The Zone System: In my early days in photography the zone system of exposure was quite popular. Even though we have moved from film to digital I find that it still applies. It was very...

portcragin Loc: Kirkland, WA

In my early days in photography the zone system of exposure was quite popular. Even though we have moved from film to digital I find that it still applies. It was very popular with photographers like Ansel Adams and Brett Weston. I don't see it mentioned in present day photography. I thought this strange. In this picture I picked up, on manual, my exposure from my hand which is considered zone V. My on camera meter 18% gray is zone IV. I under exposed 1 stop which gets me to zone V, and took the picture. I have purposefully not done anything to the picture to show the results. I thought the exposure came out just as expected. Can't ask for much more then that. Shooting with a D90, ISO 400, F5.6, hand held, without flash. Your thoughts......

Good shooting

Grand daughter

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

The picture of your very cute granddaughter seems a bit overexposed on the left side and shows a yellow cast on the side with artificial light. If you can try the shot again, shut off the incandescent light and try 1 stop less exposure. Also, the presence of the white dollhouse does nothing to enhance the exposure.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

The Zone System was used exclusively for image capture on B&W film. It incorporates custom film development as well, such as push processing. It also involved printing onto multi-grade B&W paper, with specific filters. I hated it!

To my understanding, the Zone System does not transfer well to color capture &/or color printing.

portcragin Loc: Kirkland, WA

As mentioned the photo has no PP. I used the zone system for exposure purposes only. From there I take it into Photoshop, Topaz, OnOne Software depending on the desired results.

Good Shooting

rebride

The main premise(s) of the Zone System still applies today and is used whether photographers realize it or not.
Using a histogram for exposure or post processing, expanding or compressing, shifting left or right to get what you want.
Controlling the highlights (clipping), keeping detail in the shadows.
Opening up the lens aperture a couple stops because you are shooting a snow scene.
All zone kind of stuff.
HDR is a zone system photographer's wet dream (not referring to the so called 'effect').

JudyTee23 Loc: Eastern U. S.

Ansel Adams' Zone System is too technical for most of today's digi-cammers who prefer to let the camera do most of the thinking. As for me, I rarely use the meter in my D700 as I prefer to use an incident light meter which avoids most of the shortcomings of the reflectance type meters.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

JudyTee23 wrote:

Ansel Adams' Zone System is too technical for most of today's digi-cammers who prefer to let the camera do most of the thinking. As for me, I rarely use the meter in my D700 as I prefer to use an incident light meter which avoids most of the shortcomings of the reflectance type meters.

Ahh....a woman after my own heart.... :)

cheineck Loc: Hobe Sound, FL

I thought Minor White was the "inventor" of the Zone System.???

portcragin Loc: Kirkland, WA

Source: Zone System - Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_System

cheineck Loc: Hobe Sound, FL

portcragin wrote:

Source: Zone System - Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_System

I stand corrected. I did have a book written by Minor white... back in the late 50s. It appears that he was explaining Adam's system. And yes, it was just for B&W.

portcragin Loc: Kirkland, WA

Here is a interesting article of the possible application of the Zone system, as to how it could apply to today's Digital Photography. Thought it was an interesting article... Enjoy.

Good shooting

http://photo.tutsplus.com/articles/theory/understanding-using-ansel-adams-zone-system/

cheineck Loc: Hobe Sound, FL

portcragin wrote:

Here is a interesting article of the possible application of the Zone system, as to how it could apply to today's Digital Photography. Thought it was an interesting article... Enjoy.

Good shooting

I think you forgot the link. Sounds interesting!

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Nikonian72 wrote:

The Zone System was used exclusively for image capture on B&W film. It incorporates custom film development as well, such as push processing. It also involved printing onto multi-grade B&W paper, with specific filters. I hated it!

To my understanding, the Zone System does not transfer well to color capture &/or color printing.

I know where you are coming from: As utilized by AA, it was a very meticulous process which began with visualizing the intended final print. The process involved exposing the negative, developing the negative using specific formulas adjusted to fit the tonal range to the intended result, and then printed with a conscious decision on paper grade, contrast filters-- along with some dodging and burning.
To take full advantage of this system, one has to expose individual film plates on a view camera.

There are some useful principles, but practically speaking a good understanding of exposure, reading a histogram, and some photo-shopping skills is enough.

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

For me it still applies. Digital is not film but exposure on a medium is still used to produce an image. You could transfer the thoughts on paper and multi contrast filters to the PP of Lightroom or other PP computer programs. The Zone System is challenging but it helps the photographer to previsualize the image they want to produce.

portcragin Loc: Kirkland, WA

My thoughts exactly. Another tool to add to our tool box. I have tried to incorporate it into my picture taking process.

Good shooting