X-Rite 810 Densitometer

[Richard Wasserman]

So the other night I couldn't sleep and found myself buying an X-Rite 810 on ebay for a very good price. I just received it and it looks to be in very nice condition and is complete with everything I need-even a couple spare bulbs. It now occurs to me that I don't know how to use it. I have downloaded the instruction manual, so the mechanics of operating it are taken care of. Can anyone suggest a text that would walk me through what to do with the readings from this machine? I need help with the math and graphing. Luckily I have a bright high school student at home who is willing to help his math challenged father. Thanks!

Richard

 

[sanking]

So the other night I couldn't sleep and found myself buying an X-Rite 810 on ebay for a very good price. I just received it and it looks to be in very nice condition and is complete with everything I need-even a couple spare bulbs. It now occurs to me that I don't know how to use it. I have downloaded the instruction manual, so the mechanics of operating it are taken care of. Can anyone suggest a text that would walk me through what to do with the readings from this machine? I need help with the math and graphing. Luckily I have a bright high school student at home who is willing to help his math challenged father. Thanks!

Richard

I have an X-Rite 810 and it is indeed an excellent instrument. You should be able to figure out everything you need to know with the instruction manual. That assumes that you have the calibration wedge and plaque? If not, you will need to either buy them from X-Rite or figure out an alternative way of calibrating your instrument.

Sandy

 

[bobbysandstrom]

I have that model also. I got it for 200.00 on ebay. WOW! It works perfect. The machine is easy as pie to use. I just recently got the calibration wedges and it's a snap to use. Just follow the instructions from the pdf online. If you don't have these, it will cost you $100.00+ There a 2 wedges... one for refelection and one for transmission. Get them both so you can calibrate your film to your papers.

Enjoy it!

Bob

 

[PeterDendrinos]

So the other night I couldn't sleep and found myself buying an X-Rite 810 on ebay for a very good price. I just received it and it looks to be in very nice condition and is complete with everything I need-even a couple spare bulbs. It now occurs to me that I don't know how to use it. I have downloaded the instruction manual, so the mechanics of operating it are taken care of. Can anyone suggest a text that would walk me through what to do with the readings from this machine? I need help with the math and graphing. Luckily I have a bright high school student at home who is willing to help his math challenged father. Thanks!

Richard

I too have this unit. All I can do is agree with the others, easy as pie. X-rite is easy to work with if you need service. Get the wedges from them, they are handy to have!

Pete

 

[L Gebhardt]

So the other night I couldn't sleep and found myself buying an X-Rite 810 on ebay for a very good price. I just received it and it looks to be in very nice condition and is complete with everything I need-even a couple spare bulbs. It now occurs to me that I don't know how to use it. I have downloaded the instruction manual, so the mechanics of operating it are taken care of. Can anyone suggest a text that would walk me through what to do with the readings from this machine? I need help with the math and graphing. Luckily I have a bright high school student at home who is willing to help his math challenged father. Thanks!

Richard

First calibrate it as described in the manual. Then take readings of film and paper. Try the book Beyond The Zone System by Phil Davis on what to do with the readings.

Without buying the book get a 21 step Step Wedge and contact print on film or paper to get 20 different exposures on one sheet. You can then plot the eposure (step wedge) against the actual density developed (read with your 810). This will give you the characteristic curve for the material and the development you used. Reading the curve is beyond a simple post.

 

[m. dowdall]

calibrating

What are the densities of the transmission and reflection calibration tablets. I have a Kodak model 2 A.K.A. X-Rite 811 without the the calibration tablets. I'd like to use the Stouffer step wedge and a Kodak reflection density guide to calibrate it. But I need to know the values to calibrate to.

 

[Richard Wasserman]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I picked up a copy of Beyond the Zone System and it's just what I needed. I understand how to take the readings, but not what to do with the data; the book seems to do a good job of explaining that part. Hopefully this weekend I'll have time to start using the densitometer- it should be interesting.

