Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/11/09

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Subject: [Leica] thinking Zone System
From: images at comporium.net (Tina Manley)
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2010 14:17:45 -0500
References: <A3CB564C-86CD-40DB-A8B7-646887FF2E8F@mac.com>

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


In reply to: Message from imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser) ([Leica] thinking Zone System)