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I am considering going to Pyrocat HD development of my negatives. I understand that a color densitometer is required to read the negatives. Is that correct? I have a black and white densitometer.
Is there any particular model (X-Rite) that would be suitable? e.g X-Rite 810? I see that they are available on e-bay.
Thanks!
Fred
Some black and white densitometers may read the stain density for silver printing when fitted with an appropriate blue-violet absorbing filter such as the Schott BG-28 or a Wratten 47 or 47B.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Braakman
X-rite 810, used in Blue mode, reads stained negatives OK for silver printing. For alternative printing you need a densitometer capable of UV reading.
Sandy King
Bob Herbst wrote a very good article on the X-Rite model 361T and its ability to read Pyro negatives. You might check Unblinking Eye for the article.
I use Heiland's TRD-2, which is a b/w densitometre. I pyrocat-HD negs through #47 kodak wratten filter. A colleague of mine has a colour densitiometre and I've been meaning to check my readings with it. I am quite satisfied with a plane old b/w densitometre and a blue filter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew O'Neill
Most B&W densitometers work fine with the Wratten #47 or #47b filter.
Remember that the blue filter is most accurate for reading negatives that are to be printed on graded silver papers that are only sensitive to blue light. A negative DR of about 1.2 is about right for many graded papers.
VC papers have sensitivity to both blue and green light so a densitometer reading can be misleading. The best procedure in my opinion is to develop the negatives to a higher contrast than would be needed for printing on graded silver papers and then lower print contrast if necessary by using VC filters #3 or less. A negative DR of about 1.4 - 1.5 should work ok for most VC papers using a VC filter 2.5 or the equivalent filtration from a color head.
Sandy King
'tis true but I still get consistent results. Besides, I can't afford a colour densitometre.
Fred
I use an Xrite 810 for checking densities with Pyro negatives. I have a spare that I am willing to sell if you're interested.
There are two used X-Rite 361T densitometers in excellent condition available on ebay (I am not connected in any way). Buy It Now price is $575. I paid over $600 for mine, and they retail for more than $2000.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Vinnedge
The X-Rite 361T is a fine instrument that has a UV mode, pretty much essential if you want to do sensitometry with stained negatives for alternative processes that are UV sensitive.
However, for silver printing the UV mode is not necessary so a less expensive color densitometer like the X-Rite 810 will work just as well.
Sandy King