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Thread: Used densitometers

  1. #1

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    Used densitometers

    I haven't used a densitometer since an advanced B&W class back in 1990. I know nothing about what kind I can get on a used basis that will cover my needs. I need it to do ASA tests, N, N+ and N- type testing. I will be shooting TMAX and Velvia then scanning them to finish with Photoshop. I see a Macbeth TD500 available right now and it's price is right up my alley but, again I have no idea if it will fulfill my needs or not. So I thought I would ask the experts. Please help if you can.

  2. #2
    Nicholas O. Lindan
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    Re: Used densitometers

    At the risk of beating my own drum, as I own the company that makes them, you can use a precision enlarging meter as a B&W densitometer ...

    See #15 and #18
    http://www.largeformatphotography.in...nlarging+meter

    More information at Darkroom Automation

    The advantages are:

    1) It measures the effective negative density in your enlarger and includes Callier effects and system flare. The density you measure is the same density the paper sees - and that is the number you really want to know.

    2) It reads in stops, which as a practical matter in photography, are more useful.

    3) You can also use it as an enlarging meter ...

    With a step tablet and some graph paper you can calibrate an Ilford EM-10 to the same effect. You won't get the same accuracy or near the convenience but some people find it adequate to their needs.

  3. #3
    Nicholas O. Lindan
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    Re: Used densitometers

    Quote Originally Posted by rickwinkler View Post
    I will be shooting TMAX and Velvia then scanning them to finish with Photoshop.
    If you are going to be scanning (horrors) instead of using an enlarger (it's the natural and organic alternative), then the scanner makes an adequate densitometer in its own right.

    Vuescan software provides a densitometer function.

    An enlarging meter will be of little use with a scanner, though it may make a nice conversation piece.

  4. #4

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    Re: Used densitometers

    Thank you for the reply, unfortunately I don't have a darkroom and when I made the decision to do this again I had to make the choice between digital or darkroom. Considering I was already using digital 35mm it made the choice easy. I then had to focus on converting medium and large format to digital.

  5. #5

    Re: Used densitometers

    Quote Originally Posted by nolindan View Post
    If you are going to be scanning (horrors) instead of using an enlarger (it's the natural and organic alternative), then the scanner makes an adequate densitometer in its own right.

    Vuescan software provides a densitometer function.

    An enlarging meter will be of little use with a scanner, though it may make a nice conversation piece.

    Hello,

    Could you provide a little more detail about using a scanner/vuescan to read densities? Are you suggesting locking the exposure with Vuescan, reading a known set of densities like a step wedge and then comparing those to the readings off the neg scans? Or is there some other, simpler method?

    About the darkroom automation enlarging densitometer, its small size appeals to me but I would like to hear how it performs as just a stand-alone transmission densitometer without an enlarger. Would putting it under a constant light source (like a table lamp) and then zeroing it on a blank frame (Fb+F) work for reading densities? Would there be problems about tungsten light, color temperature etc. I am mainly thinking of BW negatives.

    Thanks for any help.

    -Anupam

  6. #6
    Nicholas O. Lindan
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    Re: Used densitometers

    Quote Originally Posted by Anupam Basu View Post
    Could you provide a little more detail about using a scanner/vuescan to read densities?
    http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ead.php?t=9732
    Google for more.

    Using an enlarging meter as a densitometer by laying a negative on top of the sensor isn't going to work well. You are better off getting a bench densitometer from ebay or the net. A decent Noritsu or X-Rite goes for $150 - $250 and will do reflection and transmission.

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