RHDesigns fstop timers

David Brown · Dec 1, 2005

tbm said:
I've ordered RH Designs products twice, and they've always arrived at my house in Los Angeles from England within a week.

By the way, if you've purchased the Stop Clock Professional, I've performed thorough tests with both Ilford RC and fiber papers and have determined accurately that the dry-down factor setting for RC papers is -1 and the factor for fiber papers is -8.

Terry

Thanks, Terry. I'll test your tests when the machine arrives!

David

Lee L · Dec 1, 2005

Terry,

Thanks for the dry down times. I've been meaning to ask RH Designs what they used to determine the split filter grade numbers. I need to run through and see what the different exposure ratios bring up when using split grade mode, but I'm wondering if they used a particular paper and filter combination to come up with the approximate grade displayed during split printing.

I should ask Les or Richard Ross, but if anyone dropping in here knows that information, it would be nice to have the answer. I'm using an oddball setup, blue and green Rosco filters and a 5000K flourescent light for some trials right now, so I'm surely way off the mark from factory VC calibration in that regard.

Lee

lee · Dec 1, 2005

hi Lee,

I use Rosco filters also but with a condenser and a incandescent lamp. I don't find set ratios to be any benefit for the way I work. I just use the 2 channels for blue and green and be done with it. I don't use the dry down feature until I am finished with my testing and ready to make final prints but I do use it. I love this stopclock pro timer.

lee\c

RH Designs · Dec 2, 2005

Lee L said:
Terry,

Thanks for the dry down times. I've been meaning to ask RH Designs what they used to determine the split filter grade numbers. I need to run through and see what the different exposure ratios bring up when using split grade mode, but I'm wondering if they used a particular paper and filter combination to come up with the approximate grade displayed during split printing.

Lee

We always use Ilford Multigrade IV RC as a "standard" as it's the most popular paper here in the UK. The split grade figures were derived by my colleague Chris Woodhouse using Ilford's 00 and 5 under-lens filters - you can read a chapter from his and Ralph Lambrecht's "Way Beyond Monochrome" book which explains it here: www.ktphotonics.co.uk/pdf/BasicSplitGradePrinting.pdf
Basically, the nominal grade is calculated from the ratio of the two exposures. Whatever filter setup you're using the grades should be fairly equally spaced between the maximum and minimum contrast available.

Regards
Richard

FrankB · Dec 2, 2005

A quick word of caution: I tend to use -10% and sometimes -11% as a dry down factor with Ilford MGWT FB Glossy, but it does vary slightly with the batch.

Les's dry down test doesn't take long and gives you an accurate figure for each batch. Recommended, but to each his (and her!) own.

Lee L · Dec 2, 2005

Thanks everyone. I expect with experience that I'll find the correlation between blue/green ratios and my light source for a given paper grade equivalent, although I know as lee suggests that it is not critical (or even necessary) for success in split filter printing. I just get curious about how things are designed to work, and like to know my equipment well. Thanks to Richard for the OEM information. I went through exposure ratios on the Stop Clock Pro last night and saw that a 1:1 ratio of soft:hard exposure is nominal grade 2, and did the math and knocked out a quick spreadsheet to see where the extremes went, and where the ratios hit specific grades.

Right now I'm thinking that I'll work on a way of using my Beseler Analite 500 enlarging meter to allow a more refined "guess" for the respective soft and hard exposures, so I can use smaller steps on the test strips. I'm teaching two 6th graders photography for the next 6 weeks, so I want to have a somewhat accelerated road to printing success for them. Imagine learning f-stop printing and split filter printing your first time in the darkroom at age 12. I'm jealous.

The kids are at school, the darkroom is ready, my wife is at work... abandoning the keyboard for a few hours of fun and experimentation.

Oh, and Frank, I understand that the dry down times vary by batch, and that testing (and retesting with age) is in order, but having the range narrowed by another user is nice and appreciated.

OK, I'm really going this time...

Lee

FrankB · Dec 2, 2005

Lee L said:
Oh, and Frank, I understand that the dry down times vary by batch, and that testing (and retesting with age) is in order, but having the range narrowed by another user is nice and appreciated.

Okay, no worries. Hope my data assists that.

TomWB · Dec 2, 2005

Thanks for all the information in here. I am probably not the only one that prints threads to pdf for future reference! (Wish there was a way to open all 6 pages and print at same time...)

