I have read that PMK negatives can be read on a B+W Densitometer with a blue filter. Does anyone know what kind of blue filter to use? Can they be read on a color densitometer?

-- Mike Kravit (mkravit@mindspring.com), October 09, 1999

Answers

Mike, the most common densitometers can read either color OR B&W. In the color mode, surprise, one of the readings will use a built-in blue filter. This ought to work for your negs, but you'd probably have to make your own "fudge factors" since it won't have identical response to the paper you're printing on.

If you make friends at your local 1-hour lab, they probably have a densitometer they'll either let you use or take the readings for you. You are interested in what would be called either the "yellow reading" or the "blue filter reading" (they are the same thing). If they don't know what that means, give them a piece of clear yellow plastic (like a candy wrapper) and ask them to take "Red, green and blue" readings on it. One of the three numbers will be lots higher than the other two; THAT is the setup you want them to use.

Feel free to email me if you need more info!

-- Bill C (bcarriel@cpicorp.com), October 09, 1999.

Because of the yellow/green stain of the PMK negative, you will need to use a color densitometer and the 'blue' filter. Color densitometers are expensive, even when you can find one used. The Mantis densitometer is a black and white unit that uses a blue L.E.D. and will read PMK negatives accurately. It is about $600 or so brand new.

-- Michael D Fraser (mdfraser@earthlink.net), October 10, 1999.