Timer recommendations

jd callow · Aug 5, 2004

I have an L1200 with a 501 colour head. I need to get a timer and know nothing about them beyond how to use them.

Any recommendations would be helpful...

Background:
I am going to be building my own colour darkroom over August. I have a Hope 26" paper processor, Wing-lynch film processor (which is already in service), Durst L1200 assorted lenses and neg holders and a heavy duty drop table.

There are a handful of odds and ends that I'll be needing and will be asking those here on APUG for recommendations.

Thanks a barn full in advance....

titrisol · Aug 5, 2004

if money is not a concern get one of those cool timers from RHdesigns.
They allow a lot of tweaking of the picture and help in printing by f-stops

jd callow · Aug 5, 2004

money is an object, but not always an insurmountable one-- if one is patient and keeps a steely eyeball on ebay.

FrankB · Aug 5, 2004

I have an RH Designs Stopclock Pro.

I took a very long, deep breath before I bought it, as it certainly isn't cheap. However, it is worth every penny. It came with a 10 day money-back guarantee. By the end of the ten days I would've rather parted with my back teeth!

Later that year I handprinted some calendars for friends and family. It involved me doing about 125 RC handprints in a stupidly short space of time (never again!). Without the StopClock I'd be going still!

It makes simple jobs effortless and hard jobs simple. Here's a link to the website http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/SCPro.html

Les is the chap to ask about it, though.

titrisol · Aug 5, 2004

I'd get a digital timer, repeatable, solid state and shouldn't be too expensive @bay
Gralab, Bessler or similar.
There's a few on ebay right now, Omega 404, Gralab 505/525/555, etc.

Good luck

jd callow · Aug 5, 2004

The stop clock pro is 170.00 usd. That is a goodly some of jake...
oddly, a search on ebay returnd this:" Did you mean... stopcock professional ?" when i submited StopClock Professional.

hmmm.

Meanwhile, I'm watching the GRAlab 450 525, and 505 Omega CT40, and the Epoi Printol on ebay. I wouldn't know a good one from apple butter.

FrankB · Aug 5, 2004

I paid 185 ukp including tax and postage. Which hurt. A lot.

I maintain, they'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hand!

titrisol · Aug 5, 2004

I have a foot switch that I can;t use in my timer.
If you get a good timer and want it I'll send it to you as long as you pay the postage.

Les McLean · Aug 5, 2004

The Stopclock Pro is certainly one of the best timers in the market place, IMO the only one that gets near to it is the Metrolux. I've got to be honest here for I have had a little involvement in suggesting some of the features on the timer so I guess that I may be a little biased. In addition to the fstop printing facility is has two channels to allow for a timer for each grade if split grade printing. It is programable and has a very good drydown compensating feature. If you use a cold light head it also has a compensating feature that adjusts the timer speed to take account of any fluctuations in the intensity of the lamp during exposure so that your print is always the same tonality as the test strip. It is operated from a footswitch which is invaluable IMO for it means that both hands are always free, this may seem an insignificant feature but once you've used a footswitch you realise the benefits. It is also the only timer on the market to my knowledge that allows you to adjust when the lenlarget lamp illuminates in relation to starting the timer for some enlargers have a delay in when the lamp lights after activating the timer. The Stopclock allows you to adjust that.

IMO the Metrolux is an excellent timer, Ive used then often when working in the US but the Stopclock has the edge.

Dave Miller · Aug 5, 2004

RHdesign timers are remarkably cheap for what they are: great time and material savers. Flog the cat and buy one today.

lee · Aug 5, 2004

IMO, the Metrolux II has the edge but unlike Les I only own one and use one daily. =8^). For the money you get 6 programable channels and real time. With the accessories you can resize and adjust the time automatically and it can be a small densitometer and it features a shutter timer checker. I don't think the RHdesigns do all that but I could be wrong.

lee\c

Leon · Aug 5, 2004

Dave Miller said:
RHdesign timers are remarkably cheap for what they are: great time and material savers. Flog the cat and buy one today.

I'll second that ... I have the analyser pro and dont think I could do without it.

clogz · Aug 5, 2004

The Analyser Pro has made life in the darkroom a lot easier for me. But then I only do B&W
Hans

sanking · Aug 5, 2004

lee said:
IMO, the Metrolux II has the edge but unlike Les I only own one and use one daily. =8^). For the money you get 6 programable channels and real time. With the accessories you can resize and adjust the time automatically and it can be a small densitometer and it features a shutter timer checker. I don't think the RHdesigns do all that but I could be wrong.

lee\c

I have a Metrolux II timer and it is hard for me to believe that anything could be better, but the caveat is that I have never used the RHdesigns. But the Metrolux does everything I could ask for and more, including the ability to function as a shutter tester.

However, I do have a question. The Metrolux II is a timer based on light integration and it measures the amount of light that can potentially fall on the sensitized material and affect exposure, in the way that a water meter measures the amount of water that passes through the system. Is the timer of the RHdesigns also based on light integration?

