DTS-figuring out the right exposure times

[Rockers]

We finally pulled the trigger on a DTS printer. Now with the glass removed from the exposure unit how do we do a proper exposure calculation ? Taping the the exposure calculator to the screen as tight as possible still results in it hanging fairly loose on the screen so I think the options is out. I was considering doing a step wedge test but was wondering if there are some other possibilities that haven`t crossed my mind yet.

[mk162]

print out full size step wedge direct on your screen...

[ericheartsu]

Buy a stouffer strip!

[Doug S]

print out full size step wedge direct on your screen...

This is what we did.  We printed 5 bars down with each have 100% all the way down to 3% and taping a uv blocking "pvc board for us" over everyone but the top bar and exposed so many seconds and removing and taping 1 bar lower and repeating until we exposed all of them.  As long as you write out to the side of each bar noting the exposed time of each, that should get you close.  It shouldn't take more then a couple of screens. 

The stouffer strip in my opinion wouldn't be as accurate due to the fact it's printed on a film. 

[mk162]

Buy a stouffer strip!

Those aren't a bad start, but here are my thoughts:

1. No glass/vacuum, so they don't make great contact with the emulsion.
2. It's shooting through film the stouffer strip is printed on, which will filter some of the UV light.
3. The full size exposure calculator may take a bit more time, but it's exactly the method you will be using.  Same ink, no film, etc.

That being said, we do still use ours every so often if we are testing a new emulsion.

[merchmonster]

we have same *issue* - cts cut our exposure time in half. we used the stouffer strip