Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 03:13 PM 9/26/99 -0700, Ted Grant wrote: >I guess if one is working a single sheet of film at a time, photographing >rocks, ferns, peeling paint and non-breathing things, there is an >advantage of technique. However, I've never known of a photojournalist >working 35mm cameras to be concerned with it. Not saying there aren't, but >I can't imagine developing one frame of film at a time! ;) Or exposing >each frame at some weird number while under fire or at a fire. :) Ted, The Zone System applies to any film, any technique. You don't have to develop a single frame at a time for it to apply. It's just a way to test true film speed, and calibrate your development to match the lighting situation. As applied to 35mm film, Ansel normally just shoots it in such a way that using various paper grades ends up with the best print possible. That would normally be to overexpose slightly and underdevelop (N-1) so that the tonal range is well within the film's ability to render the whole scene in most cases. And then you use a slightly higher paper grade to make up for the contraction of the tones. It does take some time to read, but in the end, it speeds up the process considerably because the photographer knows what they're going to get in the negative and the printing is easier. For a master printer like yourself, that's not a problem, but for many people, the Zone System gives them a good starting point. :-) Eric Welch St. Joseph, MO http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch Consciousness: that annoying time between naps.