Zone System - Contemporary Usage

[limr]

I am new to this forum and have to ask: What would you have the forum do for you, provide a stage for thumping your chest or be a place for sharing thoughts and resources.

To whom are you addressing this question?

I don't know about other forums or other users, but this forum should be used as a way to share thoughts or resources, to ask for or give feedback on our images, and to learn. It shouldn't be used for "chest thumping" nor should it be used to encourage chest-thumping.

Constructive discussions and disagreements are part of the forum, though posting threads that are expected to "spawn a diatribe" is perhaps not the best way to get to those constructive discussions.

 

[flyinglentris]

Constructive discussions and disagreements are part of the forum, though posting threads that are expected to "spawn a diatribe" is perhaps not the best way to get to those constructive discussions.

I did not post this thread expecting to spawn a diatribe. You asked what I expected and I said:

I sought to draw out those photogs who share my views and insights.

I'll go with constructive discussion and disagreement any day. 'nuff said.

 

[limr]

You did not write this?

I did expect that my original post might spawn a diatribe on whether the zone system still applies at all. Yep.

 

[terri]

OP, you did in fact write those words, and now you seem interested in veering into a discussion defending film users. Another dead horse to beat.

Hope you had hot buttered popcorn and enjoyed the "flailing" you apparently set out to cause.

Now that you've tipped your hand, it's not likely many members will participate in your threads. You've also got the attention of the moderators here.

Just take care before tossing out your next bits of napalm. Unlikely you'll enjoy the show as much as you did this one.

 

[snowbear]

It's best not to piss off the mods, or toss out grenades (and lie about it) unless you want to be reading as a guest.

 

[flyinglentris]

I did expect that my original post might spawn a diatribe on whether the zone system still applies at all. Yep.

Yes, I said this, only because I saw that the post had not gotten the results I was after. I wonder now what might have come of this statement had I said "I did wonder if my original post might spawn a diatribe ..."

And now I am a villain and accused of lying.

This is my last post at this forum and won't be back, even as a guest.

 

[Dave442]

The original post said "the zone system" and for me that means the system as laid out for the B&W film exposure and developing management system. Many people noted their use of parts of the zone system (Digital Zone?). I feel the Zone System is a way to convey to others they methods and methodology used to arrive at the final image. So the original question was more of "how do you arrive at your final image" and this can take quite a bit of writing to lay out the thought process and actions.

Overall I thought the thread was useful. A number of people did note how they arrive at their exposure values and there of plenty of other threads on here that cover some of the points the OP was looking for.

As for film shooters - even in its day the zone system was best done with sheet film. Somebody had made that comment to me back when I shot roll film and had a darkroom.

 

[Ysarex]

The original post said "the zone system" and for me that means the system as laid out for the B&W film exposure and developing management system. Many people noted their use of parts of the zone system (Digital Zone?). I feel the Zone System is a way to convey to others they methods and methodology used to arrive at the final image. So the original question was more of "how do you arrive at your final image" and this can take quite a bit of writing to lay out the thought process and actions.

Overall I thought the thread was useful. A number of people did note how they arrive at their exposure values and there of plenty of other threads on here that cover some of the points the OP was looking for.

As for film shooters - even in its day the zone system was best done with sheet film. Somebody had made that comment to me back when I shot roll film and had a darkroom.

Zone System works fine with roll film; that's what I did for the most part. You just use a roll film camera that takes interchangeable backs. When you see a Hasselblad go up for sale and there's four 120 roll backs with the camera it might be because they wanted to use B&W and color at the same time but it's also likely those backs are labeled N--, N-, N, and N+. It's more difficult with 35mm because you need multiple camera bodies, but more likely the kind of folks who are into Zone System practice are also big film users.

Joe