Congratulations on your purchase of a Sekonic Flash Master L-358 Exposure Meter. This meter provides a wide range of functions that correspond with most manufacturers camera settings in all formats, which will satisfy professionals as well as serious enthusiasts. Its sealed housing and controls make it water and moisture resistant. Yes, you can use it in the rain, but it is not an underwater meter. Its large LCD display makes readings easy and lights up automatically in dark surroundings. In order not to crowd the controls, four functions which are less frequently used, are confined to DIP switches, located in the battery compartment. Because of its many features, the L-358 requires this rather extensive manual. But since you will never use them all at the same time, once you have learned all about it, it is simple and its use will become second nature. The Flash Master L-358 has undergone extensive quality controls at every step of manufacture. Please read this instruction manual thoroughly, to be able to take advantage of its many features and to obtain the long service life it is designed for. Thank you for your confidence in Sekonic. ENGLISH Table of Contents 1. 2. 3. Parts Designation ................................................................................................................ 1 Explanation of the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) .................................................................. 2-3 Before Using ........................................................................................................................ 4-6 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 4. Attach the strap ......................................................................................................... 4 Inserting the battery ................................................................................................... 4 Checking battery capacity ......................................................................................... 4 Replacing battery during measurement or when using the memory function .......................................................................... 5 Auto Power Off function ............................................................................................. 5 Setting main ISO film speed ...................................................................................... 5 Setting second ISO film speed (ISO 2) ..................................................................... 5 Mesurement Lock and Measurement Lock Off .......................................................... 6 Basic Operation ................................................................................................................... 7-10 1. 2. 3. 4. Setting measuring mode ........................................................................................... 7 Setting DIP switches .................................................................................................. 8 When set for incident light ......................................................................................... 9 When set for reflected light (spot metering) .............................................................. 10 5. Measurment ........................................................................................................................ 11-20 1. Measuring Ambient Light ........................................................................................... 11-14 1-1 Shutter Speed Priority mode ........................................................................... 11 1-2 Aperture Priority mode .................................................................................... 12 1-3 EV mode ......................................................................................................... 13 1-4 Cinematography .............................................................................................. 14 Measuring Flash Light ............................................................................................... 15-22 2-1 Cord Flash mode ............................................................................................. 15-16 2-2 Auto Reset Cordless Flash mode ................................................................... 16-17 2-3 Cord Multiple Flash (cumulative) mode ........................................................... 18-19 2-4 Cordless multiple Flash (Cumulative) mode ................................................... 19-20 2. 6. Advanced Functions ............................................................................................................ 21-32 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Memory function ........................................................................................................ 21 Averaging function ..................................................................................................... 22 Brightness Difference function ................................................................................... 23-24 How to use the L-358 as an incident Illuminance (LUX or FC) Meter ....................... 25 Compensating function .............................................................................................. 26 5-1 How to change Exposure compensation ......................................................... 26 5-2 How to change Calibration compensation ....................................................... 26 Flash analyzing measurement function ..................................................................... 27 Wireless flash radio triggering function ..................................................................... 28-30 6. 7. 7. 8. 9. Accessories ........................................................................................................................ 31-32 Technical Data ..................................................................................................................... 33-34 Safety Guide ........................................................................................................................ 34 10. Care and Maintenance ........................................................................................................ 