Is there a good/easy to understand "zone system for dummies" kind of tutorial? I'm new to it, and need some practical how to's. I'm using the pocket light meter app until I can get a proper light meter.
Thanks in advance.
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Is there a good/easy to understand "zone system for dummies" kind of tutorial? I'm new to it, and need some practical how to's. I'm using the pocket light meter app until I can get a proper light meter.
Thanks in advance.
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I always recommend learning basic film and paper sensitometry. Many 'Zone Systems' treat parts of the tone reproduction cycle like a black box. This can lead to confusion and misunderstanding.Originally Posted by Atracksler
http://motion.kodak.com/motion/uploa...y_workbook.pdf
The best resource of which I'm aware for black and white exposure and development are the Ansel Adams classics, Camera, Negative, and Print.
I first learned about the zone system from Minor, Zakia, & Lorenz's The New Zone System Manual. It provides a good, readable explanation of zone system methodologies.
I've found it best to read Minor et.al., and then return to the Ansel Adams books, when learning about the zone system.
There are many books that discuss the zone system. Few of them do a credible job. A lot of them include shortcuts and inaccuracies that compromise the end product.
Great link. Thanks!
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
Fred picker book
I concur with the recommendation for Picker's book, but also check out You Tube: View Camera Store/Fred Newman.
Keith Pitman
Fred's book is fine. For the film testing, use 1/3 stops, though, instead of 1/2 stops if you can.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
Ok, my question is about zone placement.
Lets say I meter a scene, the meter will show me Zone 5 for whatever I'm metering, right?
So lets say I meter a plant in my studio. My meter says F8 1 Second
If I want to put that into zone 6, for example, do I change the entire exposure (to 1.5 Sec at F11) or do I move just the Aperture and keep the speed the same, and or vice versa....????
Sorry, if this is an idiot question.....
Ignoring things like the film's reciprocity failure, to place the plant on zone VI you'd either open the lens 1 stop, e.g. moving from F/8 to F/5.6 which would give less depth of field, or you would give twice the time, in this case two seconds. Adding time doesn't affect the depth-of-field, but it can lead to reciprocity failure or subject movement.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
Exposure adjustments are either/or... or both depending on what works best for the subject matter. However, going from Z5 to Z6 is a full step, not half. Also, you went backwards toward less exposure. You could use 1 sec at f/5.6 or 2 sec at f/8 but you may have to correct a bit for reciprocity failure. Or you could expose for 1.5 sec at f/6.8... or any combination that exposes one step more than Z5.
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