Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/11/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I love the zone system - used it with film as far as development times go but it's also practical for digital. There are lots of tutorials and books about it on the web: http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to/shooting/the-digital-zone-system.html <http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to/shooting/the-digital-zone-system.html> http://dpanswers.com/content/tech_zonesystem.php <http://dpanswers.com/content/tech_zonesystem.php>http://zonesystem.net/ <http://zonesystem.net/> http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Zone-System-Digital-Photography/dp/0240807561 <http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Zone-System-Digital-Photography/dp/0240807561>I'm planning to give a lecture on this at the next Leica seminar. Have fun! Tina On Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 11:51 AM, George Lottermoser <imagist3 at mac.com>wrote: > Tarek, > When I shot film I used all formats: > sheets from 4x5 up to 12x20, > 120 rolls from 6x6 to 6x9, > and of course 35 mm. > So I saw Zone System thinking, processing and testing > as the way to achieve predictable results with Black and White. > I use a spot meter to read the dynamic range of the subject; > exposing for the shadow detail I want to preserve; > and developing for the highlight detail I want to preserve; > and then having a pretty good idea of where the other tones will fall. > With 3 120 film backs I was able to carry an N, N-1 and N+1 back. > With 35 mm I'd carry two camera bodies - an N and N-1 body > (and if exposing an entire roll under the same dynamic range conditions > I'd be able to process accordingly ++ or - - or whatever). > > Zone system thinking translates to color film as well. > Except only in terms of understanding the dynamic range of the film > and knowing how to expose for the highlight detail you wish to preserve; > and knowing where the shadows will fall to black without detail. > Of course various emulsions have different dynamic ranges. > > Lluis and Tarek, > With digital I think in similar terms to color film. > What is the dynamic range of the sensor? > in order to place the highlights where I want them > and know where the shadows will fall. > Further: knowing I have some limited possibilities to extend both ends in > post processing. > > For example: > Expose an evenly lit turkish towel (great texture) as metered (zone V). > Increase the exposure in one stop increments to determine when the > highlight detail disappears. > Decrease the exposure in one stop increments to determine when the shadow > detail disappears. > Through testing I have determined that > the DMR has approximately 9.5 stops from deep shadow detail to bright > highlight detail; > below that is solid black; above that is solid white. > This is about 1 1/2 stops more dynamic range > than the M8; which has about 8 stops from deep shadow detail to bright > highlight detail. > And the 5D has about 7 1/2 stops from deep shadow detail to bright > highlight detail. > I say "approximately" and "about" because > different levels and types of lighting; ISO settings; and yes lenses > will have effects on these numbers. > > If you want to get really crazy > you can bring these test shots into photoshop > and read the values (just like we used to do with a densitometer). > It's an interesting exercise because you'll find greater separation between > some zones than others; > a little freaky actually. > (I no longer get that crazy) > > Lluis, > I don't know if anyone else is writing about or discussing digital work > flow in terms of the Zone System. > This is simply my own way of understanding the equipment I'm working with; > and my way of thinking about the more critical work that I do. > Just a natural shift from what I grew up with to what I'm doing now. > > Others use the histogram to accomplish the same thing. > I find histograms hard to interpret when the subject has a whole lot of > black or a whole lot of white in the frame. > Though I can always rely on my spot meter to tell me what is actually being > recorded and where things will fall. > > YMMV > > Hope this helps > > Regards, > George Lottermoser > george at imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com/blog > http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > -- Tina Manley, ASMP www.tinamanley.com