Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

[AdamD]

Hi.

Anyone out there with the Sekonic L-858d-U meter?

My primary use would be for large format color transparencies, print film and B&W. I mainly shoot landscape and a little portrait work.

I currently use an Olympus PEN-F as my light meter. But I'd prefer a didicated light meter for LF. Also, I've found when in the field, I run a big risk in damaging the PEN-F because, well, it's a light meter and I can only have so many things wrapped around my neck!!

So, is this light meter total overkill? Feature-wise there's a lot of stuff I will not likely use, but storing filters and metering multiple spots and having it average those to calculate an average is super handy.

Anyway, anyone who has experience with this meter and use it for LF shooting, your feedback would be amazingly helpful.

Thx!
Adam

[Tin Can]

The only improvement over my decade old L758 for ME is the flash duration function, but I rely on old charts for flashbulbs

and I hate the crappy lens caps

AA batteries is an improvement, but I now use a rechargeable CR123A in my L758 as the batteries die too often

[ic-racer]

Tin Can, I hope this does not derail the thread, but my Sekonic also takes cr123A and I also just got one of the last new Nikon F6 available. Already F6 has gone through a set of batteries and I"m looking at rechargeable options for both the camera and the meter. Any suggestions as to charger or brand of battery?

[ic-racer]

I'm not so sure about setting exposure with the Pen-F, in fact I did not even realize until I read your post it had a built in meter. I'd certainly go with a Sekonic.

I use my Sekonic as a Zone meter with this technique. The "Zone" is equal to the following:

Zone = (5 - Exp. Comp)

For example Zone I = Exp. Comp + 4

or Zone II 1/2 = Exp. Comp +2.5 as below

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It is a little of a coincidence that I almost always have it set at Zone II 1/2. This is a great place to base exposure. It splits the difference between the two schools of thought (Base exposure on Zone II or base exposure on Zone III).

[Alan Klein]

Hi.

Anyone out there with the Sekonic L-858d-U meter?

My primary use would be for large format color transparencies, print film and B&W. I mainly shoot landscape and a little portrait work.

I currently use an Olympus PEN-F as my light meter. But I'd prefer a didicated light meter for LF. Also, I've found when in the field, I run a big risk in damaging the PEN-F because, well, it's a light meter and I can only have so many things wrapped around my neck!!

So, is this light meter total overkill? Feature-wise there's a lot of stuff I will not likely use, but storing filters and metering multiple spots and having it average those to calculate an average is super handy.

Anyway, anyone who has experience with this meter and use it for LF shooting, your feedback would be amazingly helpful.

Thx!
Adam

Isn't the meter pretty big to be hanging from your neck as well? I've started using my Olympus E-PL1 for metering. But first I use it to find the tripod spot and to figure out the crop so I can select the correct lens before setting up the 4x5. Also, being set for BW, I get to better see what the final picture will look like on film. All that before using it as a meter with histograms and blinkies. I haven't figured it all out yet. But there are a lot of features in using a digital camera that have advantages over a meter. Also, a new meter is around $600 saved.

[Tin Can]

I use this corrected (https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-arb-l16-700u-usb-rechargeable-li-ion-16340-battery/) and this flashlight (https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-ld15r-right-angled-rechargeable-led-flashlight/) charge both with any tiny USB



Tin Can, I hope this does not derail the thread, but my Sekonic also takes cr123A and I also just got one of the last new Nikon F6 available. Already F6 has gone through a set of batteries and I"m looking at rechargeable options for both the camera and the meter. Any suggestions as to charger or brand of battery?

[Tin Can]

Correction this fits (https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-arb-l16-700u-usb-rechargeable-li-ion-16340-battery/)

[AdamD]

UPDATE

I bought a used Sekonic 858. It was priced so close to the older model it just didn't make sense not to.

I have been happy with the PEN-F as a metering and composition tool, but over the last idk 20 or 30 sheets, I've noticed that my exposure is not consistently spot on. Sometimes I'm over, under and right on.

My thinking is that this meter with help smooth that out and help me get better, more consistent results. We'll see.

One thing I have noticed already in using it, is the features that allows you to spot certain areas of your composition and store the readings in memory and later average the group for a final exposure value is REALLY nice. I was actually testing this against my Nikon D810 as well as the PEN-F. It gives very good results. I'm doing this for confidence building!!

IC-RACER has me thinking about his technique....

