SEKONIC c-700R Spectromaster - anyone actively using this for Stills & how?

Hi all,

My Interests:
Still Photography/Product Photography
Studio photography - models and portraiture
Models on location photography - beach/mountains/valley​s
Travel photography
Street & urban photography

BACKGROUND:
I did a search for info' using the forum search tool and did not come across anything under: "Sekonic c-700R".
(However, under: Sekonic c700R, only 1 article appeared which was on "Raw vs JPEG" - even that Post went off at a tangent!).
CAUTION:- never under-estimate the sublime power of the humble hyphen!

So, why am I asking about this product? The answer lies in my inadvertent and protracted journey:
1.) I searched the Internet to get a 'heads-up' on colour-spaces. I read an Article by Zach Sutton explaining RGB/AdobeRGB/sRGB. He tried to explain this simply with an analogy. Here the term CRI manifested for the very first time for me.
(Ok, now I understand a little as to why I should or should not select RGB/sRGB/AdobeRGB in-camera).

2.) I then searched YouTube to get a visual explanation of the above "CRI".
"By the power of the Law of Commercialism" the search presented me with a video from the Sekonic website: "Is CRI relevant in an LED World"
(Clearly, I thought this would be useful and relevant as it would explain, to some degree, what CRI actually is).
https://www.sekonic.co​m …ucts/c-700r/overview.aspx

3.) Hmmm - my inquisitiveness is rapidly leading me through to either a 'worm-hole' or a 'black-hole'.
3 differing scales (8-colour muted tones = industry Standard / Proposed: 15-colour muted and vibrant / Proposed: 15-colour muted colour tones)
Again, I searched YouTube for more insight on "CQS" (Colour Quality Scale). The following video appeared from Olino.org
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=eLaBRgDpvKI

My review of the above video on CQS:
Informative = 10 (we ALL need to know)
Captivation = 10 (I captively slept from the 6min mark - keep a pillow handy)
Interest Level = 0

My conclusion of this video: New standards regarding how colours are depicted under specific lighting conditions are due to be ratified.
Therefore, this has major ramifications across the film/print/media industry.

-----
FAST-FORWARD:
Based upon my own assessment and conclusion (non-scientific), I returned to the Sekonic website to better understand the c-700R (hyphenated!).
I watched the video. I am now very impressed with this device. I have also convinced myself that I NEED this device.

I get that this colour meter depicts the Proposed 15-colour muted & vibrant scale (displayed in Ra) and it accurately depicts those individual colour-intensities.
So now, my questions:

1.) anyone actually using this in-studio?
2.) has it made significant differences to your final in-camera images?
3.) has it helped you to reduce Post-Production work?
4.) practical areas of application that you frequently use it in?

Anything else that you consider important and useful for me to know (e.g. don't buy it because.......)

I am a great fan of getting it right in-camera as much as possible. This is because I am absolutely 'crap' at PP work.
My logic is: "... if I can save time avoiding PP say amounting to 2 hours a day ..." that will leave me free to attend a further paid shoot over the course of a month (for example). Therefore, over the course of say 6 months, this device would have paid for itself).

Cham_001 wrote in post #18533027
Hi all,

My Interests:
Still Photography/Product Photography
Studio photography - models and portraiture
Models on location photography - beach/mountains/valley​s
Travel photography
Street & urban photography

there are better options to use for flash photography & metering (measure flash output / ambient for example) ...

however if you use camera profile creation tools that allow you to supply illumination spectrum - like dcamprof, LrPD, ProfileMaker, BasiCColor Input, etc (which makes sense when illumination is notably different from tungsten or daylight/xenon impulse varieties) this tool can be of use, it can record/save spectrum data - as it is more portable than a regular spectrophotometer - you are not likely to haul i1Pro for example, with computer too ... of course there are somewhat cheaper alternatives from some other manufacturers (and some more expensive too) - but C700* comes from manufacturer that is unlikely to disappear and has decent tech support.

