f Stop Timer

[Curt]

Do I need one? This is going to be a long Winter, will an f stop timer change the way I work and make it more enjoyable? Are there any pro's who use them and which one is best.

Curt

 

[Ray Heath]

no Curt you don't need one, many here will say otherwise, nothing we do as photographers needs to be made overly technical

"Save the Cynomys ludovicianus", isn't that a rodent?

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

7,8,9,10,12,14,17,20,24,28,34,40 is all you need to know. Learn the sequence by heart. Up/down, it's in quarters of stop. Deduce shorter/longer times, or get one of the many available spreadsheets available around to calculate intervals.

You will see better results (or at least waste less paper) if you adjust printing times on an f-stop basis, but you don't need any gear for it.

Even Kodak used to distribute a similar sequence in their old dataguides.

 

[Lee L]

7,8,9,10,12,14,17,20,24,28,34,40 is all you need to know. Learn the sequence by heart. Up/down, it's in quarters of stop. Deduce shorter/longer times, or get one of the many available spreadsheets available around to calculate intervals.

I used to use the Fibonacci series, 1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55 in this way. It has the advantage of making a good sequential test strip by adding exposures as you reveal more of the paper. It's a bit rougher than 1/4 stop, but highly usable.

I taught basic photography to a couple of 6th graders a couple of years ago. They found f-stop print timing highly intuitive when we started it a few days after learning the relationship between shutter speeds and f-stops for making the exposure on film. I wouldn't call it excessively technical unless you're willing to call understanding how to work with different shutter speeds and apertures overly technical as well. There's nothing wrong with technical competence anyway, and it can serve artistic goals.

You might find f-stop timing is a faster and easier way to get prints you like. It's really just about personal preference and working style. There are several long APUG threads on methods and specific models of f-stop timers. A forum search and some reading might help answer your questions. Don't know if it prompted your question, but there was an announcement in the vendors section of one model with new features added recently. You'll want to take those changes into account when reading the threads and considering whether or which to buy.

Lee

 

[Dave Miller]

No Curt you don't need one, but I cannot conceive of life without mine; an RH Designs Fstop timer.
As Lee says there have been many discussions here about the merits of Fstop timing, so it's worth doing a search of the old threads.

 

[Curt]

You're right Dave, I need to sit down and read the information again. I saw the ad earlier and it seemed to make sense. I liked the print info storage in the timer too.

Thanks
Curt

 

[Dave Miller]

You're right Dave, I need to sit down and read the information again. I saw the ad earlier and it seemed to make sense. I liked the print info storage in the timer too.

Thanks
Curt

That wasn't a put down, just a pointer that there have been many earlier discussions on these machines.
You asked if any pros use them, I only know of three that do; but then I only know three pro printers.

 

[David Brown]

When I first switched over to using f/stops for enlarging times, I was doing it with my existing timer - just dialing in the times. It worked fine. But, that timer died. So, I bought the RHDesigns timer. Is it necessary - No. Is it easier to use - Yes!

 

[Toffle]

I don't have an f-stop timer, but I religiously use an f-stop printing table. I find it very helpful (if not essential) in creating reproducible results at different enlargements or base times. As Lee said, it becomes a highly intuitive part of the printing process. I wouldn't mind having the actual device, but for now, the look-ups are serving me well. The table I use is a PDF by Ralph Lambrecht.

Cheers,

 

[sterioma]

While I am sure there are prettier examples on the net, I thought somebody might be interested in f-stop sequences table which I created for myself (1 stop, 1/2 stop, 1/3 stop, 1/4 stop, 1/6 stop, 1/8 stop, up to 64 seconds).

In case anybody is interested, I can share the excel spreadsheet (just PM me).

Stefano

 

[eclarke]

While I am sure there are prettier examples on the net, I thought somebody might be interested in f-stop sequences table which I created for myself (1 stop, 1/2 stop, 1/3 stop, 1/4 stop, 1/6 stop, 1/8 stop, up to 64 seconds).

In case anybody is interested, I can share the excel spreadsheet (just PM me).

Stefano

Curt, I have the Darkroom Automation timer and meter and love it but the info Stefano has provided allows you to do the same thing with any timer. I far prefer working in stops. I believe you can download the times from Darkroom Automation as well. If you just need a timer, I can recommend theirs...Evan Clarke

 

[FrankB]

you don't need one, but I cannot conceive of life without mine; an RH Designs Fstop timer.

What Dave said!

 

[jeroldharter]

You don't need an f-stop time merely to print with the f-stop exposure method. But who wants to be working out a print sequence consulting tables for 1/6 stop increments and have to manually enter that information into the timer for each exposure? I do split contrast printing with the RH Designs timer and sometimes I have a pre-flash and 8 different exposures on a print (not that I plan for that). I could never do that very quickly without the timer. It is very intuitive such that you almost completely disregard the time units. It took me awhile to think that way, but now I think in 1/6 stop increments and push the button that many times.

