Good point! The 0.1 test (and the ISO and ASA tests) gives you the thinnest negative of optimum quality with, unfortunately, very little underexposure latitude.Originally Posted by Peter J. De Smidt
Good point! The 0.1 test (and the ISO and ASA tests) gives you the thinnest negative of optimum quality with, unfortunately, very little underexposure latitude.
So I finally got in my order for more Delta 100 and did a film test as suggested in the link Ron put up. I don't have a densimeter so I am kind of eye-balling it. Is it just me or does minus 5 (zone 0) look too light? it's definitely not pure black. I am thinking I will experiment some at an ISO of 200 and see how I like the results and adjust as necessary. That would bring zone 0 up to zone 1. Am I on the right track?
I followed the link. I read most of it. My problem with that test is he says to to make 1 stop increments in exposure. That seems too coarse to me.
Hard to say on a monitor. They are all different. How did you conduct the test? I would assume that you used ISO ratings from about 50 to 160 or maybe 200. What developer-time-temperature did you use? How much time for each exposure of the print?
From reading Steve Simmons various articles and book, the grey scale you posted should be the one where you find the time, f-stop and development to produce black with your enlarger. The next step is to make 5-6 negatives at 1/3 stop increments. The negative that produces one shade lighter than black at the same time in your enlarger is your film speed.
Read this article and try Steve's method.
http://www.viewcamera.com/pdf/2006/VC_Getting%20Started.pdf
Wayne
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I followed the shooting directions exactly as described. I stopped down the aperture to adjust exposure and developed in DD-X for 12 min at 68 degrees. Agitation was done for 10 seconds, once every minute in a Paterson Tank. The grey scale I posted is all of the scans from the negatives I shot for the test. I just combined them in Photoshop to make it easier to compare the results. They start at FB+F and go up to a Zone V meter reading. At this point I think I just need to determine where Zone 1 is. I don't haver a densimeter so I am trying to determine visually, what my EI will be going forward.
I don't know if it matters but I took the meter reading with a Pentax digital spot and confirmed the reading with my Nikon D200. My true concern is that Zone 0 (minus 5) is not black. I am thinking that it should be closer to FB+F but I am still trying to figure out if that is a correct assumption.
Depending on the toe characteristics of the film, the zone 0 may have some slight density in the print above black. I wouldn't worry about it.
Honestly I can't judge that zone I exposure on the computer monitor. Did you try putting that zone I negative over your meter? If it drops 1/3 of a stop from film base (0.1log) I'd go with that.
What ic-racer said. I would work in 1/3 stop increments to find Zone I. The rest will take care of itself. Then you need to do a similar developing time test to find Zone VII, Viii or IX.
But that's just me.
ic-racer, Thanks for the negative over the meter tip.
Wayne
Deep in the darkest heart of the North Carolina rainforest.
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Years ago when I was in graduate school, I did all my film tests with a home-made rig. I had a spot meter held with a clamp, and a desk lamp suspended over it. I ran my film strips over the meter aperture and converted the EV to log for graphing.
I did not have a sensitometer and a step-wedge, so I did 21 in-camera exposures to get the complete curve. The most difficult part was keeping track of the exposures. The bulk loaded film did not have frame numbers that matched the frame numbers of the camera. With all those zone 0 and below exposures, it was always very easy to get lost as to which frame matched the exposure notes.
What a hassle. Now I have 2 sensitometers and 2 densitometers...
Yes I did. Minus 5 was 1/3 over FB+F. So that means Minus 5 is Zone 1 and the ISO should be 200. Is that correct?
Thanks for the help.
Tony
Tony,
Pehaps it is mentioned somewhere in this thread and I missed it....you are trying to eliminate as many variables as possible. One of those factors with a LF camera is bellows extension. You should focus your camera on infinity first, then point the camera at the single toned card (preferably a black card in open shade for Zone I) and fill the frame with the card. DO NOT REFOCUS THE CAMERA.
You are trying to come up with a Zone I exposure that would mimmick real life. If your Zone I exposure is 1/400 @ f90, you probably need a darker card and less light :-) How do you get a Zone I Exposure of 1/400 @ f90??? By shooting a white card in bright sunlight then stopping down until a Zone VIII object is a Zone I exposure.
Good luck and welcome back to LF photography
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