Visual zone scale ruler for spots
See which zone each spot lands on.
Where to find it
Viewfinder (appears automatically after multi-spot or single-spot reading)
Summary
After a multi-spot reading, a zone system ruler shows which zone (I, II, III, ..., X) each spot falls into. Appears as a horizontal scale below the multi-spot average EV.
How it works
What it shows
A horizontal ruler labeled 0 through X (and sometimes beyond for overexposure/underexposure). Each spot you measured appears as a marker on the ruler showing its zone. The current overall exposure (the average or biased EV) is marked with a highlight so you can see whether the scene's contrast will fit on your chosen film latitude.
Zone reference
Zone 0 is pure black (no detail). Zone V is middle grey. Zone X is pure white (no detail). Zones I-II hold faint shadow detail; Zones VIII-IX hold faint highlight detail. Most of the picture falls in Zones III-VII.
Reading the ruler
If you measured a shadow at Zone II and a highlight at Zone IX, you can see at a glance that your scene spans 7 zones of brightness. If your film latitude is 6 zones (typical for negative film), you will have to choose: expose to hold shadow detail (Zone II goes to pure black) or hold highlight detail (Zone IX gets blown).
Clipping warnings
The ruler colors zones differently: dark grey for unmappable shadows (below Zone 0), red for blown highlights (above Zone X), and natural tones for zones in between. This visual feedback helps you spot exposure trouble before you take the shot.