Discontinued Sekonic L-478DR LiteMaster Pro Lightmeter, Replaced with Sekonic L-478DR-U

I've gone through several light meters in my photographic life -- one (a classic Gossen) had fallen into a pond while I was photographing the landscape, and it drowned. Another (Pentax 1 degree spotmeter) just finally gave up the ghost after about 25 years. I've been using an in-camera meter since then.It is SO good to be back with a separate hand-held light meter again! What a difference it makes, and it's terrific how far technology has come since the days of the needle on a scale meters. I really would have loved to get the series 700 version of this meter, with the spotmeter facility already built in, but it was out of my price-range and I saved some money buying this one (with the world's first touchscreen for a meter) and separately buying the 5 percent spot attachment (see my review of that separately). I could not take any stars away for the fact that I got the model where I have to carry the spot attachment separately -- that was my (financial) decision, and I'm glad Sekonic gave me the choice.One of the great things about this meter (besides its touch-screen convenience, extra bells and whistles, such as programmable filter compensation, etc.) is the software that comes with it. Shoot some targets using your camera meter settings and one of several X-Rite targets, take some readings, and plug your meter into your computer. The software will calculate the TRUE top and bottom range of your particular camera, so you know exactly how bright an exposure you can go to and not clip off the highlights on your file, and how dark an exposure you can go to without losing shadow detail. This is for YOUR PARTICULAR CAMERA -- not your brand or your model, but YOUR camera.What made me purchase this is partly that I discovered that the so-called "blinkies" that my, or any, digital camera has (that is, the blinking black or red areas on the LCD image that supposedly show where you are "clipping" highlights, and thus not getting any detail, are, first of all, read off the jpeg image, and not the RAW image, and second are too "safe" and therefore inaccurate. Aha! So that's why the highlights in my prints always looked a bit dull!I'm happy to answer any questions about this from other purchasers who want to take that extra step from "fairly good" in-camera meter settings to "perfect" hand-held meter pictures.

The build quality is horrible with this unit. The buttons on the side are just a strip of rubber with a molded in piece of plastic. After some use be prepared to glue the rubber strip back on because the design does not capture the rubber it's just laid in place and barely glued. The plastic outer button does not have a physical stop so don't press too hard or when the glue fails it will misalign and ruin the micro switch below. The touch screen reminds me of the first generation of cheap touch phones. Trying to accurately adjust the power is a challenge sometimes you will get too much movement other times it will not move at all. If you plan on using this with a Paul C. Buff Einstein you will be short on the top and bottom ends adjusting the power because it's range isn't large enough. Battery life is horrible and if the batteries are weak at all be prepared not to be able to trigger your lights consistently. The only reason I didn't give this a 1 star is because it does do a great job actually metering when you have brand new batteries. A for idea F for build quality. I bought one of these when they first came out for over $400 and at that price you would think it would be a built like a professional piece of equipment. After wedding season mine is going in for repair of the measure button. I am currently limping along by swapping the measure button with memory button. (software setting). Update I changed my rating from 2 to 4 stars because of the great service from the Mac group. I received my repaired meter in under a week without being charged for it.

So, I spent like 3 months looking, thinking, debating and pondering... I really loved the idea of this meter... but for me it was a pretty large investment. I almost got the less expensive models... 2 or 3 times... but I LOVED the idea of this unit integrating with my Pocket Wizards. Well, I finally pulled the trigger and anxiously waited for it to get to me! I tested it against my camera's meter... took a bunch of test shots inside and outside and was tickled pink! THEN... I tried firing my Pocket Wizards with it. It didn't work with my Flex, it didn't work with my Plus III, it didn't work with my Plus X??? So, I watched EVERY video and webinar on the internet... I downloaded the owners manual and read it front to back. I tried every possible combination of settings on the pocket wizards as well as the meter... and at 3:AM... I finally admitted defeat and went to bed disappointed.Day 2, can't reach Pocketwizard support on the phone, no response to my emails... nothing mentioned on the blogs about this problem... THEN I see the review right here on Amazon about the European models. I did an end around and called LPA tech support... the importers of Pocket Wizard?... and they confirmed my problem. I have the dreaded "CE" right on the back of my unit and it WILL NOT work an American spec Pocket Wizard.No firware upgrade, no setting, no configuration change will fix it... So, it's Friday, I've processed a return claim and asked for a replacement with an American spec unit. I look forward to updating this feedback with great news next week... we shall see?!?!Happy ending! Seller refunded money QUICKLY and I ordered a north American unit that I use everyday! A great product with accurate and consistent results. Much better than relying on the camera's meter with the bonus of being able to fire my strobes! So, other than the initial hassle... a really good purchase and an important item in my camera bag!

