Opinions about Sekonic L-358

[pluto]

Dear friends,

I'm seriously thinking about a manual light meter, for portraits above all and incident-light.
Your experience about L-358 even compared with Minolta auto meter V?

Thanks,
J.

 

[DanielStone]

I got a L-358 about a year back. Damn great meter!

even has attachments for a spot function and for doing reflective metering as well. Very versatile!

watch craigslist, its where I got mine. Deals are out there.

never used the Minolta myself, but the Sekonic is hard to beat IMO.

-Dan

 

[benjiboy]

The Sekonic L-358 is an excellent meter for portraiture both for daylight and flash, I too have been using one for about a year and am very happy with it, it has many more facility s than the Minolta Auto meter V, like the ability to take up to nine readings remember them and average them if you wish.

 

[viridari]

I was hesitant to invest in something as pricey (for me) as a Sekonic L358 but I love it.

 

[pluto]

Thank you very much to everybody.
And what about spot attachments? I know there are three versions:1° degree finder, 5° and 10°.Did you buy it? Do you think it is worthwhile ?
J.

 

[benjiboy]

I bought the 1 degree finder and I find it very worthwhile although expensive and quite large, but with the ability to take several (up to nine) spot reading of either ambient /flash light or a mixture of the two, and give you an average at the touch of a button, very useful indeed.

 

[pluto]

Do you use medium format, Ben?

Joseph

 

[benjiboy]

Do you use medium format, Ben?

Joseph

Yes Joseph I use Mamiya C330F TLRs as well as Canon FD 35 mm equipment., one the things I find most useful about the L-358 is that it will tell you what percentage of the exposure is daylight and how much is flash that is very useful for balancing mixed lighting situations so you can either adjust the flash output or move it further away to achieve the right balance between the two. If you look on You tube at Sekonic- 358 there's loads of videos showing you what the meter can do.

 

[Rinthe]

sekonic-358 is my first and only light meter. i found it on craigslist for $50. I use it with a hasselblad 500cm and canon ae-1. I think it's a really great light meter

 

[pluto]

Yes Joseph I use Mamiya C330F TLRs as well as Canon FD 35 mm equipment., one the things I find most useful about the L-358 is that it will tell you what percentage of the exposure is daylight and how much is flash that is very useful for balancing mixed lighting situations so you can either adjust the flash output or move it further away to achieve the right balance between the two. If you look on You tube at Sekonic- 358 there's loads of videos showing you what the meter can do.

I really didn't know about this very useful function.
I followed your suggestion on you tube: very interesting.
My gear is a lot alike yours. Usually a MF 67 and Canon F1 new.

Thanks, Ben.
joseph

 

[benjiboy]

I really didn't know about this very useful function.
I followed your suggestion on you tube: very interesting.
My gear is a lot alike yours. Usually a MF 67 and Canon F1 new.

Thanks, Ben.
joseph

I chose the L-358 in preference to the L-758 DR because although the latter has a built in spot meter there is no facility to take a general reflected light reading, a function I would miss, I preferred to buy the add on spot meter attachment which also works out marginally cheaper to get the pair if you are buying new.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

benjiboy,
To make a general reflected reading with the L758/••••DR, extend the invercone, rotate the invercone head 180 degrees (back to front), meter and it's done e.g. camera in front of meter/line of sight, invercone facing subject. It is fairly uncommon to measure like this (most of my metering is multi-point incident or spot/multispot with pinhole).

 

[benjiboy]

benjiboy,
To make a general reflected reading with the L758/••••DR, extend the invercone, rotate the invercone head 180 degrees (back to front), meter and it's done e.g. camera in front of meter/line of sight, invercone facing subject. It is fairly uncommon to measure like this (most of my metering is multi-point incident or spot/multispot with pinhole).

It must be uncommon because by doing this you aren't taking a reflected reading but a flat plane incidental reading which is the the way you meter flat copy , artwork, or evaluate contrast between light sources , I just compared this method with my L-358 with the Lumidisc reflected light attachment fitted, and the Lumisphere in the retracted mode with a Kodak 18% grey card, at 400 ISO the Lumidisc reading was 1/2 sec at f11.3, the retracted Lumisphere reads 1/2 sec at f 5.6.4 which is a hell of a discrepancy , I can't see how the L-758s incidental light reading with the dome retracted will be so different from the L-358s.

 

[pluto]

I looked around reading performances of both meters,L-358 and L-758DR.
I think that for my needs the best choice is L-358. But if ones decides for the 1° degree wiewfinder too, price becomes quite the same.

So, do you mind to specify further your choice, Ben, Garyh...... and everyone else of course?

I'm thinking that it could be a certain asset a built-in spot. What do you think?

Joseph

 

[benjiboy]

Speaking personally the price wasn't the consideration but the suitability for the purpose I was going to use it for, and although a spot meter would be useful to me sometimes in outdoor situations most of my photography is portraits where Its no problem to approach the subject and take a reading, which is the way I'm used to working, in the year I've had the 1Degree spot attachment I've probably only used it about a dozen times.

 

[MikeSeb]

the L-358 is a fine meter. It's all you really need if you don't need the spotmetering function. If you need the spotmeter, then check prices on the L-758 vs. the 358 with the spot attachment, and buy whichever's cheaper.

