JGH
New member
Hi all, it was suggested to me by another forum user that i could try and ask this question in this area.
Over the last few months i have ben experimenting with the zone system and have been fairly confident that i was getting the correct results.
I have been zeroing my meter on a particular tone in the image which would equal zone V and then adding or subtracting by whatever stops necassary to place that tone in the desired zone.
Everything is fine when i do that and if i have placed it correctly i get the desired effect. The problem i now have is i cannot seem to relate my on camera histogram to the zone system. let me explain. If i add 2 stops to a tone that i zeroed to zone 5 (centre of the histogram) then that tone becomes a zone VII but when i look at the histogram on the camera it has nearly reached the right hand side (this is fine as it has not blown out). Now IF the histogram on the camera is representing the entire zone system (from 0 through to X) wouldnt the histogram only be reaching 2/3rds to 3/4 of the way along the right hand side?
Checking the LAB luminosity numbers in PS CS5 for the modified zone shows that it is around 85 - 92ish when technically it should be in the 70's.
I have got to the point were i have confused myself because i am thinking to much and need some help from people who can shed some light on what i have overlooked.
(i am using Olympus E30 BTW)
I hope there is someone out there with the patients to help me with this because even though i am getting good exposures it would help to understand why the histogram goes to zone 8 or 9 (sometimes 10) when i only dialled in 2 stops of compensation.
I think what i have said makes sense? Please help !!!
Thanks
J
Over the last few months i have ben experimenting with the zone system and have been fairly confident that i was getting the correct results.
I have been zeroing my meter on a particular tone in the image which would equal zone V and then adding or subtracting by whatever stops necassary to place that tone in the desired zone.
Everything is fine when i do that and if i have placed it correctly i get the desired effect. The problem i now have is i cannot seem to relate my on camera histogram to the zone system. let me explain. If i add 2 stops to a tone that i zeroed to zone 5 (centre of the histogram) then that tone becomes a zone VII but when i look at the histogram on the camera it has nearly reached the right hand side (this is fine as it has not blown out). Now IF the histogram on the camera is representing the entire zone system (from 0 through to X) wouldnt the histogram only be reaching 2/3rds to 3/4 of the way along the right hand side?
Checking the LAB luminosity numbers in PS CS5 for the modified zone shows that it is around 85 - 92ish when technically it should be in the 70's.
I have got to the point were i have confused myself because i am thinking to much and need some help from people who can shed some light on what i have overlooked.
(i am using Olympus E30 BTW)
I hope there is someone out there with the patients to help me with this because even though i am getting good exposures it would help to understand why the histogram goes to zone 8 or 9 (sometimes 10) when i only dialled in 2 stops of compensation.
I think what i have said makes sense? Please help !!!
Thanks
J