Re: [Leica] Re.: Meter Suggestions

["Mike Durling" <durling@widomaker.com>]

The Sekonic Studio Deluxe, now the L-398M, is truly a great meter if you
like incident meters.  I bought mine in 1969 (It is a L28c, same thing)  I
have dropped it and broken the movement.  I worked at a TV station in the
late 70's as a news photographer.  They had a drawer full of broken meters.
The station allowed me to use these as spare parts for my meter.  Eventually
I repaired it three times.  Its off about 1/3 stop now but I don't worry
about it.

The Sekonic has gone through a number of model numbers, but I can't tell the
difference.  Interestingly the Sekonic is a copy of an earlier meter called
the Norwood Director.  We have one where I work now and about the only
differences are some cosmetic details and the lack of a needle lock.

Mike D

- -----Original Message-----
From: Hans-Peter.Lammerich <Hans-Peter.Lammerich@t-online.de>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Monday, December 13, 1999 3:35 PM
Subject: [Leica] Re.: Meter Suggestions


Bill,

I have Sekonic's "Studio de luxe II L-398M", a classic  design with analog,
logarithmic readout, traditional calculator dial, selen cell, and hence no
battery. Its nice oval shape fits perfectly into your hand. For a selen
meter it
is relatively sensitive, but certainly not the best tool for available light
shots. Set at 400ASA, the lowest reading you can reliably get is 1/30" and
f=1:1,4. You switch between high and low sensitivity by inserting or
removing a
slide in front of the selen cell which otherwise is hidden in a slot at the
backside. You can use it for reflective light metering by replacing the
hemisphere with another pice of plastic, but then sensitivity is down to
1/125"
with f=1:4 at 400ASA. It is not perfect at all, but rugged and, I have to
repeat
that, works without battery and as such is the perfect complement to a
mechanical M. What I do not like is the ASA setting which cannot be locked.
In
Germany it is below DM 300.

If you want a more sensitive, digital meter or additional features (flash
metering, spot metering etc.), go for their other models, but I have no
experience with them.
Just check their website at www.sekonic.com.

I would not recommend a Leicameter. I got a broken MC free of charge with a
banged-up M3. I got the M3 repaired, but not the MC, because the dial is
tiny
and the meter is one or two stops less sensitive than the Sekonic. The later
MR
or MR4 are better in this respect, but depend on a 1,35V mercury battery
which
is still available in Germany, but apparently not in the US.

If, however, there is somebody out there who could give a hint on repair
cost.
Presumably, the selen cell needs to be replaced.

Hans-Peter