Zone VI Upgrade to Pentax V Meter

[Kirk Gittings]

There used to be a great little article on the Calumet Website that I can no longer find by Alan Ross.

[Kirk Gittings]

One More Time On the Modified Meter.

I have two ZoneVI meters, one was bought used and already modified, and one was bought new and later modified by Calumet. This was a few years ago. They are within 1/3 of a stop of each other across the whole range of a Macbeth. They were not before the second one was modified though I did not keep my records of my earlier tests.

Based on the scepticisim voiced here. I was nervous about the issue for my last trip. Once again for the England trip I retested my two Zone VI Modified Pentax Digital light meters for metering thu the b&w filters. All appeared well and I used this same techinque on all the film shot in England for the new book. Most every shot utilized either a number 16 or a 23a filter. I took extra care metering as the trip was so expensive and so important. The film was Across readyloads and was rated at 80. My method is to meter important shadows thru the filter (being careful to avoid rear light reflections on the filter), and place them on ZIII. Then meter the highlights thru the filter and see where they fall and determine the corresponding development. Most were normal developement but I did have quite a few =1 and +1. I would add 1/3 stop exposure for the minus developements.

In every case, with some 30 images and 90+ sheets of film the exposures are bang on.

We can argue the theoretical validity of Pickers meters, but the plain fact is that the method consistently works with his meters. It works so consistently well that I was willing to use it on this most important trip.

Here is the Alan Ross article I could not find before.

http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?PAGE...ECTMODMETERART

Beyond this I don't know what else to say. I know from teaching workshops that the biggest error people make with this method that results in wildly fluctuating exposures is not paying attention to the reflections on the rear of the filter when metering. The question is permanently settled for me personally. Mine work exceptionally well.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Thanks Kirk, this is interesting and as always Alan teaches me something.

I use a Zone VI modified meter and find it works very well. I do have issues when I am filtering the sky however. It seems that no matter what filter I am using ( I tend towards the orange and deep yellow) my skies get blocked up and printing them is difficult. I tend to photograph late in the day and go well into the evening after the sun goes down, so I used to think that perhaps the time of day had something to do with my problem, but after reading what Alan wrote I think I might test and see if it may be the meter.

The meter was recently calibrated by Richard Ritter but my problem had been going on before this work was done.

Do you have any thoughts as to my issue?

Thanks

[Kirk Gittings]

To me the big issue with filter factors has always been preserving shadow detail, and the above approach does preserve shadow exposure. I have not had your problem with skies, BUT I tend to under develope my highlights a bit, for scanning purposes and because I prefer the "look" of grade 3 silver papers as my standard instead of grade 2.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Thanks.

My filtering method is the same as you describe as is my zone method. I guess I will just need to play with it a bit more and figure it out. There are no shortcuts to testing that is for sure.

Thanks again.

[Michael Kadillak]

I have two calibrated Zone VI Pentax spot meters and have not found a reason to take them out of their case in the last year since Sandy King turned me onto incident metering using the BTZS system. Talk about opening my eyes. Plus, it takes now takes me less than 1/3the time it previously took me to arrive at a spot meter exposure combination. As a result, I feel that I am more productive as a "part time" photographer.

My engineering background taught me a very long time ago that the answer to any computation cannot be any more accurate than the least accurate input. When you consider the inaccuracies we all deal with in arriving at exposure determinations such as meter and lens flare let alone "interpretative" issues of tonalities in the Zone system by potentially less than experienced Zoners, I came to the conclusion there is no reason to complicate the process to any degree beyond that which is minimally necessary. Took me a long time and much frustration to arrive at this juncture, but I am damn glad I finally found my way home.

Now I can focus (no pun intended) on making quality images wth less baggage as I was previously carrying with the Zone system.

Cheers!

[Kirk Gittings]

Michael,

I was not advocating that the method above was the only way or even the best way, simply that those who have argued that you couldn't accurately meter through the filter with the modified meter are simply wrong.

Having said that, I can't imagine how you were using the Zone System that was all that complicated or slow. Anyone who has seen me work, know that I work extremely fast and I am no genious or math wiz. I have to work fast as I am always chasing rapidly changing lighting situations. Now of course, I get a ton of practice, as this is what I do for a living, but there is nothing complicated or slow about the Zone System if you stick to the basics. You can complicate it immensely if you wish, but you don't have to and I don't.

[Kirk Gittings]

For instance, my approach uses two quick meter readings through the filter (important detailed shadow and important detailed highlight), place the shadow reading on Zone III on the meter ( see where the highlight reading "falls" and make a mental note of the developement N, +1 or what ever to get it to Zone VII [usually]), I then set the exposure, make the exposure, remove the film, make a notation on the film sleeve for development, repeat on another sheet and move on or wait to see what happens with the light for awhile.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Kirk,

I agree, it takes me a few seconds at most to calculate my exposure. I guess I could save a second or two but heck, LF is not the fastest thing in the world anyway so a few seconds to make a reading is not so bad.

There are so many methods out there that the important thing is to find one that works for you and stick with it. I do think that the Zone System has gotten so far off the origional intended path that it can be confusing to some folks. I find it very easy but that is not to say other methods are not as good if not better, it just works for my way of thinking.

Using a Zone VI modified meter takes even more guesswork out of the equation and I think the investment in having the meter modified is well worth it. There are to many well known and well regarded photographers who feel the Zone modified meter is beneficial for me to disregard it.

[Michael Kadillak]

Kirk,

I agree, it takes me a few seconds at most to calculate my exposure. I guess I could save a second or two but heck, LF is not the fastest thing in the world anyway so a few seconds to make a reading is not so bad.

There are so many methods out there that the important thing is to find one that works for you and stick with it. I do think that the Zone System has gotten so far off the origional intended path that it can be confusing to some folks. I find it very easy but that is not to say other methods are not as good if not better, it just works for my way of thinking.

Using a Zone VI modified meter takes even more guesswork out of the equation and I think the investment in having the meter modified is well worth it. There are to many well known and well regarded photographers who feel the Zone modified meter is beneficial for me to disregard it.

Points well taken. I also believe that there are issues with the practical implementation of the Zone system that many make more difficult than they need to. Of course being in the position of having 20+ years of experience like Kirk would provide you with a pretty solid exposure reference point to draw from. Many of us have businesses to run and families to raise and while we would like to photograph full time, it is not in the cards so we try to fit in as much of it when we can.

Many folks use meters in a myriad of divergent ways to provide them with the information they need to make exposures. In a recent View Camera John Anderson mentioned that he uses a quasi reverse Zone System and places his highlight values and lets his shadows fall where they may.

I read all of my filters with the modified meter and maintain the data on a card until I have it nearly memorized.

I have always maintain an open mind and the use of my Spectra incident meter with BTZS is suprisingly simple for me. Plus I am getting more consistent negatives and that is all that matters.

Great post!