Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/04/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jack Campin wrote: > The zone system is intended for people with the time to meter each little > detail in what they're photographing, hunting out the deepest shadows and > brightest highlights, and ideally fiddling around with processing to treat > every negative differently. The last is flat impossible except with a sheet > film camera; and for what Leicas are best at - shooting fast in unpredictable That is a oft repeated mistake. The Zone system is an interpretation of sensitometry which can be used with ANY camera and ANY film. How fiddly you get depends on what format you are using. But just because you can't vary the development for a roll of film doesn't mean the Zone system doesn't apply. If you read the books, you'd know that. I admit I'm a big A.A. fan, and have read The Camera, The Negative and The Print over several times, and find that my black and white photography benefitted immensely, even though I started as an green horn. Maybe most people can't do it that way, but it's not brain surgery. It probably is too much for someone in this person's situation, but you have to start somewhere. Maybe a good community college photo class would be a good place to start. Then get it on with A.A. Oh, and so how do you use the Zone system with roll film, you ask? N-1 for the whole roll, and use graded papers for fine contrast control. (Straight from Ansel's pen!) -- Eric Welch Grants Pass, OR