Enlarger meters

Isaac Pereira · Jun 15, 2015

Hi, there

In your opinion wich is the best enlarger meter available on the market?

best regards
Isaac

tih · Jun 15, 2015

Don't know the market well enough to have any opinion on what's best, but I'm very happy with my Analyser Pro: http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/html/exposure_meters.html

R.Gould · Jun 15, 2015

I have used a few over the years, but the best is the RH designs range, especialy the Analyser pro, a combined exposure meter/timer that allows me to get a great print first time 99% of the time

RobC · Jun 15, 2015

Isaac Pereira said:
Hi, there

In your opinion wich is the best enlarger meter available on the market?

best regards
Isaac

The one between your ears. It has a learning function, an intuition function, unlimited settings and is highly tunable.

Note: It's imperative that you remember to switch it on.

JackRosa · Jun 15, 2015

The combination (StopClock + ZoneMaster II) is also a good one. I have this combo from RH Designs and am very happy with it.

It is no substitute for (as RobC says) what is between your ears (behind your eyeballs) but it surely is a way to significantly reduce test strips. Proper calibration is very important (involves testing your enlarger/paper/developer combo).

PS - their customer support is also outstanding, should you have any questions about their products or any issues/problems with units you purchase from them.

You can find an array of videos about the RH Designs' units on the internet.

Jim Jones · Jun 15, 2015

With experience most enlarging meters give reliable results. I suggest always guessing at the correct exposure before metering it. This programs the meter that RobC promotes. You may find that an enlarging meter functions much like training wheels on a bicycle.

RobC · Jun 15, 2015

My feeling has always been that once you've calibrated your film speed and dev and know how to meter for film exposure properly, then you should be getting very consistent density negatives that virtually print themselves. And that means that at any standard print size you should be able to just put neg in enlarger and get very near to an optimal work print first time without any enlarger metering. From that point on no meter is going to help you finesse contrast, burning in or dodging as well as you can yourself if you are practiced at it. So in short you really shouldn't need a meter.

But hey, if you've got gas and haven't learned this yet, then get yourself a Heiland Split Grade unit which will do it all for you so you don't need to use the bit between your ears.

el wacho · Jun 15, 2015

http://www.darkroomautomation.com/em.htm
this one is simple and accurate.

DREW WILEY · Jun 15, 2015

My best one you can't buy anymore, and not many were made to begin with. It was a ZBE easel densitometer, and quite expensive. The problem with all these devices is that they can't correct for cosine errors - that is, angle of light incidence off axis. You have to take measurements directly below the lens. Once there is a diffusing sphere it requires a different kind of design, though I have both. I use these for color printing sometimes. They are redundant for ordinary black and white work, where simple test strips will do. For example, miscalculating the density of a big Cibachrome print could cost you a hundred bucks a pop. All the masks and calibrations had to be spot on, and even then a 50% batting average would be a very good day. With RA4 chromogenic paper, a few test strips and a disposable work
print aren't terribly expensive, and meters don't read thru those orange masks ideally anyway. For diagnostic testing - plotting film curves,
generating critical color separation negs and mask, that kind of nitpicky stuff, a good easel densitometer is worth its weight in gold. But
don't confuse these instruments with traditional color analyzers.

mr rusty · Jun 15, 2015

then you should be getting very consistent density negatives that virtually print themselves

Which is probably true if you always print the same size with the same paper, but what if you don't? I use a wide range of papers, and find the RHD analyser pro a godsend. project the neg, set the paper type from the units memory, meter the various areas of the projected image and set on the grey scale where you want them to be by tweaking exposure time and contrast settings, set the contrast filters on the enlarger to match the meter, and press the print button. As others have said, mostly correct, most of the time, first time. No way could I second guess the exposure time between the different papers I use - they vary so much. Of course I could write everything down so I could come back to the same settings later, but I have a meter, so I don't need to

Welcome to Apug Isaac! As you see many different opinions!

Watch the videos on the RHD website http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/html/demo_videos.html and see if an analyser pro is what you are after. If it is, you won't be disappointed!

EDIT, just for interest I just metered something and it needed 9 secs on Kentmere VC Select, 19 secs on MG IV and 39 secs on Slavich for the same exposure without changing anything else. - a huge difference that would take quite a few test strips to work out.

Gerald C Koch · Jun 15, 2015

RobC said:
The one between your ears.

+1

I bought one these gadgets some years ago and found that I never really used it. Just something else to clutter up the work space.

The trick is consistency, good camera exposure control, using the same film, developer and paper. I personally dislike darkroom work and consistency shortens the time spent there significantly.

