I just upgraded to the Sekonic C-800 color meter. I think I am going to really like it.
My previous meter was the Sekonic C-700. It is an awesome meter. My only complaint about it is a steep
learning curve. Unfortunately, with the
on-going revolution of LED lighting, I needed the latest features of the C-800. Of course, the C-800 has a learning curve, but it is not as difficult for me since this meter is similar to the C-700.
The C-800 has more accurate measures of light, like TLCI,
TM-30, and SSI. Though this doesn’t mean
the meter is more accurate than the C-700.
The biggest advantage I see to the C-800, so far, is the ability to read the CIE 1931 color space. This reading gives an X and Y coordinate for color.
Many of the better RGBW LED lights have x-y settings. Being able to read and set lights to x-y values will make for better adjustments and matching of colors and even CCT quality.
As an experiment, I took an Aputure 300X and put the craziest color gel I could find on it. I read the x-y values and then set a SpaceX to those values. The color match was very close; completely acceptable.
Using the delta setting on the meter I compared what the light said the x-y values were to what the meter said they were. There was a slight difference.
I adjusted the SpaceX’s x-y values until the meter said it was the same. Looking at the 2 lights with my eyes, I could see no difference.
Matching colors and lights has always been difficult. This is an amazing feature which I’m sure I’ll be using more-and-more.
It is a milestone where lights can be matched as close as physically possible.
I say as close as physically possible, because anytime you are working with non-continuous sources (non-black body sources) there are difference in the light spectrum of the LEDs between different manufactures and sometimes even between the same lights that means a 100% perfect match is not possible.
I’m still learning the meter. I expect there are more discoveries to
come. I am particularly interested in
learning how SSI can be useful to me on set. It is entirely new to me right now.
PS: One of the lights you may not know has CIE 1931 x-y settings are Asteras. It is a great feature, but hard to find in the app. To get to Astera x-y settings, go to a saved color and hit edit. Scroll to the bottom of the color edit setting and voila! You will see CIE 1931. Select and it will take you to x-y settings. Enter your values and hit save.
PPS: I looked up information about CIE 1931 color space. To my surprise it is from the year 1931! Who would have guessed?
The standard was updated in 1976, but is generally still called CIE 1931 (though occasionally you will see CIE 1976).
This standard was made by people much smarter than myself. I could barely understand the half of it. But at the same time, I understand how to use it, much like working with electricity. Ever look up the physics of electricity? You need to be Nikola Tesla to understand the half of it.
PPPS: Lighting is changing so rapidly anymore, it is difficult, working as a gaffer, keep up with all the new technology.
I just bought my Sekonic C-700 only 4-5 years ago, and it is obsolete for me.
Before that, I was
using the dependable Minolta Colormeter III.
It lasted around 20 years for me.
The only reason I stopped using it was the rise of LED lighting. The Colormeter III is calibrate for use with film stock, and cannot accurately read
LED lights. (Or florescent lights either which was always a problem.)
I was working a job last year, and the DP pulled out his color meter. It was a Colormeter II. In my mind, I’m thinking, “You have got to be kidding!” That meter was obsolete 20 years ago. Too funny.
PPPPS: (This could be a record for post scripts!) I should do a post sometime of everything I keep in my meter case. I have a light meter, a frequency meter, a laser thermometer, a laser tape measure, gel swatch books, some tables and charts, and of course, my color meter.