[Leica] black cats, metering and zone system

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

Millions of takes out there as to which zone does what and I've been exposed
to a half a dozen zone systems and averaged them out in my own tehcngueie.
>From what I've seen and done...
Adam, Minor White, Arnold Gassan
For black and white negs but you know what! I think the range of raw files
with my digital Nikons are darned close to that and so is color neg.

Zone IX the whitest white the paper can produce and NO detail.
Zone VIII being the last sign of detail in the highlights

Zone II not having any real detail in the shadows and no detail I'd expose
for. Last sign of detail in the shadows being two under
or zone III


The black cat by the way looks under by one on my PowerBook G4 12"
PowerBook6,8 Screen.
As in I cant really see it its as if it was placed at zone II not III where
it should a been.

Zone X a white which exists in the neg not the print.

Zone I  the blackest black the paper can produce
Zone 0 the black which exists perhaps in the negative
                in a train going near the speed of light


Mark William Rabiner



> From: George Lottermoser <imagist3@mac.com>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
> Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:38:47 -0600
> To: Leica Group Users <lug@leica-users.org>
> Subject: [Leica] black cats, metering and zone system
> 
> The Zone System really does hold
> the secrets of metering and exposure
> and works well with digital or film.
> 
> Zone Theory:
> Meter gives you Zone V - Middle gray
> Each one stop increase in exposure = one Zone lighter
> Each one stop decrease in exposure = one Zone darker
> 
> I just did the following with the M8/50 lux
> Point camera add wall with texture.
> Meter reads 1/125 sec at f:1.4 = Zone V - middle gray
> 
> So:
> 
> 1/4,000 Zone 0 = Black with no detail
> 1/2,000 Zone I = Black with some murky detail
> 1/1,000 Zone II = Black with some detail
> 1/500 Zone III = Dark gray with good detail
> 1/250 Zone IV = Dark gray with maximum detail
> 1/125 Zone V = Middle gray
> 1/60 Zone VI = Light gray with maximum detail
> 1/30 Zone VII = Light gray with detail
> 1/15 Zone VIII = Lightest gray with detail
> 1/8  Zone IX = White with some detail
> 1/4  Zone X = White without detail
> 
> Try it - It works to place any metered value where you want it to be.
> Black cat = Zone II or III depending on your personal preference
> 
> Regards,
> George Lottermoser
> george@imagist.com
> http://www.imagist.com
> http://www.imagist.com/blog
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist
> Picture A Week - www.imagist.com/paw_07
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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