Zone system wheel questions

EASmithV · Oct 7, 2009

Ok, so I built this thing;

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/misc/zswheel.pdf

Now how the heck do I use it... ?

erikg · Oct 7, 2009

Are you really asking someone to explain the zone system to you? A device like this helps once you have done the work to gain control of your personal system. One transfers meter readings to the wheel and uses it as an aid in "making value judgments" if you will. Probably the only place left where that is acceptable.

Christopher Walrath · Oct 7, 2009

Erik is right. Learn to use the Zone system and the use of this device for reference will make much more sense. Go here and download the February issue. Good write up on the Zone System and other stuff.

Q.G. · Oct 8, 2009

I understand the zone system, but wouldn't know how to use that wheel either.

mikebarger · Oct 8, 2009

It doesn't appear to be any different in practice than the stickers on my zone VI modified meters.

Mike

paul_c5x4 · Oct 8, 2009

When I started looking for a zone aid to work with a digital spot meter, I found ZoneDial.pdf - Simple to construct and easy to use.

Ian Grant · Oct 8, 2009

There's issues with both these home made dials. In th e first the fact that the speed and aperture have to be set manually and there's also an EV scale, rather awkward.

Ralph's dial is fine but the actual speeds/times are only for 100 EI, although it's very easy to use. But if your meter reads EV then just use these to determine the actual Exposure EV and then read the rest from your light meter dial.

The piece of tape on the meter as an aid works far better, as Ralph illustrates, and is what most people I know seem to do where they can, not all meters have the space.

Ian

Q.G. · Oct 8, 2009

You could also just remember that whatever the meter is pointed at will be zone V if you follow the meter's exposure suggestion, and that every stop any other thing you point the meter at differs from that initial reading is one zone more or less.

The only truly usefull Zone scale i have seen is the one in the Gossen Spotmaster. It lets you see how values shift on the scale when adjusting the "n" value.

The others are just a translation of stops into zones, right? Something that appears to be far easier to do without dial than with. Point the meter at something, decide that you want it to be, say, zone VIII, so just add three stops overexposure. Quicker than fiddling with dials.

Shaggysk8 · Oct 8, 2009

I agree with Q.G. I have a Pentax Spotmeter 1/21 and all I do it measure something workout what zone it needs to be then check other things in the scene and work out if I am happy where they appear on the zone system I do not use any dials it just took a bit of time getting used to it.

Zone system wheel questions

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