What is this...

[Pawlowski6132]

...and does it have any B/W applications?

This is coming my way with a lot of other equipment I bought. Just wondering what it is and if I can use it in my film processing and/or print development workflow for anything.

As always,

thanx in advance.



Spreadin' the good word about film,

Joe

[Denis Pleic]

The photo is pretty small and fuzzy, but it looks like it could be a color analyzer.
But, I don't see a light measuring probe.
Even if complete and in working condition, if you're only doing B&W, it's practically useless, unless it also incorporates the timer (which it should, actually) - in which case you could use it as enlarging timer.

[John Koehrer]

Color analyzer.
If the probe's in the package somewhere you could also use it for an exposure meter.

[ic-racer]

I have used mine in the past for these purposes:

1) Check Y/M across two enlargers when doing various testing or printing Multigrade paper.
2) The white channel is an exposure meter. I have used it to test different enlarger bulbs and power supplies for intensity and a number of other things where an enlarger meter would be useful.
3) Check Ilford Filters for Y/M content (does not work on the filters greater than 4 because those filters may have a sharp cutoff in the spectrum)
4) Step 3 in Paul Butzi's article on variable contrast paper calibration is a lot easier with a meter:

3. Determine how many 'cc' of ND it takes to produce a given change in exposure.

It is not totally useless.

[Gary Beasley]

I have a similar one that I use for all my enlarging. It takes a little time to experment for the contrast grades and exposure but once there it's pretty good for getting a work print out fast.

[jp]

I have used one in the past as an overall exposure meter for printing. A piece of diffusion material at a fixed location in front of the enlarger lens can provide an average exposure, like you'd get with a simple meter built into a camera body. It proved about 90% accurate for that purpose in typical scenes. Didn't eliminate the need for test strips, just meant fewer of them.