I compared all my sensitometers here:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/the-great-sensitometer-shootout.95837/
I recently bought an X-Rite 810TR densitometer off eBay, and its been a very convenient tool to have around the darkroom. It can do both reflection and transmission, and can read color channel density (R/G/B) as well as "visual" density for B&W.
So far I've used it to help calibrate my RH Analyser enlarger meter and to inspect C-41 Process Control Strips (which I run to sanity-check my C-41 chemicals/processes). I may find more uses for it in the future. Regardless, I love having this piece of equipment that saves me from having to "eyeball it" on any task that involves comparing/verifying the density of a piece of film or paper.
I
I've used quite a few different densitometers and found the Heiland to be the most reliable, repeatable and most robust. Once You've got one you'll find all kinds of uses for it in analog and digital printing.I recently bought an X-Rite 810TR densitometer off eBay, and its been a very convenient tool to have around the darkroom. It can do both reflection and transmission, and can read color channel density (R/G/B) as well as "visual" density for B&W.
So far I've used it to help calibrate my RH Analyser enlarger meter and to inspect C-41 Process Control Strips (which I run to sanity-check my C-41 chemicals/processes). I may find more uses for it in the future. Regardless, I love having this piece of equipment that saves me from having to "eyeball it" on any task that involves comparing/verifying the density of a piece of film or paper.
Unfortunately, I'm quite concerned about the future-proofing of this piece of equipment. Replacement parts are hard to find (and/or extremely expensive if you do). Also, I don't think X-Rite even sells the transmission calibration step wedge for it anymore. (The one I have, that came with the machine, is very old and probably due for replacement.) I also sometimes question the absolute reliability of its readings, but it is probably good enough for now.
What I'd like to know, is whether there is any good "modern" (preferably LED-based) alternative that provides the basic capabilities of the 810TR. That means transmission and reflection, and RGB readings. Most densitometers I see out there right now are either single-channel (B&W), or color (and costing a fortune) with enough fancy features that I honestly cannot tell whether or not they'd do what I want.
I know that in our community, Heiland does make a densitometer that has many different options. But what I do not know, is whether or not it can be used (with the multi-color transmission light option) to provide RGB readings to evaluate those C-41 strips.
Unfortunately, I'm quite concerned about the future-proofing of this piece of equipment. Replacement parts are hard to find (and/or extremely expensive if you do). Also, I don't think X-Rite even sells the transmission calibration step wedge for it anymore. (The one I have, that came with the machine, is very old and probably due for replacement.) I also sometimes question the absolute reliability of its readings, but it is probably good enough for now.
What I'd like to know, is whether there is any good "modern" (preferably LED-based) alternative that provides the basic capabilities of the 810TR. That means transmission and reflection, and RGB readings. Most densitometers I see out there right now are either single-channel (B&W), or color (and costing a fortune) with enough fancy features that I honestly cannot tell whether or not they'd do what I want.
I know that in our community, Heiland does make a densitometer that has many different options. But what I do not know, is whether or not it can be used (with the multi-color transmission light option) to provide RGB readings to evaluate those C-41 strips.
That thread keeps coming up in all of my searches. The problem is that it doesn't list specific models (just brands), says very little
about how they were used/tested, and all the result images are dead links. (Perhaps if the images still loaded, it would tell me more, but they don't.)
Let me see if I have a picture of it.ic-racer,
Apologies to OP if this is off topic but I have always been curious about the sector disks/wheels in mechanical sensitometer designs - specifically the shapes/geometries of the sector cutouts. Are you by any chance able to get a good enough view of the disk in the Wejex to show what it looks like?
Michael
Shoot, I thought it told you all you needed. I’d be tempted to buy the as-is EG&G on eBay and assuming the flashbulb is broken, replace it and see if it could be made to fire.That thread keeps coming up in all of my searches. The problem is that it doesn't list specific models (just brands), says very little about how they were used/tested, and all the result images are dead links. (Perhaps if the images still loaded, it would tell me more, but they don't.)
That's not a bad idea, I just have to wait for something decent to pop up. The ones currently listed are "parts only, as-is" and kinda look like old dusty grimy junk. Makes me wonder how hard they would be to test/fix if not working, and whether replacement parts (for the more critical, less generic bits) are still available.Shoot, I thought it told you all you needed. I’d be tempted to buy the as-is EG&G on eBay and assuming the flashbulb is broken, replace it and see if it could be made to fire.
The hundred dollar one is probably broken but they say the flash fired on the four-hundred dollar one. If that's in your budget it probably works just fine. They built that stuff to last.That's not a bad idea, I just have to wait for something decent to pop up. The ones currently listed are "parts only, as-is" and kinda look like old dusty grimy junk. Makes me wonder how hard they would be to test/fix if not working, and whether replacement parts (for the more critical, less generic bits) are still available.
I got the 334 and it is NOT LED. I uses a flat electroluminescent lamp. Maybe the perfect sensitometer light source.I could not resist, so I bought one of the $20 BLUE/GREEN X-rite 334 senstometers as a project to replace the LED with WHITE. It is not needed to do that, but it seems everyone is afraid of the 30 or so BLUE/GREEN sensitometers for less than $100 on ebay.
I got the 334 and it is NOT LED. I uses a flat electroluminescent lamp. Maybe the perfect sensitometer light source.
I'd just use the 334 as is. Use the Green channel.
There is no diffusion box or anything to adapt a different lamp. It relies on the flat panel, which is quite ingenious. Personally I think this film stage provides the most even illumination of all my sensitometers, including the EG&G.Is there enough power to drive an incandescent tube? Then you could add an 80B filter.
I don’t know much about these, so perhaps you can explain - I’ve never understood why they were not more widely used where uniformity is a requirement, like in enlargers, or backlights. Why did LEDs instead become the go-to?
An EL film is a so-called Lambertian radiator: unlike with neon lamps, filament lamps, or LEDs, the brightness of the surface appears the same from all angles of view; electroluminescent light is not directional and therefore hard to compare with (thermal) light sources measured in lumens or lux. Wikipedia
Also EL panels seem to have similar limitations to LEDs when it comes to the kinds of light they can put out. For example, as far as I can tell, you can't make one of these emit any sort of continuous spectrum white light.
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