you don't need it really to evaluate spectrum quality - tungsten/halogen are good and you know how their spectrum is shaped (too little blues - unless it is filtered with something CTB like on light or on lens or halogen bulbs with CTB colored insides of their reflector part like Solux ), daylight/xenon are good... fluorescent or LED are bad with few exceptions - but those still have a spike in violet/blue part (the likes of SORAA or Yuji) and manufacturers who are worth to buy from will show what their spectrum is - if not you don't buy those, that simple ... sodium vapor and similar do not need any introduction

so if you bring your light you bring xenon speedlite/strobe or filter (on light / on lens / use Solux) tungsten/halogen and don't bother about CRI/CQS/whatever ... or compromise somewhat with the likes of SORAA or Yuji ... and unless you actually can use spectrum data in raw conversion/color transform you do not need any "spectromaster" in your work (you might still want to get spectrophotometer like i1Pro if you print for example and that way you can use it for many other things - calibrate your display / unless you have colorimeter like i1DisplayPro /, measure your targets like ColorChecker passport for camera profiling instead of using some generic data from god knows who, measure spectrum of light sources too)

Hehehe... thanks for that clarification "Deejjjaaaa"..
Decision made: "totally unnecessary" for me to consider this purchase.

Unless you doing serious stuff with colors etc, why not get used L358 for $250 or even brand new model (it is different model) with integrated radio trigger for your lights and you all set for $400.

Edited: Like this one for pocket wizards.
https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …_pro_l_478dr_u_​light.html

You can buy different radio for Elinchrom, Phottix etc.

bobbyz wrote in post #18533716
Unless you doing serious stuff with colors etc, why not get used L358 for $250 or even brand new model (it is different model) with integrated radio trigger for your lights and you all set for $400.

Edited: Like this one for pocket wizards.
https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …_pro_l_478dr_u_​light.html

You can buy different radio for Elinchrom, Phottix etc.

Agreed: there are of course, so many alternative Products and Makes.
I am already using a Sekonic L-758DR (with PW triggering) - this is already calibrated to my camera body. Fast, accurate and reliable - always!

I happened across the c-700R and it is interesting how it is used:
Light Meters are used measuring from the point of the subject with the dome-reflector pointing back towards the light source(s)
You are informed of what camera settings to dial-in.
Result: "great picture"
Doubt: but are all these colours in the shot accurately presented - e.g. does the red look more brownish?

Colour Meters are used to measure the light source itself. The readings displayed represent the 15-colour scale (CRI/CQS/...) and their respective intensities.
A reading of 90+ (intensity) across ALL of the 15 colours allows for accurate colour-rendition. The colour meter will show you which colours are not accurately presented.
You then manipulate the light source (add gels/....etc) to get the truest colour rendition (90+ intensity).
Result: "great picture"
Doubt: none

Off-Topic: - probably another thread for someone to initiate.
I do like the look of these newer Sekonic Light Meters - L-478DR_U (it seems perfect! - more compact), I am leaning more to the L-858D (similar size/style to my 758DR).
Having said that, I am now wondering whether I should actually upgrade my existing Light Meter to the L-858D or should I now go for the c-700R (and experiment with it).

Cham_001 wrote in post #18534682
Agreed:

Off-Topic: - probably another thread for someone to initiate.
I do like the look of these newer Sekonic Light Meters - L-478DR_U (it seems perfect! - more compact), I am leaning more to the L-858D (similar size/style to my 758DR).
Having said that, I am now wondering whether I should actually upgrade my existing Light Meter to the L-858D or should I now go for the c-700R (and experiment with it).

Using all the above mentioned i can say the 478 is very nice and compact, the 858 is more like your old 758DR and for testing (putting the meter on a stand it's better suited, along with built in spot metering and slew of other options like HSS metering etc.

The C700-U and 7000 are handy for testing light sources but we don't use it for much more than confirming and testing.