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Second Hand Densitometer
Hi there,
can anyone recommend where to buy a second hand densitometer in the UK? At the moment I can't afford a new one, so I need to rely on used equipment. I had a look on eBay, but I prefer going into a store and see the item before buying it. Cheers, Valerio |
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My advice based on recent experience is to make sure that replacement lamps are readily available and not too expensive, a good idea to purchase a couple of spares.
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Valerio |
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Densitometer - a postscript
I ought to add that, shortly after I started using it, the backlight of the LCD screen stopped working. I brought up a TH desk lamp to see better, which works fine. Compared with the (analogue) instruments I used to use, this Macbeth TR1224 is wonderful. It's rock-steady, for a start, and changes from transmission to reflection mode at the touch of two buttons. For manual logging of data it displays visual (106) and status R, G, B readings simultaneously. If you have the patience to wade through the manual and program your computer to make use of serial data, it has an RS232C connection at the back.
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bit difficult to recommend a store when we have no idea where you're located. Suggest you phone your local stores.
There is MrCad in London who might have one or SDS near Oxford or FFordes in Scotland. Just phone around cos its not the sort of thing that is common and may not even show in their websites. |
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You might be lucky with retailers already mentioned. If not then SDS and possibly others will alert you by e-mail when they get one in.
Depending on how long you are willing to wait then e-bay may be your best bet. If you have a full range of the right questions to ask before one comes up on e-bay then as long as you get the answers you need you should be OK. if it doesn't match up to what you were told then institute the refund escape, having got the evidence you need previously that you were not being told the truth. If you don't get straight answers or there is a "no refund" stipulation or "returns not accepted" then run a mile Mike |
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I bought a X-Rite 811 off ebay for £60 including standards and manual. When it arrived it needed a new reflectance bulb which was only available from America for £50 including shipping, I bought a new Transmission Standard too at the same time as they only have a limited lifespan which cost me a further £45.
If you just want it to get an EI for a film for yourself, if you shoot the negatives and send them to me, I will let you know what values they give and return them. |
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It had always struck me, rightly or wrongly, that the cost of a reliable densitometer is very high in relation to the number of times it is needed and a service such as you might want to offer might be the alternative way to go. You may only have the one taker but if there are several involving time and effort on your part I'd have thought a small charge for your service may be in order. Mike |
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Hi Mike,
I would be happy to do this for those that require it providing the cost of return postage is covered. To be honest, as you say the densitometer does not get regular use as once you have your EI it is not often required anymore. It would be nice to be able to use it on a regular basis. The upside is it does not take long to do the readings once you have your negatives and if the following procedure is followed (adapted from Fred Pickers Zone System Workshop) it is quite logical. The time is taken up doing the first set of negatives and then doing a second set of negatives which are then processed at different times to finalise the processing/EI for your particular process and film and this is all done by the person requiring the EI. |
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