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Archive 2017 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability

  
 
hijazist
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


I need an on-the-run modifier that is very quick to set up, and lightweight. I've just sold my Parapop Glow which fits the bill, however, I much prefer the quality of light from the Deep Octa.

So, how easy is it to set up and how heavy is it? Is it possible to use without a stand? After the first set up of the box, does it fold/open like an umbrella with the Rotalux speedring?

There's a great deal on one right now and I don't want to miss it

My other options seems to be the Westcott Rapid Box Octa or Rapid Box Joel Grimes BD



Jan 02, 2017 at 04:24 PM
voidsherpa
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


39" Deep Octa is extremely lightweight. All of mine tend to fall apart from about 1.5 years of use. It's just small enough to fit through a door when walked through backwards.

It's one of my favorite modifiers. My only two complaints are the lack of a grid (short of a $500 3rd party option) and that you must stick your head in to open it (messes up hair, etc) not as easy set up as they make it out to be once you get proficient with traditional style rods setups

I've been eyeing the SMDV Alpha Speedbox Softbox.



Jan 02, 2017 at 07:52 PM
hijazist
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability




voidsherpa wrote:
39" Deep Octa is extremely lightweight. All of mine tend to fall apart from about 1.5 years of use. It's just small enough to fit through a door when walked through backwards.

It's one of my favorite modifiers. My only two complaints are the lack of a grid (short of a $500 3rd party option) and that you must stick your head in to open it (messes up hair, etc) not as easy set up as they make it out to be once you get proficient with traditional style rods setups

I've been eyeing the SMDV Alpha Speedbox Softbox.


Thanks for your input. So does it collapse/open like an umbrella? I'm yet to see a video on the whole set up from start to finish.

Btw, Honey grids make a grid for $200



Jan 02, 2017 at 08:08 PM
nolaguy
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


Not as simple as an umbrella but once you get the hang of Elinchrom's strut locking system it can go pretty quickly.






Jan 02, 2017 at 08:12 PM
voidsherpa
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


nolaguy wrote:
Not as simple as an umbrella but once you get the hang of Elinchrom's strut locking system it can go pretty quickly.






And as this video demonstrates, he still has to snap the internal baffle into place, and attach the front diffuser. ( I leave the internal baffle half snapped in, and also the front diffuser half on)

You should be able to set up a traditional octa faster because you can leave both the front and internal fabric fully in place.



Jan 02, 2017 at 08:29 PM
hijazist
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


Thanks a lot for the video! Yeah that seems a little more than just snap-and-go especially with the diffuser. Could the diffused (inner or outer) be folded along with the the octa?



nolaguy wrote:
Not as simple as an umbrella but once you get the hang of Elinchrom's strut locking system it can go pretty quickly.







Jan 02, 2017 at 08:51 PM
nolaguy
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


hijazist wrote:
Thanks a lot for the video! Yeah that seems a little more than just snap-and-go especially with the diffuser. Could the diffused (inner or outer) be folded along with the the octa?


Yes, but they have to be at least partially unattached during set-up and break-down because you need access to the speedring inside the box.


Elinchrom speedrings have radiating horizontal pockets - one for each strut and a small collar that slips in and out of the pocket. When "out" the collars can pivot upward to receive the strut. You then press the strut down and outward until the collar is level enough to slip into the pocket. When you release the pressure on the strut, the tension generated by the springy strut's arc locks the collar into place.

The opposite end of the struts slip into fixtures along the outside edge of the softbox.

To disassemble you essentially reverse the process which is what you see in the second video as the guy repeatedly leans into the deep octa - he's releasing each of the struts/collars from the pocket so the whole thing can collapse.


So, all that described, you can see that when in place, the diffusion panels block access to the speedring. I guess you could leave them partially attached but they have to be sufficiently out of the way for you to release all the struts from the speedring pockets.



Jan 02, 2017 at 10:15 PM
hijazist
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


That's really helpful. I think I'll go with the Rapidbox BD or the SMDV 70cm.

nolaguy wrote:
Yes, but they have to be at least partially unattached during set-up and break-down because you need access to the speedring inside the box.

Elinchrom speedrings have radiating horizontal pockets - one for each strut and a small collar that slips in and out of the pocket. When "out" the collars can pivot upward to receive the strut. You then press the strut down and outward until the collar is level enough to slip into the pocket. When you release the pressure on the strut, the tension generated by the springy strut's arc locks the collar into place.

The opposite end of
...Show more



Jan 02, 2017 at 10:46 PM
rico
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


Another option is a SB with Chimera quick-release speed ring. I typically remove the inner/outer diffusers before collapsing, but that is probably not necessary. I never remove the rods, and the complete assembly is free-standing when unmounted. The SB can be clicked open from the back or front. Setup/breakdown is fast and safe.



