Zone System Beginner

[papergiraffe]

Can someone point me towards the preferred article or book for learning the zone system? I have read alot of threads about it but cant find one which teaches it. Also, if there is a "Better" method for metering B&W with a Pentax Digital Spot I would love to hear about it.

Thanks

[Bruce Watson]

Can someone point me towards the preferred article or book for learning the zone system? I have read alot of threads about it but cant find one which teaches it. Also, if there is a "Better" method for metering B&W with a Pentax Digital Spot I would love to hear about it.

Thanks

Easiest I know Fred Picker's book Zone VI Workshop. Plenty of used copies out there.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Another easy read on the Zone System is Bruce Barnbaum's book, "The Art of Photography".

[darr]

I recently read through Steve Mulligan's Book: Black & White Photography: A Practical Guide, and I kid you not, it IS the easiest book written on the zone technique IMO. Plus Steve's B&W work throughout this very affordable book is worth the price alone.

Best,
Darr

PS: The Pentax Digital Spot meter is nice, but it is not the only spot meter in the world for zoning. I sold mine after I realized my old and trusty Sekonic L-488 could do the same thing. I bought the L-488 used in 1992 and I have dropped it a dozen times and had it recalibrated via the repair shop twice in this time. It still measures as accurate as my L-558 Dulmaster.

[Brian Ellis]

I used two books, Ansel Adams "The Negative" (which has a lot more than just the zone system) and Picker's book. Both are good. The zone system is very simple, if you start getting confused you're probably reading the wrong book.

[Ken Lee]

What the others have already said:

Zone VI Workshop by Fred Picker

The Negative by Ansel Adams

[Chuck P.]

Whatever other source book that you may get, absolutely include The Negative as well.

[kev curry]

''The Practical Zone System'' by Chris Johnson...make's the Zone System very accessible for the complete beginner.

[papergiraffe]

Ok, so I have a few questions after doing some reading.

1.) Is the zone system the best way to meter a landscape scene with a Pentax 1 degree spot meter?

2.) If I expose my negative by the zone system.. Do I need to be sure to give directions to the lab to develop my negative per the zone system?

3.) if I use a different method of metering to expose my negative, can I just give my negative to the lab to expose with no special directions and get a correct development?

[Michael Graves]

The two I liked the best were Fred Picker's book (already mentioned above) and The Zone System Manual, by Zakia and White.