What densitometer with Pyro Negs?

[matthew_hoag]

I would like to get very accurate development times for my film processing and thought that density readings of test strips would be the best way to go. I have read that one needs a densitometer that reads colour to obtain readings from a Pyro stained negative. What type of densitometer should I look for? There are several on ebay but I am unsure of what I need. Is there anything else I need to obtain the proper readings (filters, etc.)?

 

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Many thanks for the help.

 

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Matthew

[michael_pry]

Matthew,

I got bogged down with alot of testing and stuff to the point of near

insanity. I develop by inspection now and it is a very nice way to

go. Not saying it is the only way to go but the preffered way for me.

There are just so many variables to deal with it really makes sense.

Why exercise so much control over everything and then not give

yourself the chance to look at the neg with the most high tech

testing device ever made...YOUR EYES!!!! Michael Smith has an

excellent article on DBI at his web site michaelandpaula.com as well

as Ed at unblinkingeye.com. It also gives you more time to spend

making pictures! Good Luck

[brian_ellis3]

Pyro and densitometers don't like each other. You can't really get

consistent, accurate readings with pyro negatives. The usual advice,

which you've apparently seen, is to get a color densitometer and read

through the blue filter but I have a color densitometer and that

didn't work either. I kept getting different readings from the same

points on the film. I originally thought there might be a problem

with the blue filter on my densitometer but I've since read

confirmations from people more knowledgeable than me that the blue

filter doesn't solve the problem. So I would definitely not

recommend spending the money for a color densitometer just so you can

read pyro negatives.

[jay_wolfe]

As other responders have said, it's hard to reliably read pyro

negative because of the stain. The best way to adjust your ASA and

development time with pyro is through experience with actual

photographs. If you're not getting good tonal separations in the

shadows, you're probably underexposing the negatives. On the other

had, if you've got good shadow separations, but your prints are

flat, you need to increase development. Or, if your highlights are

blown out, you're overdeveloping and need to cut back. A couple of

iterations should allow you to get things in line. Then you need to

be consistent in exposing and developing. Good luck, pyro makes

great negatives.

[b.d.trabitz___]

Jay,

Wouldn't this apply to ANY film developer combination?

Barry

[jorge_gasteazoro4]

If you want a negative that would read better and also stain use a

Catechol based developer. I have an X-rite 810 and read my Catechol

developed negatives with it and it is on the dot every time.

[skygzr]

Instead of a densitometer, buy a 4x5 step wedge. Contact print it on

to the film of your choice (under your enlarger), and develop. If

you've got a good range of exposure, you'll have steps from clear to

very dense. Then put the negative in your enlarger with contrast set

at whatever corresponds to neutral (all controls at "0" on a color

head). Find the minimum printing time that gives you maximum black

through the "clear" areas and make a print. Assuming a 1/2 stop step

wedge, either the second non-clear step (on the negative) ought to be

Zone 1. Count steps from dark to light (on the print) and see how

many you get until you get to blank white paper.

 

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This will tell you how many Zones you are covering on a normally

exposed and developed negative. You can then decide if this is a

good "standard" development time for you, or if you want to change it

in some way. Zone X is usually assumed to be pure white.

 

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If you're covering too many Zones (low contrast), increase your

development time. Too much contrast, shorten the time.

 

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No reason why you cant do a whole series of negatives and delvelop

them for different times. Then you'll know the practical expansion

and contraction limits of your film and developer.

 

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Notice that this test won't tell you anything about film

speed....just contrast range.

 

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I like this method because you're testing your materials just the way

you use them, in the enlarger making prints.

[david_haynes]

Matthew,

 

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A few years ago I was given an upright stat camera with an

onboard reflection/transmission densitometer and thought I'd

use Phil Davis' testing methods to zero in on my PMK negatives.

 

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After a couple of weeks of testing and frustration, I finally emailed

Davis himself and he got back to me in a couple days to say that

he too had not been able to successfully use a densitometer to

test pyro negatives.

 

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To me, the most useful testing method is a somewhat varied

version of Steve Simmons' visual technique outlined in his

"Using the View Camera" manual. Basically, I test for print

tonalities that I expect from various measured subjects.

 

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Most of my 8x10 work is now done in ABC pyro with a weak

green safelight to inspect visually (thanks Michael A. Smith!). To

me this is the ultimate control for large format, and once you get

the hang of watching the highlights appear, a real pleasure to

print using Azo paper.