide in a bracketed series seem to print the best on this
> medium contrast Ilfochrome.  The old Cibachrome was indeed too contrasty
> for most slides without masking.  Is the Kodak masking film still
> available?  Don't you need a pin registered carrier to use it?
>

No, it's not :(. You can use TMX and lots of diffusion film :(. Yes, you do need
a pin registered carrier, especially with 35mm.

>
> Jim, you must remember in photography there is always more than one way to
> solve a problem.  My father always taught me that when confronted with a
> problem in life, you better have more than one solution to it or you have
> not thought of the problem hard enough.  I was just giving Akhil another
> solution to use (Kodak clour print viewing filters) other than a colour
> analyzer.
>

Analyzer's a waste of money for printing Ciba's from transparencies. Wedding and
portrait photography from negatives are another story. Maybe.

>

Mike