Digital BW, The Print

What kind of density measurements does the PrintFix Pro make?  Status  A, T 
or something else?
 
If it doesn't measure Status A, can its measurements be converted to Status  
A?  How?
 
Helene
 
 
 
 

I agree  with David Tobie's comments, but if you would like a
densitometer here's my  rather dense two cents.

Do you have any need for a transmission  densitometer (ie for film) or
is a reflection instrument (for prints) all  that you need?

Though the final image tone depends on what I find  pleasing rather
than what the densitometer says, I find colour readings  helpful when
deciding on changes to the ink mix when neutralising a  profile. You
should bear in mind that the filters used in a densitometer  were
tailored for a particular process, and they may not be  entirely
suitable for other applications. 

To save you searching  back in the archives, here's what I wrote about
a month ago in reply to a  similar question:

I'm only familiar with a few Macbeth instruments, and  my experience
with densitometers is mostly in cinematography and  photography rather
than printing, so this is a bit biased. I'll only  mention those that
can do visual reflection measurements, because I guess  that is what
you are most interested in.

The TR924 is a good  all-round photo densitometer. It has both
transmission and reflection  heads. It has visual (Wratten 106 filter,
amber, to mimic the spectral  response of the eye), Status A and Status
M RGB channels for transmission;  and visual and Status A RGB for
reflection. Status A filters are glass  spectral interference
(dichroic) filters for use with prints and  transparencies intended for
viewing. Status M filters are used for negative  and interpositive
materials. The TR524 and TR1224 are similar. The RD919 is  the
reflection-only equivalent.

The RD918 is similar to the 919, but  it has Status I narrowband RGB
filters instead of Status A, in addition to  the visual. I'm afraid
that I have no knowledge of Status I densitometry,  other than that it
is intended for use with inks.

Addition for this  time round:
Status T is a broadband filter set. Broadband filters overlap  a
little, narrowband ones have gaps. They (Status T) are RGB or  CMY
gelatin filters (R is a Wratten 25 or equiv, G is 61, B is 47)  Most
Macbeth Status T densitometers either don't have visual filters or  are
transmission only. The RD921 is a reflection-only Status T  CMY
instrument that has a visual filter.

Any instrument that has  gelatin filters is more likely to have faded
filters than a dichroic  (interference) type. The green filter is
especially prone to  fading.


 


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