Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate
The convergence of imaging technology has not only created a new category of hybrid imaging making devices but more and more, image makers have branched out creatively and sometimes concurrently into cinema, video and photography.
The Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate is the perfect light meter for today's DSLR and digital practitioners. The intuitive LCD readout can be user-adjusted to display the specific functions needed for the task at hand. It reads incident light via the Lumisphere and Lumidisc. Slide the Lumisphere for reflected light readings.
In Cine mode the meter reads out in lux or foot-candles as well as fps (frames per second) and shutter angles. In Photo mode the L-308DC displays shutter speeds, f/stops or EV at ISOs from 3 to 8000. Besides ambient readings the L-308DC can meter flash in incident or reflected mode with or without a sync cord.
Finally, at a mere 3.4 oz, this light-reading tool is also lightweight.
- Sekonic DigiCineMate L-308DC
- The versatility of today's cameras is expanding at an amazing rate. Digital SLR cameras are used to record moving images and digital video cameras are used to capture still frames for printing. Whether you are a DSLR videographer, cinematographer, still photographer or involved in any facet of image capture, the Sekonic L-308DC is the perfect meter for you.
- Three Ways to Meter
-
The compact, Sekonic L-308DC is the first meter that can be customized to display only specific functions needed for the task at hand for fast, easy operation.
- DSLR videographers can make exposure readings and control light using shutter speeds and frame rates and get aperture settings with one-tenth stop accuracy. The display can be customized to match your camera in full, 1/2 or 1/3 step readings. Brightness display in lux and foot-candles make it perfect for lighting-design work.
- Cinematographers can make exposure readings and control light using the most useful frame rates and shutter angles and get aperture settings with one-tenth stop accuracy. Exposure display can be customized to match your camera and lux and foot-candle readout enables quick setup of lights.
- Traditional still-image photographers will enjoy shutter-priority display of a full range of ambient and flash functions including Cord and Cordless flash measurement as well as EV. All with one-tenth stop accuracy and display that can be customized to your camera.
- Three Ways to Measure Light
-
- The L-308DC's Lumisphere tells you about the light you are controlling. It is designed to integrate all of the illumination that falls on it, and the subject, including the key light, line light, hair light, eye lights, etc. Besides taking nearly foolproof exposure readings, its incident light reading enables you to set up and light a scene before the principal talent arrives. You can also "walk the set" to measure the evenness of the illumination.
- Snap on the accessory Lumidisc to measure light for green screens, adjusting ratios and taking lux and foot-candle measurements.
- Slide the Lumisphere to the right to measure light reflected from the subject or the brightness of light sources or window light.
- Simplicity
- Nothing could be simpler. Set the ISO and take shutter-priority or frame-rate priority readings for aperture display from f/0.5 to f/90.9 with 1/10-stop accuracy. Hold the measuring button for continuous readings. Change shutter speed, frame rate or ISO settings after the measurement and the meter will automatically compensate the aperture setting to maintain proper exposure.
- Cord or Cordless
- Shutter-priority readings of flash light can be made with a synch cord or cordlessly at shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/500th second. Measurements include total amount of light, both flash and ambient, for the speed set for the best exposure. The L-308DC automatically resets after each reading in cordless mode to enable fast adjustment of flash brightness.
- Calibration
-
- Calibration compensation can be used to tune the L-308DC to film or digital camera sensors or matching the L-308DC to other handheld meters.
