tone

I'm not sure what you mean. Are you asking what is tonal range in an image? Think of a greyscale gradient running from darkest tone to lightest.

A gradient with a good tonal range is one that has smooth transistions of grey between the darkest and lightest ends of the gradient. You will see more 'tones' of grey between the ends of the gradient.

A narrow tonal range gradient would have fewer greys, and since there are fewer, the transistions will be harsher (or more distinct) than in the first gradient.

No doubt someone here can say this with crystal clarity, and I'll learn something, too 8-)

A "good tonal picture" would be a well-exposed one, without blocked up shadows, blown out highlights, or harsh contrasts.

Visit wikipedia.org and search for: Zone System

Also, dynamic range and tonal range are not the same thing.

If there were no harsh contrasts in a picture then sharpness would be non existant. In fact, everything would be a blurry smudge wouldn't it?

Sorry, just messing with ya;)

Surf for information on The Zone System, and also Beyond the Zone System. If you find

yourself all caught up in densitometry, then forget about it: you went in the wrong direction.

Once you know how to get a selective range of tones, you should know when to transcend

so-called perfect tonality when necessary.

Here is how I understand these terms:

Tone: refers to a color, like sepia for example

Tonal Value: refers to a scale ranging from pure black to pure white.

Tonal Range: refers the range of tonal values from one end of the scale to the other. The more tonal values present in a given print, the larger the tonal scale is considered to be. For example, a print that has mostly black and white, with little in the way of grays is considered to have a short tonal scale.

To get a 'good' tonal range in your print, you have to evaluate yourself to find what you think works best for that particular print.

- Randy

"If there were no harsh contrasts in a picture then sharpness would be non existant. In fact, everything would be a blurry smudge wouldn't it?"

It would have a low dynamic range, but the tonal range within it could be wide or narrow.