Ref: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/354782-REG/Chimera_2330QR_Quick_Release_Speed_Ring.html



Jan 02, 2017 at 11:57 PM
cambyses
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


rico wrote:
Another option is a SB with Chimera quick-release speed ring.


ditto...I used this Chimera speedring along with their stand adapter (http://goo.gl/hhXJV7) with our big softboxes. We don't have a fixed studio space and so need to assemble/dis-assemble softboxes frequently. This speedring has made life much easier, and by using the stand adapter and putting the speedring directly on the stand, we no longer put any stress on the mount of our monolight.

All that said, it is a bit heavy, and adds to the total weight, and hence perhaps not too appropriate for the location work and the portability objective that the OP has in mind...




Jan 04, 2017 at 01:00 PM
Elijah
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


I went through the same thing. I also tried out the westcott 36" rapid but eventually sold it.
I now have a PCB 60' octa simply because it's the same exact setup as the westcott rapid but also have a grid option for it.
I also have a PCB Softbox Stand Mount Adapter that way all that weight doesn't hang on my Profoto B1

My ideal modifier would be a Broncolor Para 88 without the focusing rod. I'd rig up a speedring for my B1 and use it as a softbox with a diffuser.
But of course, like anything from Broncolor, it's expensive...












Jan 04, 2017 at 03:35 PM
hijazist
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


Thanks guys. Elijah, is the PB softbox collapsible?


Jan 04, 2017 at 07:08 PM
Elijah
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


hijazist wrote:
Thanks guys. Elijah, is the PB softbox collapsible?


Of course!! That's the main reason I bought the PCB octa. In fact, I did a lot of research on this stuff.
You CANNOT beat the price/value for a faster setup octa/softbox that offers a double diffusion panel with a grid.

I cannot be happier with their stuff. I would buy more of their collapsable soft boxes and/or octaboxes if needed.

Here are a few pictures I took to show the collapsed 60" octa. Note: It's possible to leave a grid AND both diffusion panels, fold it and put it into a pouch. See images below.






60" octa, SBA adapter with speedring, both diffusion panels and grid all fit into that pouch







Octa collapsed with both diffusion panels and grid







Profoto B1 attached on SBA adapter shown







Grid attached




Jan 04, 2017 at 09:54 PM
cambyses
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


Elijah wrote:
Of course!! That's the main reason I bought the PCB octa. In fact, I did a lot of research on this stuff.
You CANNOT beat the price/value for a faster setup octa/softbox that offers a double diffusion panel with a grid.


Elijah -- Which Profoto adapter ring do you used with the PCB Octa? Does it fit well on your B1 head? Thx.



Jan 05, 2017 at 02:17 PM
Elijah
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


cambyses wrote:
Elijah -- Which Profoto adapter ring do you used with the PCB Octa? Does it fit well on your B1 head? Thx.


This particular speedring is from Mola, which I bought from Hussein, the OP of this thread.
I had to modify the speedring to fit into my SBA adapter from PCB, as shown on pictures.

The speedring itself has the best quality and the figment is very good on both B1 and D1



Jan 05, 2017 at 03:07 PM
hijazist
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


That was very helpful Elijah


Jan 05, 2017 at 03:57 PM
voidsherpa
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


Elijah wrote:
My ideal modifier would be a Broncolor Para 88 without the focusing rod. I'd rig up a speedring for my B1 and use it as a softbox with a diffuser.
But of course, like anything from Broncolor, it's expensive...


Yes by far the fastest opening modifier I have, gets used the least on anything besides a full day job because of the weight with a pro B head (I've always used it reversed mount). Opens the fastest but becomes unwieldy at full de-focus. Also 3k and would not like to shred it up on run and gun 1 light jobs.



Jan 05, 2017 at 08:45 PM
bgateb760
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


I don't use my deep octa as much anymore because I got an 88 to complement the 133 xD

however, the Deep octa wasn't hard to setup -- a little more difficult with the broncolor ring on it, as i noticed that the extra height afforded by the Profoto mount allowed me to more easily set the modifier on the ground and get in there to snap the lugs in.




Jan 20, 2017 at 06:29 PM
SSO-Images
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


Elijah wrote:
I also tried out the westcott 36" rapid but eventually sold it.


What didn't you like about Westcott Rapid Box 36"? I'm thinking about getting it for on-location portability reason.



Jan 20, 2017 at 11:36 PM
Elijah
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Eli Deep Octa 39" Portability


SSO-Images wrote:
What didn't you like about Westcott Rapid Box 36"? I'm thinking about getting it for on-location portability reason.


The one and ONLY reason: they do not offer grids for them.
At that time when I owned it, I was shooting in a studio where I really needed a grid.



Jan 20, 2017 at 11:51 PM
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