- Power
- The L-308DC is powered by a single AA-size alkaline battery that is easily obtainable worldwide.
| Measuring System |
Flash and Ambient Incident via Lumisphere, Lumidisc Reflected: Lens (light receiving angle 40°) Silicon photo diode |
| Measuring Modes |
HD Cine Mode: Ambient (Time & f/stop, fps setting, lux/fc) Cine Mode: Ambient (fps & f/stop, Shutter angle setting, lux/fc) Photo Mode: Ambient (Time & f/stop, EV), Flash (Cord-in, Cordless) |
| Measuring Range |
Ambient: EV 0 to 19.9 Flash: f1.0 to 90.9 Lux: 2.50lx to 190,000lx Foot-candle: 0.23fc to 17,000fc |
| Display Range |
ISO: 3 to 8000 in 1/3 steps HD Cine Mode: Ambient: Aperture F0.5 to 90.9 in 1, 1/2, 1/3 steps Frame rate (f/s): 8, 12, 16, 18, 24, 25, 30, 32, 48, 50, 60, 64, 96, 100, 120, 128 f/s Shutter speed: Steps plus 1/24, 1/25, 1/30, 1/48, 1/50, 1/60, 1/100, 1/120 sec. Cine Mode: Ambient Aperture: F0.5 to 90.9 in 1, 1/2, 1/3 steps Frame rate (f/s): 8, 12, 16, 18, 24, 25, 30, 32, 48, 50, 60, 64, 96, 100, 120, 128 f/s Shutter angle: 45, 90, 180, 270, 360 degrees Photo Mode: Ambient Aperture: F0.5 to 90.9 in 1, 1/2, 1/3 steps Shutter speed: 60 to 1/8000 sec. in 1, 1/2, 1/3 steps EV: EV-6.0 to EV-27.2 in 0.1 step Photo Mode: Flash Shutter speed: 1 to 1/500 sec. in 1, 1/2, 1/3 steps plus 1/75, 1/80, 1/90, 1/100 sec. Aperture Incident: f/1.4 to f/90.9 (approx. f/124) Aperture Reflected: f/1.4 to f/90.9 (approx. f/124) |
| Receptor Head | Non-rotating, non-interchangeable |
| Power Source | 1 "AA" battery |
| Dimensions | 4.3 x 2.5 x 0.9" (109 x 63 x 23 mm) |
| Weight | 3.4 oz (96 g) without battery |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 12 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
89%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Lightweight (11)
- Accurate (5)
- Compact (5)
- Consistent (5)
- Easy to use (5)
Cons
- Poor quality (3)
Best Uses
- Film (7)
- Photography (6)
- Portraits (4)
- Studio (3)
- Travel (3)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Professional (5), Semi-pro photographer (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (10)
Most Liked Positive Review
New tool for HDSLR filmakers
Everything you need in a light meter, in studio and outdoor use. Im glad i choose this.
I mostly shoot music videos,commercials,wedding in different kind of situation and...Read complete review
Everything you need in a light meter, in studio and outdoor use. Im glad i choose this.
I mostly shoot music videos,commercials,wedding in different kind of situation and i need a light meter that is reliable and accurate. I choose L-308DC DigiCineMate because the oncamera meter wasn't that good, and it has weather sealed components.
Very accurate in studio and outdoor use, very easy to use and good value for money.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Little Confusing
Very versatile in its uses. A little confusing on switching from photo mode to video mode. That is the down side of it, plus it does not feel sturdy in the hand, although ...Read complete review
Very versatile in its uses. A little confusing on switching from photo mode to video mode. That is the down side of it, plus it does not feel sturdy in the hand, although I do not know how well it will hold up to some bumps and bruises.
Reviewed by 12 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-12
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Home
- Landscape Photography
- Macro Photography
- Traveling
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
Great pocket piece that is relatively affordable. Small, lightweight and gets the job done.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Similar:
- Sekonic L-758Cine DigitalMaster Light Meter
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
Perfect for HD. Previous model I owned was overkill.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
- Not Durable
Best Uses
- Portraits
- Studio
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
Perfect exposures and levels, but the construction is dodgy. The battery covering fell off just pulling the meter out of my shirt pocket this morning on a shoot. I would buy this product, but also purchase a small piece of gaffer tape to fix the batter covering.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
- Portraits
- Studio
- Traveling
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
Perfect for measuring incident light and takes the guess work out of some tricky light situations. It's another very useful tool in the videographers toolkit which provides another opinion on how the shot should be exposed when used in conjunction with the camera's zebra and histogram features. I have not had it long enough to make comment about its durability.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Portraits
- Studio
- Traveling
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
Nice compact meter with all the functions I use for still, film and DSLR shooting.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Compact
- Consistent
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Artwork
- Film
- Photography
- Portraits
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
L-308DC is a simple lightweight light meter that u can carry anywhere u like. It can be use for metering lights for photography as well as flash photography. All u need to do is the do some setting & off and on the device & it can go into few modes.
