C O M P U T E R D A R K R O O M Version 1.0 R E F E R E N C E M A N U A L Benjamin M. Kacenas 1414 Moorgate Dr. Knoxville, TN 37922 Copyright (c) 1988 Benjamin Kacenas All Rights Reserved COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 This manual has been revised to reflect the current state of COMPUTER DARKROOM as of version 1.0. The specifications contained herein are subject to change without notice. This document is Copyright (c) 1988, Benjamin Kacenas. The computer systems mentioned in the manual are trademarks of specific hardware manufacturers. Printed in the United States of America. i COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 USAGE AGREEMENT All versions of COMPUTER DARKROOM, including version 1.0, are not public domain software, nor are they free software. COMPUTER DARKROOM is Copyright (c) 1988; by Benjamin M. Kacenas. This software may be copied or transmitted free without restriction for evaluation purposes but not sold or modified in any way. A charge of no greater then $10.00 my be requested for copies of this program to cover the labor and media required for this purpose. No user may modify COMPUTER DARKROOM in any way, including but not limited to decompiling, disassembling or otherwise reverse engineering the program. ii COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 WARRANTY The author makes no warranty of any kind, express or implied, including without limitations, any warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. The author shall not be liable for any damages, whether direct, indirect, special or consequential arising from a failure of this program to operate in the manner desired by the user. The author shall not be liable for any damage to data or property which may be caused directly or indirectly by use of this program. ***************************************************************** In no event will the author be liable to the user for any damages, including any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the program, or for any claim by any other party. ***************************************************************** iii COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 C O N T E N T S USAGE AGREEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii WARRANTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2.0 GENERAL OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3.0 BLACK AND WHITE PRINTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3.1 Negative Identification: . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3.2 Date: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3.3 Paper Type: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3.4 Exposure Time: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3.5 Lens Opening: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3.6 Negative Size: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3.7 Projection Size: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3.8 Magnification Factor: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 3.9 Print This Specification: . . . . . . . . . . . 7 3.10 Return To Main Menu: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 3.11 Clear The Screen: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 4.0 COLOR NEGATIVE PRINTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4.1 Negative Identification: . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4.2 Date: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4.3 Exposure Time: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4.4 Lens Opening: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4.5 Negative Size: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4.6 Projection Size: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4.7 Magnification Factor: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4.8 Enter Starting Filter Pack: . . . . . . . . . . 10 4.9 Modify Filter Pack: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 4.10 Print This Specification: . . . . . . . . . . . 11 4.11 Clear The Screen: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 4.12 Return to Main Menu: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 5.0 COLOR SLIDE PRINTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 5.1 Slide Identification: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 5.2 Date: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 5.3 Exposure Time: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 5.4 Lens Opening: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 5.5 Slide Size: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 5.6 Projection Size: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 iv COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 5.7 Magnification Factor: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 5.8 Enter Starting Filter Pack: . . . . . . . . . . 13 5.9 Modify Filter Pack: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 5.10 Print This Specification: . . . . . . . . . . . 13 5.11 Clear Screen: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 5.12 Return to Main Menu: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 6.0 THE SHAREWARE CONCEPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 7.0 ORDER FORM: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 v COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 1.0 INTRODUCTION The program COMPUTER DARKROOM was written for the purpose of reducing the work involved in determining the proper exposure for photographic printing. Three forms of photographic printing are addressed in three major functions within the program. The first major function is used for the printing of black and white negatives using many forms of photographic paper. The second major function covers the printing of color negatives onto color reversal media. The third and last major function is provided for those who deal with the printing of color slides onto Ilford Cibachrome material. The features that are found in the