Response to Film Speed Test

Having known a good many professional photographers and a lot of amateurs, You learn your materials thoroghly by testing or you guess and never get better or only slowly. Test your film. If you are happy with snapshots, fine. But if you want to nail every shot then test. The zone system is only, and I say "only" a tool which gives you the knowlege to know what your materials can do in a given lighting situation. Don't think paper grades alone can make a good print. If you expose you film to little then you won't have any shadow detail. Just blank blacks. If you give it too much exposure you will get flat prints no matter what paper grade you use. And lots of grain. The tests are easy and once you do them and understand what they are telling you, then you can shoot with confidence every time. That goes for color film too. You've nothing to lose and everything to gain. Why waste materials and images? james

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