Tom, I think the best source for understanding the relationships between exposure, film density, and development is the old Kodak F-5 publication, titled, "Kodak Professional Black and White Films." I think the older one I have (1976) is better than my "newer" one (1984), although they attempted to merge the zone system language into the text of the later one with mixed results, in my view. I agree that understanding characteristic curves and how to fine tune films is just basic stuff that film shooters should know. On the other hand, I use the T400CN film and have the local lab process it. Then I scan it. I wouldn't have to know very much at all to get good results from that approach, but being who I am, it's a lot less fun. Paul www.PaulRoark.com ____________________________ -----Original Message----- From: Tom Baker [mailto:tbaker1328@...] Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 6:45 PM To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Zone system (was Annie Lennox) Paul - I generally agree. However, for those shooting film, understanding what the 'zone system' teaches is invaluable. I have always looked at the zone system as just a way to help me quantify and understand the basic interplay of light/film/chemisty. It was a learning aid. It's true that with digital capture, the histogram is the lynchpin. But, when you're working in an image editing program, especially for b&w, the understanding of brightness/contrast relationships that comes with understanding what the zone system teaches, is quite useful. Again, the 'zone system' is/was but one way to learn these things. Too many people treated the zone system as the objective rather than tool to help reach the real objective. Tom Baker Well ... I have the greatest respect for A. Adams and his work, and I found his books to be the ones that I related to most when I was learning and doing darkroom work. It may be that I'm just so far down that learning curve that I take all his teachings for granted, but I must say I get tired of hearing about the "zone system." It was mostly developed for a time before there was even graded printing paper. As such, the negative had to be fit to the few printing paper contrasts that were available. We are so far beyond that now, that I question spending much time on the "zone system," per se. On the other hand, AA's philosophy and general approach to B&W to the extent it does not relate specifically to the old processes is not at all obsolete. In terms of the technology, however, I think it might be more useful to learn straight digital now. The place to start, for me, is to capture as much information in the original shot as possible. If one is shooting digital, learning to use the histogram may be the closest analogy to the zone system. (As a film shooter, I've always graphed out my characteristic curves and used a spot meter to do this.) As long as one has the maximum information in the file, then having a printing system that can print well (like the C86 with EZ inks) and having a monitor that matches the print (Photoshop preview/soft proof -- not an expensive color calibration system) ought to allow one to learn by experimenting. At any rate, my point was -- learn the histogram, not the "zone system." Paul www.PaulRoark.com Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, and other resources as they are often being updated. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint If you wish to receive no emails or just a daily digest, or you wish to unsubscribe, please edit your Membership preferences by visiting this same page. 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RE: [Digital BW] Zone system (was Annie Lennox)
2005-01-04 by Paul Roark