program COMPUTER DARKROOM are listed below. * Computation of exposure times based on the speed of seventeen popular black and white printing papers. * Computation of exposure times based on the contrast grades of black and white printing papers and filter factors when using variable contrast papers. * Computation of exposure times based on magnification ratio of black and white or color printing media. * Continues display of exposure times for f/stops ranging from f/2 to f/32. * Computation of exposure times based on color correcting filter factors for color printing. * Print out of specifications for reproduction of a previously printed slide or negative. page 1 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 2.0 GENERAL OPERATION After the program is loaded, with the command from the operating system prompt "cdr", the main menu is displayed. This menu allows four options. BLACK AND WHITE PRINTING, COLOR NEGATIVE PRINTING, COLOR SLIDE PRINTING, and RETURN TO DOS SYSTEM. The up and down arrows found on the keyboard will sequence through these options. When the major function that you require is high-lighted or in a different color press the "ENTER" key. This will transfer operation over to this function. The basic procedure for using COMPUTER DARKROOM is as follows. When you have made an acceptable print or know what is needed to reach an acceptable print, by a test print operation, this information is input to the program and it will calculate the proper exposure for the modifications that you will enter. Once you have reached what you feel is close to the final print the specifications can be entered. Once the program has the starting point for exposure it will calculate the new exposure to compensate for changes in paper type, contrast grade, magnification and color filter density. The calculations for each major function will automatically compensate for reciprocity- failure for the specific media and paper type. As an example for the function Black and White Printing. Suppose that you have completed a test print using Kodak Kodabromide contrast grade 3 paper at f/8 and 20 sec. with a magnification factor of 8. The program, once it has been given this information, will display the exposure times for all f/stops from 2 to 32. Now you wish to print this same negative at a magnification factor of 11 on Ilford Multigrade II paper with a Kodak Polycontrast filter of 2 1/2. When you enter these new specifications into the program all the new exposure values will be calculated and displayed. As an example for the functions Color Negative and Color Slide Printing. Suppose that you have achieved a test print but the color balance is not quite what you need. You would enter the information that you have for the test print as a starting point. Now you have determined that an extra Magenta filter of 10 is needed. When this information is entered into the program all exposure times will be calculated for this modified filter pack. This function will also calculate exposure times based on magnification changes. page 2 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 The term magnification factor when used for COMPUTER DARKROOM refers to the ratio of the short side of the negative or slide in relation to the short side of the projected image. This information can be given to the program in two ways. The first is to enter the magnification factor directly using the three major function specification input procedures described later. The second method is to enter the dimensions of the short sides of the negative or slide and the projected image measured on the enlarger baseboard. When these dimensions are entered the magnification factor will be calculated automatically and displayed. If the dimensions have been entered and the magnification factor is modified the new projected image dimension will be calculated and displayed by the program. It should be noted that this magnification factor does not have any relationship to the print size because the dimension that is required or calculated is not the short side dimension of the print but rather the short side dimension of the projected image. Each major function and it's capabilities will be discussed in detail in the following sections. page 3 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 3.0 BLACK AND WHITE PRINTING This function performs most of the exposure calculations that are necessary when printing from black and white negatives onto black and white printing papers. When you first enter this function you will notice the screen will display the various specifications that you will be required to give the program. These are numbered from 1 to 12 along the left side of the display. You will also notice that on the right of the screen is an area called Exposure Time. This area is where the program displays the calculated exposure time for f/stop from f/2 to f/32. At this time all values are set to 0 because the program has not been given the information necessary to do any exposure calculations. At the very bottom of the screen are the instruction lines. This area is provided to help you understand each step as you progress through the specification input portion of the use of COMPUTER DARKROOM. 3.1 Negative Identification: Specification 1. is labeled Negative Identification. When 1. is selected and "ENTER" is pressed the instruction line will ask for the identification for this negative. If you have cataloged your negatives or have them in some order that each can be separately identified you may type this in and press return. Up to 20 characters may be entered and any displayable characters may be used. When you have completed this input the screen will display this identifier at the appropriate location. This specification may be changed at any time or omitted completely with out affecting the ability of the program to perform it's calculations. 