[pure-silver] Re: enlarger meter
- From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 14:58:09 -0800
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shannon Stoney" <shannonstoney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, November 09, 2007 12:47 PM
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: enlarger meter
Here is what is says at the BH site about the Ilford
enlarging meter. It sounds very complicated! I trust
it's not as hard to use as it sounds?
--shannon
The Ilford EM10 Exposure Monitor is a simple to use
enlarging exposure meter for both black & white and color
printing.
The recommended procedure to use the Ilford EM10 Exposure
Monitor is to first make an acceptable, full frame print
to serve as a standard and record all pertinent exposure
and printing data.
You will need the enlarger height, exposure time and
aperture, but record other data such as the filter used,
exposure time and developing conditions.
Use the same printing time and printing conditions when
making a print from the new negative. It is preferred to
measure the standard negative and the new negative to be
printed with no variable contrast filter in the enlarger
filter holder or drawer and record in your notes the
calibration and new negative when measured without the
filter.
You can calibrate with or without the filter in place,
just be consistent when you make the measurements.
To calibrate the meter using the standard test negative in
the enlarger, set at the aperture and enlarger height
that was used to make the acceptable print.
* For negatives measure the shadow area that is
brightest, but with detail, in the projected image with
EM10 resting on the baseboard of the enlarger.
* For slides (Ilforchrom printing) measure a white
area with detail. You cannot measure a black or white
area with any exposure meter to calibrate the meter or
measure a new negative for exposure. Rotate the dial
until the green light is lit. The meter is calibrated.
Record the dial position in case the dial is accidentally
moved. Insert the negative to be printed in the enlarger
and focus. Place the meter in the brightest shadow area
with detail.
For a slide find a white area with detail to measure.
Adjust the enlarger lens aperture until the green light
is lit. The aperture is now set to print the negative
using the same exposure time and filter as used to make
the standard negative or slide.
Note: that the measurements with the EM must be made with
no lights on except the enlarger (no safe light can be
on). If you wish to crop the negative to be printed,
first measure the print as described above as a full
frame negative and then crop and re-measure to make the
uncropped print.
The red light signifies the light level is too low. If you
are unable to adjust the aperture and get the green light
lit, then go to the standard setting and open the
aperture by one stop and recalibrate the meter at this
opening. Repeat the procedure, if needed, until the green
light will lite when measuring the new negative.
Keep your standard negative and a print in a safe place to
use when needed. Again, measure with no safe light on.
They make it much more complicated than it needs to be.
The meter is simply a fixed level meter that tells you when
the light level is at its calibration point. There are three
lights, one for too low, one for too high and one for just
right. The meter has a dial which sets the just right point.
There is a factory calibration number on the back for
Ilfochrome. You have to judge the correct point on the
negative to measure by eye. Make a good print and note the
exposure, that is time and f/stop. Leave the negative in the
enlarger. When you have gotten the good print find a place
in the image which is a nearly black shadow but still has
some detail. Put the meter in that part of the projected
image of the negative on the baseboard and adjust the dial
so that the center light comes on. That's all. The meter
will now indicate that value of light. There is some
judgement involved in choosing the same value in each
negative but its quickly learned. The meter will allow you
to duplicate the exposure when the enlarger head is moved.
It is not an exact exposure meter but will save a lot of
experimenting with test strips and will often give you a
good print the first time.
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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