Zone System In 10 Minutes or Less

[@casperghst42]

Easier than Adams's system, but still a lot to take in. Very good.

[@luna_bird]

Wow, you are opening my mind. The Steve system makes the most sense!

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Glad to help.

[@frankpavich]

You are a truly excellent teacher.

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Thank you!

[@kenblair2538]

Wow ! Thank you Steve, now I can put my old Pentax Spot meter to use. KB

[@irsan949]

Thank you for this video, Steve. This is something many folks don't seem to put in consideration when doing 'hybrid process' ie. analog films + digital scan. The modern scanner these days can reveal so many detail and information out of a strip of film, not to mention if one do the scan with a good setup of digital camera and decent macro lens

[@escargotomy]

A very informative and interesting take on the zone system. I am getting back into film after about 10 years and I vaguely recall my high school photography teacher going over zones...almost 40 years ago. I do understand the broad strokes of what you are saying but I am not familiar with (and probably don't have access to) "Stand" developing. Assuming I can only rely on standard C-41 from my local camera store, do any of these guidelines still apply? I am referring to moving shadows from zone 5 to zone 4 and/or moving highlights from zone 5 to zone 7?? Thank you so much!!

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Absolutely- C41 is a solid universal process and married with a good film is very flexible- Find the film you like and shoot away! Just remember color negative material is fine overexposed quite a bit but hates underexpose so always error on the more exposure side!

[@johngskewes]

Hi Steve, thanks for another video, loaded with good information - I will be incorporating these ideas in the coming weeks and months. Thanks-

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Happy shooting!

[@DavidGriffin]

Sir I was seriously wondering if I could stand develop using rodinol/only beginning agitation and this type of zone system if it could work. Thank you for your service!

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yes but understand it is not the pure zone system as there you develop to hit your highlight density- rather this method with proper stand would ensure your dynamic range is ok and would just require post production tweaks in PS for contrast -

[@Martin_Siegel]

Right before that I saw a Bruce Barnbaum video from 2006 saying the same for a completely wet process.

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yep- we are on the same page regarding real zone practice-

[@Martin_Siegel]

@@FIGITALREVOLUTION Thanks for replying. I just mentioned it because in your video there was a hint of a doubt (sth. like "maybe also for darkroom printing)

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yeah- my wet printing days are in the past so I usually only like to speak to scanning with authority and everything else test and verify- having said that this technique I use for many decades in the wet darkroom with great success but papers I used back then are not available now-

[@jd5787]

Just heard a 15mins rambling by Michael Barnbaum on the same thing: put shadows on IV and not III. Much clearer in the Steve system but I will still have to listen to it 10x because there are many moving parts. 😁👍 One thing I think I got right: if I pull the film (overexpose) by 1 stop, I need to meter for highlights that I care about (want to retain texture) and vice versa. I am still confused about what to do wuth multiple metering points though. Is a 5% spot meter good enough by the way?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

It really is about place and fall- you place one exposure and everything else falls into their place. I always either meter for zone VII or Zone IV depending on my need for texture protection. In a very early post I mentioned metering for say Zone VI or VII and allowing the shadows to fall- reason is the eye will always go to the brightest area so protecting that is first and with proper development or the stand development I have written about here shadows are almost always spot on. 5% is fine for the hybrid process as it is not critical like the classic Zone System with graded papers.

[@baggerrider8073]

I just developed a 120 roll of Kentmere 100 I shot with my pinhole camera this morning with Rodinal 1:100. It was a sunny morning. I used semi stand with one agitation. Then 30 minutes later another agitation and 45 minutes more of development time for a total of 75 minutes. Wow, just way too much contrast. I took the easy way out and used the pinhole assist app rather than my spot meter. Usually the app works fine. Rodinal is usually great for me with HP 400. I’m not sure the Kentmere 100 is a good fit for this film. I’ve found Diafine to make gorgeous negatives with this film, but my lazy method of using pinhole assist doesn’t work because you can’t set any value different than box speed and get the correct reciprocity. I have not tried the DDX 1:9 method you have discussed. Can you offer your thoughts on the subject and my rambling?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

The DDX will give you more speed for sure but also a bit for contrast- I use Diafine a lot with my pinhole BW work as it is so forgiving// - I also use the pinhole assist app a lot- beta tested the new version a few years back- it’s quite good.

[@edwincampos7142]

Absolutely great information. Thank you for it. Just one question, does the zones that you give IV thru VII work for slide film? Particularly Provia 100f

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yes- for transparency material I would meter for the highlight and let the shadows fall

[@edwincampos7142]

@@FIGITALREVOLUTION thank you 🙏 for your response and help!

[@smkunder1]

Very interesting, I am trying to figure out how to do this with my Sekonic meter, which does not give EV readings

[@luna_bird]

I am new to film. I don't have a spot meter. I have a Canon A1 and I use the camera's meter. If I push a 200 film to 400, I set my camera ISO to 400, and then I will meter the shadows and place it to Zone IV, right? If I use the box speed, I will meter the brightest point and set to zone VII. If I am doing a portrait, a person (face) or an item (a vase), should I still meter the brightest point (Like the lamp or sky) or should I meter my main target and make sure the main target is properly exposed?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

For the portrait I would meter a Caucasian skin tone for ZVI-- portraits I always meter for the skin. Very bright objects like a selection or metal in the sun I just let go- remember to always meter for your subject first! If you push a film you are loosing shadow detail with each stop pushed- one stop with a flexible film and proper development should be fine- but realize that ZIV shadow is closer to a ZIII because of the push. What film are you shooting with?

