Zone System - who has an easy to follow - simple guideline to setting it up

[Rob Skeoch]

Do you know of a simple, easy to follow, process for setting up the Zone system. I'm happy to run the tests with my kit, just want to make sure I end up somewhere in the end.
-Rob

 

[Paul Howell]

Do you have a densitometer?

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

When all is said and done it boils down to "Expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights."

Rate your film at ~2/3 of it's published speed - Tri-X 400 is downrated to 320 or 260. Meter the shadows with a spot meter or by walking up to the shadow.

The N-x and N+x regimes are better done with changing the printing filter to control contrast. However, the technique can be useful if you are using fixed grade paper.

VC paper is only linear at grades 2 1/2 and above, so it can make sense to process your negatives to slightly lower contrast. Personally, I rate film at 1/2 box speed and reduce development time ~15% which gives negatives that print properly with a #3 filter.

YM is sure to V.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

I second what Nicholas has advised.

The ZS assumes you'll be basing exposure on a shadow value and then seeing where the other values "fall." Read/learn about Zones II through V so you can place a given shadow value in the approximate Zone you want it. Inky black, Zone I or II, black with texture, but still very dark, Zone III, luminous shadows in landscapes, Zone IV, Shadows on snow or white sand, Zone V, etc. And, you'll need to be able to easily and accurately meter shadows for exposure determination and the other values to see where they fall. If you don't have a spot meter, maybe the ZS is not for you.

Don't bother with film-speed testing; simply rate your film 2/3-stop slower than box speed. This compensates for the Zone VI metering technique and assumed speed point. It will be way close enough to get started with and most likely not have to be changed.

Find yourself a N (normal) developing time by photographing a scene with a full distribution of values from Zone III through Zone VIII (textured black through textured white). Make a few negatives of the scene, develop one at the manufacturer's recommended time in whatever developer you choose and make your best print on the paper you use at an intermediate contrast setting (your N). I, like Nicholas, recommend you use grade/filtration 2.5 or 3 (I like 3) for your "normal" grade. Make a straight print with the Zone VIII textured whites in the right place. If the shadows are too dark, develop the next negative 15% less than the first and try again. If the shadows aren't dark enough, develop 15% more and try again. Within about three prints, you'll have a good N developing time. (Remember, you just need to be close, i.e., within half a grade or so, so don't obsess with getting a perfect print from a straight print at a selected grade - you just need to be inside the goalposts, not exactly in the middle).

Now you have your N development time and a usable E.I. Go out and make photographs, keeping good notes. The real learning curve of the Zone System is learning how to visualize what you're going to get in the final print from the meter readings you take in the field, so keep track of those. Imagine how you want the shadows, mid-tones and highlights to be rendered according to the meter readings and see if they match what actually happens when you make a print. You'll have to adjust your visualization to agree with the realities of the medium; that's the real learning curve.

With experience, you'll know what your going to get before you release the shutter, where printing problems will be, what you need to dodge and burn, etc. And, if you find your shadows are not exposed enough for your taste, you can adjust E.I. or change development times if your negative contrast isn't getting you in the ballpark most of the time. Field notes help here.

As far as contractions and expansions are concerned (N- and N+ development times): Most contrast control can be done with VC papers these days, but there are still times you need to contract or expand development. However, you don't need to aim exactly for a particular paper grade/contrast filtration (as was necessary with graded papers in the past). So, just think that N-1 is about 20% less development than N and N+1 is about 20% more (again, you can adjust these later if needed).

Scenes that in the classic ZS would require N-1 or N+1 development can be dealt with easily by developing at N and using a different contrast filtration to make up the difference. When you run into a scene that the classic ZS would call N-2 or N-3, just develop N-1 and deal with the rest of the contrast control with your VC paper range (e.g., N-1 development with a #1 filter when your N is a #3 filter = N-3). The same with expansions; for N+2 and N+3 situations, just develop N+1 and use higher-contrast filtration to make up the difference.

That will get you more than started. Remember, if you don't use the visualization aspect of the ZS, you aren't really using the ZS, just ensuring adequate exposure and a negative with a usable contrast range. Being able to see in your mind's eye what you're results will be before making the exposure is the real advantage.

