Beyond the zone system / Phil Davis.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Davis, Phil, 1921-2007.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Photography--Exposure.

Photography.

Zone system (Photography).

Photographic sensitometry.

Physical Description:

x, 220 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm

Edition:

Fourth edition.

Place of Publication:

Boston : Focal Press, [1999]

Summary:

This fourth edition of Beyond the Zone System makes the science of photographic sensitometry both accessible and useful to interested photographers. It will appeal to any serious photographer interested in knowing how the materials and processes of black-and-white photography work. Instead of describing rote procedures to be followed blindly, this book provides the basis for understanding what needs to be done and why. This book relates theory to practice in a way that promotes a true partnership of science and art.

This book is intended primarily for photographers who use large-format cameras and black-and-white sheet film, but the basic information about how the B&W photographic materials and processes work will be useful to users of any B&W film formal

Contents:

Chapter 1 Why Sensitometry? 1

Chapter 2 Learning the Language 9

What the Numbers Mean 10

Arithmetic Series 12

Geometric Series 12

Stops 13

Logarithms: Numerical Shorthand 16

Graphs and Charts 18

Exercises 20

Chapter 3 How to Read and Interpret Characteristic Curves 23

Some Terms Defined 25

The Anatomy of a Characteristic Curve 26

Film Image Formation 27

Curve Gradient Measurements: Gamma (y) 29

Average Gradient (G) 29

Contrast Index (CI) 29

Curve Gradient vs. Developing Time 30

Film Speeds 30

How Development Affects Film Speed 31

How Film Speeds Are Determined 33

Effective Film Speed (EFS) 33

The Paper Curve 34

Standards for Calibrating Paper Curves 36

The Useful Limits of the Paper Curve 36

Review: The Tone Reproduction Cycle 37

Chapter 4 From Theory to Practice 41

Drawing Tools and Techniques 41

Analyzing the Paper Curve 44

Flare Compensation 46

Analyzing the Film Curve 47

Locating IDmin 48

Locating IDmax 48

Determining the Subject Range 49

Finding Effective Film Speeds 50

Preparing the Working Charts 54

Chapter 5 The Densitometer Dilemma 57

How Densitometers Work 57

Adapting Your Spotmeter for Densitometry 58

Setting Up the Spotmeter/Densitometer 60

The Step Tablet 61

Chapter 6 Testing Your Materials 65

Testing Paper: Preparation 65

The Callier Quotient 66

Contact-Printing Test Procedure 66

Calculating the Test Exposure Time 67

Projection Testing 68

Preparing the Step Tablet 68

Projection Test Procedure 69

Testing Film 70

Determining the Film Test Exposure 72

Developing the Test Films: Preparation 72

Tray Development of Sheet Film 73

Tube Development of Sheet Film 76

Testing Roll Film 82

Roll Film Test Exposure 82

Roll Film Development 84

Chapter 7 Interpreting the Curves for Working Data 87

Drawing and Analyzing Paper Curves 87

Drawing Film Curves 89

Troubleshooting the Film Test 90

Calibrating Film Curves 92

Locating the Speed Points 94

Analyzing Film Curves 95

Review of Analysis Systems 97

Review of Zones and Stops 98

Extracting Zone System Data from the Curves 99

Extracting Incident System Data from the Curves 104

Alternative Data 105

Chapter 8 Getting to Know Your Meter 109

Meter Types: Luminance and Illuminance 109

The Wide-Field Averaging Meter 110

The Spotmeter 112

The Standard Gray Card 113

The Incident Meter 116

Meter Calibration 116

Relating Light Readings to Camera Settings 117

Chapter 9 Exposure/Development Control Systems 121

The Zone System 121

The Concept of Zones 122

Metering and Zone Placement 123

The N-Numbers 125

Traditional Test Methods 126

Using the Working Charts: An Example 128

An Alternative: The Incident Meter 130

Determining the SBR with an Incident Meter 131

Metering for the Incident System 134

Appraising Results Without a Densitometer 136

Common Mistakes 138

Incident Metering of Unusual Subjects 140

Creative Incident Metering 141

Chapter 10 Image Gradation 147

Chapter 11 The Systems Beyond 161

Visualization Aids 161

Computer-Assisted Photography 162

Computer Software: Plotter and Matcher 164

Chapter 12 Fine Tuning 169

"Failure" of the Reciprocity Law 169

Testing for Reciprocity Effects 170

Testing for Flare 173

Compensating Your Film Curves for Flare 173

Film Development Variations 177

Water-Bath Development 177

Divided Development 177

Altering Paper Contrast: Preexposure 179

Paper Development Variations 180

Post-Treatment of Prints 184

Appendix 1 Useful Equations 188

Lens Formulas: f-numbers 188

Lens Field Coverage Calculations 189

G, SBR, N Conversions 190

Depth-of-Field Calculations 191

Appendix 2 Densitometer Design and Construction 193

Appendix 3 Film Developing Tube 199

Appendix 4 Practice Materials 201

Appendix 5 The PowerDial 206

Answers to Chapter 2 Exercises 215.

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

0240803434

OCLC:

39606003