The Zone System Craftbook: A Comprehensive Guide to the Zonesystem of Exposure and Development

Rating:
Summary: The best book on zone system.
Review: It's the best zone system book that has been written so far. It is interesting and very easy to read. It doesn't get bogged down in useless information that fills up so many other books. It's concise and accurate. If you're serious about photography in the least, it's a required reading. It's a must for anybody who cares about his/her photography, unless you're Ansel Adams.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely clear and well written guide to the zone system.
Review: There are a number of guides to the zone system and many have something to offer. The Zone System Craftbook (paperback) by J.C. Woods is one of the best. Much of the book is relatively elementary in the sense that people who know the zone system will find it light (but still worthwhile) reading - e.g. zones, zone relationships, placing gray tones, moving them, expansion, contraction, contrast, etc., etc.. The discussion of expansion and contraction is particularly picturesque and transparent. People who are learning the system will find very few books that are clearer. Wood's book has a modest number of illustrations, but they are entirely adequate to support the presentation. What this book does very well is cover the subject in extremely practical terms that can be immediately put into practice. Much of the presentation is not technical and it is unencumbered by elaborate details of testing or sensitometry. But, for those who wish to refine their technique, later chapters are devoted to a detailed approach to testing and calibration, with and without the use of a densitometer. The books will be very useful to people who are refining their use of the zone system as well as to folks who elect not to delve into a high level of perfection with technique. All in all, if you are interested in learning about the zone system, this is a book you will be very glad you decided to buy. There are others, of course. The Ansel Adams Guides (books 1 and 2) by John Schaefer are also well-written and really loaded with illustrations and useful information. They are much bigger than the book by Woods. Out of print now but also excellent is Schaefer's earlier (paperback) book, How to Use the Zone System for Black and White Photography.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely clear and well written guide to the zone system.
Review: There are a number of guides to the zone system and many have something to offer. The Zone System Craftbook (paperback) by J.C. Woods is one of the best. Much of the book is relatively elementary in the sense that people who know the zone system will find it light (but still worthwhile) reading - e.g. zones, zone relationships, placing gray tones, moving them, expansion, contraction, contrast, etc., etc.. The discussion of expansion and contraction is particularly picturesque and transparent. People who are learning the system will find very few books that are clearer. Wood's book has a modest number of illustrations, but they are entirely adequate to support the presentation. What this book does very well is cover the subject in extremely practical terms that can be immediately put into practice. Much of the presentation is not technical and it is unencumbered by elaborate details of testing or sensitometry. But, for those who wish to refine their technique, later chapters are devoted to a detailed approach to testing and calibration, with and without the use of a densitometer. The books will be very useful to people who are refining their use of the zone system as well as to folks who elect not to delve into a high level of perfection with technique. All in all, if you are interested in learning about the zone system, this is a book you will be very glad you decided to buy. There are others, of course. The Ansel Adams Guides (books 1 and 2) by John Schaefer are also well-written and really loaded with illustrations and useful information. They are much bigger than the book by Woods. Out of print now but also excellent is Schaefer's earlier (paperback) book, How to Use the Zone System for Black and White Photography.