Sekonic Service

[Two23]

I need to get my Sekonic L-208 meter calibrated. I looked on the Sekonic website and it said the average repair was $55. Is that right, it will cost $55 just to have it calibrated? Where else could I send it? How hard would it be for me to calibrate it myself?



Kent in SD

[E. von Hoegh]

What is wrong with your meter? Calibration is easy if you have the service manual, a standard source of illumination, tools and experience. "Average" means $55 is the average cost of all repairs, it tells you nothing about how much your repair will cost.

[Louis Pacilla]

I just can't imagine any repair person that knows what they are doing opening it up for less then $55. That is still less than the cost of most modern light meters.

You may have another option if your meter has a Compensation dail of usually 3-6 stops either way. This is usually slightly hidden and sometimes in "Custom Function" mode. You can barrow or use a meter that you trust to compare readings. Then use the compensation dial to match readings then leave it be. This would be your cheapest path.

[E. von Hoegh]

I just can't imagine any repair person that knows what they are doing opening it up for less then $55. That is still less than the cost of most modern light meters.

You may have another option if your meter has a Compensation dail of usually 3-6 stops either way. This is usually slightly hidden and sometimes in "Custom Function" mode. You can barrow or use a meter that you trust to compare readings. Then use the compensation dial to match readings then leave it be. This would be your cheapest path.

"Compensation" and "calibration" are two different things, calibrating a meter makes certain it responds linearly, as well as reads the correct exposure for a given luminance. The OP's questions regarding cost really can't be answered by anyone other than the service tech. I think Quality Light Metric is still in business, google would provide contact info.

[William Whitaker]

Quality Light Metric
7095 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028

(323) 467-2265

[E. von Hoegh]

Quality Light Metric
7095 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028

(323) 467-2265


Mindreader!! Thanks.

[vinny]

Spectra in Burbank charges $50 from the last time I checked.

[William Whitaker]

Two years ago I sent three meters, a Zone VI Pentax digital, a Gossen Luna-Pro SBC and a Leica MR meter, to Quality Light Metric. They calibrated all three and converted the MR to take alkaline cells. The bill was just under $300 (I don't have the actual number on hand) and that was two years ago, so current prices may be higher. You'll have to judge for yourself if it's worth it. I think having a reliable meter is indispensable given the cost of film and my own personal investment in my photography. (Having the three meters match is nice, too.) You need good tools. An unreliable meter is worse than no meter at all. But that's just my 2¢.

[Jody_S]

How hard would it be for me to calibrate it myself?



Kent in SD

I can't answer the other questions, though I have calibrated quite a few meters myself. They're all different (a set screw doesn't necessarily do the same thing on different meters). The only hellishly difficult one so far was the Zeiss-Ikon Ikophot (the 9v battery one). If you're wondering if it's necessary, and what tools you might need, you can buy a standard lumen meter and compare the lumen values to what the meter says, using a table giving lumen-to-equivalent EV numbers. The lumen meters are quite inexpensive on eBay these days, and seem as accurate as any other type of test equipment or multimeter. I personally just do enough adjustment to ensure my meters are all reading with 1/2 stop of each other, and then I call it a day.

[E. von Hoegh]

I can't answer the other questions, though I have calibrated quite a few meters myself. They're all different (a set screw doesn't necessarily do the same thing on different meters). The only hellishly difficult one so far was the Zeiss-Ikon Ikophot (the 9v battery one). If you're wondering if it's necessary, and what tools you might need, you can buy a standard lumen meter and compare the lumen values to what the meter says, using a table giving lumen-to-equivalent EV numbers. The lumen meters are quite inexpensive on eBay these days, and seem as accurate as any other type of test equipment or multimeter. I personally just do enough adjustment to ensure my meters are all reading with 1/2 stop of each other, and then I call it a day.

So you twiddle enough to get them "useable", using an ebay widget with no traceable calibration? This is not calibration. QLM or Sekonic will do it right; getting it done right is cheap at twice the price.

[Jody_S]

So you twiddle enough to get them "useable", using an ebay widget with no traceable calibration? This is not calibration. QLM or Sekonic will do it right; getting it done right is cheap at twice the price.

Pretty much, yes. If they all agree to within 1/2 stop, that's good enough for me. I'm not saying people shouldn't have their meters professionally calibrated by a service center, if they can afford to do so and don't mind being without their meter for a few weeks. But the service center might just be doing exactly what I am.

[E. von Hoegh]

Pretty much, yes. If they all agree to within 1/2 stop, that's good enough for me. I'm not saying people shouldn't have their meters professionally calibrated by a service center, if they can afford to do so and don't mind being without their meter for a few weeks. But the service center might just be doing exactly what I am.

I sent in 2 Gossens, to the Gossen service dept., a very early Lunasix which is my main meter, and a flashmeter someone self- 'calibrated'; the service dept. explained to me that they return the meters to original spec as to linearity and accuracy. As someone else pointed out, an unreliable meter is worse than none.

[BrianShaw]

Unreliable and inaccurate are two different things, no? I actually subscribe to Jody_S's methodology with one extension. If the neg looks good and "close enough" to what it "should look like" I consider the meter good for use. I've thrown out meters that failed that test but never had one calibrated in my entire life (to date).

[Sevo]

I've had a few meters calibrated when I was doing table top cinematography - where my footage tended to be composited with other material shot by other units. At least until high bandwidth, high bit depth all digital editing became feasible, half a stop of mis-exposure could already create a colour or contrast bias that could not be fixed in the post and remained glaringly obvious in the finished TV ad - so you were well-advised to make sure that it was not your exposure that was at fault. Doing LF product shots for composites sometimes had similar requirements - but more often you were asked to match the pre-existing/already bought background shot (a art by itself, but hardly needing absolute calibration).

[Jody_S]

I am somewhat amused by the notion of calibrating meters to some absolute standard, for art photography. Especially when I read the captions, such as 'TMX shot at 200'. Of course there are many situations where that calibration would be crucial; anything from the above-mentioned product shots, cinematography, schools, etc. But for most of us, working alone with familiar film and equipment, calibration isn't nearly as important as reliability.

[E. von Hoegh]

Unreliable and inaccurate are two different things, no? I actually subscribe to Jody_S's methodology with one extension. If the neg looks good and "close enough" to what it "should look like" I consider the meter good for use. I've thrown out meters that failed that test but never had one calibrated in my entire life (to date).

When I was having those Gossens recalibrated, I was using 8x10 E6 on commisions. Close enough wasn't an option. It still isn't, even in B&W. For me, if a measuring instrment is inaccurate or less than reliable, it's worse than useless - why I bought my multimeters from Fluke and Simpson instead of Sears.