Paterson / Philips PDT 1020 - any users?

[thicktheo]

Hello all.

My enlarger timer is misbehaving, it is a cheap Viponel one, so I am looking for a new timer. Whilst browsing eBay I stumbled upon the PDT 1020 (and other variants). It's the first time I see this kind of timers/analysers, and I am trying to assess if they are any better than plain enlarging timers, what are their pitfalls, etc.

In other words, should I get a used Philips PDT 1020 for 60 euros, or cough up 110 euros for a brand new digital Kaiser timer?

Any users out there?

 

[albada]

Here is the manual for one of those PDT variants. This might help you decide.
https://www.pdf-archive.com/2017/03/17/philips-pdt-022/philips-pdt-022.pdf
Mark Overton

 

[thicktheo]

It seems a solid timer, with the added plus of the analyser. Even if I don't ever use the analyser part, it seems well constructed and of high quality...

 

[ole-squint]

Hello all.

My enlarger timer is misbehaving, it is a cheap Viponel one, so I am looking for a new timer. Whilst browsing eBay I stumbled upon the PDT 1020 (and other variants). It's the first time I see this kind of timers/analysers, and I am trying to assess if they are any better than plain enlarging timers, what are their pitfalls, etc.

In other words, should I get a used Philips PDT 1020 for 60 euros, or cough up 110 euros for a brand new digital Kaiser timer?

Any users out there?

Is this for enlarging only? If so, I'd recommend using a metronome set to 60 beats/minute instead. You turn on the enlarger light with a card covering the lens, count to three, or whatever you want, and remove the card from the light path for however many beats/seconds you've determined for exposure. This lets the enlarger bulb come to full illumination (there's a warm up time with incandescent bulbs). Many photographers who contact print use this procedure. I use it for both enlarging and contact printing.

 

[AgX]

There are so many switching timers available used, designed for using on an enlarger, that I do not see a benefit in using a metronome. Moreover I came more used timers across by magnitude than a single metronome.

With a switching timer you can incorporate any heat-up time into the switching cylce, as in lengthening any time by a fixed period.

 

[ole-squint]

There are so many switching timers available used, designed for using on an enlarger, that I do not see a benefit in using a metronome. Moreover I came more used timers across by magnitude than a single metronome.

With a switching timer you can incorporate any heat-up time into the switching cylce, as in lengthening any time by a fixed period.

An electronic metronome is less than $30 brand new in my local music store.

 

[AgX]

A enlarger timer can be had used for less than 5 Euros locally here, or even for free. Who wants them?

 

[thicktheo]

Whan kind of enlarger timers, though? I've had 3 Viponel timers fail on me in the past years.

I ended up getting the Philips PDT 1020, and it seems a very solid and capable timer. The analyser part seems a bit of a gimmick, but it might just add a little bit of speed in the printing process.