Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mark, I assume that the Zone System was Minor Whites name for controlled development of film so that it could be printed on the papers of limited contrast range available in the days of yore. A method I used, and have been teaching Bob Bedwell, is a variation on that. I settle on a developer and film combination, then determine the development that gives me about a 1.50 density range in the negative between a white card and a black card which I use for that purpose. To get the print I want, I cut about two sheets of paper into 5 2x8 inch strips; I expose each, with a Kodak Step Tablet over the strip at a set time- on his enlarger, about 60 seconds, with the enlarging lens aperture set to the middle setting. I write what contrast grade each was printed with, develop them wash, dry and inspect each, noting the number of steps between dead black and dead white. I then use my meter like a densitometer, and put the step that just prints shadow detail over the probe, and zero the meter. This on my meter is on the white light switch setting of a Beseler analyzer. This is the reading that regardless of enlargement, gives me a 'shadow detail'. When I read that poart of the negative, I adjust the lens aperture to get the meter to zero. If I have to stop down too far, or open up too much, I can make adjustments in time- either cutting in half, or doubling. I do this for each of the strips, and write down the meter setting for each grade for use when I print. When I read a negative, I place the probe under the thinnest portion that shows detail, and zero the meter. I then place the probe under the area with highlight detail, and take a reading. This gives me a basic measure of the density range of the negative. Now, since each step of the Kodak Step Tablet represents a density change of about .15, I then divide the range of my negative by .!5, and pick a paper grade ( represented by my test strips I did earlier) and chose one that matched most closely. The negative Bob wanted to try first had a range of 1.20, so that's about eight steps- which the no. two grade paper showed. So composing the negative in the easel, the measuring the detail in the shadow, ajusting the aperture until the meter zeroed, and the white light knob set at the pre-calculated point, I opened the aperture until the needle zeroed. ( To incerease the range of this meter, we zeroed on the far right end of the scale giving us a 2.00 range to work with. I exposed the paper, and Bob was amazed that we got a very nearly perfect print, the first try! My explanation is that too many people depend on arcane metering techniques, and come to cherish $400 meters, then go into a darkroom and burn a lot of paper trying to get the perfect print! Paper is a lot more expensive per 'shot' than film, so I use this modified method of the Zone System- in the darkroom rather than in the camera. I have found that if you get the development of the film consistant, then usually the brightness range of the scene will give you a negative density range that is printable on multicontrast paper. There are exceptions, but you can usually see them coming (Photographing in the desert at high noon, on the beach, snow- where adjusting your development can help)- but that is a nother lesson! Suffice it to say, Bob was thrilled to find a fairly rational method that didn't require a lot of mumbo-jumbo, or darkroom voodoo to get a decent print. We hope to continue our lesson, this week! Bask in the light! Dan