Forums > Photography Talk > Sekonic Lightmeter question

Photographer

grahamsz

Posts: 1039

Boulder, Colorado, US

I'm sure I'm just missing something blindingly obvious, but I have a Sekonic L758-DR and I'm trying to figure out how to get an EV readout when i'm in radio triggered flash mode. It works fine in ambient light mode but when I switch to flash mode I can't seem to get it to give me that number.

Any ideas?

Mar 07 15 10:32 am Link

Photographer

Weldphoto

Posts: 844

Charleston, South Carolina, US

I hate to sound snide, but have you looked at the instruction manual?

Mar 07 15 10:47 am Link

Photographer

grahamsz

Posts: 1039

Boulder, Colorado, US

Weldphoto wrote:
I hate to sound snide, but have you looked at the instruction manual?

I've spent about half an hour trying to figure it out from the manual. I hate to sound snide but you sound like someone who's never read a sekonic manual ☺

Mar 07 15 10:54 am Link

Photographer

SoftLights

Posts: 5426

New Orleans, Louisiana, US

I bought out a wedding photographer a few years ago and a Sekonic L-558R light meter was included. I tried to get it to work with two sets of triggers, one alien bees and one Calumet. After a little research I found out they would only work with Pocket Wizards.

Mar 07 15 11:03 am Link

Photographer

alessandro2009

Posts: 8091

Florence, Toscana, Italy

After take a quick look at the manual (pdf) seem that the measurenment on EV mode can be done only for the ambient light.

Mar 07 15 11:05 am Link

Photographer

grahamsz

Posts: 1039

Boulder, Colorado, US

alessandro2009 wrote:
After take a quick look at the manual (pdf) seem that the measurenment on EV mode can be done only for the ambient light.

That's kinda what I expect, but there's another comment that's says ev mode doesn't work in conjunction with cumulative flash mode, which sorta suggests it might work in regular flash mode

Mar 07 15 11:08 am Link

Photographer

alessandro2009

Posts: 8091

Florence, Toscana, Italy

Perhaps what is write on the end of the page 23 means that after that you have taken the reading you can convert the result on EV:

You can select aperture scale or EV scale by holding Mode button and pressing AVE./EV button

if the lamp of the flash is sufficient for avoid cumulative lamp that aren't permitted for obtain a measurenment on EV.

Note:
If this don't work you could put a converter on a smartphone o tablet or write a table with the more common setting that you use.
Conversion table
Exposure values

Mar 07 15 11:31 am Link

Photographer

Zack Zoll

Posts: 6895

Glens Falls, New York, US

The Sekonics only work wirelessly with PWs. They work with everything cabled, or you can hit the button to take a reading, and manually pop the strobes.

Mar 07 15 12:28 pm Link

Photographer

Mike Collins

Posts: 2880

Orlando, Florida, US

I'll admit, I really never understood the whole EV thing but from what I understand, it involves readings of both the aperture and shutter speed.  Well, if shutter speed really doesn't come into play when using strobes, then I can understand why the EV function won't work. 

e.g.  If, when using strobe, in a studio situation, you shoot at 1/125 at f/8 and it's correct, but then switch you shutter speed to say 1/200 but still use f/8, your exposure will be be exactly the same.  Granted the ambient light is not very bright in either shot.  If your outside and there is a lot of ambient light, that's a whole different story. 

However, is your meter set to "non cord" flash and not "corded flash"?  That's about the only mistake most make.  If it's just the EV thing, then again, it probably doesn't work with strobe.

Mar 08 15 07:32 am Link

Photographer

November Light

Posts: 53

San Francisco, California, US

I tried my L-558 (old version of what you have), and couldn't find EV except in ambient.  I looked at my manual and also saw no reference to EV mode in anything other than ambient.  Strange that it's not available with flash.

I used EV (had no choice) when I had an old Gossen ambient meter.  It could be somewhat educational to see EV11 then turn the dial to see all the choices of aperture and shutter (and ISO.)

If you want to get EV, maybe you can print a table & have handy to translate your shutter & aperture readings.  I found this one in a google search and there are others available elsewhere if a certain format works best for you.

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/ha … index5.htm

Good luck.

Mar 08 15 12:20 pm Link

Photographer

grahamsz

Posts: 1039

Boulder, Colorado, US

Mike Collins wrote:
I'll admit, I really never understood the whole EV thing but from what I understand, it involves readings of both the aperture and shutter speed.  Well, if shutter speed really doesn't come into play when using strobes, then I can understand why the EV function won't work. 

e.g.  If, when using strobe, in a studio situation, you shoot at 1/125 at f/8 and it's correct, but then switch you shutter speed to say 1/200 but still use f/8, your exposure will be be exactly the same.  Granted the ambient light is not very bright in either shot.  If your outside and there is a lot of ambient light, that's a whole different story. 

However, is your meter set to "non cord" flash and not "corded flash"?  That's about the only mistake most make.  If it's just the EV thing, then again, it probably doesn't work with strobe.

You make a good point, and that EV isn't as relevant with flash because the shutter speed rarely matters. I'm asking because I'm trying to shoot film in the way I might do for landscape where I have a nicely calibrated set up where I can work out the optimal exposure and processing time for a frame based on some curve families. That requires EV as an input, so it'll be an extra step if I have to work it out manually. Still not an impossible burden given everything else

Mar 08 15 12:33 pm Link