Sekonic L-758cine and Shutter Speed

[Ben Saunders]

Steve,

Here is a link to a video tutorial that talks about how to figure out your camera's approximate ISO: http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/freshdv/story/calibrating_a_light_meter_for_digital_video/

[Steve Rakobowchuk]

Steve,

Here is a link to a video tutorial that talks about how to figure out your camera's approximate ISO: http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/freshdv/story/calibrating_a_light_meter_for_digital_video/

 

 

 

 

Thanks Ben, I have seen this video on Youtube but my camera does not have the % feature. I can't raise the % until it hits 50%.

[Ben Saunders]

I've had success connecting to a laptop via firewire and looking at the scopes in final cut. Perhaps not the most exact way to do it, but it should get you in the ballpark.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

Strickly speaking, video cameras don't really have an ISO and, whats worse is that due to the compression schemes as well as other factors, the camera's effective ISO will "wander," a bit scene to scene as the perception of what's "right," it highly dependent on whats in the scene, both to the camera and to your eye. This being the case, when it comes to metering with any video system, well I don't really. I might pull out the meter on the scout to get an idea of what's around (and I rate conservatively then,) or on the day to do a lighting ratio, if needed for whatever reason, but from there a lot of it comes down to eye and looking at the waveform/zebras/histogram on the camera system.

[Ben Saunders]

Adrian is right, for digital the meter can get you close but I would recommend relying on scopes. But it is still a useful tool for consistency and ratios (if you light that way).

[Steve Rakobowchuk]

Thanks for all the input guys, but it really doesn't help me. You see I purchased this Sekonic on a store credit and figured I would get quite a bit of use out of it since it was designed for the Cine rather than photo. Now after reading some of your replies, I feel like I should return it and get a credit. On one Youtube regarding the use of a meter, the Sekonic L-758Cine, it showed that you would get good use from it. Now I am not sure. Should I keep it and learn to use it, or return it for store credit and get something more usefull?

 

Suggestions?

 

Steve

[Adrian Sierkowski]

there probably isn't a more important tool for a DoP than a light meter.... especially if you ever shoot on film where it's required. Hell, I'd say most of us here have 2 light meters, just in case on takes a dump on set. Also, still very useful when you go on a scout to know what kind of light is there... for example how bright is this room by itself (you can do footcandles, if you like!, or like I do, ballpack the ISO of the camera, something 'round 200 is what I normally do) so I can say, hmm.. at 200 I'm at a 11... I think I'll need to ND these windows a lot!

 

Also very important for knowing what in a scene, in spot mode, is going to really push too far, and how many stops to bring it down by. It's something you'll need, and use if you choose to use it. Then eventually, ironically, you won't need it as much, you'll see the differences, at which point, however, it's still important to double check ;)

[Steve Rakobowchuk]

there probably isn't a more important tool for a DoP than a light meter.... especially if you ever shoot on film where it's required. Hell, I'd say most of us here have 2 light meters, just in case on takes a dump on set. Also, still very useful when you go on a scout to know what kind of light is there... for example how bright is this room by itself (you can do footcandles, if you like!, or like I do, ballpack the ISO of the camera, something 'round 200 is what I normally do) so I can say, hmm.. at 200 I'm at a 11... I think I'll need to ND these windows a lot!

 

Also very important for knowing what in a scene, in spot mode, is going to really push too far, and how many stops to bring it down by. It's something you'll need, and use if you choose to use it. Then eventually, ironically, you won't need it as much, you'll see the differences, at which point, however, it's still important to double check ;)

 

 

Adrian I can see what you mean in regards to every DoP needs a light meter, but in a sense I am too green to see the possibilities. I can see setting the ISO to 200 as you mentioned, and now using that to set my lighting ahead of time when indoors or my outdoor lighting with reflectors, etc. But I would still like a good way to make sure I am using the meter the correct way. For the money I spent, I can use it for extra lighting or whatever. If I decide to keep the meter, I want to know that I am using it correctly. To be honest, I wouldn't even know how to use the "foot-candles" I read on my Sekonic with my Canon XHA1s. I just don't want to throw money away when I can count on my camera for metering.

