Sekonic L-358 U.S.A or European version?

[cantore]

Ive been searching the web today to buy a L-358 and noticed that i can get the EU version for $268 and the US version for $309 and was wondering if there is a difference between the two? All i can find about it is that i would need the EU trigger card if i bought the EU version but that is not on my list anyway... Does anyone know of any issues that could arise if i bought the EU version? Can i use the same spot attachment on either? Thank you...

 

[cantore]

Here is the actual item im looking at on Ebay. I checked the sellers feedback and noticed his last feedback was negative and it was for this meter with the buyer claiming that it wont work in the U.S.A... I think the buyer might be wrong because the sun shines in the same way here or in Europe..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sekonic-L-3...440717?pt=US_Light_Meters&hash=item27c75c518d

 

[MattKing]

I wonder whether the radio trigger functions might be different - the available/assigned frequencies may be different.

 

[cantore]

Matt...

Thats the only difference i can find.. The frequencies are different.. He even states on the auction page that you would need the European card for it. I guess this is whats called a grey market item?? I dont think there would be any difference in two versions except maybe the warranty. $60 less than the U.S version sounds good to me.

 

[Leigh B]

The European version and the US version use different frequencies, and thus are totally incompatible.

The radio trigger module inside the L-358 must match the PocketWizard version that you're using.

To check the meter, open the battery cover and check the label on the little gray plastic block to the right of the battery.
If there is one and the label has an FCC logo, then it's the US version. If it does not have the FCC logo, then it's the European version.
If there's a hole, then you have no radio trigger installed. It was an option, sold separately.

- Leigh

 

[Grainy]

Don't know how it's other places in the world, but here it's illegal to use the US PocketWizard frequency.

 

[benjiboy]

Don't know how it's other places in the world, but here it's illegal to use the US PocketWizard frequency.

In the U.K too, it contravenes the Wireless Telegraphy Act because the frequency s used on the U.S version can effect the radio bands that the British emergency services use.

 

[CGW]

Frankly, the seller looks a bit sketchy. Check his completed deals--lots of filters, accessories, etc., but no meters. Doubt very seriously that MAC USA would offer warranty coverage or service on what's plainly a gray market Sekonic meter--everything Sekonic sells in N. America is FCC spec. If you're in the US, I'd look for a better deal on an FCC-spec meter, either new or used. As mentioned, if you ever use it with triggers, you'll need to use CE-spec electronics. Seem always to be lots of 358s going for around 200 bucks+/- on the big auction site.

 

[John Koehrer]

Gray market equipment is directly imported by several large shops bypassing the US distributor.
In earlier times Many(all?) of the legit importers would NOT service gray market merchandise, even if you were willing to pay for the repair in cash or gold nuggets. In their minds it was not Mamiya/Nikon etc.

 

[benjiboy]

Gray market equipment is directly imported by several large shops bypassing the US distributor.
In earlier times Many(all?) of the legit importers would NOT service gray market merchandise, even if you were willing to pay for the repair in cash or gold nuggets. In their minds it was not Mamiya/Nikon etc.

It's the same in the U.K John when I worked in photographic stores we often sent equipment to Canon U.K or Nikon U.K or other importers for a warranty or chargeable repair, they checked the serial number against their computer records of the equipment they had imported, and if they hadn't imported it they wouldn't touch it for love or money so what's cheap in the short term can be expensive in the long run, this can be particularly pernicious if you are buying used equipment.