Author Topic: (Yet another?) Darkroom App  (Read 1851 times)

original_ann

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(Yet another?) Darkroom App
« on: May 12, 2013, 04:13:51 PM »
I thought it looked interesting, but perhaps in a 'gizmos are neato' sort of way....  Has anyone tried this?
http://darktimer.dev76.org/DarkTimer_App/Dark_TImer.html

Moiz

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(Yet another?) Darkroom App
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2013, 10:15:09 PM »
Interesting find, I'm going to try and give it a go this week, thanks Ann.

original_ann

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Re: (Yet another?) Darkroom App
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2013, 09:31:00 PM »
Share your thoughts - I'd love to hear about it!

ChristopherCoy

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Re: (Yet another?) Darkroom App
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2013, 05:48:20 AM »
Personally, I don't think I would use this much.

As I understand it, its simply a digital version of a print record.  It would take me longer to peck in the required information on my phones tiny keyboard, than it would just to pick up a pen and write it on the clipboard and tablet I keep in my darkroom. Furthermore, if this is in fact what it actually is, what happens when all of your print information is stored on your phone, and your phone crashes? I'd prefer to have a hand written print record to keep with either the proof sheet, or the test print.
Christopher

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Moiz

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(Yet another?) Darkroom App
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2013, 06:28:45 AM »
Had a play with it last night and agree that it is halfway toward being a decent app.

I had downloaded it in the hope it may be an fstop timer but it isn't so essentially it is just an app that has 4 separate timers and is designed with split grade printing in mind with you able to set an initial exposure plus a burn exposure for each grade. The obvious problem is what do you do when you have for than one area to burn in.

As mentioned above, the other feature is to save your exposure times plus record other info like enlarger height, f stop etc. The thing that does make this a little useless though is that although you can save your timings for each burn-in per grade there's nowhere to save what you're burning.

One thing I didn't test is whether it is paper safe but seeing as I'll never use it ill probably never test that.

It could have been a good app but unfortunately it falls short.

ChristopherCoy

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Re: (Yet another?) Darkroom App
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2013, 06:31:23 AM »

I had downloaded it in the hope it may be an fstop timer but it isn't so essentially it is just an app that has 4 separate timers and is designed with split grade printing in mind with you able to set an initial exposure plus a burn exposure for each grade. The obvious problem is what do you do when you have for than one area to burn in.



I don't see how it can be accurate since there's no way for an iPhone to physically turn your enlarger on and off. Do you have to fumble between the timer and power switch of the enlarger?
Christopher

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Moiz

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(Yet another?) Darkroom App
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2013, 07:39:24 AM »

I don't see how it can be accurate since there's no way for an iPhone to physically turn your enlarger on and off. Do you have to fumble between the timer and power switch of the enlarger?

Chris, indeed it wouldn't be accurate and I'd suggest this app is aimed more at the guerrilla darkroomers (such as myself; I only contact print using a bulb in a coffee can) rather than anyone enlarging with some accuracy.

I currently use a metronome app on my phone which is fine for my prints (in theory at least) but test prints can get tiresome on the brain when trying to expose in half stop strips. It also helps that exposures for my contact prints tend to run into tens of seconds rather than tenths of seconds so accuracy to that degree is far less important.