How to Meter for Film Photography 

This was easily the most useful photography lesson I've ever received. To call this a video about metering is really underselling it. If you understand how to implement all of this, you'll take intentionally exposed images every time.

the production, editing, and sequencing of concepts show just how much thought and effort went into making this video. I really can't believe this is free and for that it is invaluable to me as a beginner. Instant sub.

My first time hearing about the zone system and I am blown away. Exposure makes so so much more sense to me now, and I can't wait to use this knowledge while shooting!

I've been shooting film 39 years and counting, I have seen/heard many explanations of all this. Great tutorial for beginners in the zone system. Your delivery was calm and well paced. Showing us what you called a mistaken exposure at the end (given your stated artistic intention) was perfect to include in the video. The light meter is a very artistic tool, as is scanning film. With time and knowledge of the film stock you are using you will make faster decisions based on whether you want the scene as you see it or not. That's a key factor. Do you go to shoot at a given time of the day and month of the year to capture a specific light you are likely to get or do you go to shoot and alter the scene with exposure. That's photography in the field.

This was a very well written and filmed piece. I've been using the zone system since the early 70s for both film and digital, and I haven't seen a better tutorial. The sliding placement of the zones across the bottom of the screen is the best way to visualize what you're doing. I'm a visual learner, and that's part of why I find the analog meter displays easier to use on all of my meters. They'll pry my Pentax spot meter only from my cold dead hands. ;) Andy

This is the first video I've seen with the Zone System that I walked away with a complete understanding and not scratching my head and saying wait what!

best explanation of film and metering on the internet

Love the Zone System, Been doing it since 1999 once I took a photography class at Foothill College in Los Altos Ca, before the digital age. I still use it and still shoot film. I've now found an interest in 8mm/16mm movie film and the zone system is all I know:). Thanks for giving props to the owners who started it. I'm thankful to be from the Bay Area.)))))))))

Hey Cody! Don’t stop making content like this. You present information in such a stress free yet articulate way. Im learning a lot from your videos. The best photography channel I’ve come across yet. Keep it up!

I'm new to film photography and you explained metering so well! I now feel like I know what the heck I'm doing! Thank you

You are a gifted teacher. Clearest explanation of zone system I've seen.

Man, I’ve been trying to understand the zone system and this was super helpful!

This is the best explanation video I've watched. Thanks! 💯

It's odd, Cody, I come across so many digital photographers who either completely disregard the venerable Adams, or, more shockingly, have never heard of the man in the first instance. As you assert, Ansel Adams is one of the progenitors of the Exposure triad - & if you cannot work with (his) fundamental principles of the Zone system - I prefer to remember it as the 'Grey Scale' then I see no point in a more earnest approach to the discipline. In you, I see a reinstatement of values in the art of photography, & it clear you are well versed in your craft. There is a sublime difference between the know-it-all & the more self-effacing, understated professional - you Sir, are the latter; as my Granda would say, "A wise head on young shoulders" - as rare a quality today as ever was. Superb presentation, thank you !

No exaggeration, but this is the best photography video I’ve seen. I appreciate your in-depth explanation and examples. Thank you!

Hey, I'm a novice and I really enjoyed your ( lesson?), I got more out of this video than I got from watching a score of other videos. Your video was concise and very thorough yet easy to understand. The explanation of the zones really help me grasp a little bit better the concept of light metering. It had really been elusive before this. I've watched video after video without really feeling like I had a clear understanding. Your explanation of the zone concept which I never heard before and the triangle were great for me. Thanks again for sharing.

Like everyone else already said it’s an amazing explanation of how to use the meter for film. I spent so much time looking for a good explanation but I never found one. However I believe I get it now thanks man!

Just picked up my first AE-1 the other day, it’s no Mamiya lmao but this definitely educated me thank you!

