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Glite Dictionary
sensitometer

sensitometer

9.9
A machine that measures how photographic film reacts to different amounts of light
  • noun
  • /ˌsɛn.sɪˈtɒm.ɪ.tər/
  • Specialized
: sensitómetro
  • The technician used a sensitometer to ensure the film had the proper exposure range.

Examples

  • The technician used a sensitometer to measure the sensitivity of the photographic film before developing it.

  • Modern sensitometers allow precise calibration of photographic equipment in a laboratory setting.

  • A sensitometer can reveal subtle changes in the sensitivity of photographic emulsions over time.

  • The sensitometer accurately measures film sensitivity.

  • Can you explain how a sensitometer works?

  • Modern sensitometers provide detailed readings of how light-sensitive materials respond to different exposure levels.

  • A digital sensitometer helps photographers assess the ideal exposure for their films in varying lighting conditions.

Surface Forms

sensitometer singular
sensitometers plural

Morphology

sensitometer = sensitivity (semi-transparent) = sensit + ometer

The word is coined from the idea of sensitivity plus an instrument-forming suffix, but the clipped base form and technical usage make the formation only partly predictable.

Etymology

Sensitometer comes from sensit- meaning 'feeling' and -meter meaning 'measure', the same -meter you find in thermometer or speedometer. So a sensitometer is a tool that 'measures' how 'sensitive' photographic film is to light, which explains its modern meaning.