Hey Film & Darkroom folks! Found EM-10 exposure monitor on Ebay.

[tropicpine]

This device acts as light meter for your enlarger allowing you to produce differnt size prints without having to reguess exposure. I have one I have enjoyed for years and I recomend this to others.



http://cgi.ebay.com/Ilford-EM10-Expo...A3%7C294%3A200

[The Loft Studios]

You can use your light meter and your "Clear Film Base" to do the same thing.....

[The Loft Studios]

Ooopps, Double Post..... SORRY!

[tropicpine]

I paid about $25 for my em10 and about $175 for my light meter.

However, I would like to know how to use a light meter for this purpose. CAn you provide any details?

[The Loft Studios]

Well I assume most people already have a light meter, therefore it wouldn't be necessary to pay for the device you describe. But anyway, when I did Darkroom work 20 years ago, LOL (I sort of miss it)..... I would always do a blank shot where only the "Film Base" could be used. Because most of my prints started at 8x10 and went up to 30x40, i used 8x10 as a reference. I would take my Film Base and place it in the Negative Carrier. Raise the Enlarger up to the point to completely fill the 8x10 Easel. I would put in a full size 8x10 sheet of paper and do one second interval exposures (usually at an aperture between f/8 to f/16. Once the paper is developed, you would get sort of like a "Zone System" grey card effect that starts with pure white and goes up to pure black. At what ever point your black is longer visible (in this hypothetical situation, let's say 7 seconds) this is called your "Film Base Exposure". Now assuming that you purchase your film in Batches, which all Professional Photographers were taught to do, and if all of your exposures are correct, then in order to print "Full Negative" 8x10, you would use an exposure time of 7 seconds. BOOM - Perfectly Exposed Print. Now if you choose to do some burning and dodging, then that's up to you. Now simply take your light meter, TAKE THE DOME OFF, set the ISO at a large number (let's say 6400), place your light meter on the easel, turn on the enlarger and do a 7 second exposure with your Flim Base in place. Now let's say that the light falling upon the meter gives you an exposure of f/4 @ 1/125 (Keep this written down somewhere) Now if you want to do a 16x20 and have it exactly match the 8x10 print, put in the negative that you want to print, simple raise your enlarger up to the proper height for a 16x20 or higher if there is some cropping to do. Make sure the negative is sharp using your grain finder. Now, take out the print negative and put back in the Film Base. Place your light meter back on the easel and take an exposure keeping the meter at f/4. YOU ARE GOING TO GET A DIFFERENT EXPOSURE, let's say that exposure is f/4 @ 1/30. Now, the difference between 1/125 and 1/30 is 2 stops. Now take your aperture on the enlarger lens and open it up 2 stops. THERE YOU GO. Put back in your Print Negative and print it. Because times have change, the only easier way to do this back in the day was to have an Negative Analyzer or Densitometer which cost Thousands of dollars, so what was more cheaper, your Light Meter (which you had anyway) or an expensive Analyzer or Densitometer? So, even though your purchase is great, this is just another way to utilize a device in which some photographer should already have.

Also, that monitor you have actually meters the same light and is used in the same way, but in the darkroom. So in essence, there's really no difference in using it and/or your light meter.....

[Big Dog]

Originally Posted by The Loft Studios

Also, that monitor you have actually meters the same light and is used in the same way, but in the darkroom. So in essence, there's really no difference in using it and/or your light meter.....

Well, except that my EM10 is in the darkroom and my light meter is in my camera bag ...

But even beyond that, I have to disagree with "used in the same way" and "no difference". The Ilford meter reads a very small area of a negative, so one can meter highlights, shadows, and in between. It is a much different approach than using a blank piece of film for an average exposure reading. One can also use it for much more than when changing enlargement sizes. Us mere mortals don't always have perfect 7 second negatives.

I agree that it is used for the same purpose, but not the "same way".

[The Loft Studios]

Oh boy.....