#19 in Light meters & accessories
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Reddit mentions of Sekonic L-398A Light Meter Studio Deluxe III (401-399),Black
Sentiment score: 2
Reddit mentions: 3
We found 3 Reddit mentions of Sekonic L-398A Light Meter Studio Deluxe III (401-399),Black. Here are the top ones.
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ONLY SEKONIC METERS THAT ARE SHIPPED BY AND SOLD BY AMAZON.COM OR OTHER AUTHORIZED SEKONIC DEALERS CAN ENSURE THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING GOODS THAT HAVE PROPER FCC COMMUNICATION AND ARE COVERED BY A USA WARRANTY. THE AMAZON OFFER MAY BE SEEN TO THE RIGHT. GREY MARKET SEKONIC METERS WILL NOT APPLICABLE FOR A US WARRANTY.Ideal prime or back-up meter for still photography and cinematography useAmorphous photocell requires no batteries or external power source.ISO range 6 to 12,000 in 1/3 step increments60-seconds to 1/8000th, f/0.7 to f/128, 8-fps to 128-fps
Specs:
| Color | Black |
| Height | 1.3 Inches |
| Length | 2.3 Inches |
| Number of items | 1 |
| Release date | February 2020 |
| Weight | 0.7 Pounds |
| Width | 4.4 Inches |
Okay, basically the 398 and 398m both use a selenium cell for metering. Many older light meters and cameras used these. The problem is that selenium cells degrade over time, and how fast they degrade depends on how often it's used and how it's stored. Basically, the more the cell is exposed to light, the shorter its life. So a selenium cell could still work great after 30 years if it was used sparingly and stored in a dark environment. Or it could be completely inaccurate after just a few years, if it was stored in bright conditions and used constantly.
The problem is, you don't know. There's no telling if the cell has 6 months left, or 20 years. So most people would opt for the newer model (398A) because it doesn't use a selenium cell so they don't have to worry about it.
Edit to add: Check Amazon, they seem to have a pretty good price on brand new ones.
They look underexposed, I am not sure if the Black Magic has histogram readouts but they are super helpful.
I have been resorting to using manual light meters and it has totally changed the way I look at light, I suggest just carrying one around and metering whenever you see something you'd like to film.
Here is one I recommend, the Sekonic Studio Deluxe III - doesn't need any batteries, they are accurate, read in incredibly low light, and last for years.
Try the Sekonic L-398A.
http://www.amazon.com/Sekonic-L-398A-Light-Meter-Black/dp/B0010SJYBC/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3TYFD9WEZ8CND&colid=1X97ZZMJDHTUB