Ilford EM10 - first impressions

JeffD · Mar 22, 2005

Can anyone tell me if the "relative density" on the graph Jorge is using represents density on the negative, or on the print?

Jorge Oliveira said:
I've received today an EM10 enlargement meter I've purchased at Ebay.
Here are the first impressions:

It works!

I did not use it as per Ilford instructions - nor did I purchase it intending to.
I used it as per:
http://fox.vis.pl/filmy/ilford/em10graph.pdf

One measures the higlights (equivalent to expose to the shadows) and get an approximate value of paper grade/filter from the graph.

The main difference was, that in my case, exposure was not as suggested in the graph - 9s at a reading of 90 in the dial, but
3s (?).

I feel that with more tests, it will be a very helpful tool.

Jorge O

dschneller · Mar 22, 2005

As I read it the relative density (vertical axis) refers to the negative. A RD of 0 will print as black and 1.5 will print as white. Or, taking a reading of the shadow area of the negative will read closer to 0 and taking a reading of the highlight area of the negative will read closer to 1.5.

Dave

panchromatic · Mar 22, 2005

How does this meter work using a multi-graded paper?

JeffD · Mar 22, 2005

panchromatic said:
How does this meter work using a multi-graded paper?

Read this whole thread, and look at the chart link, in the first post.

Essentially the meter reads the dark and light areas of the scene, and figures out how much "density range" there is between the two values. The greater the number spread on the meter between these two values, the lower paper grade you should use.Knowing this, it can give you a grade you should use. The chart will tell you what grade, depending on the numeric results given by your meter.

I don't use the Ilford or Kodak papers, but am thinking of making my own chart for Oriental VC paper using a stouffer step wedge and a spread sheet. Might make a good article, which I'll post if anyone is interested in this...

dancqu · Mar 22, 2005

panchromatic said:
How does this meter work using a multi-graded paper?

Jeff explains the EM-10's use as a crude densitometer which
as was mentioned by the OP, Jorge Oliveira, not Ilford's intention.

The EM-10 is a spot light meter used on the easel. It has red left
and right and green centered LEDs and a turn-the-dial gain control
indexed from 0 to 100. It's intended use provides for equal exposure
when more than one size print is made. The lens aperature is adjusted
so that correct exposure will result when the light is green. A good
print, any size, must first be made.

It can be used as a crude densitometer. Readings near 0 are
thin areas and those near 100 are dense areas of the negative.
The greater the spread the more contrasty your negative. I
think it nice of Ilford that they numbered the dial. Dan

titrisol · Mar 23, 2005

Ralph Lambrecht's graph (the on eposted by Jorge) is very informative, I found his idea of finding time (based on dark-negative parts) and contrast grade (based on the spread with the light parts) very useful.
I came up with something similar on my own, thanks to the help of a lot of people here and in ILFOPRO forums, but his graph is awesome.

It gives excellent starting points for "straight" prints. I also use it to evaluate film/dev tests now. Just measure highlight vs shadow and check which paper grade it fits. For 35mm it should be between 2.5 and 3 for my taste.

I just finished my modified version for AGFA MCP/MCC, times are a bit higher than for Ilford papers, but contrast grades are about the same.

sillwio · Jan 5, 2011

Do you guys know where to find this magic pdf cause the link on the first page doesn't work?

Jerevan · Jan 5, 2011

sillwio said:
Do you guys know where to find this magic pdf cause the link on the first page doesn't work?

A search on APUG yielded this:

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/2006821125512773.pdf

pentaxuser · Jan 5, 2011

Jerevan said:
A search on APUG yielded this:

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/2006821125512773.pdf

Unfortunately this doesn't seem to cover the determination of a grade which is presumably what the now defunct URL did.

I too have only just come across this thread and discovered that the URL seems to have disappeared. Pity

pentaxuser

Ian Grant · Jan 5, 2011

It's still available

Follow the link on the page It does work. Go to Specyfikacje Materiałów Foto
then Ilford, then it's near the bottom of the page.

Ian

Mark_S · Jan 5, 2011

I don't use the EM-10 to determine exposure or grade, but what I do use it for a lot is this:

I use an Ilford MG-600 enlarger head, which does a great job determining exposure/grade starting point (although a bit more expensive and harder to find than the EM-10). Where I use the EM-10 is that I work with 8x10 paper to get my plan for a print worked out - base exposure/grade, burn/dodge plan etc. Then when I want to move to larger, more expensive paper, I select a place on the print, lay the EM-10 on the easel to measure the light at that spot turning the knob to just get the green light to come on, then raise the enlarger head to set the size for the new paper, and refocus, I then put the EM-10 back in the same spot on the image, and open my enlarger lens aperture to get the same illumination value, and most of the time can go directly to the larger size print without having to refigure out the exposure recipe.

Ian Grant · Jan 5, 2011

Somewhere (back in the UK) I have two Dial calculators that came with my Philips meter/timers, you read teh darkest part of the negative and then the brightest and it told you what paper grade to use. Very quick and simple and certainly in the right ball park, it would work with the EM10.

I'll dig one out in a couple of months when I'm next in my darkroom

Ian

MattKing · Jan 5, 2011

Ian Grant said:
It's still available

Follow the link on the page It does work. Go to Specyfikacje Materiałów Foto
then Ilford, then it's near the bottom of the page.

Ian

The author seems to be one Ralph W. Lambrecht. Do you think he might be found and asked to post it again here .

Just in case he cannot find it, I've downloaded a copy to my computer

pentaxuser · Jan 5, 2011

Thanks Ian but how did you get to this link?

pentaxuser

Ian Grant · Jan 5, 2011

pentaxuser said:
Thanks Ian but how did you get to this link?

pentaxuser

I looked at the Website URL, then posted it (the root) into the Way-back machine (Internet Archive), we know when it was linked to so I chose to look near that date.

Then using my extensive knowledge of Polish . . . . . . . .

It would be easier to ask Ralph to stick it on his websites

Ian

RalphLambrecht · Jan 5, 2011

Yes, I admit, I made this graph a while back, but took it off my website after a while, because I was afraid, it would not be accurate enough. The accuracy must depend on the calibration number, and I just tested the one I had (and still have). However, if it works for you:

sillwio · Jan 5, 2011

Thank you! That's amazing.

Ilford EM10 - first impressions

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