Best,

Doremus

 

[250swb]

Read the Ansel Adams books and understand the principle of the Zone System. When you've done that like many people you'll have either a great understanding of the Zone System having worked through it, OR found a way to adapt the main principles to your current workflow. I did it as a student and learning the entire process was something that remains relevant even today. But in practical terms it's a bit like Photoshop, people are wary of it because they think they need to learn all of it rather than just the bits they need. If you are making wet prints you need to learn all of the Zone System, if you are exposing and scanning and inkjet printing the principles are not as intensive.

 

[MattKing]

1. Get a wide brimmed hat - looks like you are already there ;
2. Can't tell if you have already grown a beard, but if not, grow one!;
3. Read Adams/Minor White/ other sources and pay close attention to what they say about visualization/pre-visualization - that is what is at the ZS core. Seeing a subject in real life, (pre) visualizing how it will appear in print if you expose the film in a variety of different ways, and develop the film in the ways that correspond with those exposure choices; and
4. Follow the advice earlier in the thread about those exposure and development choices.
Hope that helps Rob .

 

[Kilgallb]

I second what Nicholas has advised.

The ZS assumes you'll be basing exposure on a shadow value and then seeing where the other values "fall." Read/learn about Zones II through V so you can place a given shadow value in the approximate Zone you want it. Inky black, Zone I or II, black with texture, but still very dark, Zone III, luminous shadows in landscapes, Zone IV, Shadows on snow or white sand, Zone V, etc. And, you'll need to be able to easily and accurately meter shadows for exposure determination and the other values to see where they fall. If you don't have a spot meter, maybe the ZS is not for you.

Don't bother with film-speed testing; simply rate your film 2/3-stop slower than box speed. This compensates for the Zone VI metering technique and assumed speed point. It will be way close enough to get started with and most likely not have to be changed.

Find yourself a N (normal) developing time by photographing a scene with a full distribution of values from Zone III through Zone VIII (textured black through textured white). Make a few negatives of the scene, develop one at the manufacturer's recommended time in whatever developer you choose and make your best print on the paper you use at an intermediate contrast setting (your N). I, like Nicholas, recommend you use grade/filtration 2.5 or 3 (I like 3) for your "normal" grade. Make a straight print with the Zone VIII textured whites in the right place. If the shadows are too dark, develop the next negative 15% less than the first and try again. If the shadows aren't dark enough, develop 15% more and try again. Within about three prints, you'll have a good N developing time. (Remember, you just need to be close, i.e., within half a grade or so, so don't obsess with getting a perfect print from a straight print at a selected grade - you just need to be inside the goalposts, not exactly in the middle).

Now you have your N development time and a usable E.I. Go out and make photographs, keeping good notes. The real learning curve of the Zone System is learning how to visualize what you're going to get in the final print from the meter readings you take in the field, so keep track of those. Imagine how you want the shadows, mid-tones and highlights to be rendered according to the meter readings and see if they match what actually happens when you make a print. You'll have to adjust your visualization to agree with the realities of the medium; that's the real learning curve.

With experience, you'll know what your going to get before you release the shutter, where printing problems will be, what you need to dodge and burn, etc. And, if you find your shadows are not exposed enough for your taste, you can adjust E.I. or change development times if your negative contrast isn't getting you in the ballpark most of the time. Field notes help here.

As far as contractions and expansions are concerned (N- and N+ development times): Most contrast control can be done with VC papers these days, but there are still times you need to contract or expand development. However, you don't need to aim exactly for a particular paper grade/contrast filtration (as was necessary with graded papers in the past). So, just think that N-1 is about 20% less development than N and N+1 is about 20% more (again, you can adjust these later if needed).

Scenes that in the classic ZS would require N-1 or N+1 development can be dealt with easily by developing at N and using a different contrast filtration to make up the difference. When you run into a scene that the classic ZS would call N-2 or N-3, just develop N-1 and deal with the rest of the contrast control with your VC paper range (e.g., N-1 development with a #1 filter when your N is a #3 filter = N-3). The same with expansions; for N+2 and N+3 situations, just develop N+1 and use higher-contrast filtration to make up the difference.