I haven't shot film in years and this brought back so many memories of that period. To this day, I still rely on a handheld meter for much of my metering, although with a lot of experimentation, I've developed suitable substitutes that are reliable and repeatable (such as spot metering off the back of my hand and adjusting accordingly). Experimentation is an important factor in getting to understand all of the variables one has to work with as a photographer. One of those variables that's often forgotten about is the "box speed" of a film; the ISO that's on the side of a box of film is just a starting point, a nominal ISO, if you will. If you mix and match films from different manufacturers that have the same ISO, you'll often find variations in the end result, so it's important to spend time getting to know a particular emulsion, something which Ansel Adams clearly did a lot of, so he's a great reference point for anyone starting in film and it's great to see him mentioned in this video for that reason alone.

im completely in awe at the knowledge you share!! thank you

So well explained, I learned so much!

Immediately subscribed. This was mind blowing!

Love your humility🙂

Incredibly useful video, thank you! Great job!

Hey Cody, thank you for this. Have a blessed day

Super useful video. Great lesson, thanks!

Absolutely incredible and inspiring video.

Great video man, it was super pleasing to watch and informative

Wow! What a great video. You packed so much information into such a succinct video. Keep up the good work!

Amazing explanation and practical demonstration, really helpful

This is the best metering lesson so far. Thanks, Cody!

You’re a good teacher man. Thank you for this video.

This was phenomenal. So comprehensive, yet simply explained.

Excellent video! Very well put together and valuable. Learned a lot from it!

easily the most well-made and informative video about metering I've ever seen on youtube. Thank you so much Cody!

Best clarified explanation of the Zone System, Thanks

The most helpful video on film metering

This video was awesome. Very useful and I definitely learnt or re-learnt a lot!

Stellar examples and explanation. Thanks!

one of the most useful video about metering. Thanks a lot.

Best video ive seen. The explanation of the 11 zones made perfect sense for me.

What a video! Thanks Cody! This was absolute knowledge and I appreciate it!

Superb video. I've been lazy to learn about this stuff but you made it so simple to understand. Plus great visual representation and audio quality.

Probably the best video out there about light metering. Saving this to a playlist to help me learn film photography.

Honestly, Cody, this is one of the most informative and helpful videos about lighting, metering, and exposure that I've ever seen. Thanks so much for taking the time to edit it together for us, and please keep up the amazing work!

This has to be one of the most insightful and coherently explained tutorials on metering. Well done Cody and thank you. This has helped me understand a great deal more

Thank you for this very informative video! Such a good job of providing necessary context on the whats as well as the hows. Now I’m interested to meter better as well haha more power to you, Cody!

best video I've seen on using the zone system. super intuitive, well done

This was incredibly helpful and informative while remaining very accessible. You have essentially taken an amount of information that could easily fill a large book and successfully condensed it down into a video of less than 23 minutes. One of the best videos related to film photography (and photography in general) that I have ever seen. I would note that I've been casually involved with film photography for 50 years and this video has made me realize how much more there is for me to learn. Thank you!

Best video I have seen on the subject, great delivery, amazing way to show the zone... you are an awesome teacher sir!

Brilliantly explained

Thanks for a great video - the only one I've seen that actually shows HOW to USE the zone system!

Thank you, this was really really well made, amigo. Congrats and keep on!

I now makes sense. We thank you for sharing your knowledge on this subject.

One easy way to overcome the wide dynamic range of the backlit shot is to use a soft grad filter. Two of my medium format cameras have a 77mm thread so this is easy to attach various filters. Also, bracketing is essential for some difficult to meter shots so you can choose the best capture that reflects the moment you want to remember or emphasis (sky detail). I use an old Pentax spot meter as it is easy to convert EV ratings to choose the right combination of shutter speed and F stop. Great work on explaining density theory and film types.

I loved your in the field explanation edit. Awesome! Thanks

Wonderfully put. You need to teach. You have the gift.

It is clear how much effort and thought you have put in this video. You, sir, are an excellent teacher! Thank you very much, this was extremely helpful.

