
LCD Display / Custom Settings
Sekonic L-558
Measuring 
Modes Incident / Reflected
Memory/Multi 
Flash Indicator
Battery
Indicator
Shutter
Priority
Indicator,
Shutter
Speed &
f.p.s Display
Analog Scale Digital Aperture Value, Aperture Priority, EV
Custom Setting List
1 558 Ambient & F l ash ISO 2 S ett i ng
CINE
2 558 & CINE Ambient & Flash Exposure Compensation Display Setting A lways Di spl ayed Not Displayed - -
3* 558 & CINE A m bi ent & F l ash Increments of Readi ng Full S top 1/3 Stop 1/2 Stop -
4 558 & CINE A mbient  Aperture (F)  prior ity m o de Available Not Available - 5 558 & CINE Ambient   EV M ode Avail abl e Not Available - 6 558 & CINE Flash Multi pl e Flash Mode (cumulative) Avail abl e Not Available - -
7** CINE Ambient
8 CINE Ambient Illuminance Measurement in Incident Mode Not Available LUX FC LUX, FC 
9 CINE Ambient  Luminance Measurement in Reflected Mode Not Available
* 1/10 stop fractions are displayed in full, 1/2 and 1/3 step increments. 
** In di vi dua l : LUX, F C, cd/m
Radio Trigger Mode
Spot Function Icons
ISO Display
Analyzed % 
of Flash 
Indicator
Luminance 
Indicator
Exposure 
Compensation
Brightness Difference, Average Function, EV Display
Custom S ett i ng Nam eLightingNo. Model
Illuminance or Luminance         
(CINE only) Display
2
, or FL  Compound: LUX+T+F, FC+T+F, cd/m2+T+F or FL+T+F (combination)
To set Custom Settings:
1.Turn power off.
2.Press down Mode key while turning on meter.
3.“CS” (Custom Settings) will appear in upper right hand corner.
4.Use the JOG WHEEL to select Custom Setting number (No.)-see chart below.
5.Press Mode Key to Select Item Number (Item #)-see chart below.
6.Turn meter off and then back on to activate functions.
7. NOTE: L-558 - Pressing M.CLEAR in CS mode will reset all settings to default (No. 0) 
L-558 CINE - Same as L-558 except for items 8 & 9 which are set to 
selection (No. 3).
0123
Film Sensitivity 
1/3 Step
Film Sensitivity 
1/3 Step
Compound + 
Individual
Compensation (1) 
Compensation (1) 
Item
Filter 
0.1 EV Step 
(±5EV)
Filter 
0.1 EV Step 
(±5EV)
Compound Individual -
2
cd/m
--
Filter 
Compensation 
(2) 7 Filter 
Factor 
Numbers
FL
cd/m
Sekonic L-558 / CINE
Quick Guide
2
, FL
#401-970 € D05-03-5

Quick Guide to the Sekonic L-558
Basic Operation - Sekonic L-558
Advanced Functions - Sekonic L-558
RETRACTABLE 
LUMISPHERE 
RING
1° SPOT
  - - - - - - - - - ->
MEMORY
ON/OFF
ISO 1
b
MODE KEY
Press while turning JOG WHEEL for:
DAYLIGHT / AMBIENT MODE 
AUTO RESET CORDLESS FLASH MODE 
FLASH W/CORD
OPTIONAL PLUG-IN RADIO FLASH TRIGGERING
1/4” TRIPOD
SOCKET
SPOT/INCIDENT
SELECTOR SWITCH
DIOPTER
CORRECTION
MEASURE
BUTTON
JOG WHEEL
 AVERAGE /
  BRIGHTNESS
DIFFERENCE
MEMORY CLEAR
BUTTON
 FLASH CORD
SOCKET
Key Lock and Unlock:
Hold MODE key in. Toggle ISO 1 key to lock or unlock. 
“LOc” will display briefly.
