Zone system calibration

[David Cordner]

I'm trying to get my head around the zone system (starting to shoot b&w again) and one of the things I need to do is find my effective personal film speed. I have a efi es-1000, it's the same as the x-rite i1pro. Is there a way to use it to help me read my film base plus fog and zone1 or do I need a proper densitometer?

Thanks
David

 

[Xmas]

Hi

Donno, I just used my Westons U datum on a pattern in shadow, and swept exposures 1/3 of a stop and light tabled for the one with the pattern just visible.

The pattern just visible is subjective anyway?...

The other thing is are all your shutter speeds and aperture settings close to nominal.

 

[David Cordner]

Thats the thing, three different hasselblad lenses, probably three slightly different exposures. I guess I'll have to settle on a average.

David

 

[ROL]

Your'e using color digital analyzers to get your head around the ZS? Good luck with that.

IMO, if your trying to learn about the ZS, my advice would be to forget film testing until you have your head around it. In other words, you seem to be putting the cart before the horse, learning wise. Read AAs The Negative. Film testing is normally the last step in personal implementation of the entire system, film exposure to fine art print. I use the ZS exclusively and would like to think I understand it pretty well, from interpretation of light to fine art print, and I've never used either a spectrophotometer or a densitometer.

 

[Allen Friday]

Read and follow the tests in The Practical Zone System, found here: https://archive.org/stream/The_Prac...ilm_and_Digital_Photography#page/n29/mode/2up

The book will get you 90% of the way to understanding the zone system..and you don't need a densitometer. Personally, I would skip The Negative by Adams for learning the ZS. Great book, but pretty thick when it comes to the ZS. it has lead many photographers astray with its references to specific densities for negatives. Too many newbies try to match the numbers in the book.

 

[David Cordner]

Thanks Allan, I'll have a look. I would prefer to keep it simple.

David.

 

[ic-racer]

0.1 log d = 1/3 stop
Use your spotmeter. You don't need a TV set or whatever that other thing is.

 

[Bill Burk]

David,

If you would like to keep it simple, I'm recommending a simple strategy these days. Set aside film speed testing for now and take film speed for granted.* Assume that you will get the rated speed when you develop enough. You can find out if you are developing enough with one bracketed pair of photographs. Use the other 10 shots to take pictures! I recommend shooting something gray at meter recommendation and then another shot 2 stops over. Use the light meter as ic-racer mentioned, to look at the negative on a light box. If the difference between the bracketed shots is 1 stop according to the meter, then you have developed enough and the film speed is close to the rated speed.

*Decide your personal film speed based on how you want your shadows to come out, Xmas is on-to something there. For rich detailed shadows choose a personal film speed less than rated speed. For example I shoot 400TMAX at a personal film speed of 250.

 

[Xmas]

For rich detailed shadows choose a personal film speed less than rated speed. For example I shoot 400TMAX at a personal film speed of 250.

Using Microphen and invercone incident on the Weston

Formapan 400 @ 250
Formapan 100 @ 125
HP5+ @ 320
FP4+ @ 100
APX100 @ 100

After zone 1 reflective calibration

&my Westons are within 1/3 of a stop and the shutters at /125 ditto

zone 1 shadows vestigial after a reflective

but I don't develop for high contrast typically 15% less time than datasheet.

 

[David Cordner]

Thanks guy's that's Concise helpful information. I'm trialling a few film at the moment, any views on Fuji across 100 and any reason not to use Rodinal?

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Acros 100 is the duck's guts. Rodinal is a high acutance developer. There are finer grain developers you could use, but Rodinal is fine especially if you like the acutance.

 

[Xmas]

Thanks guy's that's Concise helpful information. I'm trialling a few film at the moment, any views on Fuji across 100 and any reason not to use Rodinal?

No at 1+100 it goes a long way, don't over agitate unless you like more grain... at 1+100 only stand

super with 100 ISO or slower

Fuji mono all excellent

 

[David Cordner]

Ducks guts, not sure if that's bad or good lol. I plan on 11" sq prints so grain isn't much of a problem, I fact I'm not against some grain.

If I use 1+100 stand will I still get good contrast? I'm looking for good midtone punch.

 

[Mark_S]

Other people do other things, but here is my take on it, which only works if you are shooting sheet film:
The basic premise of the zone system is to expose and develop in such a way as to produce a negative that can be printed easily. Variable contrast papers give us a knob to turn in the darkroom that didn't exist when the zone system was first developed, so I use a process which is geared towards getting negatives which are easy to print in the darkroom.

Step 1 - determine exposure:
I always use the same film, which I rate a box speed, which is a little fast. I meter on the darkest part of the scene in which I want to retain value and I place that in Zone IV. I look at the scene and determine if it is about normal, super contrasty or kind of flat. I expose two sheets of film, exactly the same.

Step 2 - develop:
I usually develop the first sheet nominally. I always use the same developer, so I know what to expect, I develop one sheet of film. If the scene was particularly flat, I develop for longer (usually ~20% more time), if the scene was really contrasty, I develop for a shorter amount of time. I then inspect the negative - and sometimes make a print or two from it. If I am happy, I process the second negative the same way, and I have a spare, if I want more or less contrast, I process the second sheet of film for more or less time.

If I am feeling particularly nerdy, I will use a densitometer on the negative to figure out if I want more or less contrast, but I am usually happy just looking at the negative. on the light table, sometimes the image is really contrasty and that is what you want, sometimes not.