The Sekonic Studio Deluxe III L-398A

By Marwan El Mozayen / SilvergrainClassics

Sekonic Studio Deluxe III L-398A

I first saw the Sekonic L-398 in the late 1990s. Not in a camera shop. Not in a studio either. But at Manufactum. Anyone familiar with Manufactum knows that this mail-order company has always had a soft spot for items that seem to be from another era. Tools, everyday objects, and technical devices that aren’t designed to follow trends, but rather to adhere to principles. Items for people who are looking for something special. And there it was: the Sekonic L-398 light meter, nestled among photographic equipment and materials, some of which looked quite antiquated. Next to it lay the last Weston Master light meters, also equipped with selenium cells, also from a bygone era.

The Weston Master III  Universal Esxposure Meter
(Photo: Foto: Arche Noah Brocki)

From the golden age of photography

The Sekonic caught my eye right away. Partly because of its shape. This large analog meter, with its almost Art Deco-style casing and the large calculation dial on the front. Everything about it looked like a tool from the golden age of photography. And at the same time, it had an amazingly clear and logical design. I understood immediately how this device worked. At the time, however, I was busy with a different light meter. I had recently bought a Gossen Profisix and was still saving up for the various accessory modules. So the Sekonic stayed on the store shelf for the time being. But it stuck in my mind.

A light meter without a battery

The Sekonic L-398 belongs to a category of light meters that has almost completely disappeared today. It operated using a selenium cell. This cell converts light directly into an electric current. The current moves the needle of the analog meter. So this light meter doesn’t need a battery. The light itself enables the measurement.

Using the light meter feels almost like a little physics experiment. Light hits the cell. The needle moves. You read the value and adjust the exposure.

It all began in the 1930s

The roots of this light meter go back a long way. In the late 1930s, engineer Donald Wallace Norwood (1899 – 1985) developed a handheld light meter based on an approach that was entirely new to the understanding of light measurement at the time: Instead of measuring the light reflected from the subject, he conceived of measuring the light falling on the subject.

To bring this idea to life, Norwood developed a translucent hemisphere that collected light from various directions and directed it toward the selenium cell. In a sense, this hemisphere simulated a three-dimensional object and accounted for both direct and diffuse light. The first version of this hemisphere came about in a surprisingly pragmatic way: Norwood used half of his son’s baby rattle. 

In 1938, he filed a patent application for his ingenious process, which was granted in 1940.

The Norwood Patent was simply revolutionary. Today, this principle of light measurement is taken for granted. Handheld light meters typically feature a so-called dome, a hemispherical plastic disc that is slid in front of the sensor for the purpose of measuring light.

The renowned cinematographer Karl Freund (1880 – 1969) recognized the potential of light metering very early on. His company, Photo Research, eventually produced the first light meter. In 1946, the Norwood Director was released, one of the first widely used light meters.

A Norwood Director light meter, Model B
(Photo: Industriemuseum Gent, supported by WikiMedia Belgium)

How the light meter came to Japan

In the early 1950s, a name emerged that every photographer knows today: Sekonic. Founded in 1951, the Japanese company acquired the rights to the light meter, which was then known as the Norwood Director Type M2. Production moved to Japan, and the device was released as the Sekonic Studio S (later as the L-28). In the years that followed, the light meter underwent a series of minor revisions. This led to the introduction of the Studio Deluxe L-28C in 1964 (later the L-28C2), and finally the L-398 model in 1976. The basic principle of the meter, however, remained unchanged throughout the years. And it remains so to this day.

The unique property of selenium cells

Selenium cells have a characteristic that is often overlooked in discussions about modern light meters. Their spectral sensitivity bears a striking resemblance to that of the human eye and also to that of analog film. Modern silicon sensors often respond much more strongly to red or infrared light. This can be particularly significant in mixed lighting conditions or when the light has extreme color tones. Very warm evening light, for example, or strongly bluish shadows can sometimes throw electronic sensors off balance. Selenium cells react much more stably in such situations. Many photographers therefore find this metering method to be very natural and consistent, especially when using color film.

Selenium cells also have their drawbacks

The cells in older light meters have aged over the decades and lost their original sensitivity. However, this is hardly an issue with the current Sekonic Studio Deluxe III L-398A. That’s because anyone who buys a new Sekonic light meter today naturally gets a new selenium cell as well. Under normal use, this should continue to work reliably for many decades to come.

A tool for photographers who work with light

In my experience, this light meter is particularly well-suited for work environments where light is used deliberately for creative purposes. Whether using large-format cameras, a classic Hasselblad, or working in a studio with Fresnel lights, the L-398A feels like a completely natural tool. The photographer stands in the light, measures it directly on the subject, and reflects on the light. The light meter becomes part of the photographic process.

Sekonic Studio Deluxe III L-398A
70thAnniversary Edition

Technical specifications

Model
Sekonic Studio Deluxe III L-398A

Measurement types
– Light measurement
– 40°- Object measurement

Measurement range (ISO 100 / 21°)
– Light measurement: EV 4 bis 17 (constant light)
– Object measurement: EV 9 bis 17 (constant light)

Film sensitivity
– ISO 6 / 9° to ISO 12.000 / 42°

#Shutter speeds
– 1/8000 sec to 60 sec

Aperture values
– f/0,7 to f/128

Exposure Valle
– EV 1 to 20

Illuminance
– 0 to 1250 Footcandle

Dimensions
– 58 × 112 × 34 mm (width × height × depth)

Weight
– 190 g

Information about Sekonic and light metering

Sekonic L-398A Quick Start Video

APHOG
(German content)
Basics der Belichtungsmessung
Eine Reise in die faszinierende Welt der Belichtungszeitmessung
Gossen Foto- und Lichtmesstechnik

SilvergrainClassics
Gossen Battery Adapter for older light meters

More about SilvergrainClassics

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