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PavelDerka
18th November 2010, 09:36 PM
This is very good to hear. It is great that we have such a choice when so many photographic services for film have decided to no longer bother.

I know I want one, but I can't decide between the Analyzer pro 500 or the Stopclock 500.

Can't the features be rolled into one machine called the super duper 500? :D

Any advice from users would be appreciated.

Richard Gould
19th November 2010, 06:39 AM
Check with Richard, but I use the analyser pro and as far as I understand things you have the best of both worlds,The best enlarging meter ever made, coupled with a Fstop timer,I would go for the 500 analyser pro, I wouldn't be without mine now, Richard

Dave miller
19th November 2010, 08:26 AM
If you check Richards website (http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/index.html) you will find a description of both devices. I believe the StopClock has more timer functions than the Analyser Pro. I prefer to work from test strips so have chosen the StopClock. Well worth the money in my opinion. You can get the best of both worlds by buying a StopClock and his enlarging meter which will couple to the StopClock.

PavelDerka
19th November 2010, 03:06 PM
my difficulty in deciding is that I feel that as a beginer in printing the Analyzer would be better in that I won't bumble through so many test prints and before I develop better judgement I wont make so many poor choices in working prints. I like the thought that I can make a 5x7 and then the 11x14 print is relatively effortless. I have one ulterior motive in all of this as well ... and that is teaching my 10 year old how to do this. The easier it is for her to get to the "ground floor" with printing - the more likely it is for her to get hooked on this, and I really would like that.

The StopClock on the other hand is what I think I would prefer in the long run. I've already noticed that both Vicki and I tend not to print too many negatives but rather we seem to enjoy refining them.

On top of that there is also the fact that I have the Ilford 500 and tend to favor it right now. I tend to like condensers but I've got to find a under the lens holder for filters - right now I hold them by hand ... a far from optimal way to try to dodge and burn. :)

So it is not just a choice of Analyzer vs StopClock ... but also - which to get first ... for the 500 or the regular ones.

Apparently the StopClock 500 can't have the Zonemaster attached.

Any thoughts here on the relative merits of the Ilford head would be very much appreciated. The only thing I really dislike about it is the the noise of the fan. I thought the fan turned off after about 3 minutes but on mine it keeps going and going, buzzing and buzzing. Grrr.
Also the long term viability of it versus the much simpler D2 is a factor. Or is it? Can things like the power supplies be fixed always?

Dave miller
19th November 2010, 04:07 PM
I've opened a new thread since this discussion is wandering off the OP.
The split-grade printing that I think the Ilford 500 Multigrade head employes can be accomplished with the standard StopClock albeit with the need to swap filters.
I think for a beginner I would keep clear of the automation of an analyser so that an understanding of exposure and contrast selection is learnt.

Richard Gould
19th November 2010, 06:34 PM
Personally, for the purposes you outline I would get a analyser pro, you can get one ready for the 500 head, or get the timer and the,I think, zonemaster, which is the analyser part of the system,and couples to the timer, You will get to a good start quicker and easier than test strips, and perhaps for your daughter it might just help to keep her keen if she can see a good print quicker,and also the analyser could be a very good learning tool,Richard

stighagen
20th November 2010, 05:29 PM
I own the Analyser Pro 500, and donīt miss any features at all. And you can do test strips as well with it. You can make a reading with the enlarging meter and then a test strip based on that reading, the best of both worlds.

The analyser 500 version has more features then the standard analyser, so I feel myself there is little benefit buying the Stopclock and the Zonemaster together over the Analyser Pro 500 :-)