Great video! Delivered with humility and clarity. Really nice photos too. The missed lesson at the end.....BRACKETING.

Best explanation video ever

Great video. No BS, just clearly explained and demonstrated knowledge. Thanks, Cody.

This is the best video on photography in general that I have literally ever seen. Thank you.

This was an incredible explaining

This is the best explanation I've heard and sit through this at least a couple more times!

This video speaks so much to the nerd in me. Absolutely love it

this only video on youtube explains how the zone system work, I finally understand it now

Subscribed, the editing on this video made everything extremely digestible and easier to comprehend

Super helpful. I have a medium format on the way and this was essential.

Thank you for the great tutorial.......great video.❤

I have watched millions of videos about metering and this one is by far the best video i have watched. Thanks a lot, Cody! Subscribed at lightning speed :)

This was the best explanation of the zone system I've ever heard/seen! Thanks so much!!

This video was so helpful. As someone who learns visually, your explanation and examples made all the difference. Thank you!

What a great video. Thank you so much!

Brilliant video, well done!

Your explanation is just so easy to understand! Thank you so much for putting so much thought creating this video!

Thank you so much for this really really amazing video. It explained a lot and it is crazy to have this for free.

Great video Cody. This has helped my Digital to Film transition immensely! Definitely the best practical explanation of the zone system I've come across. Thank you!

Incredible video, both viusally and informationally. This was explained so well and the examples helped so much. Thank you!

Cody an inspirational journey indeed.

Both a super useful, well put together video and a gigantic mainline of nostalgia for hanging out at Lizard's Mouth. 11/10. Keep it up my dude.

You did a great job in this video. I have been playing with cameras for many years, shooting film and processing it in my home darkroom. I read a lot of books by and about Ansel Adams and it took me a while until I was comfortable with the Zone System. Then I switched to digital photography and to this day I am not 100% convinced it is real photography. I am sure I will get flamed when people read this. Your video was the best explanation of density and metering I have ever seen. I wish this had been available when I was first learning but hey, the Internet did not exist then. I am going to look for more of your videos. Respectfully, I would like to make one suggestion regarding your videos. The music is distracting and not very good. The video would have been better without the music. Keep up the good work. Thank you.

This video was so good. You the man!

Best explanation of metering zones I have seen and really well delivered. Thank you.

Wow so glad I found this ! Many thanks 😊

This was super helpful and very well explained! Thanks!

Excellent video! Thank you for the in-depth instructions on metering. I think I need to brush up on the Zone System now!

One of fewest videos on youtube with such details explanation of zone system! Really appreciate it

Thank you for this! more often then not most of these I’ve seen are all fluff, this was great and to the point.

I've really enjoyed this one. Very well explained and greatly informative!

Top notch videos man! Want to get back into film photography and your videos are by far the best I've come across. Cheers from Serbia!

I was just reading about the Zone System from Ansel Adams and this is spot on. The examples were super helpful.

What a fantastic insightful video. Love your laid back approach and your explanations were perfect. I really get the concept. Thank you, thank you!!!

This is legitimately, in full sincerity, the best RU-vid tutorial-type video I've ever seen, and I'm an INSTANT fan of your style, your work, and your channel. Thank you for this gem.

This is really well explained video about metering…. Thank you very much

This video is excellent. You explained everything so well, I was super confused at first but watching you shoot those different scenes really made a huge difference. Thank you!

Superbly explained. Thanks for taking the time to make such an informative video.

So glad I found your channel Cody. One hell of a tutorial you've made here. I've just got my film camera recently and by far your video is the most comprehensive and well made I have seen.

immensely helpful 🙏 thank you

I have been hearing about Ansel Adams’ zone system for a long time and could not get my head around it until I found your video. You really brought it down to ‘easy-to-chew’ bits. Thanks for this video!!!

That was one of the best video I've watched on this subject! Amazing job Cody 😁👍🏼