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Thread: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

  1. #1

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    Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    Hi, I have been reading the Kodak Basic Photographic Sensitometery Workbook and I would like to find a sensitometer that I can use with B&W film. I looked on eBay and it seems all I can find are ones rated for x-ray film. I may be missing something obvious, so I wanted to ask the group here for some advice. Basically, I would like to find a model that can do B&W film. Any help/tips are appreciated.

    Thanks

    Larry

  2. #2

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    Re: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    Gossen Mastersix/Ultra Pro + Profiflex.

  3. #3
    Vanannan
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    Re: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    Error in post
    Last edited by Tony Lakin; 3-Feb-2020 at 01:37. Reason: Error

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    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    I tested green LED, blue LED, incandescent and xenon tube sensitometers for their ability to detect different film speeds and different percent gamma change with development change and all sensitometers gave the same normalized results. So, depending on your use, any of the 4 types could work.

  5. #5

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    Re: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    Thanks for the info.

    I was under the impression that I would either need to correct for the daylight-balanced B&W film when using the X-Ray (green or blue) light units or get a proper sensitometer.

    Any idea why the X-Ray units also work on panchromatic film too?



    Quote Originally Posted by ic-racer View Post
    I tested green LED, blue LED, incandescent and xenon tube sensitometers for their ability to detect different film speeds and different percent gamma change with development change and all sensitometers gave the same normalized results. So, depending on your use, any of the 4 types could work.

  6. #6

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    Re: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    Hey Daniel, thanks. I did a search on eBay using the info you provided and I am not seeing anything at this time.


    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Casper Lohenstein View Post
    Gossen Mastersix/Ultra Pro + Profiflex.

  7. #7
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Re: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    A MacBeth, X-rite or Cosar densitometer should work fine. If you're doing alt processes, one that has a UV option is useful. A color one works fine, but you don't need one for general bw work. I've owned and used all of the ones mentioned, and they've worked fine for film speed/development testing.
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

  8. #8

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    Re: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    I'm a bit confused here. A Sensitometer is a calibrated device which exposes a density step wedge onto film. They are not common and are generally used by the film manufacturer. One use is to make the step wedge "control strips" sold by Kodak (and perhaps other makers).
    A Densitometer is used to read densities on a processed piece of film and is standard equipment in a photo lab to measure process control, and also used by careful photographers to calibrate their exposure and development. Which are you looking for?
    -And per Mr. Lohenstein's advice, Gossen often called their products by different names in the USA and in Europe.

  9. #9
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    Quote Originally Posted by ic-racer View Post
    I tested green LED, blue LED, incandescent and xenon tube sensitometers for their ability to detect different film speeds and different percent gamma change with development change and all sensitometers gave the same normalized results. So, depending on your use, any of the 4 types could work.
    https://www.photrio.com/forum/thread...3#post-2173619

    https://www.photrio.com/forum/thread...3#post-2173622

    https://www.photrio.com/forum/thread...3#post-2003147

  10. #10

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    Re: Sensitometer For B&W Film?

    Quote Originally Posted by LFLarry View Post
    Hey Daniel, thanks. I did a search on eBay using the info you provided and I am not seeing anything at this time.
    E.g.

    https://www.ebay.ch/itm/Gossen-Maste...0AAOSwK7xdd-YD

    https://www.ebay.ch/itm/Gossen-Mess-...gAAOSwPsBeGcS9

    https://www.ebay.ch/itm/Gossen-Maste...wAAOSwoBFdt2xO

    Manual, see: https://www.cameramanuals.org/flashe..._ultra_pro.pdf , page 30

    https://grossformatfotografie.de/att...3-d2x4481-jpg/ and https://grossformatfotografie.de/att...4-d2x4484-jpg/

    A real light meter is more versatile than a densitometer. You can use it in other situations, too. It also works without the flexible fiber attachment - just put a little sleeve in front of the light meter, that blocks stray light and keeps the light meter at a constant distance from the measuring point, that's all. The Mastersix / Ultra pro has a dedicated photometry mode with zero density calibration. This is very useful. The light meter measures very accurately, to two decimal places, just like a dedicated densitometer.


    Regards

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