I'd like to chime in as well, I wouldn't go for the touch screen version. I owned a 478 and honestly HATED having the touch screen, at first it was cool and looked nice and was "easy" to use... However it was slow to boot, slow to click. Then I noticed something about how I acted when I had it around my neck, I was constantly worried about breaking the screen. Sure you could put a screen protector on it, but that doesn't protect it from sharp impact which could crack the screen. I was constantly worried about the damn screen, so it made me not want to wear it.
Also that boot time was just killer for me, when you're metering constantly throughout the day and just want a quick answer, waiting for that boot-up seems like forever. Sure they make it seem like its fast, but until you compare it to a 758 cine, you dont really see how slow the new ones really are. I felt myself on set talking with someone and trying to get quick mesurements, only to then have to wait for the thing to boot. In fact, honestly it's the only thing I remembered about the meter, was that in a bunch of situations were things were having to move fast on set, I was feeling held back on speed.
Another killer was that the LCD screen brightness sucked in super bright daylight. Also if you maxed out your brightness for outside and you just go inside, now your screen is bright and annoying and you have to lower the brightness. It was a constant battle of bring the brightness up and down. There was a plus side to the AA batteries, until I realized that they don't really last that long. The good thing was that you could have cheap rechargeable AA batteries and just rotate those as needed and if you were screwed, a pack of AAs are never more than a quick stop away anywhere in the world. On the 758 using rechargeable CR123's last much longer, but if you end up out of charge, you could be screwed, so theres that. I see the AA as a plus and a minus, so I dont see AA's as any real improvement, just maybe cheaper at first to get started.
Also don't be fooled by the boot time videos, thats only if you've just turned the unit off and then back on within a moment, or a min. Once you wait after a few min I think it goes into actual off mode, vs maybe a hidden standby mode, and the boot time takes longer. So turning on and off initially seems fast, but put it away for a moment, and boot again, and you'll see its longer and annoying.
Anyhow the menu system was obviously much more improved if you're doing some detailed calculations with special filter exposure compensations, ect. however I feel like the average filming day doesn't really get into that as much. Also if you're used to using the same filters, this becomes useless a functions again. If you only use ND's and polorizers then you don't need this function at all.
In the end, the menu and screen was nice to PLAY with, however to work on a real set, was not so much fun. I've heard that the boot time has improved a small bit on the new 858, however I just watched a boot up online and it still seemed just as slow as the 478, I did notice the buttons responded a little faster, but still. If I'm going to hang my personal $600 off my neck, I'd rather not want to worry about it constantly for fear of cracking screen. I use a 758 now and its stupid fast to turn on and take a reading.
I think if you work at a slower pace, and do a lot of odd calculations about filters, gels, ect, and dont wanna do quick math in your head, then the 858 is much more for you, the menu will make your life a lot easier than the 758. If you do a lot of highly technical exposure readings for work and want to be able to dial in everything and take the time to custom input your gels, filters, ect, than its also for you. If you are more of a general shoot which requires usually the same filters day in and day out, and already know the gear you use, the 858 will only slow you down.
For me, I shoot a lot of fast moving situations deal with cars, location shoots, ect. When you just wanna get a reading, the 758 i think is better. thats my 2bits. Yes the new one with LCD makes everything seem cool, and new and you feel like you can do anything, but eh... doesn't do it for me, also if I bump the 758 into something, I'm not afraid the screen will stop working and I can't meter.
Also that boot time was just killer for me, when you're metering constantly throughout the day and just want a quick answer, waiting for that boot-up seems like forever. Sure they make it seem like its fast, but until you compare it to a 758 cine, you dont really see how slow the new ones really are. I felt myself on set talking with someone and trying to get quick mesurements, only to then have to wait for the thing to boot. In fact, honestly it's the only thing I remembered about the meter, was that in a bunch of situations were things were having to move fast on set, I was feeling held back on speed.
Another killer was that the LCD screen brightness sucked in super bright daylight. Also if you maxed out your brightness for outside and you just go inside, now your screen is bright and annoying and you have to lower the brightness. It was a constant battle of bring the brightness up and down. There was a plus side to the AA batteries, until I realized that they don't really last that long. The good thing was that you could have cheap rechargeable AA batteries and just rotate those as needed and if you were screwed, a pack of AAs are never more than a quick stop away anywhere in the world. On the 758 using rechargeable CR123's last much longer, but if you end up out of charge, you could be screwed, so theres that. I see the AA as a plus and a minus, so I dont see AA's as any real improvement, just maybe cheaper at first to get started.
Also don't be fooled by the boot time videos, thats only if you've just turned the unit off and then back on within a moment, or a min. Once you wait after a few min I think it goes into actual off mode, vs maybe a hidden standby mode, and the boot time takes longer. So turning on and off initially seems fast, but put it away for a moment, and boot again, and you'll see its longer and annoying.
Anyhow the menu system was obviously much more improved if you're doing some detailed calculations with special filter exposure compensations, ect. however I feel like the average filming day doesn't really get into that as much. Also if you're used to using the same filters, this becomes useless a functions again. If you only use ND's and polorizers then you don't need this function at all.
In the end, the menu and screen was nice to PLAY with, however to work on a real set, was not so much fun. I've heard that the boot time has improved a small bit on the new 858, however I just watched a boot up online and it still seemed just as slow as the 478, I did notice the buttons responded a little faster, but still. If I'm going to hang my personal $600 off my neck, I'd rather not want to worry about it constantly for fear of cracking screen. I use a 758 now and its stupid fast to turn on and take a reading.
I think if you work at a slower pace, and do a lot of odd calculations about filters, gels, ect, and dont wanna do quick math in your head, then the 858 is much more for you, the menu will make your life a lot easier than the 758. If you do a lot of highly technical exposure readings for work and want to be able to dial in everything and take the time to custom input your gels, filters, ect, than its also for you. If you are more of a general shoot which requires usually the same filters day in and day out, and already know the gear you use, the 858 will only slow you down.
For me, I shoot a lot of fast moving situations deal with cars, location shoots, ect. When you just wanna get a reading, the 758 i think is better. thats my 2bits. Yes the new one with LCD makes everything seem cool, and new and you feel like you can do anything, but eh... doesn't do it for me, also if I bump the 758 into something, I'm not afraid the screen will stop working and I can't meter.
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