RH Design Pro Analyzer

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I am interested in trying this analyzer. I have an Aristo cold light with the new V54 tube (I think that is the right number.) I have heard some concern that the analyzer cannot work properly on Black and White paper because of light fluctuation. I use almost entirely Ilford papers. Can I get some viewpoints on this question? Would one use (need) some type of stabilizer? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jerry Cunningham
 

Marc Leest

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KarenB said:
They are very quick to answer questions. I use an Analyser Pro sucessfully with B&W papers, but I have a condenser head, so that does not quite answer your question.

I use an Analyzer Pro too, on Ilford papers, with a diffusion VC head. Fastest way to make a work print.

M.
 

RH Designs

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Jerry -

We do have customers successfully using the Analyser with cold light. The issue is short-term fluctuations - in other words if the light output changes between measurements, or between measuring and exposing, then the result may be incorrect. However, if you warm the tubes up well before starting to print these short term fluctuations are minimised. I think the Aristo tubes have heaters to improve stability - maybe somebody who knows for sure can confirm this.

We now have a page on our web site for Users' Calibrations and in fact the first entry is for the V54 with Ilford paper - www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/html/user_calibrations.html

Hope that helps

Kind regards
Richard Ross
 

Neil Miller

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Hi - my analyser pro works very well with condenser and dichro heads, but not at all well with my devere cathomag: I have to set to metronome 'clicks' and keep the light on all the time, using a board as a shutter. Others seem to have had more success with other cold light heads, though.
 

RJS

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I use the RH Designs Timer/Analyzer with an Aristo cold light, V54 lamp, and I am DELIGHTED with the combination. No Picker/Zone VI compensating seems required, but then I do not do production runs of 50 or so prints.
 

vet173

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When I emailed them in regards to how their system would work with stained negs, they responded that they had no info on how they would do with them. Has anyone used this with stained negs? How good was it for the functions that make thes units so desirable?
 

fred

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I've both, Analyser Pro and Splitgrade (Heiland Electronic).
http://www.heilandelectronic.de/html/english/products/splitgrade_main.htm
I prefer the splitgrade: very simple in use, faster, more sensible, more robust, and an after sales at top level.
IMHO a "must have" for the darkroom.

If you are interested in an brand new anapro, you can have it on half the price. But I would advise at least to examine the alternative.

Fred
 

RJS

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I use PMK exclusively with a cold light and the RH Designs analyzer. I am happy!
 

arigram

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I just got the RH Analyser Pro and so far I am astonished!
It is very well contructed, it has all the features one needs in the enlarger and it is very easy to use. At first I thought it would be complicated but its not!
If it was not so expensive I would urge every BW printer to get one!
 

pentaxuser

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Can I take it that you mean the RH Designs Analyser Pro can be bought for half the price of the Splitgrade(Heiland Electronic)? So, if my assumption is correct then a Splitgrade is almost £500. What does it do better than the RH designs that justifies twice the price.

Not looking to start an argument about the two machines. Just curious about its advantages. For double the price it would be reasonable to assume that these advantages have to be considerable.

Pentaxuser
 

vanannan

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Hi
I use an RHdesigns Zonemaster II in combination with the RHD Stopclock Vario, this timer is designed to vary the timing to compensate for fluctuations in light output from all enlarger lightsources including cold cathode, the head I have been using it with is an old De Vere 10"X8" Cathomag with impressive results.
 

Loose Gravel

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FYI

Aristo coldlights do have an additional heater above the light chamber. Aristo calls it the thermo and there is a separate cord with which to plug in. There is some temperature control there, too. If one measures the light output versus temperature, you will notice as the temperature increases, the light output increases to some maximum at which point the light output will decrease with temperature. It is at this point that one hopes the light chamber's temperature is regulated. Of course, turning on the lamp will heat the lamp, too. I believe this increase in light output with temperature is dominated by the phosphor temperature, as I've cooled spots on my tube with canned air, and there forms a little dim spot. ( Don't do this yourself as you could crack the tube. )

Small differences in print exposures can be noticed in productions runs especially, but also in single prints in critical highlights. As highlights in prints get very little exposure above threshold, the slightest change in overall exposure can move the highlight exposure above or below threshold.

If you use a coldlight, you pretty much have to have a light integrator or stabilizer. Personally, I use a MetroLux and expusure are perfectly repeatable, even when the exposure is broken into many pieces, as MetroLux includes the decay light (after the lamp is turned off) in the exposure.
 

RH Designs

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The SplitGrade is more automated. It uses a motorised filter module with Heiland's own filters, so as a result the need for calibration is minimised because the filter and enlarger characteristics are known. It's a great machine for churning out good quality prints with minimal hassle, but the Analyser offers more flexibility and insight into the negative. It's like the difference between an automatic camera (Heiland) and a hand-held spot meter (RH). Convenience vs control! The higher level of automation contributes to the cost difference.

We sell the Heiland product alongside the Analyser and ZoneMaster - our FAQ has more info about the differences. www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/html/faq1.html

Regards
Richard
 

pentaxuser

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Thanks. From what you've said it's either extra automation at double the price or extra hands-on work on the part of the RH Designs Analyser Pro's owner to achieve at least the same outcome or possibly better if you know what you are doing. It would have to be a lot of extra work involved to justify paying an extra £250 and that's setting aside for a moment the benefit of the additional control that the RH can give you.

Pentaxuser
 

RH Designs

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pentaxuser said:
It would have to be a lot of extra work involved to justify paying an extra £250 and that's setting aside for a moment the benefit of the additional control that the RH can give you.

In most cases it's quite a lot more than £250, that's for the controller alone. And there's no grey scale display on the SplitGrade unless you add the Comfort Interface, another £199. However, the SplitGrade is virtually a "plug and play" device whereas the Analyser may need some calibration to match your equipment and materials.
If you use Ilford MG IV RC paper, Ilford filters and a tungsten-illuminated enlarger the Analyser's built-in settings should be fairly close to being correct.
Regards
Richard
 
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