Cheap densitometer.

matti said:

I mean as a densitometer.
/matti

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I use epson 3170 scanner and vuescan for densitometer. I select blue channel for b&w reading. So i guess it is more close to what the paper sees. There is difference between blue and green channels.

Thanks Karavelov, just what I needed to know.

(Btw, I have been a lot of times to Sofia the last two years supervising software work with a company we work with.)

/matti

donbga said:

VueScan Pro scanning software can be used with many different film scanners. The Pro version has a densitometer function. The limitation is the dyanmic range of the scanner so you would be limited to film densities probably no greater than 2.2 or so using a desktop type scanner.

Frankly if you want a densitometer I wouldn't waste my time trying to build one. Used Xrite 810 densitometers can be purchased relatively inexpensively on eBay.

Of course if your are interested in building electonic gizmos then go for it!

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I second the suggestion regarding Xrite 810. I got one one eBay for $61.00 plus shipping. It is a color densitometer that measures all three colors simultaneously, plus visual density for black and white.

Try to get one that includes the reflection calibration plaque and the transmission standard, as these can be expensive if you need to get them separately.

A manual is available for download from Xrite, so that is not a big worry. The learning curve for this machine is easy and calibration and taking readings couldn't be simpler.

Mike Sullivan

Whats a densiometer?

A light meter can be used as a transmission densitometer - just restrict the uptake angle of the cell. I use a Sekonic L308B in this way, with a little plastic tube stuck into the sensor. That's $200 lightmeter, but I bought it 10 years ago and it's been my most-used piece of photo equipment! I used it to calibrate all my film developing, and I don't know how I ever got by without it.

FYI, a one-stop difference on the light meter equals a 0.3 difference in transmission density.