Zone system 'controls & testing' and inspection development

If I am developing by inspection, other than exposing to make sure my shadow detail is adequate and developing until I can see the highlights are where I want them, what else about the Zone System am I missing? Yes, I meter & make a note about some negs that will need minus or plus development, but only as a method to sequester these negs into the stack so I will have an indication to check the development sooner or later in the chemistry. But the interminable testing and re-testing is something that has disappeared since using inspection. The negatives are coming out fine. Anyone out there know what else I may be 'missing' in using inspection development?

I think that developing by inspection is an interesting technique and

is something that I want to learn to do. I guess my only disagreement

is about how hard zone system testing is to do.If you have >>

interminable testing and re-testing << then you are doing something

wrong. I test my materials every year just for piece of mind. The

last three years tests have all turned out the same. It takes me 2

hours start to finish for all the tests. So agree that developing by

inspection is an interesting approach, I disagree about how "hard"

zone system testing is to accomplish. What ever it takes to get the

images you are after.

Dan, as long as you can print your negs on a grade 2 or 3 paper, then

it sounds to me like you're not missing a thing.<br><br>

 

I must say, however, that I agree with the preceding comment that

interminable testing and retesting need not be necessary when

developing "in the dark". It's just tough to be as precise as with

inspection development.<br><br>

If I did not test every Saturday afternoon I would have nothing to

do. Keeps me sharp and I know my film, developer, and equipment is

doing what it is supposed to. It also ensures that my film is used on

a regular basis so it does not go bad.

 

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I have tried development by inspection, but the only thing I get is

deep dark dense negatives.

 

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Bill

I only use development by inspection to determine correct times for

standard time and temperature development, which is what I use in

most circumstances. Plus and minus developments are very tricky to

judge by inspection. For extemely low-contrast subjects, it is often

difficult to see any high values on the base side (my usual criterion

for a correctly developed negative), and extremely high-contrast

subjects have the opposite problem--when one sees the high values

appear on the base the negative may already be overdeveloped. But if

it works for you, go with it.