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Thread: Zone VI cold light

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    obx,nc
    Posts
    173

    Zone VI cold light

    I just got a Zone VI cold light with photo cell, stabilizer and timer. Well, I don't have it yet, But I was the high bidder and it's on the way. My questions:

    I read somewhere that I'll need a filter because these lights are too blue? What filter? Where does it go? Are they still available?

    Does anyone have a copy of the instructions that they can email me. It looks simple but I would like to know about the setting for lamp intensity and drydown/ exposure reduction. Any info about this unit would be greatly appreceiated.

    I always check things out before I buy but this time I didn't have but a few minutes. The price didn't seem bad. I felt froggy and so I jumped.

    Thanks, Croaking quietly

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    St. Simons Island, Georgia
    Posts
    880

    Zone VI cold light

    The regular cold light was made for use with graded papers. If you use graded papers, you would not need a filter. (That's how I use mine). I don't know the answer if you plan to use multigrade paper.

  3. #3

    Zone VI cold light

    CAll Calumet and they will be glad to fax a copy of the instructions. If you bought the variable contrast head, dont worry, I had heard the same and bought a yellow filter, after tests I could not tell a difference between the prints with the filter and those without.

    Good luck and enjoy the enlarger, they are wonderful machines.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Washougal, Washington
    Posts
    586

    Zone VI cold light

    Here's a discussion regarding the V-54 replacement lamp for the Zone VI lamphouse that you may find interesting...

    http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003PU4

    (You may have to cut & paste this url, I haven't figured out how to link it...)

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    338

    Zone VI cold light

    With the original Zone VI diffuser you wil have a hot spot. Myrick Photographic in Monterey used to sell these thicker diffusers for about USD 10.00. You will also need an adapter (collar) to hold the light in place, in your enlarger. Howard Bond has written in Foto Techniques about the use of correction/printing filters that can be used with cold light heads for V.C. printing, it depends on the light tube (spectrum.

  6. #6

    Zone VI cold light

    I don't know how old your light head is, but when I purchased one new in 1992 there was no need for any correction filters and VC papers printed through it as expected (and most certainly no hot spots, how one gets a hot spot with a cold light is beyond me, unless intended).

    Given the fact that it comes with a photo cell (assuming a factory installed one) you're likely to have no issue to worry about.
    Witold
    simplest solutions are usually the most difficult ...

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    338

    Zone VI cold light

    The photo cell is part of the feedback system that adjusts exposure time if light intensity fluctuations occur. The central hot spot is caused by the fact that the grid (light tube) and it's housing are slightly undersized for a 4x5 negative. It is visible if you expose for say a zone 5-6 value without a neg in the carrier: there will be some fal-off.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Oregon now (formerly Austria)
    Posts
    3,397

    Zone VI cold light

    Hans is right about the light fall-off. Edge and corner burning are almost always necessary with this unit. That said, it is still the one I use most often. Regular VC filters will work with the V54 tube, but give slightly different results. Graded papers work better anyway (IMO). BTW Hans, can you let us know more about the thicker diffuser you have? Is it simply a thicker piece of white plexiglass, or is it something different. I'd like to pick one up.

    Regards

  9. #9

    Zone VI cold light

    Ok then, light fall-off maybe, but not in my experience. That's not a hot spot though, a term used to describe uneven ilumination caused by bulb misalignment in old style heads where bulbs filament had to be properly focused against the mirror above it.

    Would be interesting to confirm what that THICKER diffuser is all about. If it's simply a thicker piece of plastic, then it cannot compensate for light fall off caused by an undersized grid.
    Witold
    simplest solutions are usually the most difficult ...

  10. #10

    Zone VI cold light

    I had one of the original ones and it was just plain awful with VC paper, even with a yellow filter. These bulbs emit a non-continuous spectrum, so that they don’t respond to filters like an incandescent source.

    Supposedly the new heads are better with VC. I don’t know how you know the difference by looking at it. Maybe Calumet can tell you.

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