That will get you more than started. Remember, if you don't use the visualization aspect of the ZS, you aren't really using the ZS, just ensuring adequate exposure and a negative with a usable contrast range. Being able to see in your mind's eye what you're results will be before making the exposure is the real advantage.

Best,

Doremus

A very good summary of how to use the zone system with modern materials. Well done.

I use TMX100 and Delta 100. I refined your 2/3 box speed to use full box speed on Ilford. It gets me better blacks. The point is you will soon learn minor tweeks as you learn.

 

[Steve Goldstein]

Thank you Nicholas and Doremus for these very clear summaries. Modern VC papers certainly do simplify things!

A thing I’ve always wondered about is the impact, if any, of staining developers on ZS principles. I believe Adams used non-staining developers when he worked out the Zone System. The stain produced by developers like Pyrocat adds effective filtration that reduces highlight contrast on VC paper. Does this simply end up requiring an effectively longer development time after testing to counteract the highlight compression?

In light of your desriptions it’s interesting that Sandy King came up with roughly box-speed EI values for most films when he created and explored the Pyrocat family.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

Do you have a densitometer?

I do not have one.

 

[tykos]

I do not have one.

you can test film even without one. You won't get an absolute precision, but your shutter, thermometer, aperture, agitation all have their errors.
Pictorial Planet on youtube has some simple videos about determining film speed and develop times without a densitometer.

 

[Don_ih]

Rob, I'm a bit curious why you would now find it useful to learn the zone system. You're not exactly new, after all.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

A thing I’ve always wondered about is the impact, if any, of staining developers on ZS principles. I believe Adams used non-staining developers when he worked out the Zone System. The stain produced by developers like Pyrocat adds effective filtration that reduces highlight contrast on VC paper.

Pyro is a religious topic that inspires heated debate. I don't find all the hot air generated to be productive; it is an issue best saved for a cold winter day when something is needed to warm the blood.

The choice of developer makes little to no difference. Yes, there may be differences is the HD curve, but that is all expected to come out in the wash with testing. The aim of the testing is to find what works for you. That said, there is a broad consensus about where one's Zone System testing will end up if one follows manufacturers' instructions. As there are no manufacturers of pyro you are on your own and left to follow the 'thought leaders.'

My experiments with the effect of pyro stain show that it does not act as a contrast filter. That doesn't mean that highlight contrast isn't effected by the stain - stain is generally held to be proportional to silver density but the two do deviate for some film, developer, filtration and paper combinations. Testing to find the relation is an arduous affair that makes Zone System testing look very simple.

The bottom line:

• You can certainly use pyro developer and Zone System principles but you will need to do the testing;
• For conventional negatives you can simply follow the recomendations above; the time and expense are best spent on taking and making photographs.

 

[clar260]

Nicholas, can you straighten me out on some longstanding confusion? Following your advice above, if I reduce the exposure in the camera by 2/3, (say to 320 vs 400 box speed) do I then develop for the time suggested by the manufacturer or Massive Dev for box speed or for the adjusted speed?

 

[tykos]

Nicholas, can you straighten me out on some longstanding confusion? Following your advice above, if I reduce the exposure in the camera by 2/3, (say to 320 vs 400 box speed) do I then develop for the time suggested by the manufacturer or Massive Dev for box speed or for the adjusted speed?

neither.
You develop for the manifacturer's suggestion (at box speed) minus something % (20 is usually not a bad place to start).

From there you look at your highlights: if they are too dense you should develop less the next time, if they are too light you should develop more.

 

[Milpool]

neither.
You develop for the manifacturer's suggestion (at box speed) minus something % (20 is usually not a bad place to start).

From there you look at your highlights: if they are too dense you should develop less the next time, if they are too light you should develop more.

Technically if you want to calibrate to the Zone System criteria you would begin by using an EI 2/3 stop lower than ISO speed. Then you figure out your development times for normal, minus, plus.

 

[tykos]

yes, but when you figure out the normal development time a nice place to start is, usually, 20% less than the development time the datasheet reports for the nominal ISO.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I second Tykos. Start with a 15-20% reduction in the developer manufacturer's recomended development time. Be wary of the Massive Development Chart.

If the shadows in your negatives are too thin then drop the EI. If the highlights are too dense then drop the development time. And vice-versa, of course.

