Light Meter w/ Righflash - HELP!

[superstar]

Hello,

I have a Sekonic L358 I mainly use with my Hassleblad. Works great. I just got an Alien Bees ABR800 Ringflash and Have no idea how to set the dip switches on the Sekonic. I am using it with my Canon 5D (my main camera). I get exposures all over the place.

I have it set on 80 iso and keep getting an Fstop that is greater than my camera allows like F36. I move the shutter speed down and still get some high f stop. I also get like f16 with a small 9 on the side. Does that mean F 16.9?

My question is how do I move the dip switches in the L358 to work with the ringflash and my 5D? It seems like the lowest aperture I can get is F11. Do I need to just move the light back further? I have the ringlight on a tripod.

First time with studio type lighting.

Thanks, Richard

[TMR Design]

The DIP switches are for changing some display info and functions but have nothing to do with what you're describing. There aren't settings or special switch positions for using the meter with a 5D or any camera for that matter.

The small number to the right of the F stop represents tenths of a stop, so if you are seeing 16 9 that is f/16.9 or 1/10 stop under f/22.

If you have the metering mode set for incident flash and you set an ISO 0f 100, which is the base ISO for a Canon body, and you set a generic shutter speed of 1/125 and then press the measure button it will give you the appropriate aperture to use for proper exposure.

If you're getting very high numbers then see what happens when you step back with the ring light and/or turn the power way down.

Start there and let us know what happens.

[Benji]

Hello,

I have a Sekonic L358 I mainly use with my Hassleblad. Works great. I just got an Alien Bees ABR800 Ringflash and Have no idea how to set the dip switches on the Sekonic. I am using it with my Canon 5D (my main camera). I get exposures all over the place.

I have it set on 80 iso and keep getting an Fstop that is greater than my camera allows like F36. I move the shutter speed down and still get some high f stop. I also get like f16 with a small 9 on the side. Does that mean F 16.9?

My question is how do I move the dip switches in the L358 to work with the ringflash and my 5D? It seems like the lowest aperture I can get is F11. Do I need to just move the light back further? I have the ringlight on a tripod.

First time with studio type lighting.

Thanks, Richard

I have an Sekonic L358 Flash Master and here is how I have my dip switches set to give me 1/3rd stop readings (for digital photography) instead of 1/10th stop readings (for film) like you have now. Open the battery compartment and set dip switch one and two at "off" (down.) Three and four are both set at "on" (up.) I believe your number 3 and 4 are set at the "off" or down position right now.

(Actually I believe only 3 and 4 need to be set as above.)

Benji