PRODIGI COLOR C-500 & C-500R
The Worlds First Color Meter Created for Digital and Film Color Control
Serious photographers and cinematographers know that good lighting and proper exposure are more important now than ever. With the higher demands of todays 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 Sekonic provided the answer to exposure control with the L-758DR, the worlds 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 worlds only photographic color meter designed to read spectral sensitivity of both color film and CCD and CMOS sensors used in todays digital still and DV cine cameras.
Color Control Command Center
Easy, one-touch display. The worlds most comprehensive array of color/ illumination information.The PRODIGI COLOR C-500 and C-500R put you in command of any color control situation

Power Button

Auto power off in 5, 10, or 20 minutes
Electro-Luminescent Data Display
Automatically comes on in low light.

Memory Button

Enables quick comparison of light source color or brightness

Measuring Button

One press reading for Ambient or Flash

PRESET Button

Customize filtration for cameras, light sources or color preference

Jog Wheel

Click stop action for Positive, secure operation

MENU Button

Customize for Digital or Film sensitivity, Light source Filter index, Lens filter system, Iluminance display, Flash range, More

DISPLAY Button

One-Press, one-hand display of Color Temperature, Simplified Illumination, Filtration Index, Direct Filter Numbers

MODE BUTTON

Read color for Ambient/Flash plus radio flash triggering with Pocket Wizard ( C-500R )

SET K Button

Set Target Color Temperature for DSLR or Film

Key Features:

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 todays 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.

Relative Spectrum Wave Length (nm) The Rf sensor responds to Film Color Sensitivity Wave Length (nm) Relative Spectrum The Rd sensor responds to Digital Color Sensitivity

green Sensor

Blue Sensor

RED Sen sor for D igital

RED Se

nsor fo

r 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 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 Quad Triggeriing chanels

PocketWizard

Photogenic

Lumedyne

Dyna-Lite

Profoto

Illuminance Measurement ( fig. 1)
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) ( fig. 2)
The color temperature is displayed for human visual response in Digital Mode or the spectral response for photographic color film in Film Mode.

( fig. 1 )

LB /CC Index Display ( fig. 3 )
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.

( fig. 2 )

LB/CC Filter Number Display ( fig. 4 )
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.

( fig. 3 )

Other Functions

Flash Color measurement

strobes or L (low) for lower power or shoe-mount flash units.

( fig. 4 )

Flash readings are available in non-cord, cord and wireless modes at shutter speeds from 1 to 1/500 second. Flash brightness is read in two intensity ranges, H (high) for high-power studio
Preset white balance / color compensation function
Nineteen presets enable adjusting display values to compensate for differences in film types, light sources, digital sensors, or personal preference. An eight-character readout on the display allows creating custom naming for easy identification of the compensation value.

PRESET

FILTER

Memory (delta) function

For quick measurement of color or brightness difference between light sources.

DIGITAL

M is blinking
Hold the Measuring/OK button

Power Source

Uses convenient, readily available AA alkaline, lithium or rechargeable batteries.

Custom Settings

1) Shutter speed steps (Full, 1/3 step or 1/2 step) 2) Target color temperature increments (100K, or 10MK-1 Step) 3) LB index display step (1MK-1, 1daMK-1 step, w/o decimal point, 1daMK-1 step with decimal point) 4) LB filter number display (Kodak/LEE or Fujifilm) 5) Automatic power off setting (20, 10, 5 minutes, or no setting) 6) Illuminance measurement mode (No display, both lx & FC, either lx. or FC)
Type Receptor Head Measurement type Digital mode Film mode Measuring modes Ambient Flash Cordless/Cord Radio triggering Measuring ranges Color Temperature (At ISO 100 equavalent) Ambient light Flash light illuminance Display modes Digital Ambient light Ambient/Flash light
Three-color photographic color meter with four sensors to determine visual (digital) or photographic (film) color temperature of light sources and filtration required Rotating (90 to the right/180to left) receptor head containing four filtered photo diodes under flat incident light recepter Visual Color Temperature (based on color matching function) Photographic color temperature (based on film spectral characteristic) Yes Yes Yes (C-500R only) 2,300K to 20,000K EV3 to 16.3 (20lx to 200,000lx) Range Low F No.2.8 to 22 (20lx/s to 1,300lx/s) Range High F No.16 to 90.9 (640lx/s to 38,000lx/s) 2.5lx to 610,000lx 0.23FC to 56,500FC *Visual Color temperature + CC index *LB filter number + CC filter number (Fujis LBA/LBB, Kodak Wratten/LEE filter number) *LB index + CC index *Photographic Color temperature *LB filter number + CC filter number (Fujis LBA/LBB, Kodak Wratten/LEE filter number) *LB index + CC filter number *Lux(lx) *Foot-candle(ft-cd) 2,300K to 20,000K 2,500K to 10,000K -500 to +500 (in MK-1) Fujis LBA/LBB Kodak Wratten/Lee CC index CC filter number illuminance Shutter speed Preset no. Flash light Digital mode Film mode Dot matrix display Radio triggering Channel Quad-triggering zone Operating temperature range Power Dimensions Weight Standard accessories Main functions LBB20 to LBA20 80A+80D to 85B+81EF 80G to 80M 200G to 200M 2.5lx to 610,000lx 0.23FC to 56,500FC 1s to 1/500s (in 1, 1/2 or 1/3 steps) plus 1/75, 1/80, 1/90, 1/100, 1/200, 1/user-adjustable characters CH1 to 32 (C-500R only) A, B, C, or D (C-500R only) -10 to +50 deg. centigrade Two AA 1.5V batteries (Alkaline, Manganese, lithium, Nickel, NiCd and NiH) 2.4 x 6.2 x 1.1in (62 x 158.6 x 28 mm) (WxHxD) C500: 8.1 oz ( 230g) with batteries, C-500R: 8.1 oz ( 230g) with batteries Soft case, Strap , Synchro terminal cap , Operating manual, Quick Guide, 2 AA dry cell alkaline batteries Color temperature measurement, illuminance measurement, Custom settings, Preset White Balance/Color Compensation, Color/illumination contrast comparison, Battery power indicator, Auto power off, Automatic EL backlight, Jog wheel lock, Tripod socket, Wireless radio triggering (C-500R)

Ambient/Flash light

illuminance Display ranges

Ambient light only

Measured color temperature Selected color temperature LB index LB filter number
8 Westchester Plaza Elmsford, NY 10523 T: 914-347-3300 F: 914-347-3309 www.sekonic.com info@sekonic.com