What is the Zone System?

The Zone System was developed by Ansel Adams and Fred Archer for photography. It divides the tonal range into 11 zones (0-X) from pure black to pure white, with Zone V being middle gray. It helps photographers visualize and control exposure.

How do I use Zone System for digital?

In digital, the Zone System helps you understand where tones will fall. Zone V is 18% gray (what your meter aims for). Skin tones typically fall in Zone VI. Knowing this helps you expose correctly and compare exposure between shots.

Zone System

Ansel Adams' Zone System adapted for digital. Visualize the 11 exposure zones from pure black (Zone 0) to pure white (Zone X). Understand where tones fall in your image and compare exposure placement between shots.

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VII

VIII

Zone	Description	Typical Subjects
0	Pure black, no detail	Deep shadows, silhouettes
I	Near black, slight tonality	Very dark shadows
II	First hint of texture	Dark shadows with texture
III	Dark with good detail	Dark hair, shadows in landscapes
IV	Dark middle tone	Dark foliage, weathered wood
V	Middle gray (18%)	Gray card, clear north sky
VI	Light middle tone	Caucasian skin, light stone
VII	Light gray with texture	Light skin highlights, clouds
VIII	Lightest with detail	Bright clouds, snow with texture
IX	Near white, slight tone	Light sources, specular highlights
X	Pure white, no detail	Blown highlights, light sources

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