Once again Sekonic has answered the call when a more efficient and accurate meter is required. This one, the Prodigi Color C-500 Color Meter was designed to meet the needs of today's digital market.
This is the first meter to read the spectral sensitivity of color film, CDCD (CCD) and CMOS sensors used in current digital still and DV cine cameras.
The C-500 and C-500R color meters are not exposure meters. Their main function is "pre-production" light source color control. With all the emphasis on Color Management and Workflow done electronically and in the camera or in post production, today's digital photographers seem to have overlooked the first step and foundation of the whole process, namely the light that makes image creation possible.
Custom white balance can do a good job of correcting color for a single light source. Add another, and there will be an unbalance that will cause color problems that will have to be dealt with later at a cost of time and money. In mixed light sources, blending flash with ambient (sun or indoor whatever) can be "cleaning up the color by adding some flash" which is the norm today. Or, with the C-500 and C-500R and a little light source filtration, it can be the seamless blending of illumination to make the photographer-added light virtually undetectable as it was done by photographers who "knew how" in the good old days of film.
This unique and groundbreaking meter measures and displays color temperature and compensation values in LB/CC index or filter numbers. The digital readings are based on human visual response while traditional film readings are determined by the individual characteristics of each film. Now, photographers and videographers have greater control over their exposures than ever before.
All of the advances in digital imaging have really solved a lot of problems and enabled taking shots that were impossible before. However, what goes on in front of the camera has not changed and should be dealt with if one is really serious about quality color management and actually controlled work flow.
Properly measuring red intensity was a major hurtle. Sekonic designers solved the problem by incorporating four color sensors: a Red sensor for visual/digital response (Rd); a Red sensor for photographic film response (Rf); a Green sensor (G); and a Blue sensor (B). They then developed a new "Simulated Spectrum" software solution (patent pending) that emulates the blue and green channel color response for both digital and film.
Illuminance Measurement
The brightness of continuous light sources is displayed in LUX (lx) or Foot-Candle (FC). Illuminance measurement is especially useful for cinematography, videography, theatrical and other applications that require precise control light source brightness.
Color Values Displayed in Three Ways
1) Color Temperature Display (in Kelvin) The color temperature is displayed for human visual response in Digital Mode or the spectral response for photographic color film in Film Mode.
2) LB /CC Index Display Light Balancing in MK-1 (Per Mega Kelvin) and Color Compensation Index correspond to light source filtration systems. The correction values can be directly entered into the color adjustment mode of some professional DSLR cameras.
3) LB/CC Filter Number Display Light Balancing and Color Compensation filtration for lens or light-source filtration is displayed in direct filter values. The display can be adjusted to read out in Kodak Wratten, Lee or Fujifilm filter systems.
Important
To comply with local broadcast regulations, Sekonic wireless systems sold in the various markets around the world are designed to operate at different frequencies. When purchasing and/or installing a transmitter module or using the meter with a receiver, be sure that the meter, module and receiver are designed to be used in your location and use the same frequency.
The FCC designation indicates the meter and module are designed for operation in the USA/North American market. Frequencies: CH 1 to 16: 344.0 MHz; CH 17 to 32: 346.5 to 354.0MHz
The CE designation indicates the meter and module are designed for operation in European countries. Frequencies: CH 1 to 16: 433.62 MHz; CH 17 to 32: 434.22MHz
When purchasing and/or installing a transmitter module or using the meter with a receiver, be sure that the meter, module and receiver are designed to be used in your location and use the same frequency.
The wireless flash triggering system used in Sekonic meters consists of two parts that are designed to be used together and operate only at a specific frequency. Do not install a CE marked module into an FCC marked meter or FCC marked module into a CE marked meter as this will produce a unit that is not compatible with either frequency.
Note! The C-500R Model differs from the C-500 in that it also includes a wireless triggering module