3.2 Date: Specification 2. is labeled Date. As you can see, there is a date displayed already. The program has asked the system for the current date and used this response for this specification. If your computer has the current date available from a battery backed up clock calender or you have entered the current date at power up time this will be correct. If this date is not correct then you can enter the proper date by selecting 2. and pressing "ENTER". The program will ask for the month, day and year in page 4 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 sequence. Each entry is tested except the year to insure that the month and day are legal. Month can be from 1 to 12 and the day can be from 1 to 31. After the input is complete the screen will display the entered date as you have specified. 3.3 Paper Type: Specification 3. is labeled Paper Type. During the printing process, if you wish to change the paper that you are using or contrast grade of the paper of contrast filter you will need to enter this information via this Paper Type function. When 3. is entered the screen will display 16 popular black and white papers from three manufactures. You will be instructed by the program to enter the appropriate number that represents the paper that you are using. Depending on weather you have chosen a single contrast type paper or a variable contrast type you will then be asked to chose a contrast grade or contrast filter. The program will not allow you to chose a filter type or contrast grade that is not legal for the specific paper that you have selected. The procedure for selecting the paper and contrast is the same for all papers except Ilford Multigrade II. This paper allows the use of three types of contrast filters. Therefore extra information must be entered to chose the filter type. The program will automatically proceed through this operation when this selection is made. When this information is first entered no calculation will be performed on the exposure time because this is considered the starting point and initial entry. Any subsequent entry to this specification will force a calculation and display. The calculation is based on the previous paper type and contrast grade speed rating in relation to the new paper type and contrast grade speed rating. 3.4 Exposure Time: Specification 4. is labeled Exposure Time. When 4. is entered the program will instruct you to enter the initial exposure time that you feel has given an acceptable print. When this specification is entered and there has been an entry made for Lens Opening this function will force a calculation to the exposure times displayed on the right of the screen. If this specification is 0 then all calculated exposure times displayed on the right of the screen will also be 0. page 5 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 This specification may be changed at any time during the operation of this major function to set the exposure time to the initial point for the exposure calculations. The range of values that will be accepted by this program for the exposure are from 1 sec. through 500 sec. inclusive. Any values falling outside this range will not be accepted. 3.5 Lens Opening: Specification 5. is labeled Lens Opening. When 5. is entered the program will instruct you to enter the lens opening that has been used to produce your test print. If an exposure time has already been entered this specification will force a calculation of the exposure times displayed on the right of the screen to reflect the new f/stop. If this specification is set to zero then no calculation can be performed and the exposure times displayed on the right of the screen will also be 0. Any Lens opening from f/2 to f/32 may be used for input to this specification and all calculations will be made accordingly. There is no requirement for entering any of the standard f/stops for the calculations to be accurate although only the exposure times for the standard f/stops from 2 to 32 will be displayed on the right of the screen. This input procedure will allow values ranging from 2 through 32 inclusive. If values below 2 or above 32 are entered they will not be accepted. 3.6 Negative Size: Specification 6. is labeled Negative Size. When 6. is entered the program will instruct you to enter the negative size (short side). This dimension can be measured form the negative carrier used with your specific enlarger. The value for negative size must be specified in inches in a range from 0 to 8 inches. This range will allow any negative size up to 8 inches. This value will never be calculated or changed by the program and is used to calculate the magnification factor when the print size is also entered. 3.7 Projection Size: Specification 7. is labeled Projection Size. When 7. is entered the program will instruct you to enter the dimension of page 6 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 the projection (short side). This dimension can be measured from the projected image on the baseboard of the enlarger. Do not enter the dimension of the print unless the print short side is the same size as the projected image. This value must be in the range of from 0 to 100 inches. Any value entered outside this range will not be accepted by the program. If the negative has been entered using specification 6. the entry of this projection size will force the calculation of the magnification factor for specification 8.. Each time this value is changed the magnification factor will be calculated. If the negative size and magnification factor are known to the program it will calculate this specification automatically each time the magnification factor is changed. 3.8 Magnification Factor: Specification 8. is labeled Magnification Factor. When 8. is entered the program will instruct you to enter the magnification factor. This value is the ratio of the negative size (short side) to the projected image (short side). This value must be in the range 0 to 100. If a value is entered outside this range this entry will be ignored. If you have entered the negative size as described earlier this entry will force the program to calculate and display the projection size. Any change to this value will cause the projection size to be calculated. 