Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

Home · Register · Search · Software · Hosting · Software · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

Pre-order Rokinon 16mm f/2 ED AS UMC

Pre-order new Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM lens

Bower 35mm f/1.4 price dropped to $379

FM Forums \| Lighting & Studio Techniques \| Join Upload & Sell
1 2 end

Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #1 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

So I'm out on a location shoot and discover the little tabs on my elinchrom speed ring are bent. Turns out they are made of cheap aluminum. They are softer than the cheap chinese-made adapter rings from fotodiox. Can the adapter ring itself be replaced or do I need to spend $100 and buy a whole new speed-ring? Seems amazing to me that a $300 softbox could have such a weak link.

Very disappointed...

Aug 16, 2012 at 10:41 AM

eSchwab
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #2 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

If you look at the prices I think you should adjust your title to say "Surprised elinchrom speedring made of expensive aluminum".
You can take apart the adapter ring although it's not meant to be. I've done it to get measurements on the ring itself but I don't know if you can buy a replacement that is the same size. I've never had a problem with them bending even with the larger softboxes.

Aug 16, 2012 at 02:14 PM

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #3 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

Gotta disagree. It's not expensive alum. It's soft alum and pot metal for the actual ring.

This particular one is attached to a 39" deep octa and is used on location so it's taken on and off the bxri 500 5-6 times a week and after about 2 months it needs to be replaced.

Bummer. If you leave it on in the studio (as I do with my 53) it's fine but with constant use it's flakey.

1 star for my review because of that...

Aug 16, 2012 at 02:26 PM

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #4 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

And , I wouldn't mind paying $100 for the replacement if it was more sturdy but the thought of $100 every few months is bumming me out. I'll probably sell it or leave it for in-studio only and switch back to the fotodiox. At least their cheap alum adapters are only $9.99 but they are more sturdy than the elinchrom.

Aug 16, 2012 at 02:28 PM

visualist
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

Elinchrom Softboxes are as good as they get, but ofcourse, with the right amount of abuse you can break anything.

Aug 16, 2012 at 02:46 PM

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #6 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

huh? Why do folks always have to be so condescending on these forums? I do not abuse my equipment.

Aug 16, 2012 at 03:11 PM

colinm
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

Have you tried calling Manfrotto yet? The speedrings should not bend under normal use (which I'm sure is where visualist is coming from). I'd definitely contact them and see if they'll cover it under warranty.

It wouldn't be the first time Elinchrom has had manufacturing issues.

Aug 16, 2012 at 03:59 PM

photosymbol
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #8 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

Which speed ring are we talking about here? One from Elinchrom or one from another manufacturer? I've been using Elinchrom rings for years without issue. It may be that you got something defective.

But bent speedrings is hardly something you hear often about Elinchrom equipment.

Aug 16, 2012 at 04:07 PM

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #9 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

I did contact manfrotto. They said I'd have to get a new ring but didn't answer my question about whether it would be covered by warranty. The softbox has been babied since we got it but it does require a certain amount of torque to lock it onto the bxri 500 so I'm sure that's why the tabs got bent.

Aug 16, 2012 at 04:09 PM

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #10 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

photosymbol wrote:
Which speed ring are we talking about here? One from Elinchrom or one from another manufacturer? I've been using Elinchrom rings for years without issue. It may be that you got something defective.

But bent speedrings is hardly something you hear often about Elinchrom equipment.

elinchrom speedring. Nobody makes a speedring for the 39" deep octo that I'm aware of. If they did, I'd probably try it rather than pay $100 for another one made of pot metal.

Aug 16, 2012 at 04:09 PM

visualist
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

jzucker wrote:
huh? Why do folks always have to be so condescending on these forums? I do not abuse my equipment.

Because unless it arrived broken or deffective, you have to use force to bend or break something. Or you've tried prying it of the flash without opening the lock. Or you stepped on it. Or you didn't pack it correct and it happend during transport. Or you dropped it. Or whatever. And some ppl preffer to ignore the instructions and mount or dismount softboxes with the flash still on the stand ...

Aug 16, 2012 at 04:18 PM

photosymbol
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #12 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

While i don't agree on his delivery of the message, i have to agree with Visualist. I think you may be the second person in 6 years of me being on forums and using Elinchrom equipment to complain about this.

Secondly, people are condescending to you most likely because you immediately come to forums and forgive me for saying this, - but you seem to complain a lot. If you tried out equipment (Plenty of people in Cleveland and nearby using Elinchrom equipment) maybe you'd avoid having so many issues. Or like with Alien Bee equipment, (I won't comment on that one, because i agree that their products [....]) or with the Sekonic thread about it not giving you readouts in the manner you wanted when you could read the manual before purchase.

Nobody wants to listen to a chronic complainer.

My .02

Aug 16, 2012 at 04:24 PM

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #13 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

several people discussed this in another thread where I was complaining about the AB mounts. Sorry that you don't want to hear anything but positive reviews. I call 'em as I see em. Unsubscribe from my postings if it bothers you.

Aug 16, 2012 at 04:32 PM

photosymbol
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #14 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

Oh right, you shouldn't modify your behavior. The forum should all unsubscribe for your posts. Got it. Done.

Aug 16, 2012 at 04:39 PM

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #15 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

photosymbol wrote:
Oh right, you shouldn't modify your behavior. The forum should all unsubscribe for your posts. Got it. Done.

gotta love it. Complaining about someone complaining. Classic.

Aug 16, 2012 at 07:22 PM

tedwca
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #16 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

FWIW my original 39" Octa didn't come with a case and after a few years the tabs did bend and I couldn't mount it to the light anymore. I was able to carefully bend it back and it's been fine since then. The mounts are pretty soft and do bend easily though.

Aug 17, 2012 at 09:29 AM

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #17 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

tedwca wrote:
FWIW my original 39" Octa didn't come with a case and after a few years the tabs did bend and I couldn't mount it to the light anymore. I was able to carefully bend it back and it's been fine since then. The mounts are pretty soft and do bend easily though.

I bent mine back and it does mount and dismount from the light but I'm a bit worried about metal fatigue. For $100, I wish they would have used nickel or steel instead of aluminum which is even softer than silver!

Aug 17, 2012 at 11:15 AM

visualist
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #18 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

tedwca wrote:
FWIW my original 39" Octa didn't come with a case.

Why not?

Aug 17, 2012 at 11:53 AM

eSchwab
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #19 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

I was being condescending?

Aug 17, 2012 at 04:43 PM

jzucker
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #20 · Surprised elinchrom speedring made of cheap aluminum

eSchwab wrote:
I was being condescending?

nope. Some folks are. I've noticed in all the equipment forums there are fans of certain equipment and if you say anything negative folks will jump on you and are quick to accuse you of all sorts of things. Instead, we ought to be able to be honest about the pros and cons of the gear. I love the elinchrom light modifiers but the hardware could use some improvement.

Aug 17, 2012 at 05:04 PM

1 2 end
FM Forums \| Lighting & Studio Techniques \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 end