For example, if I want to burn the edge of a print by 1/2 stop, I press "Store" and then press "Time" 3 times and it automatically figures out the time regardless of the base exposure. I think it will store up to 6 burn times on each of 2 channels and has a split-grade mode that will adjust all of the programmed burn times if you change the underlying base exposure. The test strip mode is very useful also. I could do a test strip of 12 consecutive exposures all 1/6 stop apart with a regular timer, consulting a table, and manually entering each of the 12 times. But now I just push a button, step on the footswitch for as many steps as I want, and then process the paper. Very easy.

 

[Curt]

Well it's just a matter of which one to purchase, RH or Darkroom Automation, I like the description that Jerold gave and will be looking at the RH, I want a foot switch this time around also.

Curt

 

[Curt]

I emailed RH, I want to use it with an Aristo cold light head and a 120 volt halogen in a Beseler color head.

Curt

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Curt- word of advice - when you do actually order, make sure they put US standard 3-prong outlets on the timer - otherwise, you end up having to chop off the plug from your enlarger head and fitting their custom plug. It's not hard to do, but it means having to re-do the plug if you ever want to use the head with a different timer (say for actual color printing).

 

[Chan Tran]

I think the f-stop timer is nice. If cost is not a problem then get one. Otherwise you can do the same thing without it but with less convienience.

 

[tim rudman]

I am a great fan of the method for all B&W printing, and also a great fan of the RH Designs model. I really don't like printing without my stop clock pro and I find it totally intuitive. FWIW, if I take one to a B&W printing workshop everyone wants to buy it when they see it in action.
Tim

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

There is a quick guide to the Darkroom Automation f-Stop Timer at

http://www.darkroomautomation.com/support/mfsquicks.pdf

It shows the basic steps in operating the timer, gives a feel for what it does and illustrates the steps in making burns and dodges.

The quick guide doesn't cover memories or split-grade printing. The complete manual covering these topics should be on the website in a day or so.

The operation shown is similar to that of the original Darkroom Automation timer, with a few exceptions.

(My version of Acrobat Reader needs to load the manual twice before it gets it)

 

[RH Designs]

Curt- word of advice - when you do actually order, make sure they put US standard 3-prong outlets on the timer - otherwise, you end up having to chop off the plug from your enlarger head and fitting their custom plug.

You can buy adapters that convert our international-standard sockets to US-standard - see for example http://www.iec.net/m1304.html - this obviates the need to chop any plugs. Unfortunately it's just not practical for us to fit specific sockets for the destination country concerned as there are so many, and they're all different shapes and sizes. The sockets we use are the same as you'll find on the back of your computer.

 

[RH Designs]

You can download the instruction manual for the StopClock (and our other products) here.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

You can buy adapters that convert our international-standard sockets to US-standard - see for example http://www.iec.net/m1304.html - this obviates the need to chop any plugs. Unfortunately it's just not practical for us to fit specific sockets for the destination country concerned as there are so many, and they're all different shapes and sizes. The sockets we use are the same as you'll find on the back of your computer.

Richard-

thank you for making this information public here. I had no idea such an animal existed. Perhaps, in your literature that you ship with the timer, you could add such information so other folks wouldn't end up doing what I did. Even better, charge an extra $5, or whatever it would cost, and include them on units shipping to the US. It is a major peeve to find out that something you need to make something work is not included and you have to order it from ANOTHER vendor (especially something that costs over $400, like your timers do).

 

[Lee L]

Richard-

thank you for making this information public here. I had no idea such an animal existed. Perhaps, in your literature that you ship with the timer, you could add such information so other folks wouldn't end up doing what I did. Even better, charge an extra $5, or whatever it would cost, and include them on units shipping to the US. It is a major peeve to find out that something you need to make something work is not included and you have to order it from ANOTHER vendor (especially something that costs over $400, like your timers do).

The online instructions for the Stop Clocks include this information, as well as a recommended vendor for IEC adapter cords in the US with good prices, low shipping costs, and fast service. Having read the instructions, I ordered cords the same day as the Stop Clock and they arrived earlier than the timer shipment from the UK. The choice of IEC sockets strikes me as a very intelligent design choice for an international seller.

Lee

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

The pdf file for the quick guide to the Darkroom Automation f-Stop Timer
has (hopefully) been fixed.

http://www.darkroomautomation.com/support/mfsquicks.pdf

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

The online instructions for the Stop Clocks include this information, as well as a recommended vendor for IEC adapter cords in the US with good prices, low shipping costs, and fast service. Having read the instructions, I ordered cords the same day as the Stop Clock and they arrived earlier than the timer shipment from the UK. The choice of IEC sockets strikes me as a very intelligent design choice for an international seller.

Lee

Lee-

thanks for the clarification. I don't recall seeing that in my hard copy when I bought the timer, which was about 2 years ago. I did not read the owners manual online prior to purchasing - I bought the unit purely on multiple word-of-mouth recommendations from folks here on APUG. That said, I still think they should be available from the OEM, when I'm paying north of $400 for something new in the box, items that are required to make it function should all be in the box.