Why a Full-Spectrum Color Meter Matters
When you're setting up lights for a shoot, your camera's white balance can only do so much. A dedicated color meter like the Sekonic C800 Spectromaster Colour & Illuminance Meter measures the actual spectrum of your light sources, giving you numbers you can trust before you press the shutter.
The C800 is a full-spectrum meter that works with LED, HMI, fluorescent, tungsten, natural light, and electronic flash. That means you can use it in almost any studio or location situation and get consistent readings.
Sekonic C800 Spectromaster at a Glance
- Sekonic C800 Spectromaster Colour & Illuminance Meter: The Sekonic SpectroMaster C-800 is a full-spectrum colour meter that can precisely measure every kind of light including LED, HMI, fluorescent, and electronic flash. It covers all common studio and location light sources, so you only need one meter for mixed-lighting setups.
Sekonic C800 Spectromaster Colour & Illuminance Meter - Sekonic C800 Spectromaster Colour & Illuminance Meter: Its high-resolution measuring system featuring a CMOS sensor enables capturing spikes in light source output to provide unsurpassed colour measurement accuracy. The CMOS sensor catches narrow spectral peaks that older meters miss, giving you a more accurate picture of your light's color quality.
How to Measure Color Temperature with the C800
The C800 displays Kelvin (K) values and illuminance in lux or foot-candles. Here's a straightforward workflow for getting a reading.
- 1. Turn on the meter and select your light source: The C800 automatically detects the type of light—LED, HMI, fluorescent, tungsten, or flash. You don't need to guess or switch modes manually.
- 2. Point the meter toward the light source: Hold the meter so the white diffuser dome faces the light. For flash, fire the strobe while the meter is in flash mode. The meter captures a single burst.
- 3. Read the color temperature and illuminance: The display shows the correlated color temperature (CCT) in Kelvin and the illuminance in lux or fc. You'll also see the LB (light-balancing) and CC (color-compensating) filter values, which tell you exactly how much gel correction is needed.
Understanding Expanded Color Rendering Metrics
Beyond basic color temperature, the C800 gives you a suite of rendering indices that help you evaluate how a light source renders skin tones, fabrics, and other critical colors. The meter directly displays CRI, SSI, TLCI, TLMF, and TM-30-15 values.
CRI (Color Rendering Index) is the most common standard, but SSI (Spectral Similarity Index) is especially useful for matching a light source to natural daylight or to another fixture. TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index) is designed for video work. Having all these metrics in one reading means you can choose the right light for the job without swapping equipment.
Using the C800 to Match Mixed Lighting
In a real-world shoot, you might have a key light from an LED panel and fill from a tungsten fresnel. The C800 lets you measure each source and then adjust gels or dimmers until their color temperatures match. The direct display of LB and CC filter values tells you exactly which gel to use.
The meter can store up to 99 measurements in memory, so you can compare readings from different positions or lights without writing anything down. That's handy when you're dialing in a complex multi-light setup.
Trade-Offs to Keep in Mind
The C800 is a professional tool—its full-spectrum CMOS sensor and broad compatibility come at a higher price than a basic incident meter. If you only shoot with a single light type and rarely need color accuracy beyond white balance, a simpler meter might be enough.
Also, while the meter can measure flash, it requires you to fire the strobe each time you take a reading. That's standard for flash meters, but worth noting if you're used to continuous-light meters that give real-time updates.