AgX · Jun 15, 2015

To compare things it would be good to know what meters are still offered new.

AgX · Jun 15, 2015

In Germany we got the

Heiland Analyzer Pro

And I assume that is the only european one in production.

DREW WILEY · Jun 15, 2015

This is like perfecting a cherry pie, and then asking for an instrument that will allow you to then make perfect apple pies and pumpkin pies
automatically. It just ain't going to happen. No machine can account for all the variables, as if we even wanted mindless xeroxes. Yes, such
gear can be helpful and conserve time and materials. And I have a far better equipped darkroom than most, and do use these kinds of instruments as needed. But 95% of it is experience and intuition. And that's just the technical side of things. You've still got another universe of aesthetic parameters to contend with. Maybe a clock-in/clock-out commercial lab requires as much standardization as possible; but I'd rather enjoy the moment and leave as much as possible to personal judgment. But this doesn't mean my technical standards are compromised in any manner. I just want knowledgeable flexibility.

Xmas · Jun 15, 2015

Gerald C Koch said:
+1

I bought one these gadgets some years ago and found that I never really used it. Just something else to clutter up the work space.

The trick is consistency, good camera exposure control, using the same film, developer and paper. I personally dislike darkroom work and consistency shortens the time spent there significantly.

We're the 130 IQ ones expensive that year?

mr rusty · Jun 15, 2015

To compare things it would be good to know what meters are still offered new.

http://www.secondhanddarkroom.co.uk...ing-cart-i_shop_here-rh_designs/?k=27672:12::

ParkerSmithPhoto · Jun 15, 2015

I think an f-stop timer is far more important in the darkroom than an analyzer. Thinking in f-stops will make you a much better printer, it's almost automatic.

That being said, I do find the Darkroom Automation PEM handy for checking exposure differences between magnifications or filters, readings which are then dialed directly into the Darkroom Automation f-stop timer.

R.Gould · Jun 15, 2015

AgX said:
In Germany we got the

Heiland Analyzer Pro

And I assume that is the only european one in production.

I believe that the Heiland Analyser/pro is the RH Designs one re badged, I believe that RH worked with Heiland, they sold a lot of Heiland equipment, and their succesors, Sechand hand darkroom supplies, who now make and sell the TH Designs range, sell the Heiland range alongside the RH range, The beauty of the RH Analyser/pro is that it is combined with a F stop timer, and all the decisions, such as dodging/burning,contrast,Etc is completely in the hands of the printer, the , equipment gives a suggested basic setting, which the printer can modifiy, using the Grey Scale, it is the only meter that puts you in complete control, so unlike many meters you make all the decisions, not the equipment, it helps you get there easier, and thats all, and it works better the more experiance in the darkroom you have

AgX · Jun 15, 2015

Thus then only two meters are left, both from RH Design.

(Out of two it is easy to be best...)

Bob Carnie · Jun 15, 2015

I have used many types of on easel meters.. I would suggest that if you are doing heavy production some of the systems mentioned here are great.
If you are working on singular prints for your own satisfaction I would go with Rob C suggestion.

Once you have good workflow it is an easy one step procedure to questimate your first exposure.. By looking at the easel you will over time get a gut feeling for this, also
I highly recommend looking at the print emerging in the developer.. you can gain valuable info from about contrast and density right there.. no need for a stinkin microwave.

If you are consistent over time this will become second nature as Rob suggests.

David Brown · Jun 15, 2015

Experience and test strips.

doughowk · Jun 16, 2015

In the past when I did more silver gelatin printing, did find the Ilford ID-11 meter to be a handy little device.
Though more feature rich, the Darkroom Automation meter seems of similar usage; and I plan on ordering one when I get back from vacation.

RalphLambrecht · Jun 16, 2015

tih said:
Don't know the market well enough to have any opinion on what's best, but I'm very happy with my Analyser Pro: http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/html/exposure_meters.html

Good choice;a bit pricy but very good!

RobC · Jun 16, 2015

mr rusty said:
Which is probably true if you always print the same size with the same paper, but what if you don't?

If I really need to change to a non standard crop/size then I just meter from the baseboard at old size using my spotmeter and then at the new crop/size and I have my adjustment factor. I don't need a dedicated enlarger meter.

I expect the OP is thoroughly confused by now. Buy one if you want one. Or learn by experience if you want more intuitive control long term.

JackRosa · Jun 16, 2015

What does "OP" stand for? I've been meaning to ask this question for a while and always felt stupid, as - after all this years a s member of this from - should know.

I resisted buying an enlarging meter for years but can report my combination (StopClock + ZoneMaster II) has made my darkroom life a lot easier.

Enlarger meters

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