Sekonic PRODIGI C-500R Color Meter (Black)

by Sekonic

Product Details

Sekonic Light Meter Brochure [1.97mb PDF]

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Sekonic Light Meters for Cinematography [4.22mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 2.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0017KHMGC
• Item model number: C-500R
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #62 in Camera & Photo > Accessories > Light Meters & Accessories > Light Meters
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 1, 2008

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Sekonic PRODIGI COLOR C-500R
Identical to the C-500, the "R" model adds wireless triggering for your flash and camera. Sekonic provided the answer to exposure control with the L-758DR, the world's first meter that can be tuned to a film or digital camera. With the new PRODIGI COLOR C-500 and C-500R, Sekonic gives photographers the world's only photographic color meter designed to read spectral sensitivity of both color film and CCD and CMOS sensors used in today's digital still and DV cine cameras.

Serious photographers and cinematographers know that good lighting and proper exposure are more important now than ever. With the higher demands of today's digital medium, "garbage in" can mean hours of postproduction. They know that color is a critical factor when multiple light sources are involved. Changing reflectors, adding diffusion or adjusting power levels will result in a color temperature change that needs to be corrected. They know that taking the time to do it right is always a good investment because "perfect in" always looks better than an image that has been adjusted.

Color Control Command Center
Easy, one-touch display. The world's most comprehensive array of color/illumination information. The PRODIGI COLOR C-500 and C-500R put you in command of any color control situation.



Digital and Film Compatible
The PRODIGI COLOR C-500 and C-500R measures and displays color temperature and compensation values in LB/CC index or filter numbers for both digital and film cameras. In Digital mode, the color temperature and compensation readings are based on human visual response. In Film mode, readings are based on the color characteristics of traditional photographic film. By engineering the spectral characteristics of both systems into a single meter, Sekonic designers have given today's digital and film photographers greater control over lighting and color reproduction than ever before.



Engineering a meter to accurately measure color for both human visual response (digital sensors) and the characteristics of photographic color film required more that just creating a new set of algorithms to process the data. Properly measuring red intensity was a major hurtle. Sekonic designers solved the problem by incorporating four color sensors: a Red sensor for visual/digital response (Rd); a Red sensor for photographic film response (Rf); a Green sensor (G); and a Blue sensor (B). They then developed a new "Simulated Spectrum" software solution (patent pending) that emulates the blue and green channel color response for both digital and film.

Wireless Radio Triggering Mode
(C-500R model only)
The PRODIGI COLOR C-500R is the first color meter to incorporate a flash triggering radio transmitter module. Simply press the measuring button to wirelessly trigger flash units up to 100 feet away. The built-in transmitter is compatible with PocketWizard's radio triggering systems, as well as the PocketWizard Wireless Freedom partners (Profoto, Dyna-lite, Photogenic, Norman and Lumedyne with built-in PocketWizard radio technology). The Wireless Radio Triggering Mode offers 32 digital coded channels and four Quad-Triggering Zones. PocketWizard radio technology produced by LPA Design Burlington, VT

Illuminance Measurement
The brightness of continuous light sources is displayed in LUX (lx) or Foot-Candle (FC). Illuminance measurement is especially useful for cinematography, videography, theatrical and other applications that require precise control light source brightness.

Color Values Displayed in Three Ways

COLOR TEMPERATURE DISPLAY (in Kelvin)
The color temperature is displayed for human visual response in Digital Mode or the spectral response for photographic color film in Film Mode.

LB /CC INDEX DISPLAY
Light Balancing in MK-1 (Per Mega Kelvin) and Color Compensation Index correspond to light source filtration systems. The correction values can be directly entered into the color adjustment mode of some professional DSLR cameras.

LB/CC FILTER NUMBER DISPLAY
Light Balancing and Color Compensation filtration for lens or light-source filtration is displayed in direct filter values. The display can be adjusted to read out in KODAK Wratten, LEE or FUJIFILM filter systems.

Product Description

Sekonic has introduced the PRODIGI COLOR C-500, the world’s first color meter that is designed for both digital and film capture. The "R" version, the C-500R has PocketWizard wireless triggering built-in. The meters incorporate four sensors to measure light color and display color temperature and compensation values (LB/CC index or filter numbers) specifically calibrated to the spectral sensitivity of the CCD and CMOS sensors used in digital photography or the spectral characteristics photographic color film. Professional photographers and cinematographers now have greater control over color than ever before. The PRODIGI COLOR C-500R includes a built-in radio transmitter module for wireless triggering of PocketWizard receivers up to 100 feet away. The transmitter is also compatible with selected products from Prophoto, Dyna-lite, Photogenic, Norman, and Lumadyne having built-in PocketWizard radio technology. The meter can transmit with 32 digitally-coded channels with four Quad-Triggering Zones.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you need one, this is the best, March 6, 2010

By 

Busy Executive (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sekonic PRODIGI C-500R Color Meter (Black) (Electronics)

Color temperature meters are a special item often only used by pros, especially for film and video.

My need is a bit different - I tend to do a lot of work with creative lighting setups, where there's often a balance between daylight, ambient artificial light and complex off-camera flash systems. One of the challenges in this situation is getting the relative color balance of the different light sources to agree in a way that doesn't call attention to the fact that you're mixing multiple light sources, each putting out a slightly different color of light. The technique I use is to setup the shot without flash, metering to get the "ambient" color temperature. Then, I'll put colored gels over my flashes to either get matching colors or the special effect I'm looking for (often I like the flash to cast a warmer beam).

The C-500R is built like a tank and will likely last forever, even under harsh use. The sensor is well placed and can be aimed as you like, and if you plan on filtering at the camera, you can simply place the filter over the sensor to see what the impact will be. If you have wireless flash with Pocket Wizards (or one of the products that uses the same protocols as Pocket Wizard), you can even wirelessly trigger your lights right from the meter.

A very cool feature is that the display doesn't just show you color temperature - is also shows you what type of filter you need to bring the light back in balance, usually in Kodak "CC" values (for instance, under florescent lights, it might tell you that a CC30M magenta filter would bring the color temp back in line with daylight balanced film).

For digital photographers, you can also use the ambient color temperature to set the white balance on your camera. If you want highly accurate color reproduction, this is a good help. Indeed, my workflow around this product is to measure ambient color temp, set that into the camera, then filter the flash to match or to get the effect I want. Sounds complex, but it works great and makes those complicated lighting setups look much more natural.

Of course, the person who needs one of these knows everything I've said...but still, this is a great product and well worth the money if you're photography requires this type of precision and control.