Digital BW, The Print

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Seth Rossman" <seth@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 1:27 PM
Subject: [Digital BW] Densitometers ?


> For those of you using reflection densitometers, what are you using?
>
> If you have tried others and liked them better or worse, what where they?
>
> Thanks,
>
Seth,

I am using an X-Rite 811 reflection/transmission color densitometer. I have
also used an older MacBeth, don't recall the model, that was equivalent to
the X-Rite.

My choice was driven by that was available for sale on e-Bay at the time. A
new 811 sells for over $4000 and I got one for $300 - $350. Like the popular
810 it was designed for use in processing labs to keep color processing
equipment calibrated. If you go this route be careful what you buy. X-Rite
and other companies make all sorts of densitometers for various printing and
photo applications. Some are great for what we are doing and others would be
poor choices.

For doing B&W work I think you are much better off with one of the high end
used densitometers than on of the cheap new ones that are on the market.
Especially for B&W printing where you would like some RGB information as
well as neutral density in order to assess the hue of a print or look for
any color shift over time.

Martin Wesley