I recently picked up a Dektronics Printalyzer. For normal B&W density readings it has been phenomenal. So far I've only used it for transmission readings with negatives, but I'm sure I'll get to reflective print readings before too long. I'm not new to the concept of testing exposure and development by reading Zone I and Zone VIII densities to establish (N) film speed and development times. I am fairly new to Pyrocat HD though.
For the purposes of dialing in speed and development, I have so far followed my normal procedure, the standard "put a piece of tape on a step wedge to get a totally opaque piece of it, then stick it in front of the film in the film holder, and expose a sheet at Zone X against a neutral featureless background in open shade" approach. I have developed and dried my negative.
For the purposes of printing on variable contrast silver gelatin paper with a normal enlarger (as opposed to something like graded/azo paper, or UV-based alt process), is there a way to get useful density readings this stained neg with my B&W densitometer? The research I've done to this point suggests that a color densitometer using the blue light might work. Is there a blue gel I could use to simulate the same effect since the Printalyzer is not a color densitometer?
I am aware of alternative testing procedures that don't measure negative density directly, and use contact prints of the step-wedge-imprinted negative and eye tests. Maybe that's where I'll land eventually. But I just got a new hammer and it seems worth checking to see just how much this "calibrating stained negatives for silver gelatin printing" problem is shaped like a nail.
For the purposes of dialing in speed and development, I have so far followed my normal procedure, the standard "put a piece of tape on a step wedge to get a totally opaque piece of it, then stick it in front of the film in the film holder, and expose a sheet at Zone X against a neutral featureless background in open shade" approach. I have developed and dried my negative.
For the purposes of printing on variable contrast silver gelatin paper with a normal enlarger (as opposed to something like graded/azo paper, or UV-based alt process), is there a way to get useful density readings this stained neg with my B&W densitometer? The research I've done to this point suggests that a color densitometer using the blue light might work. Is there a blue gel I could use to simulate the same effect since the Printalyzer is not a color densitometer?
I am aware of alternative testing procedures that don't measure negative density directly, and use contact prints of the step-wedge-imprinted negative and eye tests. Maybe that's where I'll land eventually. But I just got a new hammer and it seems worth checking to see just how much this "calibrating stained negatives for silver gelatin printing" problem is shaped like a nail.