[@luna_bird]

@ DIGITALREVOLUTION I have Kodak Gold 200, I also have Kodak Xtri 400. You just pointed out the link that I missed. With 200 film, I set the camera to ISO 400, I meter the shadow, and set it to ZIV, and it is actually ZIII due to I have adjusted the camera to 400. In this case, if I really care about the shadow, should I actually meter the shadow and keep it at ZV instead?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Gold 200 is pretty flexible and and will be ok at 400. 400TX is a very flexible film depending on the developer used- for example Diafine has an incredible speed bump with that film and it has a usable EI from 400/640 to 1200/1600 - but one is color and the other of course BW. The color film will be perhaps the most flexible for you now as it will hand over exposure the best- color negative material handles too much exposure pretty well but does not like to be under exposed - shadows turn to mud. So try the 200 at 200 and maybe run a few shots at 400 or even 640 and 100 to see how you like the results as your are of course the final judge as to your vision and just because something may from a technical stand point be “better” does not mean it is what is right for your work/ look-- happy shooting.

[@luna_bird]

@DIGITALREVOLUTION Thank you so much for the lesson. You have no idea how much it has helped me between your videos and the conversation that we had here. You are an excellent teacher. 👍 😁

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Glad to help

[@jordanbathe8772]

If I expose potra 400 as 320 and normal development. Should I meter for shadows?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Portra 400 has huge latitude so at 400 it is perfect and at 800/1000 it is still perfect and down to 50 it is still amazing! All standard C41 dec

[@jordanbathe8772]

@@FIGITALREVOLUTION would you suggest exposing for shadows in general while using potra 400?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yes!

[@NicolausNemeth]

As someone who knows just enough to be dangerous in photography, I've loved all your videos and this one is no exception. I even joined the revolution (subscribed)! This video in particular fascinates me and I've watched it at least three times. BUT I'm having trouble applying this to my camera. I use a Nikon with a TTL light meter 60/40 center-weighted. The readout displays suggested shutter speeds for the given ISO/aperture combination. I've so far gotten around this by using a spot meter on my phone but would love to figure out how to use the built-in functionality of my camera. Do you have any advice?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Hmmmmm- that is difficult as the meter needs to be a spot meter for accuracy of placement or perhaps you can can use the Handy Andy exposure calculator that I outlined in Meter Matters. Otherwise you could try to meter for the ground (not snow or sand or water) and assume that it needs to be placed at a safe zone 4- the inverse could be used by metering that primality emphasizes the sky and on a sunny day assume a Zone 7… but these are really just experience based judgements- hard to beat a spot meter or the Handy Andy Meter- these days I just visualize the exposure and based on experience make a judgement - with the enhanced dynamic range the development techniques outline here produce it works out perfect for scanning-- hope that helps…

[@arneheeringa96]

You can meter on your hand and then underexpose 1 stop (zone 4) or overexpose 2 stops (zone 7).

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

@@arneheeringa96 yep....

[@toulcaz31]

I am surprised you didn’t have your Andy’s Handy handy 🙂 It’s a pity by the way they didn’t add a zone VI scale in that calculator.

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

I’m actually going to do a video on how to use it for a basic zone calculator and also an app I use on the phone that is quite good and a replacement for a spot meter if one does not have one… more in a day …

[@baggerrider8073]

I have a quick question. I am using Diafine quite a bit and love the results. Another KZbin photography channel indicated that I can’t really use the zone system with compensating developers like Diafine. It seems to me that I can. I originally shot a test roll to determine the speed for a given film. I then placed the shadows or highlights in their zones as you instructed and the results were beautiful. I realize that Diafine is a compensating developer, but it seems to me that I am using the “Steve” zone method and getting great results but it would seem that with any developer I can’t just take a shot without thought and expect the negatives to come out fine just because I used a compensating developer. What do you think?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

The hybrid Steve Zone system works perfectly with the Zone System I have outlined- reality is that in 2023 modern films and papers do not respond the same as they did in AA times and nor do we need them to. Not many people print in a tradition darkroom compared to hybrid film shooters and even fewer use graded paper. Figure out your film speed and your EI latitude using the film and Diafine- place the shadow value and highlight value as desired and just make work- people always try to make it harder than it needs to be.

[@baggerrider8073]

@@FIGITALREVOLUTION Thanks! I absolutely agree. The individual I am referring to is very old school and makes prints in a darkroom. Nothing against his methods as they produce prints the way he likes them. But I have found your Steve Zone system to work very well for me. Thank you for your videos. They have been extremely helpful and informative.

[@sujiitkundu9843]

How to use zone System in digital photography ?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Shoot digital like slide film- expose for highlights and let the shadows fall- will do a video on it

[@jeta1383]

Respectfully, your video is misleading. You are biasing your approach TO a stand dev AND scanning process. And NOT a true end to end analogue process. You really should be more clear about this.

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

The WHOLE purpose of this site since 2006 is a hybrid approach - Film to Digital- I have no interest in a end to end analog only process in 2024.