3.9 Print This Specification: Command 9. is labeled Print This Specification. When 9. is entered the program will send the information that you have entered or the values that have been calculated and displayed on the left side of the screen to the printer. This option is for the purpose of retaining a hard copy printout of the specifications that were used to make each print. This allows you to duplicate any print at a later date with minimum effort. 3.10 Return To Main Menu: Command 10. is labeled Return To Main Menu. When 10. is entered the program will transfer control to the Main Menu routine as if you have just entered from DOS. The screen will display the same three major functions that greeted you when you first started COMPUTER DARKROOM. page 7 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 3.11 Clear The Screen: Command 11. is labeled Clear The Screen. When 11. is entered the program will blank the screen so that the illumination will not interfere with the printing process. This feature has been added for those who wish to have their computer with them in their darkroom. After the screen has been cleared any keystroke will instruct the program to display the information that was entered or calculated without modification. page 8 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 4.0 COLOR NEGATIVE PRINTING The purpose of this major function is to provide calculated exposure times for color printing from color negatives. When this function is first entered by selecting the COLOR NEGATIVE PRINTING displayed in the main menu the screen will display twelve separate specifications or commands. By choosing one of these you may enter the information required for exposure calculations. As in black and white printing you will notice the area to the right on the screen that displays the exposure time for f/stops from 2 to 32. There is also an added area in the center on the screen to display the filter values that you will enter. This area is labeled Filter Pack. We will now discuss each specification or command individually. 4.1 Negative Identification: This specification is provided for you to enter the specific identification for the negative using the system of cataloging that you have chosen. Refer to section 3.1 for a complete explanation. 4.2 Date: As discussed in section 3.2 this specification is for the purpose of logging the date that you are making the print. 4.3 Exposure Time: This specification is for the purpose of entering the starting exposure time that you have found to be satisfactory for this negative during the test print procedure. Refer to section 3.4 for further instructions. 4.4 Lens Opening: This specification will also be derived from your test print procedure and is required by the program as a starting point from the exposure calculations. Refer to section 3.5 for a further explanation. page 9 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 4.5 Negative Size: This specification is entered and used if you wish to change the print size or projection size for cropping during the printing process. The negative size and projection size are required information to the program if you change the enlarger head height and wish the program to calculate the exposure times. Refer to section 3.6 for a further explanation. 4.6 Projection Size: As described in section 3.7 this specification is for the purpose of determining the magnification factor from the dimensions of the negative and projection. The negative size specification and the projection size specification are not required if you wish to enter the magnification factor directly. 4.7 Magnification Factor: This specification may be entered directly from this menu by selecting 7. or the program will calculate this value from the information provided by specifications Negative Size and Projection Size. Refer to section 3.8 for a more complete description. 4.8 Enter Starting Filter Pack: Specification 8. is labeled Enter Starting Filter Pack. When 8. is entered the program will display the six possible printing filters and ask you to pick the one that you wish to enter. When you have chosen the filter type the program will ask you to enter the filter value. This value may be from 0 to 100 but must be in increments of 5. Any entry outside this range or not a multiple of 5 will be rejected. When you have entered the specification for each filter that you will be using selection 7. will return you to the Negative Printing menu and display these filter values in the center of the screen. This specification has a different function then the selection labeled Modify Filter Pack because this function does not cause a calculation of the exposure times. Therefore this entry is used by you to enter the starting filter pack values that you have obtained from the test print procedure. You can page 10 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 also use this function for changing the filter values without the program calculating a new exposure time. 4.9 Modify Filter Pack: Specification 9. is labeled Modify Filter Pack. When 9. is selected the program will display the same screen as described above. The information is also entered using the procedure described in the previous section. The purpose of this entry function is different then the Enter Starting Filter Pack in that when you leave this function a new exposure time will be calculated based on the changes that you have made to the filter values. When you return to the negative printing menu if you have changed any filter value the new exposure times will be based on the same printing density but with the color shift obtained from these new filters. 4.10 Print This Specification: This command is provided so that you may make a permanent hard copy of the values used for this printing operation. Refer to section 3.9 for a more complete description of this command. 