 

Steve

[Adrian Sierkowski]

It's not hard. pick an asa (iso) , and an fps point white dome towards camera from talent, or subject locaton, press button, read F stop. That's the "just" of it. from there you can start working with the Zone System and your spot meter, figuring out ratios etc.

[Steve Rakobowchuk]

You make it sound easy, "just pick an ISO" but I can go from 5 to the thousands and there is quite a difference in the results. I am thinking of getting a "Lastolite" Grey card or tri card (black grey and white.) Hopefully I can follow that video on YouTube then and see if I can adjust my meer. If I don't start doing something with it soon, I am just going to return it.

 

Steve

[Adrian Sierkowski]

It sounds easy because it is. For ASA or ISO (same thing) you rate as the film can tells you, or you've determined is a good ball park. For shutter speeds, you can work in FPS, for what you're shooting, e.g. 24 or 30 here in the US, 25 elsewhere. That's really all there is to basic incident metering, and that'll give you the right results. Anything spot meter wise is a little more difficult, but work your way towards that.

[Steve Rakobowchuk]

It sounds easy because it is. For ASA or ISO (same thing) you rate as the film can tells you, or you've determined is a good ball park. For shutter speeds, you can work in FPS, for what you're shooting, e.g. 24 or 30 here in the US, 25 elsewhere. That's really all there is to basic incident metering, and that'll give you the right results. Anything spot meter wise is a little more difficult, but work your way towards that.

 

 

In your reply you say "or ASA or ISO (same thing) you rate as the film can tells you", but I am shooting on DV and not film. DV tapes don't come with an ASA. Hence the problem. A wide range of ISO and I find it hard to believe that all I do is choose a random number in ISO like 5, 200, 1000, etc and set my camera to 24fps or 60fps and the meter to the same and suddenly my F stop will be correct. Maybe I am missing something, but it just seems odd that regardless of ISO 5 or ISO 2500, the results will both be fine. There must be a way of determining the exact ISO for my camera so that it is always right. Your method makes it seem like... (Day 1) I shoot setting ISO at 5 and on (Day 2) I return to he same scene and set the meter to it at 1500 and the results will be the same as long as in bioth cass I stick to the same fps. What am I not understasnding here?

[Adrian Sierkowski]

See, the thing is video doesn't have a "set" asa, as you mention. But you can ballpark it. Now of course something like changing from ASA 5 to ASA 6400 would be a bad idea, but as with film, you can "rate" your camera as you see fit. What you'd want to do to get close to it, as simply as possible would be illuminate a 18% grey card and set your exposure on your camera to get it as close to "right," as possible (e.g. 45 to 50 IRE which you'd need a vectrascope to see, or set your zebras to 50 if you can). Make a note of that F stop. Now, take a reflected meter reading (spot reading) and manipulate the ASA on your meter until it closely agrees with the F stop on your camera. This can now be used as the "effective" asa of your system.

But there is a caveat with all of this; that being that video asas may wobble a bit, and it's always best to check your exposure against a properly calibrated monitor and/or a vectrascope, or as I do expose by zebras/histogram.

[Steve Rakobowchuk]

See, the thing is video doesn't have a "set" asa, as you mention. But you can ballpark it. Now of course something like changing from ASA 5 to ASA 6400 would be a bad idea, but as with film, you can "rate" your camera as you see fit. What you'd want to do to get close to it, as simply as possible would be illuminate a 18% grey card and set your exposure on your camera to get it as close to "right," as possible (e.g. 45 to 50 IRE which you'd need a vectrascope to see, or set your zebras to 50 if you can). Make a note of that F stop. Now, take a reflected meter reading (spot reading) and manipulate the ASA on your meter until it closely agrees with the F stop on your camera. This can now be used as the "effective" asa of your system.

But there is a caveat with all of this; that being that video asas may wobble a bit, and it's always best to check your exposure against a properly calibrated monitor and/or a vectrascope, or as I do expose by zebras/histogram.

 

 

I will give it a try and let you know what I get as a result.

 

Thanks Adrian

[Ben Saunders]

Aside from using the meter to set the proper exposure on the camera, the meter is also a valuable tool for measuring ratios and for maintaining consistency between or within setups. It lets you know whether both actors in the scene have the same amount of light falling on them. If there is a lot of movement it will let you see if the light is consistent through the move. And you don't even need to have an iso rating for the camera for those things.