Densitometer

Julie Bullock <jbullock [at] mdah__state__ms__us> writes

>Our 1979 Macbeth densitometer is on its last legs, and I need some
>advice about what current brands would provide accurate results to
>ensure that our microfilm is of archival quality. Does anyone have a
>testimonial they would be willing to share, or know of a "consumer
>reports"-type site that would compare relative values of
>densitometers?

My testimonial would favor purchase of another MacBeth diffuse
transmission instrument--digital readout--with minimum 1mm. aperture
and visual density filter.  We've had ours about as long as you've
had yours, and I can't think how it could have come to be "on its
last legs".  Have you contacted anyone about
reconditioning/repairing it?  Ours has proven to be simple,
foolproof, rugged and accurate to within plus/minus log .01, with no
tendency to go out of calibration under heavy use.

Macbeth has merged with Gretag to become--rather
unimaginatively--Gretag/Macbeth and, under the model number TD-932,
they appear to have an instrument which is essentially the same as
the Macbeth we have, which has never failed.  Some information is
available at <http://gretagmacbeth.com/>. Otherwise/used
reconditioned models are widely available, I believe.  I've seen a
wide variety of other densitometers at trade shows over the years,
and many appear more fragile, with two or three times the factor of
error as the Macbeth.

C. Stewart
Sr. Photographic Technician,
head, microfilm, LPS, U.C., Berkeley.

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:18
               Distributed: Wednesday, September 1, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-13-18-002
                                  ***