In my snooping here and Rh website and photo.net, I realize I "probably" need the Stopclock Vario since I am using a cold light head, Aristo D? from 1989 (the one that is poor for vc papers), and more recently the 4500 vcl. It would be nice to have the vario head with the integrated meter, but I understand from a previous answer by Richard that is not cost-effective, difficult from an engineering standpoint. I work with wood a lot, but the idea of drilling into my $1200 cold light head is kind of imposing....thanks again Tom in Seattle

David Brown · Dec 10, 2005

David Brown said:
Ordered mine Monday night (effectively Tuesday in England.) Got a shipping notice email today (Wed.). I'll post when I receive delivery.

David

Opps. I'm a week late. I rec'd the timer on Saturday of the same week I ordered it!!! (last week)

I've been learning the machine, and tonight and tomorrow will get some real printing done. (It's been an unusually busy week, but that's another story ...:rolleyes: )

I'll let y'all know!

Big thanks to Richard Ross for his service before, during, and especially after the sale!

FWIW: I was able to buy the adapters locally for under $5.00. Any good computer parts place should have them.

Cheers.

David

seadrive · Dec 11, 2005

Ya know, you guys should be ashamed of yourselves for torturing people, just two weeks before Christmas, when we're all broke!

Must...put...down...the...credit...card...

Is there a 12 step program for photo junkies?

TomWB · Dec 11, 2005

seadrive said:
Ya know, you guys should be ashamed of yourselves for torturing people, just two weeks before Christmas, when we're all broke!

Must...put...down...the...credit...card...

Is there a 12 step program for photo junkies?

I ordered my stuff last week, shipped on the 7th, and they attempted to deliver to my office the 10th! So I will get tomorrow at work. Service beats the heck out of B&H. Unlike David, I won't have any time to do any printing with it until after New Year's, unless someone wants to adopt my kids for the next two weeks!

I won't be broke until about February when the CC bills come due. But I have to admit the total amount in pounds looked a lot better before they converted to USD! Plus, this is only my second timer, the first one was purchased new in 1988!

nolindan · May 6, 2006

F-Stop timers

KenM said:
If you're after a simple f/stop timer, you can always purchase a kit from this guy.

The kit form is no longer available. The timer is $159 + s/h [$12 domestic 3-day].

The timer is not so simple:

o Dedicated dodge mode, an exclusive

o Progressive burns-within-burns and dodge-within-dodges

o Displays time directly in stops, you don't have to count keystrokes
or remember "hmmm, the display shows 21.4 seconds, how many stops
over 19.3 seconds is that? And am I in 1/6ths, 1/12ths or 1/24ths mode?
If I am in 1/12ths then I tap the UP key eight times for 3/4 of a stop, or
is it 9 times?"

o Test strips at _any_ starting exposure and step increment.

o Range of 1 to 955 seconds: 0.0 to 9.9 stops

1/2 the price, twice the features and you don't have to re-wire it for 120V.

Nicholas Lindan - shameless self-promotion:

http://www.nolindan.com/da/fstop/

photomc · May 6, 2006

Funny, I did not have to rewire my Stop-Clock pro for 120v, it came that way.

lee · May 6, 2006

me either Mike I wonder if Les knows about his article being used here too? I will ask him when he comes here is a few weeks.

lee\c

FrankB · May 6, 2006

nolindan said:
The kit form is no longer available. The timer is $159 + s/h [$12 domestic 3-day].

The timer is not so simple:

o Dedicated dodge mode, an exclusive

o Progressive burns-within-burns and dodge-within-dodges

o Displays time directly in stops, you don't have to count keystrokes
or remember "hmmm, the display shows 21.4 seconds, how many stops
over 19.3 seconds is that? And am I in 1/6ths, 1/12ths or 1/24ths mode?
If I am in 1/12ths then I tap the UP key eight times for 3/4 of a stop, or
is it 9 times?"

Funny, I've had a Stopclock Pro for a bit over three years now and have never asked myself any of those questions...

nolindan said:
o Test strips at _any_ starting exposure and step increment.

o Range of 1 to 955 seconds: 0.0 to 9.9 stops

1/2 the price,

Granted

nolindan said:
twice the features

Erm, I think that might be a slight exaggeration... In the same way that my use of the word "slight" is a slight understatement...!

nolindan said:
and you don't have to re-wire it for 120V.