But if u are a doing Video filming, this meter can let u check constant lighting by f stop. Useful for green screen light, I use to have problems checking the constant light from left to right of the whole set, this meter is your answer to adjust proper lighting.
But if your professional video camera is using ND filter 2 or 3 or 4, for outdoor or some bright places, your f stop will change dramatically and this light meter is not of use as it does not do calculation base on the layers of ND filters used on professional video cameras.
Pros
- Accurate
- Compact
- Consistent
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Film
- Photography
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
I use this for Video production with a DSLR because was unhappy with the in camera metering. I needed something to give me a better grasp on different lighting ratios within the shot and this fits the bill. Its easy to use and does a great job. I did not want to spend a ton of money on one of the fancier meters and this really fills the bill.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Accurate
- Lightweight
Cons
- Poor Construction
Best Uses
- Film
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
I personally like the Sekonic meters. The incident meter is very consistent and reliable. The meter itself is light and small, very handy. All the functions are easy to use and you can adjust everything you need very fast.
That said, it is all made of plastic, doesn't seem resistant at all. By far not well built or durable as the L-398.
The hd cine mode makes it very easy to use with hdslr cameras, but it doesn't have memory or relative exposures whatsoever.
The reflected meter function is not very useful due to the 40 degree acceptance: when you're far it works almost as and incident meter. To have a precise reading you have to get closer and sometimes in the way of the light.
Again, not different from the advertised or what I expected. Simple, but useful.
Pros
- Accurate
Cons
Best Uses
- Film
- Photography
- Photojournalism
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
The functionality of the product I had no doubts, I have followed several threads on the net[...]
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Compact
- Consistent
- Lightweight
Cons
- Poor Construction
Best Uses
- Film
- Photography
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
Purchased for shoot specifically with the 7D.
The good: since it has very few functions and is geared specifically for this sort of camera, changes in ISO and shutter speed are extremely quick and easy to punch up.
Not so good: Those same few functions make this meter a bit limited if you want to use them for other media besides the DSLR. So this is a great buy if you suddenly find yourself dealing with a ton of this type of shoot. If not, stick with one of the more versatile models.
It is small and light, though the plastic casing feels very fragile.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Accurate
- Compact
- Consistent
- Lightweight
Cons
- Poor Construction
Best Uses
- Film
- Photography
- Photojournalism
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
Very versatile in its uses. A little confusing on switching from photo mode to video mode. That is the down side of it, plus it does not feel sturdy in the hand, although I do not know how well it will hold up to some bumps and bruises.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Accurate
- Compact
- Consistent
- Lightweight
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Artwork
- Film
- Photography
Comments about Sekonic L-308DC DigiCineMate:
Everything you need in a light meter, in studio and outdoor use. Im glad i choose this.
I mostly shoot music videos,commercials,wedding in different kind of situation and i need a light meter that is reliable and accurate. I choose L-308DC DigiCineMate because the oncamera meter wasn't that good, and it has weather sealed components.
Very accurate in studio and outdoor use, very easy to use and good value for money.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Displaying reviews 1-12
Batteries & Power
- Price: $0.59
-
- Original: $13.99
- Save: $1.40
- Price: $12.59
Related Accessories
-
- Original: $29.95
- Save: $4.95
- Price: $25.00
What's in the Box
- Syncro Cap
- Soft Case
- Operating Manual
- AA Battery
- Lumidisc (with Pouch)
- Quick Guide
- 3 Year Manufacturer's Warranty
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