Gast
Hello everyone,
I’m not yet very familiar with the Heiland Splitgrade module, so I have a few questions:
How can one test developer/paper combinations in a way that’s easy to understand?
Can this be done by ‘eye’, or is it only possible or practical using standard values such as a grey scale or similar?
I’d be grateful if some Splitgrade users could share their experiences.
Best regards,
Matthias
Gast
Hello Matthias.
Heiland’s Splitgrade is a really useful ‘tool’ and easy to use. The included instruction manual explains everything you need to know. Anyone who owns a Splitgrade knows exactly what they’ve got! I’ll spare you any further words.
Now to your question. First of all, you should ask yourself what you actually want:
Do you want to produce prints/images that you like, or do you want to meet theoretical values/specifications?
I’m assuming that you want to produce images that match your vision and that you’re happy with.
Then the answer is simple: test combinations based on “look”! – that’s all you need!
Before I started working with Splitgrade, I used a Hauck Trialux. With that, I also had to carry out test runs for the different papers to obtain a specific ‘paper-device index’ for each paper. I carried out these test runs by eye as well, because the prints have to meet my expectations and not some theoretical specifications!
The advantage of the Splitgrade is that it offers a number of basic paper settings. Heiland did create these respective indices using a specific developer combination, but this is specified in the user manual, so you know which direction to take even before the first test. You can easily make your own adjustments by fine-tuning the settings in the device (gradient/time etc.) for the individual paper types and save them.
Last but not least, I carry out the development of my own papers (Oriental, Kentmere, Agfa and Classic/Forte) all in Calbe’s N113 at 24 °C for a time of 90 to a maximum of 120 seconds (depending on the paper). The results are exactly as I imagine them, and all adjustments (fine-tuning) were made by eye. Oh, and if you record your results in writing (simply in a small ‘lab notebook’ – it’s a useful thing to have), it’s hard for anything to go wrong. You should just make a note of which Splitgrade software version (e.g. 1.9 or 2.1 etc.) your corrections apply to, so that you have a reference point should you ever need to ‘update’ the software!
Best regards
Lo van de Renne
Gast
Thanks, Lo,
Your reply has helped me see things much more clearly.
I’ll have a go at trying out a few combinations myself.
Matthias