Do you have to rewire it for 240?

nolindan said:
Nicholas Lindan - shameless self-promotion:

http://www.nolindan.com/da/fstop/

I'm sure it's an excellent product. However, the StopClock Pro is also an excellent product.

Credit where it's due, and all that. Live and let live.

photomc · May 6, 2006

lee said:
me either Mike I wonder if Les knows about his article being used here too? I will ask him when he comes here is a few weeks.

lee\c

Thought the same thing Lee...and such a shame the link is to a mag that is not around anymore...so we can't ask them either.

lee · May 6, 2006

Mike I am sure Les ok'ed the article in the first place in the magazine. What I am questioning is whether or not Mr. Lindan has the right to use it to sell his timer. Les clearly endorses RH Designs Stop Clock timer, not the one that Mr Lindan builds and sells. In fact, I would even wonder if Les even knows this timer exists. He will soon.

lee\c

B&W_arthur · May 7, 2006

I am a new comer to B&W darkroom processing. Just bought a Durst M605 enlarger and other stuffs such as Nova processor and etc, excepting timer. Here is my question:

Should I buy the Analyser Pro? Does it support also split-grade printing?
Or the Stopclock Professional + Zonemaster II?

Since anyone of these products is not really cheap (including shipping cost),
I would like to have others' advice before I commit to burn my money.
Please feel free to make suggestions. ;p

Dave Miller · May 7, 2006

B&W_arthur said:
I am a new comer to B&W darkroom processing. Just bought a Durst M605 enlarger and other stuffs such as Nova processor and etc, excepting timer. Here is my question:

Should I buy the Analyser Pro? Does it support also split-grade printing?
Or the Stopclock Professional + Zonemaster II?

Since anyone of these products is not really cheap (including shipping cost),
I would like to have others' advice before I commit to burn my money.
Please feel free to make suggestions. ;p

If you search the forum threads you will find many that have discussed these products. They have been very well supported by forum members. I have an RH Design timer, and would not be parted from it. It has excellent built quality and will be working long after I am not.

Buy cheap; get cheap.

nolindan · May 7, 2006

photomc said:
Funny, I did not have to rewire my Stop-Clock pro for 120v, it came that way.

Ah, I should have checked, at one time they came without the plugs and jacks for US power cords and you had to add them yourself. This isn't uncommon in the UK where appliances etc. often come without the plug at the end of the cord -- never figured it out, maybe it is a left-over from the days when the UK had several different electrical systems: at one time part of London ran on 110V when the rest of the city ran on 220V.

Dave Miller · May 7, 2006

nolindan said:
This isn't uncommon in the UK where appliances etc. often come without the plug at the end of the cord -- never figured it out, maybe it is a left-over from the days when the UK had several different electrical systems: at one time part of London ran on 110V when the rest of the city ran on 220V.

Go get your facts straight, and then try posting this again. :rolleyes:

FrankB · May 7, 2006

nolindan said:
This isn't uncommon in the UK where appliances etc. often come without the plug at the end of the cord

Sorry I'm a bit late responding, I was down at the end of the garden using the outdoors privy. Then, of course, I had to shovel some more coal in the back of the computer before I could see your post. Thank goodness it's summer, and I won't have to light the gas lamps until later when I come back from burning the witch they've found in the village.

:rolleyes:

nolindan said:
never figured it out

Evidently.

Dinesh · May 7, 2006

I saw Les use the RH at the conference this weekend and it is indeed a magical piece of equipment (of course Les does make split printing look very effortless).

Andy K · May 7, 2006

nolindan said:
This isn't uncommon in the UK where appliances etc. often come without the plug at the end of the cord -- never figured it out, maybe it is a left-over from the days when the UK had several different electrical systems: at one time part of London ran on 110V when the rest of the city ran on 220V.

Gor bloimey Guvnor, Oi be'er ge' mesel' down them apples an pears to check moy umberrella is still hangin besoyde moy bowler 'at! It looks a royt pea souper out there today me old china! Chim-chiminy chim-chiminy chim-chim cheree...

RJS · May 7, 2006

I've been printing b&w for well over 30 years. The RH Designs Stop Clock Pro is absoloutely and positively (with one minor change) the best thing thing in my darkroom. They sent me a new chip so the safe light goes off when the focus is turned on. It is now perfect! Don't be without one.

RHDesigns fstop timers

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