Sandy

clay · Aug 5, 2004

sanking said:
I have a Metrolux II timer and it is hard for me to believe that anything could be better, but the caveat is that I have never used the RHdesigns. But the Metrolux does everything I could ask for and more, including the ability to function as a shutter tester.

However, I do have a question. The Metrolux II is a timer based on light integration and it measures the amount of light that can potentially fall on the sensitized material and affect exposure, in the way that a water meter measures the amount of water that passes through the system. Is the timer of the RHdesigns also based on light integration?

Sandy

Sandy,
I have the RH designs timer with the light integrator module that plugs right into the Zone VI head on my enlarger. It works really well, and makes doing test strips exceedingly easy since it is a true f-stop timer. It also makes split grade printing a breeze. I can't say enough good things about it.

galyons · Aug 5, 2004

Just my $.02, (which, unfortunately, due to the state of our economy, isn't worth stooping over to pick-up!). I have had the RH Designs StopClock Pro and accompanying ZoneMaster II in use for about 2 months. (Which was purchased quite pleasantly from a fellow APUG'er. Thank you, Jim!) I have been using the clock for about 60 days now. Bottomline, I am hooked. Tremendous savings in materials,time, repeatable accuracy of prints, split-grade, dodge, burn, scaling size up/down, time for my nails to dry....oops wrong forum!

The learning curve on the timer is not steep. I am still trying to get an apprentice level competency with the ZoneMaster.

I have no practical familiarity with the MetroLux, but will wholeheartedly champion the StopClock!! As an aside, RHDesigns supports APUG and Les is a key contributor to both!
Hard to go wrong!!

Cheers,
Geary

Jorge · Aug 5, 2004

lee said:
IMO, the Metrolux II has the edge but unlike Les I only own one and use one daily. =8^). For the money you get 6 programable channels and real time. With the accessories you can resize and adjust the time automatically and it can be a small densitometer and it features a shutter timer checker. I don't think the RHdesigns do all that but I could be wrong.

lee\c

Another advantage of the metrolux, if you put a ND on top of the cell, you can do alt printing under the sun or with fluorescent bulbs and get consistent exposures. No need to get a plateburner. I was very tempted to go this way until I found a plate burner for a couple of G`s

Les McLean · Aug 5, 2004

I have little knowledge of electronics but I understand that the sensor in the Stopclock reads the light level every 1/100th of 1 second and adjusts the speed of the timer accordingly. Therefore, when the lamp is brighter the clock speeds up and when it's less bright it slows down. I also have the Zone VI compensating timer, somewhere in a box, and frankly it's crap when compared with the Stopclock.

Lee made the point that the Metrolux has shutter time checking and other facilities that the Stopclock has not but I cannot comment on those for I have not used them. Bottom line is that they are both excellent timers and you'll not go wrong with either. I am a great fstop printing fan and until you have tried it you'll never realise the control that it gives. before I used it I was very sceptical but once I started I could never return to linear timing. I take my own fstop timer to all workshops that I do.

jd callow · Aug 5, 2004

Excelent Information-- As always.

I will create searches in ebay for Stopclock Pro and Metrolux. I have yet to investigate pricing for the Metrolux, but suspect that if the StopClock retails for 170.00 usd it will sell on ebay for under 125.00.

The paper processor, 2 porta mixers, water temp control and filters, the enlarger, table and lenses cost me Nothing and the film processor, which came with the Wing-lynch filter and water temp panels, and film drier was a trade for services. Total out of pocket 0.00usd

I should be able to justify one of those timers to my far more attractive half.

titrisol,
Thank you very much for the offer I may take you up on it.

FrankB, Les, Clogz, Dave Miller, Leaon, Clay, Jorge, Geary, titrisol, and Sandy Thank you one and all.

It never ceases to amaze me how well informed and helpful this place is. I shudder to think how this thread might have been treated on photonet. This is without a doubt the best forum on the web with the best membership.

Oooh shoot now I need a hanky.

jd callow · Aug 5, 2004

The metroLux II has an MSRP of 345.00. This may cut into my film and paper kitty. RH Designs does support APUG so I'm leaning their way. @ 170.00 I may buy direct if nothing shows up on ebay.

clogz · Aug 5, 2004

You can download the manual from the RHDesigns website.
Hans

martin@jangowski.de · Aug 6, 2004

mrcallow said:
I have an L1200 with a 501 colour head. I need to get a timer and know nothing about them beyond how to use them.

Any recommendations would be helpful...

I bought a RHD Analyzer Plus in 1997 and used it happily until last year. Sold it for a nice piece of money and invested this in a Stopclock/Zonemaster combo. I can't think of a better tool in the darkroom... it could measure a little faster and include fasteners for wall mounting, but this is nothing important. It saves lots of time usually spent by stupidly developing test strips just to get near the target... now the first shot is very close, and you can spend the time fine-tuning the result. Excellent, and until now four of my friends bought the Analyzer after one session playing with it (or the Zonemaster/Stopclock) in my darkroom.

Martin

Timer recommendations

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