Question re using Sekonic L-308S with RB67

<p>I want to do some flash photography with my RB67 Pro SD. I will be using a Nikon SB-800 strobe. I have a Sekonic L-308S Flashmate. This evening I tried to do some metering, but I think I must be doing something wrong because the metered exposures weren't what I expected them to be.<br>

I followed the instructions in terms of setting up the metering mode with the lightning bolt flashing. I adjusted the shutter speed to 1/60 and then 1/125. I fired my flash using a remote trigger. I was standing about 8 feet from the flash. It was set at full power although I also lowered it to 1/2.<br>

I fired the flash and checked the meter's display and it was giving me f stop readings such as 1.2 and 2.8. No matter how much I changed the combos, including ISO, I still could never get an f stop smaller than 2.8. Normally, when I am shooting digital, I set the shutter speed at either 1/60 or 1/125 and f stops ranging from f/4 to f/8 depending on what sort of look I am trying to create.<br>

If anyone has any suggestions as to what I may be doing wrong I am all ears.</p>

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<p>Graham, that's not right, given that distance. You should be around f/16 or so, just guessing at the power of the strobe. The missing factor is: which ISO were you using? Does the L-308S have a setting to put it into flash mode? I know it reads ambient, but is there a special mode for flash? The conical dome was in place? It was pointed AT the flash, or away from it toward the subject? It should be toward the flash. Just shooting in the dark... apparently<g>.</p>

<p>I guess the flash is in manual mode. In some mode it emit preflash and cause false trigger of the meter</p>

 

<p>Michael, I think I have figured out the problem. You had alluded to this. I had the dome in the position that one would use for incident meter readings. Once I moved it to the right (as though for reflective), the readings were getting to the f/16 range. I then used my DSLR and manually set the exposure based on the meter reading. The results were near perfect. Now all I have to do is try it in real life on my RB67.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>