How to splitgrade with RH Designs Analyzer?

[Henry Alive]

Hello everybody:
After studying the different timers in the market, and following the good advises of a lot of people from Apug forums, I finally have bought a RH Designs Analyzer. I just want to say the analyzer is really amazing!!!. I have improved a lot my final photos as I am getting the correct contrast easily.
For splitgrade printing, I am working as a normal f-stop timer, as the Analyzer does not have the advantages of the RH Designs Stopcloc.
However, I have been looking for information about how the Analyzer could help to splitgrade easier, and, so far, I have found just one explanation about how to deal with . This question was made 07-17-05, and Mr. Will S explained how he was doing it.
Could any people give new comments about how splitgrade can be done using some of the facilities of the Analyzer?
Thanks again,
Henry.

 

[Will S]

That first thread about covers it in terms of the analyzer, but there has been another thread recently on split-grade printing you should read. Bob Carnie had some interesting techniques he shared and there was a lot of good information in there.

I have an older analyzer, so maybe there is an easier way with the newer ones.

Good luck,

Will

 

[Henry Alive]

Hello Will:
Thanks for your comment, as I was afraid nobody was going to answer. I have been looking for the thread you mention, but I have not been able to find it. I have seen some that explain how to deal with the splitgrade technique, but none that explains how splitgrade can be done using some of the facilities of the Analyzer.
If you could find it, please, let me know the http link.
Thanks again,
Henry.

 

[Bob F.]

I think Will means this ((there was a url link here which no longer exists)) thread on general split-grade printing.

Bob.

 

[RH Designs]

Henry -

Good to hear you're pleased with your Analyser . Split grade printing is a good way to determine the correct print exposure and contrast for a given negative but so is an exposure meter, so if you have an Analyser you don't need to split grade the base exposure. For any combination of grade 0 and grade 5 exposures there is a single exposure through the appropriate filter that will produce the same result on the print.

Burning in at a different grade for local contrast control is possible with the Analyser and the method is described in the user manual.

If you want to do "manual" split grade printing without the meter, you can as you say simply use the Analyser as a timer. You can save a bit of time by taking a highlight reading to establish the first grade 0 exposure, but I recommend test strips to determine the subsequent grade 5 exposure. The Analyser is not really designed for split grade printing because as it incorporates an exposure meter it's not really necessary to split grade the whole exposure.

 

[Blighty]

I'm not sure if your analyser works in the same way as my Zonemaster/Stopclock pro combo but I find they save me a lot of time when split-grade printing. Taking measurements of the neg gives me my contrast setting. Next, I take a highlight reading and determine the G.00 time. This is usually very accurate but, because I'm a fuss-arse, I use this time as a basis for a test-strip to get the soft exposure spot on. Next, I use the stopclock in split-grade mode and (with the soft exposure programmed into channel 1) alter the hard exposure to give me the suggested grade. Again, 'coz I'm a fuss-arse, I use this time as a basis for a very accurate test-strip. If you are determined to split-grade print then I've found this method works very well.

 

[Henry Alive]

Hello:
I want to thank all of you. The RH Designs Analyzer is very similar to the Stopclokk plus Zonemaster, except there are not two channels for split grade technique.
I have been working like Richards suggests in his comment, but once in a while I have some very contrast negatives that are not easy to print, and in this cases I feel more comfortable working with split grade technique.
This afternoon I have followed what Blighty suggested in order to get the soft exposure test-strip. It was OK, and it helps. The rest of the print was done like with any other f-stop timer.