Beyond the Zone System, Fourth Edition
by Phil Davis
from Focal Press

Editorial Review:

This fourth edition of Beyond the Zone System makes the science of photographic sensitometry both accessible and useful to interested photographers. It will appeal to any serious photographer interested in knowing how the materials and processes of black-and-white photography work. Instead of describing rote procedures to be followed blindly, this book provides the basis for understanding what needs to be done and why. This book relates theory to practice in a way that promotes a true partnership of science and art.
Beyond the Zone System bridges the gap between the more theoretical aspects of the photographic process and the popular empirical procedures used by many photographers in the attempt to predict and control the quality of their photographs in practice.
This book is intended primarily for photographers who use large-format cameras and black-and-white sheet film, but the basic information about how the B&W photographic materials and processes work will be useful to users of any B&W film format.
Beyond the Zone System, 4th ed. will appeal to any serious photographer interested in knowing how the materials and processes of black-and-white photography work. Instead of describing rote procedures to be followed blindly, this book provides the basis for understanding what needs to be done and why. This book relates theory to practice in a way that promotes a true partnership of science and art.
A direct, practical approach to the technical aspects of photography
Thoroughly updated throughout
New chapter on control of image gradation

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

• Unusual and technically superb photography text
  Phil Davis was a professor at University of Michigan when he developed this intense system of exposure and development for classic film photography. The Zone System, as developed by Minor White and his associates, takes into account areas of shadow and highlight and has the photographer do some pretty fancy calculations for exposure and development. This system is particularly of interest to those who use view cameras that take a picture on a sheet of film that is contact printed or minimally enlarged. The... more info

• Beyond the Zone System
  The title of this book really summarized the book. It gives the theory behind the procedures that many advanced photographers already know and use. I don't know of many people who are going to apply his techniques directly, i.e. sensometers, etc. Rather this book gives a theoretical basis for some of the techniques that Adams and others used. It essentially gives university or grad level experiments to allow the reader to test and prove the concepts for themselves. So if you were looking for a "How to... more info

• Interesting but, too technical.
  I bought this book to fill the gaps that the AA books left in my mind. The first chapters are really interesting and you'll learn about the Zone System aplied to printing and papers.
  But then, I think it was to much for me when it started to get into drawing curves and testing materials.
  That's the reason why I left the zone system behind. I'd rather take`pictures in the steet than draw lines and read neg densities at home.
  If you want to be a ZoneSystem photographer, then this book will guide... more info

• Interesting but, too technical.
  I bought this book to fill the gaps that the AA books left in my mind. The first chapters are really interesting and you'll learn about the Zone System aplied to printing and papers.
  But then, I think it was to much for me when it started to get into drawing curves and testing materials.
  That's the reason why I left the zone system behind. I'd rather take`pictures in the steet than draw lines and read neg densities at home.
  If you want to be a ZoneSystem photographer, then this book will guide... more info