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Sekonic L 758


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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Lorenzo,

 

Basically the regular L-758 does not have as many different frames per second, nor shutter angle or filter compensation (the latter being really useless). Apart from those small differences, which are really more about software than hardware, the two lightmeters are the same.

I think if your budget is tight you can go for the other version and rely on external calculation for specific cases, but that's just my opinion, and I have the Cine version but that's just because I got a discount.

 

Bye

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Yeh I got a discount too on the cine version ages ago when they were new...

 

Not sure why you think the filter compensations are useless though ?

 

They are a little blunt in terms of the resolution of steps in filtration that don't follow 3rds and so on - but after a bit of math I got it working for the prism compensation for my bolex for instance - really helpful !

 

But then I'm not in camera dept. so I don't know what I don't know about it ;)

 

Personally I'd get it over the standard - but what sort of price difference are you looking at ?

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I don't know about the price difference, check out the dopshop or B&H to find out.

The Bolex has a 165° shutter and a reflex prism that eats 1/3 stop (0.3 EI), it is in this type of situation that the Cine version is useful, no calculation, just enter the data et voilà.

 

I am saying that the filter compensation is useless the way it is implemented in the meter. In fact the meter has a couple of filter compensations in its memory but not enough to be very useful, like 4 or 5, and they are Wratten filters that you do not use when working in digital.

Instead of using the dedicated feature I use ISO2 for filter compensation.

 

Those meters really have a lot of functions but it's often easier and faster to not use them. If you feel geeky you can create a profile for your camera or for film stock, or download it on the internet.

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Hi all,

 

I want to buy a spot-and-incident all-in-one metering solution. I know the Sekonic L 758 is the most popular of these. There is a 'cine' variant, but it costs more.

Lorenzo

 

Is it absolutely important for you to have an "all-in-one" meter? Because you could easily find 2 different dedicated meters (incident and spot) and save about 200$.

 

Sekonic 758: 822$ (B&H)

 

Spectra Professional IV-A: 372$ (B&H)

Minolta spot meter (on ebay, used in good conditions): around 250$

(total: 622$)

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I like just having one meter. Makes life easier, and that's what it's all about. That's why I'd go with (and did) the 758 Cine (or look for the 558 cine). It makes my life easier which means I can focus more on whats really important, the scene at hand.

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I like just having one meter. Makes life easier, and that's what it's all about. That's why I'd go with (and did) the 758 Cine (or look for the 558 cine). It makes my life easier which means I can focus more on whats really important, the scene at hand.

 

 

Absolutely, Adrian. In the end it's all about what works better for you, and it's good to have many different choices. For the record, I still own a 558 cine, bought for about a third of the street price via ebay, and it's served me well. I decided to go a different way (i.e. not all-in-one) simply because it works better for me, just like you're saying. My advice to Lorenzo was simply based on personal experience and on the fact that if the "combo" factor was not that important, he could save some money.

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I like just having one meter. Makes life easier, and that's what it's all about.

Me too. But I would be scared to drop it on the ground or if lose it, because then you lose all your tools. It's always good to have a bacup meter, especially when shooting film. The Sekonic L-398 or the Gossen meters are great for this because they don't need batteries to work, and also being analog, they are not fooled by strobes.

 

There is also an older version of the L-558 that has a zoom spotmeter, which is pretty cool, I don't remember the name of the model though but it is gray instead of black.

And Spectra meters are great, too.

 

Cheers

Edited by Guillaume Cottin
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  • 3 weeks later...

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