[pure-silver] Re: enlarger meter

Hi,
If somebody is looking for an enlarger meter, I have a Leitz focometer quartz for sale. 

Best regards,

Michiel Fokkem

Richard Knoppow wrote:
----- 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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