BTZS vs VIDEC system

[Charris]

I'm currently looking at adopting one of these systems. What do you currently use, if any?

I am reading the VIDEC system at the moment. I have read through it but i cant quite understand how the graphs are used practically. Moreover, I am worried i will struggle with the testing due to the equipment i have and potentially waste 24 sheets of film.

I do not have access to a densitometer (still looking) and I use a Pentax spotmeter V with zone VI modification. My main concern here is that my light meter is not electronic. Has anyone tested negative densities with one of these meters? How did you find it?

[Andrew O'Neill]

I've never heard of the VIDEC system... I just downloaded the pdf, so I'll take a look at it. In regards to using a light metre as a densitometre, I did so for years before I got one. It worked okay but not as accurately.

[uhner]

I have no knowledge of the VIDEC system so I can't compare it with BTZS. But I find the latter to be easy to understand, it is a very good system and it has improved the quality of my output quite a bit.

[ROL]

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...cles/VIDEC.pdf

IMO, you're better served ultimately at coming to grips with AA's Zone System – see The Negative. For many, that requires a bit of time and some head banging. I wish I knew of a workshop that I could recommend that taught it effectively, but I don't, so I can't.

[sanking]

I looked through the .pdf of the VIDEC system. It seems pretty straight forward and could no doubt serve as the basis for a precise system of exposure and enlargement.

That said, BTZS does the same thing but is better documented, and has software for both field controls and for plotting film curves. VIDEC, by comparison, is something of an orphan with no significant advantage over BTZS that I am able to discern.

In answer to the question about using an exposure meter to measure negatives, yes that works. In fact, some of the early BTZS manuals contained directions for adapting spot meters to the task of reading negative densities. I used one myself for many years before purchasing a transmission densitometer.


Sandy

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

For what it is worth, the View Camera store will do all of the densitometer work for you.

http://www.viewcamerastore.com/btzs-...ng-sheet-film/

All you do is send them film, they expose it and send it back to you. You develop it according to their directions send it back to them, and they send you back all of the files.

[Jay Decker]

Is there a through source of information, e.g., a PDF book, on the BTZS available on the internet?

[Ken Lee]

I believe the best resource aside from BTZS.org is the book BTZS by Phil Davis.

[sanking]

I believe the best resource aside from BTZS.org is the book BTZS by Phil Davis.

I agree that the best resource is Phil Davis' book, Beyond the Zone System. And you don't have to buy the latest edition, either. All of editions back to the first have the basic information on how to understand practical sensitometry and use it to test film for exposure and development. Just take your time and re-read each section until you understand the material before moving on to the next chapter. Eventually it will all fall into place and you will wonder why you did not take the journey earlier.

Sandy

[swmcl]

Hmmm... Sorry guys, I must politely disagree. The BTZS book is not the most clearly written in my opinion. It may be the only book but easy it aint. I'm about to do a run of tests having purchased many of the necessary evils and have tried to make summary information on BTZS and I think the Zone System is probably all that is needed in the end. It has been tough going. Even if I might seem to not be all there, I do admit to being very much more educated by reading the BTZS book though!