Greetings Oly-faithful,
I've read through numerous photography related mailing lists and
newsgroups, in the three years I've been seriously interested in this er
hobby.
In that time, one common theme seems to prevail, in my mind at
least, with respect to the content in said mailing lists and newsgroups.
That is the concept of - YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary. I can understand how
MMV between individuals, but when you find that in your own attempts at
photography that invariably your own mileage is varying it's time to do
something about it. This revalation pretty much came about after leaving
the relative safety of the color negative - minilab processed print world
for the alternating triumphs and disasters of "do it yourself B&W, RA4 and
E6" rollercoaster.
In an effort to gain a higher degree of control and predictability,
on the exposure side of my photography at least, I look upon techniques such
as the Zone system with interest. I suppose one could look upon products
such as Photoshop in the same light, but being a non repentant glutton for
punishment, I avoid such fast, sensible and efficient means of image
processing - YMMV.
So to anyone out there on the same quest, I offer the following
observations:-
Joseph wrote:-
> Ansel himself used the Zone system with hasselblad medium
> format cameras
> as well as large format cameras. For this, you just need 5
> film backs,
> 1 for straight development, and a +1, +2, -1, -2 back as well.
> alternatively, you can carry five 35mm SLR bodies and do the
> zone system
> in 35mm.
How about just one of OM4/T/Ti, OM3/T/Ti, OM2S/Sp or OM2000 and a bag full
of short loads from a bulk roll of 35mm instead?
- should cut down on exposure variation between bodies
- you'd think it would cut down on batch variation in your film
> Although not many color negative films are amenable to push and pull
> processing (a few like Fuji 800 and Ektapress will push ok), you
> can get the spirit of the zone system by carrying 3 films, say Reala
> for long tonal scale negatives, Fuji Superia 100 for high
> contrast negatives,
> and Agfa Optima 100 for normal contrast negatives. But you have to
> calibrate your technique and meter if you plan to exercise the level
> of control of tonal range that Ansel was able to marshall, and there
> aren't as many printing controls on account of color shifts.
>
> Joseph
I would like to add - determining the "correct" EI for your chosen film
stock and camera to be an important addition to the above. I recently read
what appears to be a nice little methodology in a 1980's edition of the
British version of PhotoTechnique magazine for determining EI for your film
relative to the Zone system . E-mail privately please if interested.
In answer John Pendley wrote:-
> Amen, Joseph. Can you imagine making a once-in-a-lifetime
> image like "Moonrise, Hernandez, NM"--in one exposure--based on
> your knowledge of the zone system and the candle power of the
> moon? With a view camera? In my experience, there's
> nothing that allows me to relate to that. Given the man's
> obvious technical mastery, I think much too much has been made
> of it at the expense of his talent as an artist. He could
> convey a mood with the best of them.
> John
When I am drooling over a good example of an AA print, I eventually get to
thinking about the technique behind it. I had been getting to know the spot
meter on my OM4 for about a year when I read about the story behind the
making of Moonrise over Hernandez. Shortly after that I figured I'd go and
test out what I had "learned" about exposure on the OM4. So I loaded some E6
in my OM1 and went forth in search of deceptively tricky exposure
situations. While I managed to bag a few exposures with the aid of centre
weighted meter and my guesstimate of +- compensation, found I hadn't learnt
enough. I'm hoping judicial application of the zone system helps me in this
respect.
Furthermore John Pendley wrote:-
SNIP
> Or we could go with a 35 that has the feature of leaving the leader out
when
> you rewind.
With someone awake in the driver's seat, any OM, and as far as I know any
manual film advance camera, has this "feature". If you don't mind the extra
effort,inconvenience you don't always have to lug extra bodies for your
different emulsions. Then again I suspect the chances of scratching your
film may increase if you do a lot of mid roll rewinding/reusing.
Regards
S.C.
PS. BTW YMMV
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