jeudi 13 janvier 2005

The Zone System... part 4 Test Prints Now is the time to print from the negative Zone tests. With a film that has been exposed at your corrected El rating select and print the Zone V frame so that when it is dry it matches the 18% Grey Card in tone. You may have to do this two or three times to take into account the slight darkening of the paper on drying. You can check this match with a digital exposure meter that reads in 1/10th stops. Using the same enlarger settings, lens stop, exposure and development times make prints in turn from the Zone 0 and Zone X negative test frames. When these are processed and dry they should produce totally black and pure paper-base white prints respectively. If the Zone X print is not pure white then the development time for that film type must be extended so that the high tones increase in density. Update 15 June 2007 : This article has been moved and can now be read on my new expanded web site 20/20 Visions 8:44:48 PM    comment []