Cold Light Question

[bmac]

I'm fed up with spotting my prints, and would like the added bonus of easier to print highlight, so I am in the market for a cold light for my Omega D2v. Do I need to budget in for a stabilizer?

 

[Jorge]

In a word, YES. Cold light head output is very irregular depending on the temperature of the tubes making almost impossible to make two prints the same. This is even worse if you use VC paper, so save yourself headaches and paper and get a stabilizer.

 

[bmac]

Oh yeah, is one or the other brand of lights better for some reason? I believe that the Zone VI one has a life time waranty. And is there a certain type of stabilizer I should be looking at?

Brian

 

[carlweese]

Don't overlook the possibility of using a colorhead. Used dichro heads aren't too hard to find for the Omega. A dichro gives the same diffused-light advantages as a cold light, without the stability problems. In addition it allows color printing and the dichro color controls will give excellent results with variable contrast papers.

 

[Jorge]

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (bmacphoto.com @ Dec 14 2002, 10:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Oh yeah, is one or the other brand of lights better for some reason? I believe that the Zone VI one has a life time waranty. And is there a certain type of stabilizer I should be looking at?

Brian</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
I have a Zone VI, when Picker was selling them you had a life time warranty, not any longer under Calumet. If you do decide to get the Zone VI get the timer with with it and you should be ok.

 

[Cem]

My experience is different than Jorge's. I don't use a stabilizer and i don't see the need for one in my darkroom. I guess this all depends on a variety of factors: the particular type of head/lamp, temperature and voltage fluctuation. In my opinion, voltage stabilizer is of minimal help, if there is a problem, a better solution is to use one of those compensating Zone VI or Metrolux timers.

 

[Jorge]

Maybe we should clarify something, a voltage stabilizer wont do you any good. That is the gizmo where you plug electrical apliances etc to prevent fluctuations in voltage, now a cold head stabilizer is inavaluable, the zone VI timer/stabilizer also has a "beeper" or metronome, I can tell just by the lenght of the beeps that sometimes the exposure is longer due to cold tubes, as they warm up the exposures get shorter. So sometimes a second is about 2 seconds, and when hot is about 1/2 second.

So if we are talking about a cold head stabilizer to adjust the printing time it is definitly worth it, a run of the mill voltage stabilizer is of no use, as the tubes will still be either hot or cold and you wont have a way to measure the light output.

 

[bmac]

So, Jorge, are you talking about the Zone VI Compensating timer then, or something else?

Brian

 

[Jorge]

Yes, but if you wish to get an Aristo head you can get a metrolux timer. They are expensive though.

 

[bmac]

Thanks!

Brian

 

[LD Horricks]

Brian...

I assume you're printing with a condenser at present. I tend to agree with Carl's note that essentially you will get a very similar diffuse pattern of light with a Dichroic head as with a Cold Light. Like with all things photographic there is going to be alot of opinions on gear. I personally havent found any advantage to using a Cold Light over what I use (Magnifax Dichroic). I've used pretty much every type of light source that there is and I've found that I can make very similar results with any of them with a little futzing around. The spotting thing can be an issue with condensers although it wasnt a huge one for me, but that issue can be easily rectified with 3-4mm thick translucent milk-plexi...its what I did for years...it also helps with neg popping...and it only cost me ten bucks. Anywho something to think about. Good luck with your choice.

Larry D. Horricks
Prague, Czech Republic

 

[bmac]

Just won a Zone VI cold light on Ebay for $60! woohoo! I'll have to get the conversion filter if I want to use VC paper, but I'll still be way ahead of the game.

 

[Donald Miller]

The Zone VI coldlight should have a recepticle for the sensor that can then be attached to a Zone VI cold light stabilizer. This stabilizer functions differently from voltage stabilization. With the use of a cold light intensity can fluctuate apart from voltage variances due among other factors the temperature of the source. The Zone VI stabilizer works on a feedback of the measurement of the actual light output from the source. I don't believe that the stabilizer is manufactured any longer, even though it was a very good device. I have one that I wanted to use with my D2 omega, but replaced the enlarger with a Saunders 4550 XLG with variable contrast source. I think that this feature is now an integral part of the cold light enlargers manufactured by Zone VI (as I recall).

 

[blansky]

I just bought the Metrolux II timer from Calumet for my Zone VI enlarger. It sells for $324.00 and the cord to the compensating plug in the head is another $20. dollars. Zone VI sells one also for about the same price but the timer is not digital. OTher than that they are about the same.

If you need the sensor that has to be in the head for this to work it is $70.00. Since the head you bought is a Zone VI I don't think you need the sensor.

Michael McBlane

 

[bmac]

Calumet, here I come! Thanks guys!

Brian

 

[lee]

I have a Metrolux II also. Everything Michael said is true. The Metrolux II is much more timer than a Zone VI. I have used both and regardless what all the Zone VI lovers say their timer is not as good as a Metrolux II timer. You get the time that has memory with 4 channels and straight time. You get a small densitometer and a shutter checker all built in. There is a little device that will adjust your exposure up or down when you need a larger or smaller print. It is a very cool device.

lee

 

[bmac]

The Cold Light arrived this evening. I'm not sure if it is the one that works for VC paper or not. The lamp says Aristo W3 and it is a Zone VI (pre calumet). If it is the old version, what Gel filter do I need to get? Anyone got a rosco filter number for me?

Brian

 

[bmac]

It is actually an Aristo W31

Brian

 

[lee]

Brian,
I think that the proper filter would be something like a 40 yellow cc filter. Dont know the number for a rosco filter but someone should be able to help you in that regard. Call Calumet tomorrow and see what they say.

lee

 

[lee]

Brian,
Did you get the head running to your satisfaction yet? One thing that you will need if you get the Metrolux II timer is the probe. That is installed in the head and will keep the output constant by variying the time according to the output. Very handy. At www. aristogrid.com you can see the new light sources that work with VC papers. I believe that the light source now recommended is V45. Pretty straight forward to install. Don't know the price. Keeps you from having to loose the exposure speed when the 40 yellow is installed.\


lee

 

[glbeas]

I saw a filter for a cold light head on Ebay just this day in the darkroom categorys. That one of the things you're looking for?

 

[glbeas]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=29985

Better make it quick, bmac, its going soon!

 

[bmac]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Brian

 

[photodon]

Brian

I have two of the Metrolux units and they both are great. The new model also has a shutter tester built in so figure that into the cost. It also has a desitometer unit as an option.

Don Cameron www.doncameron.com