Richard

 

[bobbysandstrom]

Richard, do yourself a favor and get the plotter software and the palm software. There's also a video explaining the system. It's the greatest. Call fred over at view camera store and he'll get you set up pronto. It's pretty simple and straight forward when you have the software. No drawing curves (PIA) just enter the appropriate readings off your 810 into the system and the program gives you all you need to know.

 

[sanking]

What are the densities of the transmission and reflection calibration tablets. I have a Kodak model 2 A.K.A. X-Rite 811 without the the calibration tablets. I'd like to use the Stouffer step wedge and a Kodak reflection density guide to calibrate it. But I need to know the values to calibrate to.

The stated densities from the X-Rite calibration step wedge area as follows.

Linearity 4

V. 3.76
R. 3.84
G. 3.75
B. 3.88

CAL HI

V 2.98
R. 2.99
G. 2.96
B. 2.99

Linearity 2

V. 1.55
R. 1.56
G. 1.52
B. 1.52

Linearity 1
V 0.29
R. 0.29
G. 0.28
B. 0.29

Any of these densities can be equated to specific numbers on the Stouffer step tablets. I really don't know how to give you useful information from the reflection plaques? Maybe someone else can suggest how?

Best,

Sandy

 

[Richard Wasserman]

The reflection plaque numbers are:

White
V 0.07
R 0.08
G 0.07
B 0.07

Grey

V 0.95
R 0.95
G 0.94
B 0.94

Black

V 1.79
R 1.77
G 1.80
B 1.79

I hope this helps
Richard

 

[m. dowdall]

Thanks guys

The reflection density guide I have, has 12 steps from 0.0 to 1.75. So it looks like I'll pass on getting X-Rite's calibration tablets.

Are the linearity values used just for checking the 'linearity' of the scale above and below the calibration high point? The manual doesn't mention linearity in the calibration steps.

Michael

 

[JHannon]

Hello Michael,

I was wondering if you had any success using the Stouffer wedges. I just bought a model 810 and it has no calibration plates.

I am assuming I should buy the calibrated reflection and transmission 21 step or 12 step wedges?

Thanks,
John

 

[m. dowdall]

John

I've been using an uncalibrated Stouffer transmission step tablet. I checked it against a late sixties Macbeth densitometer and it's calibration transmission step tablet. The Stouffer step tablet is very close to the Macbeth one. So as far as I can tell the Stouffer works for transmission calibration.

As for reflection calibration, the Kodak reflection density guide that I used is from the fifties. It's possible that it has faded some over the years. The values stated are linear but the readings are not. I've used the greater density as my calibration point and checked against the test prints made with the paper I use and the Stouffer tablet. Although I didn't plot them on a graph. The reflected values appear to fallow the appropriate curves for the papers different contrast grades. So the values for reflection are not set to a standard density. But all I need right now is to be able to measure the change in densities. In the future I’m going to get one of Stouffer’s reflection step tablets.

Michael

 

[JHannon]

Michael,

Thanks for the information. I have a Stouffer 21 step transmission that Donald Miller was kind enough to measure and record the values for me. Looks like I should get the Reflection from Stouffer too.

Regards,
John

 

[Donald Miller]

I have the 810 with reflective and transmission capability...(some do not have the reflective head). I have the Xrite reflective tablet and it is not as easy as taking one reading and transposing it to each of the channels. Each of the channels will have a different value for each of the three readings that are used to calibrate the instrument. Just wanted to mention this before someone goes crazy trying to figure why things aren't working as they should.

 

[m. dowdall]

Thanks for the heads up Donald. I only read the visual channel at the moment in reflective mode. The reflective step tablet I plan on getting from Stouffer is colour calibrated. I'm assuming that the transmisive step wedge is balanced for colour. I’ve checked it with an old Macbeth densitometer and it’s reads as balanced.

Michael