Take pictures of your normal subjects. Print with a #3 filter to judge the results. You are aiming for a print that pleases you, not us.

Reading Adams' "The making of 40 photographs" I found that almost none of his iconic images were made with the Zone System. The Zone System, as practiced by Adams, made him take boring photographs. I guess if you are going to go the plodding Zone System path then the spontaneity in taking the picture is killed.

That may explain my setting the meter at 2/3-1/2 the box speed, dropping the development time 15% and not bothering with all the place/fall folderol, and just get on with taking the picture.

 

[MTGseattle]

I hesitate to add anything here but the thought of a reader who is new to processing and printing b&w for themselves reading this and getting lost in the wilderness is nagging at me.

There is a ton of good solid info in the above responses. If you are not new and do not have a densitometer, I have nothing to add.

If you are "new" to this whole process, you should stick with a single film/developer combo through a round of testing. Don't switch things up after 1 or 2 rolls. When testing, consistency of process is key.

If you do have a densitometer and want to embark on the full round of testing, I would say that you should expose 1 roll/sheet at box speed and develop at the manufacturer's recommended time to have that data point available.

 

[Paul Howell]

I do not have one.

You can shoot a ring around. By the way the zone only works well with sheet film, the idea as noted above is to expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights. When shooting roll film you cannot adjust the development time for each frame. In the 60s I attended a summer workshop by Minor White, I use his version of the zone for sheet film and have worked out a crippled version for roll film. The best testing for a ring around to get have model, caucasian will be zone VI, a darker skin model will be zone IV to zone II depending the person. A swath of white cloth, a swath of dark cloth with texture, Sweaters work well and a gray card. Have your model stand in open shade, draped in the cloths holding the gray scale. I also use a small white board with the frame number and ISO for the frame. Using your usual film Starting with ISO 25 take a shot, then 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800. If you use Tmax 400 you might want to add 1600. If shooting roll film use a lens cap to leave a blank frame between test shots. Develop in you usal developer. Once dry on a light table or against the light look for zone III, shadows with detail. Note the ISO, then print or scan at grade 2 or #2 filter, considered normal, that frame and determine if you have VII, highlights with detail, and if the gray card is zone V. If washed out or blocked shoot another roll or sheet using the ISO for zone III, then if underexposed add 10% if over decrease by 10%, This is a judgment call, if badly over or under increase or decrease by 20%. It may take a few rolls to find your optimum development time. Once you have details in zone III and VII with zone 5 on the gray card you have E,.I or what I think of as your personalized ISO for that film and developer. If you use more than film or developer then repeat.

As I shoot Foma 400 in 4X5 I have cheated by using Foma 400 in 35mm for my ring around to get to a point that I adjust with a few sheets of film.

This is not as accurate as using a densitometry but it does work, With 35mm and a camera with matrix metering I generally just shoot my personal ISO for that film which is generally close to box spee, and let the computer figure it out. With my older 35mm and MF cameras I use a spot meter to meter the shadows for zone III, then develop for zone VII and fix using VC paper.

Also as noted the purpose of the zone system if visualize (Minor White previsualize) a scene then developing the negative to get you as close to that visualization as possible. You are shooting white barn, the barn fall in zone VI, but you visualize a much whiter barn, zone VII or even VIII so you increase the development time to raise the zone VI to Zone VII. With roll film you do this by using a higher grade VC filter or increase in the contrast in PS. You still need to brun, dodge, use bleaching techs for your final print. AA wrote a book on the making of some his famous prints.

 

[tykos]

Reading Adams' "The making of 40 photographs" I found that almost none of his iconic images were made with the Zone System. The Zone System, as practiced by Adams, made him take boring photographs. I guess if you are going to go the plodding Zone System path then the spontaneity in taking the picture is killed.

He states at least two times in the negative that this system is useful to understand what the materials can and cannot do and hot to treat them to obtain a given result.
So, while the internet says that it’s boring and clinical, the author had the final print in mind.

You can shoot a ring around. By the way the zone only works well with sheet film,

Or when you shot a roll in mostly similar conditions.
I tend to not use 120 rolls in more than one session, so I’ll the pictures in there will have a similar contrast range.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

All the Zone System testing that AA and Minor White, et al. call for is largely unneeded these days, especially if one uses VC papers.