- - - - - - -
RING
A
 ISO 2
c
d
On/Off
Press down power key to turn on meter. Battery icon will 
appear    Monitors Battery level. Press and hold Power key 
to turn off.
Set ISO 1 or ISO 2
Hold down ISO 1 or ISO 2 while turning the JOG WHEEL.
1° Spot meter mode
Turn SPOT/INCIDENT SELECTOR SWITCH to   to select 
Spot. Press measure button.
Incident meter mode
Turn SPOT/INCIDENT SELECTOR SWITCH to   to select 
Incident. Turn Lumisphere retracting ring counter-clockwise 
to the full UP right position. Press measure button.
Measure Brightness / Contrast Difference
Turn Lumisphere retracting ring clockwise to lower the 
Lumisphere to the DOWN position. Select measuring mode 
then press measure button.
Ambient Reading
Select  Ambient Mode by holding down the Mode key and 
turning the JOG WHEEL. Press the measure button.
Cord Flash Reading
Select  Cord Flash Mode. Connect flash cord. Press 
measure button,to trigger flash and measure light.
Cordless Flash Reading
Select  Cordless Flash mode. Press measure button, trigger 
flash manually, meter measures light, automatically resets.
Radio Triggering Mode (with optional RT-32 Module)
Turn power OFF. Remove Connector cover inside battery 
compartment. Insert optional RT-32 Module. Turn Power 
ON. Hold MODE key in while turning the JOG WHEEL to 
RADIO FLASH TRIGGERING MODE, a blinking channel 
number will appear. Turn JOG WHEEL to select channel 
number. To select Quad-Triggering sub-channels   ,   ,   ,  , 
simply press the direct function keys: AVE/    , ISO 1  ,
c
ISO 2   or M.Clear   on the control panel. Pressing the 
measure button once returns the screen to the main menu. 
Pressing the measure key again simultaneously fires flash
d
bcd
A
A
b
and measures light.
Memory Function
Take measurement, press Memory button. Up to nine 
readings can be stored and displayed on the analog memory 
scale by repeating the procedure. A tenth measurement can 
also be displayed.
Motion Picture (CINE)
Turn JOG WHEEL (in T Priority Mode) past shutter speeds 
8000, 1/200, 1/400 to select f/s (frames per second). Press 
measure button.
Averaging Function
After two or more measurements are memorized, toggle 
AVE/  key. Averaged exposure will be displayed in digital 
and analog readouts. Operates in all measuring modes.
Brightness Difference Function
Can be used in all modes (incident, reflected, ambient and 
flash). Take measurement(s), press the AVE/  button 
will display. Press and hold down the Measure button. The 
difference between the last memorized reading or averaged 
reading and new area measured is displayed in +/- 1/10th 
steps of EV.
Flash Analyzing
In all flash modes: Take a flash measurement. A combined 
reading of both ambient and flash will be displayed. Turn the 
JOG WHEEL to adjust ratio between ambient and flash. 
Adjust aperature and shutter as required on camera.
EV Readout - Option 5 in Custom Settings Chart
Select item O (EV) in the CS software settings to turn "ON" 
EV mode. Select  Ambient Mode. Hold down Mode key and 
turn JOG WHEEL until EV readout shows. Press measure 
button.
Multi Flash Mode - Option 6 in Custom Settings Chart
Hold down Mode key and turn JOG WHEEL to select Cord, 
Cordless or Radio Trigger Mode with MLT shown on display. 
Trugger flash repeatedly until target f/stop is achieved.
Exposure Compensation
Hold in both ISO 1 and ISO 2 simultaneously and turn the 
JOG WHEEL to exposure compensation needed between 
+/- 9.9 EV.
Calibration
Meter must turned off. Tap Power button once while holding 
in ISO 1 and ISO 2 keys. CAL will be displayed on panel. 
Turn the JOG WHEEL while holding down both ISO keys to 
compensate between +/- 1.0 EV.