Does the zone system apply to digital cameras as well as Film cameras?

Question

And if you take an exposure reading off of a gray card is it still necessary to use the zone system to get proper exposure?

Answer 1

I was going to right this all out, but decided it was just to much work, so I will give it to you in a nutshell.

I learned the Zone System from Ansel Adams many years ago. Even though everyone concentrates on exposure, there are basically three components to it: The initial exposure, the film developement and the print. Each of these has their counterpart in digital photography.

The Zone System, while developed for film because that was what Adams had, isn't really an exposure system per se. It doesn't even begin with the exposure.

It begins with the visualization. It is with the visualization that you assign your tonalities from lightest to darkest according to your idea of the final image. The correct exposure for that image is when you hit those tonalities within the capabilities of the sensor or film.

The film development has been replaced by post processing in digital work. This is where you 'develope' your contrast range. This is directly analogous to film developement and you are accomplishing the same things.

The output or print stage is also directly analogous to what you would do in a conventional dark room. You dodge and burn digitally instead of under the enlarger, but you do it and for the same reasons. Just like he would have different stocks of paper he would use to bring out the tonality of the print to best advantage, there are papers for digital printing that achieve the same thing. That's why top quality papers have different printing profiles for different printers and the very exact people have custom profiles done.

Anybody who thinks, and some do, that Adams did everything in the camera doesn't know how he worked.

Yes, the Zone System can apply to digital as well as film if you want to achieve that kind of craftsmanship. While the type of photography I do professionally doesn't lend itself to using the Zone System, I do tend to think in terms of zones when I am setting my exposure and for some of my personal stuff, I do use the Zone System converted as it applies to digital photography.

Note on exposure: There is a technically correct exposure and this is the one that is almost always correct. Almost is the key word. There is another kind of exposure that may not be technically correct, but is correct for the image. This is something you shouldn't worry about until you can get the technically correct image.

Vance

Answer 2

Ebay from a Top Rated Seller making sure that they earned their Top Rating selling cameras. Sopme older film SLRs are fine except for failed lightmeters. You can cheaply buy working hand-held light meters so that need not be a problem. Ask what if any battery the camera needs so toy can check that it is easily obtainable. Some use cells that are very hard to source now. Ask if the battery powers the shutter or just the lightmeter. Shutters that need battery power will be useless if a circuit breaks - not desirable! Manual shutters either work or they don't and usually they do. Bear in mind that because lenses can be adapted to digital SLRs, prices are rising when the camera has an easily adapted lense. A camera with a decent screw mount (M42) lense can be considered to be on loan because the lense itself will next year sell for 25% more as long as it stays clean and undamaged.

Answer 3

Seamless is right, the zone system is really about visualization. This is really putting it in a nutshell but if you ever looked at a scene and knew just exactly the way you wanted the final print to appear, this is visualization. A lot of it is really knowing the limits and abilities of your materials and equiptment.

Answer 4

ok you must be confused: let me explain it to you


light is light, zones are zones........these things are constant regardless of the media (film/sensor) you record the light to

grey card is zone 5, thats it zone 5, 18% reflection, writing to film or digi, mid grey will give correct exposure

if you are studying be patient and ask you tutor.......if you are self teaching good luck.........its like this, if people want to learn maths or science they goto school - photography is a branch of both those things - takes alot longer to learn with out schooling like say maths would

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