Pentax V vs. Sekonic L-758DR?

[Tim Layton]

I need a new spotmeter and the obvious choices seem to be a Pentax V or Sekonic L-758DR. I don't want to have any problems and need to have a high degree of certainty that the readings will be accurate. I am going to be heading out on a once in a lifetime type of trip in about 4 months so I am getting myself in order.

Are there any issues or cons to going with a new L758-DR besides the obvious price difference?

My application will be with my 4x5 view camera and my 6x7 MF for landscapes and interiors of large buildings.

Since I will be full manual mode will I need the optional target for the L758-DR if I go that way?

Thanks,

Tim Layton

[Tim k]

Target? Never owned a Pentax, but my 758 does everything but take out the mail.

[Jeff Conrad]

I've looked long and hard at the 558, 658, and now 758, but I could never figure out how to quickly "zone" them. With the Pentax V or the Pentax Digital and a zone dial, it's easy to quickly scan a scene and see where things fall, then choose one spot and place it where it seems to belong. The x58's large, lighted displays would be mighty nice, as often would be the flash and incident capability (I'll confess to sometimes measuring the palm of my hand, so why not use the proper meter and get an accurate measurement?). Though it's not something I'd need all that often, the ability to switch between hemispherical and flat incident sensors sure beats changing the inserts on my Minolta Autometer IV-F.

The profiling feature is interesting, but people got by just fine without it on 558s and 658s, so it's probably optional. If you already have a good handle on the behavior of the film you'll be using, you can enter the high and low points into the meter manually; you would need to compensate for any differences in calibration between the L-758 and whatever you've used for metering thus far. The real potential gotcha when changing meters is the possibly significant difference in spectral sensitivity, which can render all of your accumulated knowledge obsolete. Pentax and Minolta (now Kenko) meters are good examples. Though they both were excellent, they'd sometimes agree on one subject and differ by a stop or two on another (admittedly, these are extremes). Despite this, photographers have somehow managed, though I don't think I'd want to switch between Pentax and Minolta/Kenko spotmeters (using a Pentax V and a Pentax Digital is fine, in most cases even if one is Zone-VI modified and the other isn't).

In regard to the effect of spectral response, the L-758's profiling capability would seem hard to beat. There is no substitute for the real thing--you measure and see what you get. But using it, especially with film, seems like a bit of work, especially if your trip is in few months. But as I mentioned, I've only played with this meter, so I can't speak from experience on the profiling. It's certainly nice to have the option of getting the target later even if you pass on it initially.

[Tim k]

Jeff, I struggled to figure out to "zone" as you say with the 758. But one day a light bulb came on. Its really quite simple. Just take a bunch of readings of your scene and save them to memory. As you do this, the meter puts a tick mark next to the proper f stop on the f stop scale. Then you just look at the available options, and pick one that puts things where you like em.

[ki6mf]

I have them both and use the Pentax V as my normal camera. Years ago I stuck on a Zone VI gray scale, these can still be found on line. Big difference is the Pentax gives you a EV reading through the lens. This is then placed on a dial on the side of the meter. The dial shows all possible combination's of exposure from 10's of minutes to minute fractions of a second. I prefer seeing all possible combination's and I learned on the Pentax analog meter and still use it. I did meter a gray card with the spot meter of the 756 and compared it to the reading of the Pentax and there was a slight difference about 1/2 stop in my case. I set my sekonic at iso 200 and the pentax at iso 300! YMMV

[Drew Bedo]

YMMV? What the...?

[Tim k]

Wally, the 758 does give EV thru the lens.

[ki6mf]

I stand corrected on the EV through the lens! YMMV? Your Mileage May Vary

[Bill Burk]

I adjusted the Sekonic L-758DR for traditional Zone System.

If Zone VI Studios ever made a scale for it it might look like this:

http://www.beefalobill.com/images/zone.pdf

For a 10-stop traditional Zone System, I programmed the meter to space the outer triangle points until they are exactly 8 stops apart (I think they're 7-2/3 stops apart by factory default).

To use my paste-on scale, take a single spot reading.

For example the main display reads f/8 at 1/60th in big numbers. The triangle point in the middle (Zone V) also points at f/8 with different f/stops ranging left and right.

To "place" your reading, on Zone II for example, look for the f/stop above the inner-right triangle. In this example it would be f/22. That would be your exposure (f/22 at 1/60th).

It's counter-intuitive when you first see the scale because the dark zones are on the right, but you can tell by these directions why it has to be backwards.

Bring two extra 123 batteries for your important trip.

[Tim Layton]

All very good info and tips everyone. Thank you. I ended up going with the 758 because I currently shoot a lot of digital both in studio and outdoors and I am starting to do more film in addition to learning a new view camera. I had a small sekonic that I used for several years in the studio and it was always spot on with my strobes. I will give the 758 a go and see how things turn out.

Thanks