favorite enlarger timer?

[ac12]

EvH, you got me thinking, it would be fun to get an old Time-O-Lite.
You really don't need 1/10 sec precision when you are exposing for 15-20 seconds.
And those old things are durable.

[Paul Hoyt]

For printing I have GraLab timers; 505 & 525. I bought them used on Ebay for very little. Why 2? I like to have a back-up and good used equipment for darkrooms are very inexpensive. Some sellers will list at $150.00 and others will start their auction for $9.00 and eventually sell for under $25.00. The 505 & 525 are digital display and beep every second; great for burning and dodging. I can calculate a "dry down" factor and set the new time since the digital timers will program in 0.1 increments. My old mechanical Time-O-Lite had reproducibility problems and was not as easy to use when dodging the initial exposure; no beep.

Paul

[Old Guy]

After using numerous timers, analog, solid-state and Digital, I finally settled on a Beseler Enlarging Timer . . . http://www.adorama.com/BEART.html

Of course I got mine for several dollars at an estate sale. I like it because it is audible, and I can set the timer values in complete darkness. I simply count the clicks of the switches.

[neil poulsen]

I really like the Zone VI compensating developing and enlarging timers. I have two extra sensors that I've installed in a D2V condenser head and a Beseler 45s color head.

I use the 45s for black and white printing. While intended for B&W, I haven't used the D2V for years.

I use a Gralab for stops and fixes.

[kev curry]

StopClock Professional by RH Designs. Great timer, great build quality, great support, second to none. Currently rethinking the need and efficacy of a timer in favour of a ticking metronome for easier intuitve printing.

[irwinhh]

For enlarging any of the decade style timers - the ones with a separate rotary knob for 10,1 & 1/10 second increments. Seems to make it easier to keep track of percent changes when printing multiple burn and dodge exposures. For processing I use an old GreyLab 300 as it is what I have.
Every once in a while I forget to shut it off and the buzzer shocks me into the here and now!

[Steve Weston]

Nocon F-stop timer. lovely piece of kit which was easy to use. Took me an age to find one after I sold the first when I turned to Digital. Now I am returning to the darkroom.

[Trigeek]

I use the RH Designs StopClock Pro as well. Easy to use and has all of the features I need.

[Kodachrome25]

I use the RH Designs StopClock Pro as well. Easy to use and has all of the features I need.

Agreed, just ordered a second one as I will soon use the Vario for my mural enlarger. Some news of late, Richard Ross is retiring so the building of the units is going to a company called SDS and the prices are headed up:

http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/index.html

Aside from the two stop clocks, I have the ProcessMaster-II, Zonemaster-II and paper flasher.

[ataim]

I use a Gralab 525. I got some of the glow in the dark paint and marked it up for easy use. I'd like one from RH Designs, but alais, money and wife do not agree.