rabbit hole of F stop printing

[Torquemada]

a messed up calculation of aproximate conversion of shutter speed into a measurement of time..

The problem is, no one ever wants to talk about How to get the "base" time used to do all calculations on. WHy is that.

[nolindan]

Well, an f-stop timer will do all the calculations for you.

Base time can be determined with an f-stop enlarging meter - some are separate and some are integrated with the timer.

[acrobatic_citron]

When I read Way Beyond Monochrome as I understood it the base time is where you want the highlights placed - then I read the base time is when the paper goes paper black via zone system testing so now I am more confused

[MartyNL]

The problem is, no one ever wants to talk about How to get the "base" time used to do all calculations on. WHy is that.

Test-strips.

[Michael R]

a messed up calculation of aproximate conversion of shutter speed into a measurement of time..

The problem is, no one ever wants to talk about How to get the "base" time used to do all calculations on. WHy is that.

F-stop printing is yet another of those things... Skip it.

[esearing]

It becomes mentally easier if you use an enlarging timer that is geared toward f-stop printing like the RH Designs analyzer pro. The one I have works with the ilford 500 multigrade head and can generally get me in the ball park with the test strip feature. However you still have to calibrate or make adjustments based on negative density, paper used, and even developer used.

Practice also teaches you what to pay attention to. Bob Carnie had a print 300 images challenge and I only got through about 120 but it taught me a lot about evaluating the negative before I even start.

EDIT: This also helps if you need a more budget friendly metering method - https://www.darkroomautomation.com/em.htm . It measures the density of the projected negatives. There is a Pyro calibrated version if you use pyro developers.

[Tin Can]

I was just looking for the poor person solution

Somewhere I have an exposure disc

You lay it on the print and expose

It will show various densities to aid

I use test strips, same thing

[esearing]

I was just looking for the poor person solution

Somewhere I have an exposure disc

You lay it on the print and expose

It will show various densities to aid

I use test strips, same thing

I used to put a 31 step step-wedge next to my negative and visually try to find the densities that were in the negative and try to match them up. It also got me in the ball park - then I would make adjustments in 1/4 or 1/2 stop increments based on time and desired contrast grade changes .

[John Layton]

Keeping it simple here, trying to stay fresh and connected - Eyes, Heart, Brain...and a few test strips! Always a bit of "seat of the pants, reading between the lines" in this (no test strip is perfect), and I would not have it any other way!

[Torquemada]

saw a video on the filmomat and ran into various things...

film like a boss.. he did standard test strips and came out with a given time of 15 seconds.. then he did the old style cardboard sheet on a sheet of ilford on the easel, came up with 15 seconds again. Then he used the filmomat and somehow came out with 20 seconds overall burn, but a 10 second base burn.. it was darker in the finished prints... but he said it was the same.