[Kirk Keyes]

But zones don't equal stops. The reason they are called zones is to differentiate them from stops.

So how are the zones being defined?

Hey, what about condenser versus diffuser.

Zones don't have to equal stops - look at situations of N-plus and N-minus developments. The zones are how the tones are percieved in the print.

And condenser vs diffuser question will have similar effect as printing with different papers.

As long as what you call zone V prints at what you decide zone V in your print will be, then you have a match.

If your CI stays the same, and your subject brightness range varies, then the paper LER must change to match.