xrite 361t

[mitch brown]

hi all
can the xrite 361t be used to test for film speed , zone 1 and zone vIII . with PMK negs. i see where it is used eith the UV channel for pyro negs for alt processes but have read that it doesn't work with negs for VC silver . i know it studpid but isn't the density of zone 1 the same for any developer ( fb+f +.1) no mater the developer? thanks
mitch

 

[BobNewYork]

Shouldn't be any problem. Any densitometer should work for this. I believe that with pyro negs you need to use blue channel on an analyzer because of the yellow stain that comprises a major part of the image density. At least I think that's right??!! There'll be some pyromaniacs along soon to confirm this - or perhaps put me in my place!

Is the xrite a reflection densitometer as well as transmission?

 

[Dug]

The xrite 361T is a transmission densitometer. It can be used for film testing.

I use the Ortho channel on the 361T to measure density for regular silver processes and the UV channel to measure negatives for Kallitype and Palladium printing. For kicks I measure both Ortho and UV and see how they relate to each other. The thing to keep in mind is to follow through your measuring with test printing and determine what works for you. I have settled on Pyrocat for regular negatives and PMK for enlarged negatives using lithographic film.

For testing film speed I do the exposure/development time zone work, but also contact print a step tablet and compare negative density to step tablet density (using the UV channel on the 361T) as well as print evaluations to come to a conclusion about what works and what doesn't. Measuring and testing are a small part of the overall journey. After a while you will begin to "see" what negatives will work. Most of the time prints "fail" for me because the density ranges don't fall right and there are a myriad of reasons for this. Onward....

 

[Rob Vinnedge]

Check out the article by Bob Herbst on www.unblinkingeye.com about the 361T and pyro negs.

 

[TimVermont]

No problem at all using the 361T, just push a button and you can toggle back and forth from UV to visual. Parts and service are still readily available from X-Rite. I found it very informative as I switched to Pyrocat -those thin looking (to the eye) Pyrocat negs that print beautifully aren't so thin when read via the UV channel.