Poor mans densiometer is a greyscale negative (mine is from 0.15 to 1.65 log density) combined with lightmeter (e.g. Gossen Variosix, bought second hand in Dublin). Now adjust the enlarger that at max density (e.g. 1.65) your lightmeter still reads a value (Variosix: -2.5 EV at ISO 100/210). As 17.8*24 cm is my std. size I use this setting at lens full open, reading with empty carrier 2 EV, now meter every zone, down to 1.65 density, which is about -2.2 EV. Plot now density versus EV.(posted 8920 days ago)Using a negative meter it at the same condition and you can get the density values from the plot, including the contrast/density range.
All given EV values are only correct for my enlarger and have to be determined for each enlarger individually, call this calibration.
Two weak points:
measurements require lens wide open @2.8 so values in the edges are ~0.3 EV smaller. densities higher than 1.65 can not be measured. Both restrictions are caused by a lack of light output.( Or make the enlargment smaller e.g. 9*13 cm (about quarter size)and add -2EV to the value measured, so a total of -4.5 EV would a density log ~ 2.3-2.5)
BUT, it is cheap 12.5$ (not 12.5K$)for a grayscale, and gives reasonable results.
Wolfram