Annual repost of my offer to share BTNS

[jisner]

One year ago today, I posted to this group an offer to share BTNS with any brave soul willing to try a completely new way of calibrating digital negatives. Unlike other calibration methods, BTNS is based on a mathematical model of tone reproduction. I began work on BTNS nearly five years ago in response to a challenge to apply the ideas of Phil Davis in his 1981 book Beyond the Zone System to the hybrid digital/analog darkroom. Since then, BTNS has been used for all the cyanotypes (classic, new, and simple), platinum/palladium, and (most recently, by Sandy King) for carbon transfer. A complete BTNS calibration takes only one trip to the darkroom. This low calibration overhead encourages experimentation.

BTNS has some rather unusual hardware requirements compared with other methods. You'll need a uv transmission densitometer, a spectrocolorimeter, a set of Stouffer step wedges, and a printer that can adjust ink density (any Epson 3K printer will do, since BTNS does not use QTR). The software runs on Windows and Mac and requires Excel 2016 or later. Anyone who has used Phil Davis’s BTZS system will already have met the hardware requirements and will find BTNS to be a logical evolution of the concepts introduced in BTZS.

If you're interested in learning more about BTNS, let me know. We'll schedule a demo over zoom and I'll send you the BTNS manual.

 

[jtetlow]

One year ago today, I posted to this group an offer to share BTNS with any brave soul willing to try a completely new way of calibrating digital negatives. Unlike other calibration methods, BTNS is based on a mathematical model of tone reproduction. I began work on BTNS nearly five years ago in response to a challenge to apply the ideas of Phil Davis in his 1981 book Beyond the Zone System to the hybrid digital/analog darkroom. Since then, BTNS has been used for all the cyanotypes (classic, new, and simple), platinum/palladium, and (most recently, by Sandy King) for carbon transfer. A complete BTNS calibration takes only one trip to the darkroom. This low calibration overhead encourages experimentation.

BTNS has some rather unusual hardware requirements compared with other methods. You'll need a uv transmission densitometer, a spectrocolorimeter, a set of Stouffer step wedges, and a printer that can adjust ink density (any Epson 3K printer will do, since BTNS does not use QTR). The software runs on Windows and Mac and requires Excel 2016 or later. Anyone who has used Phil Davis’s BTZS system will already have met the hardware requirements and will find BTNS to be a logical evolution of the concepts introduced in BTZS.

If you're interested in learning more about BTNS, let me know. We'll schedule a demo over zoom and I'll send you the BTNS manual.

View attachment 365360

Hi John, I'm interested in this, but can't message you as I just joined. My email is ******

 

[MattKing]

Hi John, I'm interested in this, but can't message you as I just joined. My email is ******

We ask that private email addresses and other private information not be posted in public threads - we are trying to keep the scammers from harvesting here.
You should be able to access the Private Conversation function now.
Welcome to Photrio.

 

[beemermark]

Acrynom, gotta love them. Secret talk for those in the society. So what is BTNS

 

[jisner]

BTNS is not an acronym! Now you know.

 

[albada]

Acrynom, gotta love them. Secret talk for those in the society. So what is BTNS

How about Better Than Not Shooting?
Seriously, google tells me it's either Broadcast Token Naming System or Better Than Nothing Security, both techie terms.

 

[koraks]

So what is BTNS

@jisner explained a year ago:

BTNS is BTZS with the N rotated 90 degrees. It's not an acronym.

Neat trick.

 

[Don_ih]

So it's Beyond The None System?

 

[jtetlow]

We ask that private email addresses and other private information not be posted in public threads - we are trying to keep the scammers from harvesting here.
You should be able to access the Private Conversation function now.
Welcome to Photrio.

Thanks Matt and apologies.

 

[photoivan]

One year ago today, I posted to this group an offer to share BTNS with any brave soul willing to try a completely new way of calibrating digital negatives. Unlike other calibration methods, BTNS is based on a mathematical model of tone reproduction. I began work on BTNS nearly five years ago in response to a challenge to apply the ideas of Phil Davis in his 1981 book Beyond the Zone System to the hybrid digital/analog darkroom. Since then, BTNS has been used for all the cyanotypes (classic, new, and simple), platinum/palladium, and (most recently, by Sandy King) for carbon transfer. A complete BTNS calibration takes only one trip to the darkroom. This low calibration overhead encourages experimentation.

BTNS has some rather unusual hardware requirements compared with other methods. You'll need a uv transmission densitometer, a spectrocolorimeter, a set of Stouffer step wedges, and a printer that can adjust ink density (any Epson 3K printer will do, since BTNS does not use QTR). The software runs on Windows and Mac and requires Excel 2016 or later. Anyone who has used Phil Davis’s BTZS system will already have met the hardware requirements and will find BTNS to be a logical evolution of the concepts introduced in BTZS.

If you're interested in learning more about BTNS, let me know. We'll schedule a demo over zoom and I'll send you the BTNS manual.

View attachment 365360

would like to now how i can obtain copy of your book and spreadsheets, Your process makes the most sense. Its right out of C.B. Neblettes. Best, Paul Ivanushka ********
{moderator note - telephone number deleted - please do not post private contact information in public posts - the scammers and scrapers are out there}

 

[MattKing]

If @jisner reaches out to @photoivan by Private Conversation, you can exchange contact info there.

 

[Byron Brauchli]

Hello,
I would very much like to see the manual for use of this system if it’s still available,
thanks much and best regards,
byron

 

[jisner]

Hello,
I would very much like to see the manual for use of this system if it’s still available,
thanks much and best regards,
byron

Hi Byron,
BTNS is available, but only on a one-on-one basis. I share the software and book freely with anyone who is willing to work with me through their first calibration, typically over zoom. I have been working this way for at least three years, and currently have two students.

Here's a link to Chapter 1 of the current version of my book Making Digital Negatives with BTNS. In it, you will find the hardware and software requirements. Chapter 1 should also help you understand how BTNS differs in fundamental ways from every other digital negative calibration system.
John

 

[Byron Brauchli]

Hi Byron,
BTNS is available, but only on a one-on-one basis. I share the software and book freely with anyone who is willing to work with me through their first calibration, typically over zoom. I have been working this way for at least three years, and currently have two students.

Here's a link to Chapter 1 of the current version of my book Making Digital Negatives with BTNS. In it, you will find the hardware and software requirements. Chapter 1 should also help you understand how BTNS differs in fundamental ways from every other digital negative calibration system.
John

Hi John:
Yes, I saw and read chapter one, it looks very promising and I would be interested in collaborating one-on-one with you to sort out the details for use with photogravure positives and silver negatives. I do have the required software and hardware mentioned and could get together for a Zoom meeting sometime this coming week if that works for you?
best regards,
byron