Heiland Splitgrade System Contoller

Product Description

An overview of the benefits:

• Your image is typically created in under 2 minutes
• Convenient working due to automatic filter or colour change
• Quick and easy determination of exposure time and gradation
• Precise exposure times due to an integrated shutter
• No preliminary work for calibration necessary
• Intuitive control due to illuminated buttons and plain-text display
• Manual overwrites allow creative working
• Exposure in 2 phases with soft and hard light allows dodging in either the hard or the soft gradation phase
• Free firmware updates for new paper programs and functions
• In the event of changing the enlarger later on, the Splitgrade basic unit can be further used

What is the unique Heiland Splitgrade Controller?
Splitgrade is a new system for fitting the paper grade to the contrast range of your film's negative.
Heiland calls this device a "grade management" system. The range of all VC papers can be fine-tuned
In 0.1 grade steps within the entire contrast range of the paper.

The core of the system consists of two parts.

The first part is the VC module which replaces the existing VC module of the enlarger. This motorised
module has two separate filters, one for yellow and one for magenta, that are placed into the
enlarger light-path. The paper then is exposed twice, once for the yellow filter and once for the
magenta filter, the relative proportions being computed by the system and corresponding to the grade selected.

This method of "split-filter" printing is well-known by fine-art printers who need the utmost and
precise control over the printing. It provides for better local contrast control, finer differentiation of
grey tones and more richness of detail.

Every paper and every grade within a paper type has its unique behaviour. As both emulsion components are activated simultaneously, the resulting contrast and grey scale and grey tones are the mix of both contrast curves and arc therefore not predictable.

With the split-grade technique, every emulsion component is addressed individually, and the
exposure can be optimised for every component. So, it is possible to dodge and burn locally per
component. You could dodge the shadows during the green exposure and burn them during the blue
exposure. The result is a deep black with high contrast and differentiated dark tones. Normally
when exposing for deep black, the shadows get too dark as the local contrast is too low. The high-end part of the characteristic curve is quite often almost horizontal.

The very experienced darkroom worker might accomplish this by training and experimentation, but it is a matter of many trial runs.

The second and most ingenious part of the system is the controller. The device looks like a timer.
But it has a "chip" built into it that comprises all the exposure and contrast data for many current
printing papers. These have been obtained by the test results of the Heiland researchers,
achieved after many months of testing and densitometry readings to search for every "modulation."
In grade and tonal values and exposure time related to the split-grade technique. This unique
database of densitometer readings is the heart of the system.

Attached to the controller is a sensor, that measures, as any densitometer would, the density of
the negative areas. Just move the sensor randomly over the negative area - it will remember the
intermediate maximum and minimum values and so eventually find the true "max." and "min."
values.

If you have more experience, or the negative is very challenging, you locate the "min" and
"max" values for yourself and measure these. These values then give the density range of the
negative. The computer then computes the grade and the exposure time, related to the chosen
paper. These three readings (paper type, grade and time) are displayed in (the display and can be
changed. The user here has full control to change whatever he or she likes. The software is
programmed in such a way, that whatever paper or grade is chosen, maximum black is reached in
every situation.

Any Zone System worker will remember the laborious work to find minimum exposure to get full black, which changes when the enlargement factor changes. Now it is all programmed in a chip and readily available.

Using the Splitgrade
For measuring purposes, you only need to measure the light and shadows of a projected negative, and you'll be able to determine the contrast and brightness on the printing easel. The Splitgrade allows you to transfer that information to make a print.

You measure these two points with the probe and then look into the Splitgrade's database (on the display) for it's exposure time and paper grade for the best print. The split method is used because split exposure is used to control their filters - simply insert or remove them as the machine advises. Controlling time is easier than moving the filter slightly, a unique idea of filter control for split exposure, one that offers twenty-eight different paper calibrations each accurate to 1/10th f-stop or 1/10th of a paper grade using this system.

You can even calibrate your paper for the ultimate in customisation, but mainly you'd take the overall negative measurement to get the contrast value and then grade and time which are set against the paper chosen. Then, if you change paper for the given measurement, the grade and time will automatically change too.

Included in the software is also a Test Print programme that gives you a printed record of different settings. In five minutes, anyone using the Splitgrade will get a "perfect" print ready to develop.

Choose your module:

When you purchase a Splitgrade system, you'll need to send your enlarger head back to Heiland (which we do for you) for the mechanical fitting of the new module. In effect, this replaces your old filter system. At the same time, Heiland can also future proof your old enlarger by fitting a new cold light source to replace your old halogen bulb.

As each Splitgrade System is made for your brand of enlarger, we ask you to contact us, and we'll quote you individually for making the unit and the transportation to Germany for fitting:
These are the most popular modules we sell and the cost for each one including controller, probe, foot switch and set of cables. If you want Heiland also to add a cold light source to modernise your enlarger, then please see our cold light product list.

Beseler 45 £1379 inc VAT
DeVere 504 £1369 inc VAT
Durst M670 £1059 inc VAT
Durst Mod 70 £1489 inc VAT
LPL 7700 £1139 inc VAT
Kaiser System V £1379 inc VAT
Leitz V35 £1269 inc VAT
No module, or for replacement £849.00


Conclusion:
The use of the split-grade is simplicity itself. It produces prints of superior quality which are difficult to match doing it by experience or trial-and-error. Every negative is densitometrically measured and matched to the grade that gives full tonality and maximum black.

The software is truly a treasure of condensed experience and allows the user not only to cut down on trial prints but also to use more than one paper type without long experimentation. We all know
that any VC paper has its strengths and weaknesses for different types of subjects and moods. To choose freely between them was prohibited as no one would do all the testing for more than one paper type.

Now we have new-found freedom to use every paper to its full potential, matched to our prints and subject matter - the result... better prints, less time, less waste of paper and more paper choice. The darkroom is again a joy to be in! No better purchase for the darkroom worker will be found for a long time to come. It might even revive the use of the chemical darkroom because there is no doubt that the best prints, and the most emotionally rewarding, arc "chemical" prints.
Chemistry has a strong future - and any photographer who wishes to exploit his/her lenses and
equipment should try this new darkroom instrument. And then we can show our digital colleagues
why a technique more than 150 years old is worth pursuing and gives results that are the envy of every observer.

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