Sigh, I always confuse the density values. I'm looking at my workshop notes and on the graph I have net density values from 0.01 to 0.14. I apologize for the order of magnitude mistakes in my earlier posts.(posted 8500 days ago)I'm not doing a good job describing how I carried out the test. I really wish I made the simple mistakes you all mentioned like forgetting that I'm on shutter priority mode, for example.
Conrad, I'd like to use 1/3rd stops but my Nikon only has detents at 1/2 stops. I believe these electronic shutters are actually stepless in idiot mode -- I wish the camera manufacturers would let us choose shutter speeds in 1/10 stops in manual mode :)
Ann, what peeves me is that the test *is* really simple. I have a checklist that I run through forwards and backwards before shooting the first frame. I make sure to use the same film, developer, and thermometer. Perhaps what peeves me is that almost everything is a variable. What if the densitometer was off? What if my shutter is off? What if my meter is off? What if my thermometer is off? Do I have to get 0.1 net density? How far off, more or less, can I deviate from this bar? Now I have to make do using my lightmeter as a crude densitometer. Oh, joy!
Well, I'll let this particular horse lie now. I appreciate and am thankful for everyone's indulgence. I really am dense, Alec, I'm not even trying
. I'll do a few more runs before admitting defeat, taking 200 as my EI and proceeding with my N-, N, and N+ tests. I'll let you know how this particular story ends. Thanks again!