4.11 Clear the Screen: As described completely in section 3.11 this command may be used to blank the screen for use in the darkroom during printing. 4.12 Return to Main Menu: By selecting command 12. the program will return to the main menu where you may continue with another printing operation or return to the operating system prompt. page 11 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 5.0 COLOR SLIDE PRINTING The purpose of this major function is to provide to the photographer a convenient way to determine the exposure times required for the printing of color slides. All calculations used in this function are based on the characteristics associated with the Ilford Cibachrome materials. Once the exposure time is chosen by the test print procedure then any change in magnification or filter density will calculate the exposure times for these new specifications based on the original. The following sections will discuss each specification and command in detail. 5.1 Slide Identification: This specification, as described in section 3.1, is for the purpose of entering your catalog identification for this slide. When the Print This Specification command is used to produce a hard copy this information will allow for future reproduction by identifying this slide. 5.2 Date: This specification is for the purpose of including the date with the hard copy printout that may be cataloged with this slide for future reproduction. Refer to section 3.2 for a further discussion. 5.3 Exposure Time: This specification is where the initial exposure is entered after being obtained from the test print process. All subsequent calculations are based from this starting point. Refer to section 3.4 for a further explanation. 5.4 Lens Opening: This specification is a required entry for the program to use as a starting point for the calculations of exposure time. Refer to section 3.5 for a more complete description of this entry. page 12 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 5.5 Slide Size: This specification is used by the program to calculate the magnification factor, if entered. The slide size dimensions are the same as the negative size dimensions explained in section 3.6. 5.6 Projection Size: This specification is also used by the program to calculate the magnification factor with relation to the slide size specification. Refer to section 3.7 for a better description of the value. 5.7 Magnification Factor: This specification may be entered directly by selecting number 7. or calculated by the program by the entry of the Slide Size and Projection Size specifications. Refer to section 3.8 for a better description of this function. 5.8 Enter Starting Filter Pack: This selection performs a function that will lead the user through a procedure to enter the starting filter pack for slide printing. When the filter specifications are entered and this function is concluded no exposure calculation is performed. Refer to section 4.8 for a complete description. 5.9 Modify Filter Pack: This specification entry procedure, as described in detail in section 4.9, is used when calculation of the exposure time is required for changes in the color filter values. Color balance modifications to a print can be made quickly with the new exposure value obtained from the program by entering filter changes from this function. 5.10 Print This Specification: This command function will provide a hard copy printout containing the information entered or calculated for the color slide printing major function. Refer to section 3.9 for a more complete description. page 13 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 5.11 Clear the Screen: This command will blank the screen, as described in section 3.11 so that this program can be used by a computer located within the darkroom. After this command is entered, pressing any key will return the screen to the original color slide printing display. 5.12 Return to Main Menu: This command, as described for the other major functions, is used to terminate the color slide printing operation. When this command is selected control will return to the main menu function and further work or an exit to DOS is possible. page 14 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 6.0 THE SHAREWARE CONCEPT COMPUTER DARKROOM is not public domain software nor is it free software. This product is copyright by Benjamin M. Kacenas and is marketed under the shareware concept. The shareware concept is to provide to prospective users, at no cost, a working copy of the program for evaluation in the hopes that enough users will feel that the program is worth the price that is requested. This marketing concept can only work if users are willing to pay for worthwhile software. This software may be copied or transmitted free without restriction for evaluation purposes but not sold or modified in any way. A charge of no greater then $10.00 my be requested for copies of this program to cover the labor and media required for this purpose. The program COMPUTER DARKROOM may not be rented or leased under any circumstances. If you wish a registered and current copy of this program that will include a printed manual as well as technical support, this may be purchased for $25.00 from Benjamin M. Kacenas. Please refer to the order form provided with this manual. page 15 COMPUTER DARKROOM 1.0 7.0 ORDER FORM _________________________________________________________________ BENJAMIN M. KACENAS 1414 MOORGATE DR. KNOXVILLE, TN 37922 ITEM QTY PRICE EACH PRICE EXTENDED ----------------- --- ---------- -------------- COMPUTER DARKROOM ___ $ 25.00 $_____________ SUBTOTAL $_____________ 7.0% SALES TAX TENNESSEE STATE RESIDENTS ONLY $_____________ TOTAL $_____________ SHIP TO NAME ________________________________________ ADDRESS _____________________________________ CITY ________________________________________ STATE ____________ ZIP ______________________ COD ORDERS NOT ACCEPTED: page 16