Looking for Nova Step & Repeat Printer or similar

[Jeff Bannow]

I'm interested in trying something like the Nova Step & Repeat Printer for making test strips - http://www.novadarkroom.com/product/303/Nova_Step_&_Repeat_Test_Printer.html. The idea is that you can expose the same slice of image for 6 different times, instead of test strips ranging across the print from different value areas.

Anyone know where I might be able to buy one of these reasonably in the USA, or of a similar product on this side of the pond?

 

[pentaxuser]

Jeff. You can actually do this with the Paterson 5 strip test printer by simply moving the 1st,2nd, etc strip to cover the same portion of the neg. I do this regularly. Works fine but it's a little slow.

If you have access to some good tools or a machine shop, then have a look on Ralph Lambrecht's site. There is a reference to various articles including one by his fellow author of "Way Beyond Monochrome",Chris Woodhouse who describes how to make a 7 strip test printer using a 5x7 paper which has this feature. Chris very kindly offers the reader the instructions and measurements for this. I've got someone making me one using a computer controlled laser head which cuts plastic very accurately. I had a look at the prototype the other night and it seems to be exactly what is needed.

If you can't find the article then let me know and I'll try and navigate there and let you know.

Can't help on stockists. At the time of writing Chris Woodhouse said that he devised his own because to the best of his knowledge no-one was producing such a test strip printer. Maybe someone is now as that was a few years ago

pentaxuser

 

[MattKing]

Jeff:

I recently found a Saunders Color Proofing Easel Model CP810 on eB*y that sort of does this, in that it puts 4 4"x5" prints on the same 8x10 sheet of paper. It is a bit less economical, but at least the test images are of a meaningful size.

I've been using it for the postcard exchange as well .

Matt

 

[Denis P.]

Jeff, here's something you can make yourself. Actually, I used a cardboard version for quite some time, until I got fed up with having to tape it to the baseboard every time I did test strips

Then I finally decided to make a more permanent version.

The pictures will tell you everything you need to know:
The "base" can be anything: MDF, whatever.
The "ribs" are there to help you position the paper properly by feel, when working in the dark.

This is adjusted to my way of doing test strips - I use actual strips of paper, not full sheets - as seen in the third photo.

Let me know if anything's unclear

 

[edtbjon]

Yes, Denis's little gadget looks really useful. It "solves" the problem of having different times on different parts of the negatives. I recon I will build me one of these.

//Björn