[alt-photo] Re: Spot meter as densitometer

[etienne garbaux]

Joe wrote:

>What I'm looking for is how to get a density reading off an APHS 
>neg, that has been enlarged from a 4x5, in order to make a kallitype or cyan.
>Have a spot meter and a photo step tablet.Any suggestions?

Phil Davis showed how to use a spotmeter as a makeshift densitometer 
in his book.  If you Google "spotmeter densitometer" you will find, 
among other things, some of the relevant pages in Google 
Books.  Essentially, you put a close-up lens on the spotmeter and 
read the area of interest with the spotmeter.  You have to be careful 
to minimize flare and to make sure the light source provides very 
consistent lighting.  You can calibrate the system using the step tablet.

Best regards,

etienne