Which Sekonic light meter ?

Is there any way to make the L358 trigger Einsteins with cybersyncs? Or do I have to have PW's?

leeport wrote in post #12359275
Is there any way to make the L358 trigger Einsteins with cybersyncs? Or do I have to have PW's?

from what i've read it will only work wirelessly with PW's

OP - i just bought a L358 and its been useful, but i dont shoot enough studio stuff to really put it to work. but im still learning

m.shalaby wrote in post #12359188
I have an the AC3 which will I can turn one off and put them on different channels.

Yout got all toys but need to read up on how they work.

to make AC3 work you need to have your off camera flashes in eTTL mode even when using manual power control on AC3. This means FlexTT5s connected to the remote flashes need to be listening in control TL channel mode not standard channel mode.

Now the radio module in L358 only transmits on std. channel not control TL channel. So when using AC3 your flexTT5 won't receive trigger command from the L358.

Your mini or flex on camera transmits in both std. channel and control Tl channel at the same time. So that is why if using plusII as Receivers you can trigger them from mini/flex.

Hope this helps.

I also just bought an L358 the other day and after playing around with it a bit, it kinda made me wish I considered saving money and have gone with the 308 instead.

bobbyz wrote in post #12359575
Yout got all toys but need to read up on how they work.

or I can just start a thread and have you tell me all the answers
i know how my PW & AC3 work just fine. its the Sekonic i'm trying to understand.

bobbyz wrote in post #12359575
to make AC3 work you need to have your off camera flashes in eTTL mode even when using manual power control on AC3. This means FlexTT5s connected to the remote flashes need to be listening in control TL channel mode not standard channel mode.

yup - I know this, and this is exactly how I've been using them.

bobbyz wrote in post #12359575
Now the radio module in L358 only transmits on std. channel not control TL channel. So when using AC3 your flexTT5 won't receive trigger command from the L358.

Your mini or flex on camera transmits in both std. channel and control Tl channel at the same time. So that is why if using plusII as Receivers you can trigger them from mini/flex.

Hope this helps.

ok, so i'll just use my RC-6 remote to trigger the shutter/flashes. I wont be able to use the L358 - no biggie.

^ I'm not at home right now, but just to confirm my believe, I can only change from TL to standard channel through the pocketwizard utility software, correct?

Also, I'm seeing the 308s only does SS priority, while the 358 does both Av & SS.

Whats the benifit or real life use of Av mode ?

Aperture priority mode is only available when metering ambient light. For taking flash readings you're always in Shutter/ISO priority mode. Aperture will be calculated.

I use the 308 and it works like a champ

Of course it does.

They all work well and measure light accurately.

It's all about features and bells and whistles. If it were only about setting a shutter speed and ISO and having the meter calculate an aperture we could use L-308's or any basic meter.

Which meter is right for you is based on the type and complexity of the work you do, not to mention the desired coolness factor of the meter.

TMR Design wrote in post #12361723
Of course it does.

They all work well and measure light accurately.

It's all about features and bells and whistles. If it were only about setting a shutter speed and ISO and having the meter calculate an aperture we could use L-308's or any basic meter.

Which meter is right for you is based on the type and complexity of the work you do, not to mention the desired coolness factor of the meter.

heh very true! I fire my flashes with a non-compatible trigger anyways, so i have to bring trigger with me when flashing strobes. It would be awesome to trigger with the lightmeter, but no biggies. I just use it to measure ambient and the flash

TMR Design wrote in post #12358223
The Sekonic L-758DR is a fantastic meter but it's more than most people need. The L-358 is something of an industry standard and will get you through just about anything.

Having said that, if 1 degree spot metering is something you need then you can't beat the L-758DR. Adding the spot metering attachment to an L-358 is an expensive and inconvenient accessory.

Custom profiling is also a powerful feature of the L-758DR but it's far from necessary and if you were to poll 758 users you'd find that they all love the meter but few actually use or understand custom profiles.

What Rob says.

I have the L358 and the 1 degree attachment. The L758DR should have been the route.

And remember too that when you plug your PW's into the utility, it may prompt you if there is a firmware update for the PW's. If you do a firmware update, go back in and recheck/reset your settings, and then and hook it all up to your studio lights to confirm everything is communicating as you expect. You don't want to have to be fumbling with things that are not communicating when you get into your next actual shoot.

And what Bobby said is true. I would add to that though that if it's in a persons budget to go for the mini/flex system, you do of course gain the ability to control certain devices ( speedlites ) in ETTL. You cannot do ETTL with a plus two. This was part of the reason I bought into the mini/flex, because I can use them at different times as a dumb trigger for the AlienBees, and other times for OC tripping of the speedlite using ETTL. That can be very handy in a situation where I don't have a lot of time to get the shot.

Edit: I have the L-358 with the radio module....and yes it is very handy to use that way to setup the AB's without have yet another wire to trip over.

george m w wrote in post #12364543
And remember too that when you plug your PW's into the utility, it may prompt you if there is a firmware update for the PW's. If you do a firmware update, go back in and recheck/reset your settings, and then and hook it all up to your studio lights to confirm everything is communicating as you expect. You don't want to have to be fumbling with things that are not communicating when you get into your next actual shoot.

And what Bobby said is true. I would add to that though that if it's in a persons budget to go for the mini/flex system, you do of course gain the ability to control certain devices ( speedlites ) in ETTL. You cannot do ETTL with a plus two. This was part of the reason I bought into the mini/flex, because I can use them at different times as a dumb trigger for the AlienBees, and other times for OC tripping of the speedlite using ETTL. That can be very handy in a situation where I don't have a lot of time to get the shot.

Edit: I have the L-358 with the radio module....and yes it is very handy to use that way to setup the AB's without have yet another wire to trip over.

why wouldn't you just use a shutter remote and delete the waisted pictures? that seems like the easiest solution, unless i'm missing something.

I'm not understanding what you are asking here.