35 1. Parts Designation q Lumisphere retracting ring w Lumisphere e Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) !3 Mini light receptor outlet r Average / EV (Brightness Difference) button !2 Power button (ON/OFF switch) POW ER AVE ./EV t Jog wheel ISO 2 !1 ISO 1 button ISO 1 M RY EMO y ISO 2 button u Memory button i Flash synchro terminal E MOD !0 Mode set button L-35 SH FLA T MAS ER 8 @2 Connector cover o Strap eyelet !8 DIP Switches !9 Battery Compartment RT-32 Radio transmitter module compartment !5 Measuring button @0 Synchro Terminal Cap @1 Strap !6 Battery Compartment Cover !7 Battery Cover Latch @3 54°Lumigrid (for reflected light measurement) -1- ENGLISH !4 Lock lever 2. Explanation of the Liquid Crystal Display 9 1 2 8 3 4 7 5 6 NOTE: For explanation purposes, the display illustrated here shows all icons and readouts simultaneously. Actual display will never show as above. Auto Electro-Luminescent Display (EL) In low light (EV 6 or less), a green backlight will automatically illuminate the entire LCD. When using the Mini Light Receptor or a Booster (optional accessories) the LCD will be illuminated after measuring, regardless of the ambient light level. The LCD will not be automatically illuminated during measuring, or in Cordless Flash mode. The Electro-luminescent backlight will automatically turn off 20 seconds after last operation. When using the spot viewfinder attachment (1°,5°or 10°NP Finder) if the light level from the spot measurement is different from the light level when reading the LCD data,the backlight may not illuminate the display. In this case,cover the spot viewfinder attachment with your hand while pressing the mode button to activate the backlight. -2- 2. Explanation of the Liquid Crystal Display q w ISO Display Displays ISO film setting Displays second ISO film setting when ISO 2 button is depressed Flash Analyzing indicator 0 % to 100% in 10% increments (percentage of flash in the total exposure) +/- Compensation Indicator Appears when +/- Compensation is set Digital aperture value, Aperture Priority, EV Brightness Difference, Average function, EV display Appears when in Aperture Priority (f/stop) mode (see page 12) Appears when using brightness difference function (See Page 25) Appears when using Averaging function (see page 24) Appears when using EV mode (see page 13) Analog Scale Displays marks at apertures or shutter speed indicating full or half step values for measurement, memory, average values Appears when below display range Blinks when under exposed below measurement range Appears when above display range Blinks when over exposed above measurement range Shutter priority indicator, shutter speed display for still photography or frames per second (f/s) for cinematography Appears when in Shutter Priority (T) mode (see page 11) Appears when shutter speed is in minutes Appears when shutter speed is in full seconds Appears when cine speed is set in frames per second (see page 14) Battery Power Indicator (see page 4) Memory / Multiple Flash Indicator Display Appears when in Multi (cumulative) flash measurement mode and shows the cumulated number (see page 19) Appears when reading is memorized and shows the number in memory (see page 23) e r t y u i o -3- ENGLISH Measuring Mode Icons Ambient (see page 11) Auto-Reset Cordless Flash (see page 17) Cord Flash (see page 15) Wireless flash radio triggering mode (see page 30) 3. Before Using 1. Attach the strap Attach the Strap @1 by passing the small end loop through the eyelet o and passing the other end of strap through it. P O IS 1 O EM M E D O M Y R FL 3 L- A S H M A S TE R 58 WARNING · Please place in a location where an infant cannot reach and accidentally get the strap wrapped around his neck. There is danger of strangulation. 2. Inserting the battery 1. Requires one 3.0 v CR123A lithium battery. 2. Open the Battery compartment cover latch !7, and remove the Battery compartment cover !6. 3. Insert the battery, observing the polarity with the +,- marks in the battery chamber. 4. Align the tabs of the Battery compartment cover with the notches in the back of the meter, and press down to close the Battery cover latch. NOTE: · To prevent loss of All-weather seal, be careful that dirt does not get stuck on the rubber seal and that the seal is not damaged. · Remove battery if meter is not used for an extended period. Batteries can leak and damage the exposure meter. Dispose of used batteries properly. If the LCD does not light, check that the battery capacity is sufficient, and check that the battery positive and negative terminals are not reversed. · The meter has a connector for a plug-in radio transmitter module.Do not remove the connector cover unless you are installing the radio module,failure to do so could cause the electronic circuit board to be exposed to damaging static electricity. 3. Checking battery capacity · When the Power button !2 is ON, the battery power indicator on the LCD is displayed. (Displayed) Battery power level is good. (Displayed) Battery power level is low. Have a spare battery ready. (Blinking) Replace battery immediately. Reference: · We recommend you always have a spare battery on hand. · If the liquid crystal display extinguishes immediately after the display appears when power is first applied, that is an indication that the battery is dead. Please promptly replace the battery. · A 3 second pause between power on and off is recommended to avoid damage to the meter. -4- 3. Before Using 4. 2. If after replacing the battery, or during measurements, strange screens (displays that have not been set) appear in the LCD, or nothing happens, no matter what button is pushed, remove the battery and wait at least ten seconds and then replace the battery. This allows the software to automatically reset. WARNING: · Never place batteries in fire, short, disassemble, or heat them. The batteries might break down, and cause an accident, injury or pollute the environment. 5. Auto Power Off function 1. To conserve battery power, the meter will turn off about twenty minutes after last use. 2. Whether the Auto Power Saving feature turns the power off or the Power button u is pressed, the settings and measured values remain stored in memory. When the Power button is pressed again the last settings are displayed. Reference: · The power shuts off automatically after 1 minute when the power button is pressed and held. 6. Setting main ISO film speed 1. Hold down the ISO1 button !1 and turn Jog wheel t to select ISO film speed for the film being used. 2. You can also change the ISO film speed after taking measurements. The new value is automatically displayed. ISO 1 7. Setting second ISO film spe ...