My 358 was lost/stolen a few years ago, and I replaced it with a 758. The 358 is just about perfect in the hand, ergonomically; the 758 is more cumbersome. I really wish I'd just gone with the 358.

 

[pluto]

Speaking personally the price wasn't the consideration but the suitability for the purpose I was going to use it for, and although a spot meter would be useful to me sometimes in outdoor situations most of my photography is portraits where Its no problem to approach the subject and take a reading, which is the way I'm used to working, in the year I've had the 1Degree spot attachment I've probably only used it about a dozen times.

Yes! Clear and convincing, Ben. Thanks
I'd use my meter, as you do, above all for portraitures. And, marginal note, if I need of a spot reading I can use my built in camera spot meter.
And, anyway, I note that anyone who kindly have taken part on this 3D have enthusiastically spoken about L-358.
That will be my choice.

Now the problem is: new or second hand?
Joseph

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I looked around reading performances of both meters,L-358 and L-758DR.
I think that for my needs the best choice is L-358. But if ones decides for the 1° degree wiewfinder too, price becomes quite the same.

So, do you mind to specify further your choice, Ben, Garyh...... and everyone else of course?

I'm thinking that it could be a certain asset a built-in spot. What do you think?

Joseph

Well, it's like this: I only mentioned the L758 because it is what I am using often in professional practice and the spot meter it used as frequently as incident; I would feel bereft of some essential 'tools' with something like the L358. Obviously I can't make a recommendation based on my use for others with dissimilar uses, but if they grow their skills and application the L758 will meet the challenge. For straight incident/reflected metering, the L358 is fine, just that. But measuring hi/lo image sections in contrasty light, a spot meter with multi averaging is the way to go. It all comes down to what you are doing now and what you will be doing in the future. How will you manage in that situation if/when it arises, especially in portraiture or outdoor/landscape?

Second hand meters of either model can be readily had in professional dealers and, aside from overall operational integrity, ensure you reset the meter to defaults lest you end up with dodgy exposures caused by some deep customisation (especially of note the L758).

 

[pluto]

Well, it's like this: I only mentioned the L758 because it is what I am using often in professional practice and the spot meter it used as frequently as incident; I would feel bereft of some essential 'tools' with something like the L358. Obviously I can't make a recommendation based on my use for others with dissimilar uses, but if they grow their skills and application the L758 will meet the challenge. For straight incident/reflected metering, the L358 is fine, just that. But measuring hi/lo image sections in contrasty light, a spot meter with multi averaging is the way to go. It all comes down to what you are doing now and what you will be doing in the future. How will you manage in that situation if/when it arises, especially in portraiture or outdoor/landscape?

Second hand meters of either model can be readily had in professional dealers and, aside from overall operational integrity, ensure you reset the meter to defaults lest you end up with dodgy exposures caused by some deep customisation (especially of note the L758).

Thanks, Garyh.
Your remarks are very interesting, too.
Thinking over my current photographic point, I've to acknowledge that despite time passing I am strictly stuck to B/W photography with frequent changing interests : portraitures, street... but architecture too, for professional reasons. And even so, I realize that I've not hit on the nail.

So, as time is passing and my interest become more and more specific, I think this is the reason of my probably choice, which anyway I'm very interested to share with all you. But maybe I'm going out of issue.
Joseph

 

[benjiboy]

Just to" throw a spanner in the works" Joseph I think if I was buying an all singing all dancing do everything meter I wouldn't buy a the Sekonic L758 which is more for digital especially if I was more monochrome oriented I would buy the Gossen Starlite 2 because it has a full Zone system capability http://www.gossen-photo.de/pdf/flyer_starlite_gb.pd

 

[pluto]

I'm not able to open the page, Ben. Could you kindly check, please?

Joseph

 

[benjiboy]

Try this one Joseph, sorry. http://www.gossen-photo.de/english/...lite.html,picts/navi_foto_sub_01_starlite.gif.

 

[pluto]

Ben, this one seems interesting as well as L-358 at least. More expensive however.
It's not clear enough for me why you suggest Gossen-starlight for B/W especially, comparing with Sekonic L-358.

Joseph

 

[rszumski]

I bought an L-358 a year ago to use with my Mamiya rb67 and I find it is just fantastic. I use it for outdoor portraiture supplemented by a few remote fill flashes. I have never had an off exposure, it calculates the natural light/electronic flash mix just right every time. It has a very intuitive interface and I learned how to use it by just using it. You will have no regrets, even if you buy new.

 

[tkamiya]

To OP:

If you try to make a decision on something like this based on other's opinion, you'll go crazy. Both 358 and 758 are fine products that will do what Sekonic says they will and do so very well. Rest is personal preference. While there are few things one does and the other one will not, you can overcome that by using different technique. End result, each will allow you to measure light and give you info to make well exposed images when used properly.

I personally have a 758DR. I chose this because I wanted a built-in spot capability on top of incident capability. Personally, I'm not a big fan of "adapters". It also has a pocket wizard transmitter built-in. (which I use at a photo school) My main concern was to get a quality meter with features I needed.

Perhaps you should go over what you are going to do with it, determine the features you need now, consider what you may need in future, and find a unit that meets this criteria.

I purchased mine new. I did this because this is something I need to be able to trust, and as long as I stay in photography, I will use this for a long time. Now that I have one known good unit, I might buy used should I want another one, but I didn't want to do that for my very first one.

Sorry, it's a bit wordy. This is why I bought mine.