Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/10/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Charles E. Love, Jr. wrote: > = > The zone system concepts don't only apply to black and white, nor only = to > sheet film. If you do color slides, thinking in a simplified zone syst= em > way can help achieve the proper exposure. Slide film cannot stand to b= e > overexposed, so meter the highlights, and then decide how dense you wan= t the > various items to be (compromise is often needed here), using the zone g= ray > scale (a company called "Zone VI" used to sell one to mount on Pentax s= pot > meters, but now they've been absorbed by Calumet--I am sure the scale i= s > available in many other forms). You may then wind up adding or subtrac= ting > stops from your meter reading (simple example: a sunset, where you mete= r > various areas in the sky, decide what zone the crucial one is in, and t= hen > adjust the meter's recommended exposure to produce the desired effect).= > This idea also permits you to look at the consequences for other (not > crucial) areas of the picture of various exposure choices. I'll admit= > right away that I use this to give me the place or places to start > bracketing--film is cheap in comparison to camera equipment (especially= our > favorite) and travel, and small differences in exposure can matter a lo= t > with transparency film. > Charles E. Love, Jr. > 517 Warren Place > Ithaca, New York > 14850 > 607-272-7338 > CEL14@CORNELL.EDU I=B4ve found that the typical scale of zones for b&w works well with colo= r negative, but for use with transparency film you have to estimate a change of zone every two thirds of f stop. If you use the spotmetering capabilty of your camera or have a separated spotmeter you shoul aim to get an indicated overexposure of 1- 1/2 stop ( two zones ) while keeping the spot on a textured highligth (zone VII ). that guarantees a correct exposure that needs less bracketing, It works pretty well. Jose Luis Gonzalez jlg@redestb.es