ABSTRACT
The Zone System was originally introduced and later revised by American landscape photographer, Ansel Adams, in the 1940s. It was created as a series of practical tests and processes for photographers working with slow, large-format cameras so they could control exposure to achieve the highest possible quality prints that matched their visual perceptions and expectations. The refined Zone System uses an 11-point scale to represent the shades of grey in the final print, from solid black to paper white. The system uses Roman numerals. The step between the zones is one stop, a doubling or halving of the light – the 11-point scale more accurately matches the performance of modern black-and-white films. The system for exposure is usable in all branches of photography; film and digital. The Zone System for development, which involves the compression and expansion of tonal range, is for film use only.
