Sekonic's L 478DR

What do I love about this meter? Just about everything it does! With this model from Sekonic, you can do things that a normal meter just can't do! Sure, most all meter's main function is to meter & tell you what settings to use but I want to tell others that may be in the market for a meter, the advantages of having this touch screen miracle! ...

First, let's start with the PocketWizard functionality to this model! It is simply amazing how it seamlessly works in not only triggering your strobes/flash units, but it also can adjust 3 zones, on various PocketWizard controllable flash units, so the sliders within the menu can adjust the power of those strobes/flash units! It can also control the modeling lights of units that have modeling lights on them, turn power off/on of the 3 zones for single control of those units, along with the modeling lights, making this device an exceptional value!

The next feature about this meter and maybe one of the best features, regardless of the PocketWizard electronics that are built in, is the "touch screen" operation of the entire meter! In my opinion, it makes getting into the various menu options easier, since there are many layers of menus within its structure, just having the touch screen for that manueverablity is an added plus! The screen I use most of the time is the PocketWizard menu screen with the controls of the 3 zones so that is what I will show you first! ...

This screen shown to the left is the control for the 3 zones. With the sliders, you can adjust the power of any PW controllable strobe/flash from the touch screen, making the change & then testing with the triggering button on the side of the unit. I use a PW AC3 unit on my TT1 so when I do adjust the light's intensity from the meter, I always re-set my AC3 with the same settings so I will not confuse the system with a different setting. Now I could just take the AC3 off of the TT1 on top of the camera but I want to have some control when at that position, just in case I want to make a change while shooting. Not that it makes that big of a difference in having it at the camera position but it is a nice alternative!

To set the control of the channels, you have to go into the menu options for that, make the appropriate channel selection that the system is set up for within the TT1 & TT5 units & you are set!

The A, B, C & D on the right side of the screen are used to select triggering zones not related to the TTL function, allowing you to have other PW devices in your system that just trigger other lighting strobes used.

The next thing we will discuss is the various changes that one will want to make & how the metered values change when you change the settings of the Shutter Speed, Aperture or the ISO value.

Once you have taken a reading on the meter, if you want to make a change to the

settings, all you have to do is change the values & the reading you took will change automatically!

In the example below, I changed the Shutter Value from 1/40 sec to 1/160, a 2 stop value, leaving the ISO the same. In the next example, I left the Shutter Speed at the last value, changing the ISO 2 stops in value.

Example Settings ...

Started with T=40, ISO=800, A=8.0 ...

Same ISO

T=2 stops faster ...

Same Shutter Speed

ISO=2 stops less in sensitivity ...

Changing the settings is easily done in any denomination.

You can save separate meter readings, making it very easy to get an average reading when using multiple lighting set ups! Selecting the AVE/EV button on the Main touch screen gives the average.

Although I have never used some of the functions that this unit has within its design, having the L-478DR and using it takes the guess work out of figuring the settings of your lightiing variables! For more information on this unit, as well as other devices that Sekonic produces, visit their web site for all the details and videos showing what this & other models can do! I have also provided a YouTube video below from Sekonic's website so you can see this device in action. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23hb9ji-Izk#t=25 ...