My advice is to forget the testing for personal E.I. and just rate your film 2/3-stop slower than box speed to begin with (note: this is not 2/3 box speed, but 2/3-stop...). Then, keep an eye on your shadow detail in subsequent photographs. If you consistently don't have enough shadow detail, then rate your film a little slower. If it's just once in a while, figure out what you're doing wrong. ZS mistakes are usually faulty visualization or metering.

Testing for development is needed, but it need not be laborious. Make three or four negatives of the same scene (with a full range of tones that you've metered well and taken notes on!) and develop one at the recommended time minus 15% for starters. Print it with #2.5 or 3 filtration (I like #3 for N on VC papers). Print it so the highlights are where you want them to be and then examine the shadows (the reason for this is your eye is more sensitive to highlight densities, so use those as your key area in printing). If the shadows are too dark, the negative is too contrasty (not underexposed!). You could likely easily make a great print at a lower contrast setting with this negative, but that's not the point of testing. You need a negative that makes a great print really close to the #3 setting, so go back an develop another negative 10% - 15% less (depending on how too-dark the shadows were). Or if the shadows seem too light, then your negative is too flat (yes, you could make a nice print at a higher contrast setting...), so develop another negative a 10-15% more and make another print.

One of those should get you way close enough to just go out and make photographs. You can further adjust your development times later if you need. Really, all you need to do is keep notes and, if your negatives consistently require more contrast than #3, increase your development time and vice versa. Note the work "consistently." The object is to have your negatives print well at an intermediate contrast grade, not exactly #3 or #2.5 or #3.5... That leaves the extremes for situations of extreme contrast and for the mistakes you will inevitably make.

Again, learn the visualization aspect of the ZS, otherwise it's a largely unnecessary mechanical process. Being able to visualize what's going to happen in the darkroom before you get there is the real advantage. My exposure notes these days contain things like, "develop this too contrasty and dodge and burn like hell to preserve mid-tone separation," or "This one's going to need N+1 and 170M to get any contrast at all - maybe develop the back-up negative at N+2," or "N-1 and flash the paper to keep highlight detail." You get the idea.

Test to get a usable development time for N and go out and make photographs. Forget the densitometer and the film-speed testing. Keep good notes and adjust as needed later.

Best,

Doremus

 

[xkaes]

Read the Ansel Adams books and understand the principle of the Zone System. When you've done that like many people you'll have either a great understanding of the Zone System having worked through it, OR found a way to adapt the main principles to your current workflow.

-- OR decided to try something else. There are no shortage of shutterbugs doing that.

P.S. A densitometer is not essential. If you have an enlarger "analyzer" or meter, or a hand-held meter with an enlarger attachment, you are all set. If all else fails, your eyeball does a pretty good job.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

No densitometer, no problem.

To test a new negative, print contact prints/sheets at max black time...the first enlarger exposure which renders a max black through the films edge at normal contrast, in normal print developer, at normal temperature, and with normal agitation. This will honestly reveal what the negative is doing.

Doing the same with enlargements when first starting to make a new one (maybe not a whole sheet of paper, but a representative portion) will also tell all.

Adjust negative exposure & development over time and you'll get the hang of it. Having a consistent subject will help. I used a corner of the backyard with a full-bodied range of textures.

Point being, having a standard print exposure, paper, developer, temperature, agitation regimen will give a solid base to make further adjustments.

 

[cliveh]

All the Zone System testing that AA and Minor White, et al. call for is largely unneeded these days, especially if one uses VC papers.



Doremus

I would agree with this.

 

[Paul Howell]

You can shoot a ring around. By the way the zone only works well with sheet film,

Or when you shot a roll in mostly similar conditions.
I tend to not use 120 rolls in more than one session, so I’ll the pictures in there will have a similar contrast range.

This is true, I have used zone + or - development when I shot short rolls. In past I have loaded 35mm with short rolls of 8 exposures. Currently I dont shoot as often or much as I use to and my 36 exposures rolls cover a range of scenes and lighting conditions.

I still think the zone and Beyond the Zone System can be useful with large format work, knowing what to expect, for those who do want to visualize then BTZS may be more useful.