If I end up not using it like I hope...off to eBay. Total cost of ownership might be less than $100...a worthy try.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

[Alan Klein]

Good luck with the meter.

[ic-racer]

UPDATE

I bought a used Sekonic 858. It was priced so close to the older model it just didn't make sense not to.

I have been happy with the PEN-F as a metering and composition tool, but over the last idk 20 or 30 sheets, I've noticed that my exposure is not consistently spot on. Sometimes I'm over, under and right on.

My thinking is that this meter with help smooth that out and help me get better, more consistent results. We'll see.

One thing I have noticed already in using it, is the features that allows you to spot certain areas of your composition and store the readings in memory and later average the group for a final exposure value is REALLY nice. I was actually testing this against my Nikon D810 as well as the PEN-F. It gives very good results. I'm doing this for confidence building!!

IC-RACER has me thinking about his technique....

If I end up not using it like I hope...off to eBay. Total cost of ownership might be less than $100...a worthy try.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I passed on the 858 as a Zone capable meter, because, although it appears to be B&W negative 'friendly' the it bases exposure on "Mid Tone" as one would digital capture. Maybe you can figure out how to trick it into setting exposure based on the low tones as one would setting exposure for B&W negative. It may be possible, but I did not think so at the time I was meter shopping.

The 858 will, however, show exposure comp. in the viewfinder, so that function is similar to the 558.

What I do on the 558, is save various readings and they show as dots on the bottom of the screen. I can set any dot to any zone with the EXP COMP function. Again, I'm not sure the 858 can do that.

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[AdamD]

Hi IC-RACER,

It looks like I can do those things too with the 858. I have similar looking screens as well. I can change the mid tone and set different ranges to zones. I have not figured out how to do it in application yet....

The manual is pretty extensive!!

I love how I can take several readings and store them and then have it apply the average value across those. Plus having the ability to store all my filters and their associated compensation values is awesome.

I'm curious why you are using the meter to calculate an f-stop and not a shutter speed. Don't you figure out what aperture your shot needs and then have the light meter figure out what shutter speed you need given all your filters and stuff??? That's how I do it.

Am I in left field on this???

[ic-racer]

I used a pre-drawn image from the manual. It happens to show that mode, but yes, the other mode will then show times on the scale at the bottom.
The colorful scale is from your meter. It looks like zone friendly but I wasn't sure I could figure out how I could put some zone sticker on it or set the exposure on the low arrow.

[Alan Klein]

Maybe you can expand on your explanation ic-racer? I have a different meter an old Minolta Autometer IIIF. It allows me to capture and store a high and low setting and then average and display a third middle point. Is that what you're doing with your meter to determine the final exposure setting? Can you expand on what readings you take and how you do that? Is it only for BW or can you do it for color negative and chromes?

[ic-racer]

No, not averaging. I'm looking at each individual metering point and setting the lowest at a low zone and basing exposure on that one. I also am checking how far the highest one is, just to make sure the scene fits on the negative range.

[AdamD]

IC-RACER,

Can you give me an example?

What I think you are doing is this....

Say you are shooting a waterfall. You'll meter around and find the darkest spot (you want shadow detail). Then, you set that as Zone III.

Then, I'm a little confused what you do with that, but if I'm right so far, you will then set your exposure 2-stops higher (brighter).

Example: the dark area you want detail meters at 1/15 at your chosen f-stop (doesn't matter). You will then set your exposure 2-stop higher at 1/60. The highlights go where they go.

Is that right?

[ic-racer]

Set the exposure compensation using the scale. Then any place the meter is pointed, it will give the exposure for that zone. It is the digital equivalent of having a 'zone dial' on a Pentax meter.

So, when Exposure Comp. is set to +3, the meter reads the correct exposure for Zone II. If the meter reads 1 sec at f22 when set like that and pointed at an area you want as Zone II then you adjust the camera to the indicated settings.

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[esearing]

Similar to ic-racer - meter in EVs. then translate those to Zones

Example EVs. 5 (dark wet rock/shadow detail), 6.3(dark water), 8.3 (green foliage), 9 (light green) , 11(whitewater), 12.3(bright sky)
So I would tend to put EV=5 on zone III and the sky will fall on zone-X+
So I now know I have to contact the development to reduce contrast or shift the darkest tone to zoneII.

I use my exposure card to help me visualize the zones
http://www.searing.photography/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Exposure-3x5card.pdf