Sekonic L-758DR Question Metering Fill Flash Outside

[bryanpritchard]

I hope you guys in this forum can help

Using Nikon D200 and Nikon SB800 Flash

I just purchased a Sekonic L758DR I know how to use it for my studio and Ambient and Spot but here is my question?

If Im outside shooting and using flash for fill how would I meter? Do I meter Ambient light and then Flash? I dont know the manula is not real clear

Thanks

Bryan

[Eero Makela]

Originally Posted by bryanpritchard

If Im outside shooting and using flash for fill how would I meter? Do I meter Ambient light and then Flash? I dont know the manula is not real clear

Thanks

Bryan

Light meters are new to me only had mine for a few weeks. I am trying to learn outdoor metering as well.

I was at an outdoor bikini car wash and was with 2 friends a Pro and one of his trainees and they were metering with his minolta meter and he was measuring the flash incident reading.

My Meter does a % of flash and ambient reading when set to flash mode and if there is ambient light present. I have not used it much outside yet.

[Rense]

page 27-29 of the manual

[Eero Makela]

The way I read this now is that you measure Flash and the meter will actually show you how much ambient light is being measured by the meter. I think I finally understood this after reading it several times, my L358 meter has this same feature and the manual is written the same way for this part.

To increase the effect of the ambient light you reduce the shutter speed just like you would in a studio using Strobe lights with modeling lights on or other light source.

If the meter says 100% then it is totally flash lite
If it says 20% then you are only using that much flash and the reset is ambient light.

[bryanpritchard]

Ok so I have the L758 Of course which Mode should I be in? Flash Mode the lightning Bolt to the left by the sun correct?
So when I press the button the meter is waiting on the flash it will take read Ambient and flash correct?

Bryan

[Eero Makela]

Originally Posted by bryanpritchard

Ok so I have the L758 Of course which Mode should I be in? Flash Mode the lightning Bolt to the left by the sun correct?
So when I press the button the meter is waiting on the flash it will take read Ambient and flash correct?

Bryan

Yes the lighting bolt and it blinks for like a min or longer while it waits for the flash to go off then it holds the reading. There is also a lighting with a "c" this is if you have a cord connected to the meter from the camera or from the flash/strobe light.

In this regard it works the same as my L358

[bryanpritchard]

Thaks man I was hoping you would read y post as I know you found the Manual hard to understand as well.

So like you said it reads ambient and flash as well correct?
I just set it on the Lightning Bolt just like Im measuring in my studio for wireless flash?

Thanks for the info

Bryan

[Eero Makela]

yes do it the same way as studio. If you have no other lights besides strobes in the studio and you are at 100 ISO it will always read 100%. If you lower the F stop to say F 1.8 it might read some ambient light if you have modeling lights on.

you will see a 100% if only flash affects the sensor dome.

If you are outside and sun is out the setting will be something like 60% or what ever that means that it read some of the sun light into the setting.

NOTE: I do not have wireless so I always use the lightning bolt mode as the flash triggers the measurement. However if there is another flash or a strobe that goes off it will again make a new reading as it remains in blinking mode for like maybe 90 seconds

[bryanpritchard]

Ok you need to write their next manual!! I think Sekonic tries to confuse people haah Have a great Saturday
Bryan

[bryanpritchard]

One more please...........

So I guess Im shooting with a Nikon SB800 Im in Manual on the Camera leave the SB800 flash on TTL correct?

[Eero Makela]

Originally Posted by bryanpritchard

Ok you need to write their next manual!! I think Sekonic tries to confuse people haah Have a great Saturday
Bryan

Thanks, I think I read it somewhere that the manual is very poorly written. I have found some good articles via google.

[Eero Makela]

Originally Posted by bryanpritchard

One more please...........

So I guess Im shooting with a Nikon SB800 Im in Manual on the Camera leave the SB800 flash on TTL correct?

That is the part I do not know and I have not experimented with outside flash yet.

You will for sure need to be in Manual mode on the SB800 (I have one as well) as the reading you take with the light meter would otherwise be useless.

You do not want the flash or the camera to make any iTTL changes. You just dial the power on the SB800 to say 1/4 or 1/8 and do a reading . In bright sunlight you have to use higher values to overcome the sunlight. But then it depends on the overall effect you are looking for and the %60 or what ever value it measures.

In Manual mode the SB800 will always output the same value. Think of the SB800 as a Studio strobe in this regard. Ones you set it leave it at the value for the shot.

I have actually been using the meter and by SB800 and my older SB15 in manual mode with the meter to set the camera in manual mode to values displayed by my L358 meter

NOTE since outside light changes a lot you have to be quick . read setting / set camera and take pictures. and you will need to take new readings every time the sund light chnages ie clouds etc. or shadows or shade area

[bryanpritchard]

Ok cool so just set the Power to 1/4 alright
Are you setting your Meter to like 125 or 250? of the shutter spead? Thanks your a wealth of info

[Eero Makela]

Do it the same way as you do it in the studio but you are using the Lighting bolt mode on the meter.

You can then adjust the shutter speed to get the reading to what you want ie make it 80% instead of 60%

To let in more ambient light the shutter has to go lower to say 1/60 or 1/30

I am just using numbers as examples the actual values depend on the outside light. Sunny day F16 rule= ISO 100 F16 at 1/100th

and then adjust the flash power to what makes the picture for you

Don't be afraid to experiment after all we are shooting digital it does not cost anything to shoot 1 or 100 shots

Also pay close attention to the histogram as it will be your guide as the LCD screen will be hard to see and determine the correct exposure.

I am currently studing histograms and how to read them The best thip I have so far was from I think Ken Rockwell , use the 3 color histogram if your camera has it, The single white one is not that value able

If you have 3 RGB graphs you can actually white balance with them, make the peaks of all 3 line up and you have white balance.

You can see that affect if youy make adjustments to white balance in Lightroom you will see the 3 colors lineup when the WB is correct

[Eero Makela]

We almost have the same equipment so this is good

[bryanpritchard]

Ok awesome thaks for all the time and information Im trying it in a bit