Excellent appareil. Je l'utilise plus à l'extérieur avec un viseur 5 degrés de Sekonic. Le résultat est plus que satisfaisant avec une exposition parfaite, mieux que celle fournie par l'appareil photo en mode priorité ouverture

GREAT

This is the coolest light meter I have ever come across!In fairness, I am a recent convert to meters, believing my Nikon had a good enough meter built in!I bought a lower priced meter (Also by Sekonic) after watching some really good videos on Youtube about these and how they can improve your pictures. I was so impressed with that, I started to look closer at this model, mainly because it could link with wireless flash triggers.Now, just for the record, Sekonic state that these units are compatible with 'Pocket Wizard' stuff, which I don't have. I just bought the Yongnuo kit and have yet to get the two to work together, but I am still figuring out this part. That aside, the meter is lovely to use and is very well made.I have to say the 308 felt very plasticy and a bit cheap for something costing £138! This unit is much better!

Ormai non riesco a fare a meno di questo magnifico esposimetro!è un prodotto eccellente, consigliato a chiunque voglia migliorare il proprio modo di fotografare sia in luce ambiente sia con flash off-camera e anche a tutti coloro i quali sono appassionati di cinema in quanto l'esposimetro in questione permette di calcolare l'esposizione a luce incidente e riflessa anche per quanto riguarda le riprese cinematografiche.La funzione che amo di più è la possibilità di controllare via radio il pocket wizard potendo impostare direttamente dall'esposimetro le o le potenze di tutte le unità flash off camera che si intendono utilizzare con la possibilità anche di disattivare o meno i flash.Che dire di più se non che Sekonic una garanzia!!!Acquisto consigliatissimo!

Monatelang hatte ich mir einen Sekonic L-758 ausgeliehen, jetzt konnte ich ihn endlich zurückgeben. Mein L-478 DR ist angekommen. Sekonic liefert den Belichtungsmesser in einer sehr wertigen Verpackung. Mit dabei ist auch eine Ledertasche für den sicheren Transport (wichtig) und ein Band zum Umhängen (sehr wichtig).Wer liest schon gerne Bedienungsanleitungen? Ich nicht. Und das war auch nicht unbedingt notwendig. Auf der Sekonic Webseite gibt es sehr viele Videos die einem den Start erleichtern und darum war es gar kein Problem den Belichtungsmesser startklar zu machen. Also Batteriefach auf und - wie schön - handelsübliche AAA Batterien rein. Das Gehäuse des L-478 ist dabei sehr gut verarbeitet und man hat nicht den Eindruck die Batterien kommen gleich wieder raus oder es bricht irgend etwas ab.Den Einschaltknopf gedrückt und nach einer sehr kurzen Zeit war der Belichtungsmesser auch schon einsatzbereit. Auch wieder ohne (englische) Bedienungsanleitung war es locker möglich die normalen Standardmessungen für Blitz- und Dauerlicht vorzunehmen. Auch ohne große Erfahrung mit Belichtungsmessern. Auch das Messen beim Aufhellblitzen geht intuitiv von der Hand. Der Touch-Screen ist sehr gut und einfach zu bedienen. Das Ablesen der Werte ist auch bei greller Sonne kein Problem. Er ist auch nicht so empfindlich, dass bei einem leichten Tippen schon etwas verstellt wird. Wirklich sehr gut sowohl im Studio als auch draussen.Nachdem ich genügend gespielt und die ersten Testphotos geschossen hatte, war ich neugierig wie und was man am Rechner mit dem kleinen Sekonic so alles anstellen kann. Also kurz die Webseite von Sekonic aufgesucht, die aktuelle Version der Sekonic Data Transfer Software installiert und den L-478 angeschlossen. Er wurde sofort erkannt und auch der Update der Firmware war ohne Probleme möglich. Auch die Anpassung des Belichtungsmessers an die Kamera ging einfach und schnell von der Hand.Ingesammt bietet aus meiner Sicht der L-478 DR sehr viel für sein Geld. Sehr gute, wertige Verarbeitung und ein klasse ablesbares und bedienbares Touch-Display. Alles ist einfach zu bedienen und im Innen- als auch im Außeneinsatz sehr gut verwendbar. Durch die vielen Trainingsvideos und die einfache Handhabbarkeit ist der L-478 sowohl für Anfänger als auch für Fortgeschrittene die Wert auf eine exakte Belichtung legen oder die in schwierigen Lichtsituationen arbeiten aus meiner Sicht sehr zu empfehlen. Ich hab ihn jetzt jedenfalls bei jedem Shooting im Einsatz.