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Thread: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

  1. #1

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    Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    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

  2. #2
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    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
    Tin Can

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    Re: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    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?

  4. #4
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    Re: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    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

    Click image for larger version. 

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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).

  5. #5
    Alan Klein's Avatar
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    Re: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    Quote Originally Posted by AdamD View Post
    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.

  6. #6
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    I use this corrected and this flashlight charge both with any tiny USB


    Quote Originally Posted by ic-racer View Post
    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?
    Last edited by Tin Can; 11-Dec-2020 at 12:27. Reason: change links
    Tin Can

  7. #7
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    Re: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    Tin Can

  8. #8

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    Re: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    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.

  9. #9
    Alan Klein's Avatar
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    Re: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    Good luck with the meter.

  10. #10
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    Re: Any experience with the Sekonic L-858d-U

    Quote Originally Posted by AdamD View Post
    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.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Click image for larger version. 

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