Hi,

Was looking at maybe picking up one of the original RH Design Stopclocks second hand and wondered how useful people find the features it is missing compared to the newer Pro version: it only works in 1/4 f stops (i.e. no coarse grade variation), and seconds, has just one channel and no dry down compensation.

My main concern is about the lack of fstop variation but as I have never used one I was wondering if this is really needed. Will 1/4 stops be OK for most uses?

Well... it's like everything else in this world... what you can get along with is relative to what you have. :rolleyes:

Before I understood anything about f-stop timing, I just used seconds... 2 sec, 4 sec, etc. Then I took Les MacLean's printing workshop, and downloaded a sheet with all these 1/6th stop times. My poor analog timer was getting one heck of a workout with that! THEN, I fell into the opportunity to get the StopClock Pro as part of a deal Frank put together.

So... now, I could not live without 2 channels, and the ability to used 1/6th stop increments! Cripes... it's like introducing a metal saw to a caveman! ;)

What was the deal that Frank put together? if it was really good, could another deal be put in place? i really need a StopClock Pro!

Guys, actually having just read the manual for the Pro I can see the deal breaker would actually be the lack of dry down compensation, which can be as much as 12%!

Guys, actually having just read the manual for the Pro I can see the deal breaker would actually be the lack of dry down compensation, which can be as much as 12%!


You must not have read all of the manual. On page 19 there is an article by our own Les Mclean, who specifically writes on how to use the compensation feature on the Pro model. I know because I read this when I used mine just earlier today.

I was also a part if that deal Jeanette mentioned earlier, we got a pretty good deal. Wish I would have gotten a couple of other items at the time.

g

You must not have read all of the manual. On page 19 there is an article by our own Les Mclean, who specifically writes on how to use the compensation feature on the Pro model. I know because I read this when I used mine just earlier today.

I was also a part if that deal Jeanette mentioned earlier, we got a pretty good deal. Wish I would have gotten a couple of other items at the time.

g

And you didnt read the entire thread. I am looking to buy an original stopclock not the Pro model and it lacks the dry down...

I read the thread, my bad.

I just spent my first day working with the StopClock Pro. I second the advice to go for the second channel and the dry down compensation. I did the testing and the dry down for Kodak Polymax in Zone VI developer was 12%. Alot more than I had anticipated. You did not mention it but the new version also has a Split Contrast mode with a couple of handy features which I like. I am still learning (only one day with it) but I am already printing better.