View Single Post
  #3  
Old March 6th 12, 07:34 AM posted to rec.photo.darkroom
Geoffrey S. Mendelson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 450
Default Metering for B/W Films

Francis A. Miniter wrote:

I don't. I have an old spot-type print analyzer that I use
to get dynamic range and then time settings. It would seem
to me that a light meter, unless it is a spot meter, is not
going to be all that useful in the darkroom.


Another approach which worked well in the past when no one worried about being
able to buy another box of paper or a bottle of developer, was a test print.

Often I would tear a piece of paper into quarters, or use a sheet of paper
that had been crumpled, bent, torn, etc.

I would pick the area of the print I thought was most important and print
that. Once it was in the fixer, I'd turn a light on and look.

I had a very bright light over the sink, so I could judge a print as I was
washing it.

The zone system and others like it are camera systems to produce a negative
that has a tonal range and print exposure like every other negative you produce,
making printing easier.

It is interesting to see the prints made by and for various photographers over
the years from the same negative, for example Ansel Adams.

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, N3OWJ/4X1GM
My high blood pressure medicine reduces my midichlorian count. :-(