scott jones
4-Jun-2001, 21:01
As many asked from my last post about my Saunders/LPL 4500 XLG enlarger leaking light(http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=005NaN), I am posting my results from tests that I have just run.
My safe light (Patterson orange tabletop dome light 15w) tested safe even at ten minutes at 6 feet away (I process prints in a JOBO so my paper is exposed for o nly the time of the enlargement exposure; no trays). I was using Polymax Fine Ar t DW FB glossy paper pre-exposed to a light gray of approx Zone VI-VII.
I then put the lens cap on the enlarger and ran the same ten minute test on a pr e-exposed piece of paper with the safe light off but TONS of light spilling out of every conceivable crevice of my enlarger. I have black velvet on the walls in the corner that I use for the enlarger so there is no wall bounce, but after my eyes got used to the dark, I was amazed at how much light was hitting all aroun d my easle. I could easily see my hand with great detail. I could just make out the coins that I placed on the paper for incremental testing on this piece of pa per. I also tried to do the worst case scenario by having the enlarger head way down close to the paper. I was sure that my test would be very positive by the l ooks osf all of this.
To my great surprise, the print showed not a trace of fog from all of this light . My conclusion is that at least in my situation, it looks like I don't have to spend any time making "miniskirts" for my leaky enlarger (actually I'm quite rel ieved; this seemed like a big pain to me). My thoughts are that enlarging paper is slow enough that this type of light is insignificant. So as many of the peopl e who responded to my previous post hinted at, it may not make any difference wi th the leaks in this enlarger unless you have a direct bounce off a wall or obvi ous light hitting the paper. Light falling outside of the paper doesn't seem to have any effect at least in my case.
Any comments are welcome and I posted this in the spirit of feedback to all thos e who responded with prevoius comments about light leaks in enlargers in general ...
Scott
My safe light (Patterson orange tabletop dome light 15w) tested safe even at ten minutes at 6 feet away (I process prints in a JOBO so my paper is exposed for o nly the time of the enlargement exposure; no trays). I was using Polymax Fine Ar t DW FB glossy paper pre-exposed to a light gray of approx Zone VI-VII.
I then put the lens cap on the enlarger and ran the same ten minute test on a pr e-exposed piece of paper with the safe light off but TONS of light spilling out of every conceivable crevice of my enlarger. I have black velvet on the walls in the corner that I use for the enlarger so there is no wall bounce, but after my eyes got used to the dark, I was amazed at how much light was hitting all aroun d my easle. I could easily see my hand with great detail. I could just make out the coins that I placed on the paper for incremental testing on this piece of pa per. I also tried to do the worst case scenario by having the enlarger head way down close to the paper. I was sure that my test would be very positive by the l ooks osf all of this.
To my great surprise, the print showed not a trace of fog from all of this light . My conclusion is that at least in my situation, it looks like I don't have to spend any time making "miniskirts" for my leaky enlarger (actually I'm quite rel ieved; this seemed like a big pain to me). My thoughts are that enlarging paper is slow enough that this type of light is insignificant. So as many of the peopl e who responded to my previous post hinted at, it may not make any difference wi th the leaks in this enlarger unless you have a direct bounce off a wall or obvi ous light hitting the paper. Light falling outside of the paper doesn't seem to have any effect at least in my case.
Any comments are welcome and I posted this in the spirit of feedback to all thos e who responded with prevoius comments about light leaks in enlargers in general ...
Scott