Sekonic L-588 (not Cine) is it worth it?

[John Hall]

A friend of mine, a still photographer, has offered to sell me his Sekonic L-558 at a VERY good price. However, it's not the 'Cine' version, and as I'm going to be using it almost exclusively for motion picture photography, I want to know if and what problems I may run into.

To give you a background, I'm just starting off in cinematography and will be shooting mostly amateur stuff for some while. I know a good light meter is a great investment, but I realistically can't afford the 'cine' version. I really can't even afford an l-558 at the retail price.

 

So will not having the 'cine' version put me out at all? I've looked at other lightmeters that would be around the same price as my friend is asking ($350usd approx) and none of them (as far as I can tell) seem to have as many features as the l-588, plus I really do want an incident and spot meter.

 

Thanks in advance

John Hall

 

I appoligize if this is an oft covered topic. I'm new and I did a search through the forums to see if this was covered already.

[Stephen Williams]

To give you a background, I'm just starting off in cinematography and will be shooting mostly amateur stuff for some while. I know a good light meter is a great investment, but I realistically can't afford the 'cine' version. I really can't even afford an l-558 at the retail price.

 

Thanks in advance

John Hall

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hi,

 

I think the 558 is a good meter. I have been using one for 5 years and highly recomend it. Use lithiom batteries they lasts for months!

 

Stephen Williams DP

 

www.stephenw.com

[Sebastian Matthias]

Hello !

I use the 508 since a couple of years(not cine) and it allways did a very good job. If you know how to use your lightmeter you wont need the cine features.Remember that a lot of great movies have been shot with normal

incandescend lightmeters and spotmeters.You have it both in one meter!

so if you get a good deal.......take it.It´s a fine meter !!!!

;)

 

all the best

 

 

 

sebastian

[Dominik Muench]

hi,

 

im using the 558 too, for photography as well as cinematography. and im really happy with that meter,i can only recommend it.

[ericjarvies]

A friend of mine, a still photographer, has offered to sell me his Sekonic L-558 at a VERY good price. However, it's not the 'Cine' version, and as I'm going to be using it almost exclusively for motion picture photography, I want to know if and what problems I may run into.

To give you a background, I'm just starting off in cinematography and will be shooting mostly amateur stuff for some while. I know a good light meter is a great investment, but I realistically can't afford the 'cine' version. I really can't even afford an l-558 at the retail price.

 

So will not having the 'cine' version put me out at all? I've looked at other lightmeters that would be around the same price as my friend is asking ($350usd approx) and none of them (as far as I can tell) seem to have as many features as the l-588, plus I really do want an incident and spot meter.

 

Thanks in advance

John Hall

 

I appoligize if this is an oft covered topic. I'm new and I did a search through the forums to see if this was covered already.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

the MAIN reason one would want the 558 CINE model over the 558 would be the ability to change/adjust the SHUTTER ANGLE. the 558 is fixed at 180 degrees, whereas the 558 CINE allows one to adjust the shutter angle between 5 degrees to 270 degrees, including 144 and 172 degrees(144 degrees is what i needed, as my eclair acl was modified to super 16, thereby making the shutter angle 144 degrees, a non-standard degree as far as light meters are concerned). the degrees may be set in 5 degree increments.

 

other then the above mentioned, the normal 558 will allow you to adjust asa/iso film speeds in relation to fps speeds, so if you have 180 degree cine camera(s), then get the regular meter. both the regular and the cine provides you with spot(far away, landscapes, etc.), extended lumisphere(people, buildings, and other 3 dimensional objects) and retracted lumisphere(flat copy, paintings, sheets of paper, lens test charts, etc.).

 

both meters allow 2 iso settings in the meter at one time, for easy switching betwen the two, if you are using 2 cameras with 2 differant stocks for example.

 

this is as far as i've gotten with my own light meter ... still need to figure out the best way to use it :)

 

eric