Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

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Archive 2008 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

el_hoppy
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p.1 #1 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

I currently have 3 Bowens Espirit Gemini heads (750w & 2x 250w) and a collection of softboxes for my studio.

I have a battery pack for the Bowens which mostly work well outdoors, but between the heavy heads (sometimes unstable outdoors due to the weight) and more importantly the lack of a modelling light when mobile, I am now starting to think about getting something better.

I would love to go patriotic and get profoto, but I want more power than the AcuteB600 and want the option of 2 lights, whilst the Pro7B is out of my "keep it sensible it's only a hobby" budget

(would love to replace the Bowens with the Acute2 2400w in the studio)

So it feels like I should look at getting the Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed & A-head. Elinchrom looks especially appealing as they look to have a few interesting looking modifiers that will be quick to setup and pack up (Rotalux & VariStar)

If I buy a portable solution I still want to use it in the studio along with my bowens and I wonder how well they will mix. I cannot find any info on the Ranger head temperature,does anyone know?

When the Ranger is in the studio with power, can the modelling light be always on powered externally and can you recharge whilst shooting?

Can you get mounts for the Elinchrom heads that allows you to use generic softboxes and octas?

Am I stupid discounting the AcuteB just because there will be occasional time when I want to "blast the sun" or shoot with 2 lights? Then I could sell my Bowens and get the Acute2 as well. In that case, how does the AcuteB work in the studio?

I used to be indecisive but now I am not sure

Sep 27, 2008 at 08:41 AM

Carlton Beener
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p.1 #2 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

I can answer some of that.

The rangers do not have a constant modeling light although you can set it to remain on for 15-30 seconds while shooting. It will stay on as long as you fire shots that quickly but once it turns off you'll need to press the lamp button again.

If you are not using the skyport to trigger it then you can leave it plugged in while shooting. The charger plugs into the remote port and there is a separate sync port for corded use.

Sep 27, 2008 at 03:37 PM

rudiphoto
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p.1 #3 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

el_hoppy wrote:
Can you get mounts for the Elinchrom heads that allows you to use generic softboxes and octas?

Yes. If you want to use a Chimera softbox on your Elinchrom head, just buy the right speed ring. Same with Photoflex, etc... Elinchrom is one of the "big four" lighting companies (Profoto, Elinchrom, Bowens and Broncolor), so all the third-party accessory manufacturers make Elinchrom-compatible speed rings.

Sep 29, 2008 at 03:30 AM

rudiphoto
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p.1 #4 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

Carlton Beener wrote:

If you are not using the skyport to trigger it then you can leave it plugged in while shooting. The charger plugs into the remote port and there is a separate sync port for corded use.

You could always use the Skyport Universal receiver if you wanted to use the Ranger plugged into mains power in the studio (that is what I do, I hate sync cords

Dec 02, 2008 at 03:26 AM

BubbaJon
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p.1 #5 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

rudiphoto wrote:
Carlton Beener wrote:

If you are not using the skyport to trigger it then you can leave it plugged in while shooting. The charger plugs into the remote port and there is a separate sync port for corded use.

You could always use the Skyport Universal receiver if you wanted to use the Ranger plugged into mains power in the studio (that is what I do, I hate sync cords

).
Yeah but you lose the ability to remote adjust power which is one of the niftiest things about the Skyports... I *do* wonder why they made such a boneheaded decision to make a DIN plug do that sort of double duty. As far as the OP's original questions - Carmen knows the head color temp and I'm pretty sure it is pretty close to the Bowens. Bear in mind that modifiers are a much higher cause of color variance than the typical heads. After all Xenon is Xenon and they all use it.

Dec 02, 2008 at 03:32 PM

Ben Horne
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p.1 #6 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

Just keep in mind that when you use a 2 light setup, it is a fixed ratio. I find that very difficult to work with because you really have zero control over the light. I would MUCH rather have two separate lights. Don't underestimate the power of 600Ws on the AcuteB600R.

I had a ranger pack. It was certainly a nice unit, but IMO, it was overly complex (too many things can go wrong with it), I did not like the way modifiers attached, and the two head thing seemed great, but in practice it was difficult because of the fixed ratio.

I put a medium sized softbox on the ranger, and it broke the light stand attachment point. I guess it was too much weight. We're talking about a medium sized softbox here....

Dec 02, 2008 at 03:37 PM

rudiphoto
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p.1 #7 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

BubbaJon wrote:
Yeah but you lose the ability to remote adjust power which is one of the niftiest things about the Skyports... I *do* wonder why they made such a boneheaded decision to make a DIN plug do that sort of double duty.

I know how handy that is, I use the RX Skyport with my RX600 strobes in the studio. But... remote control is less of an issue with a pack, since it's usually pretty close to me anyway.

Dec 03, 2008 at 01:18 AM

rudiphoto
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p.1 #8 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

Ben Horne wrote:I had a ranger pack. It was certainly a nice unit, but IMO, it was overly complex (too many things can go wrong with it), I did not like the way modifiers attached, and the two head thing seemed great, but in practice it was difficult because of the fixed ratio.

You have to work around your equipment's limitations. There are other ways to adjust the power, and you can always use more than one pack if you really need totally independent power controls. My point is - I knew what I was buying before I bought it!

Dec 03, 2008 at 01:21 AM

eSchwab
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p.1 #9 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

Yeah I crank pretty hard on all of my elinchroms whenever they're on the boom and have a modifier on them. This includes the 27" beauty dish and large softboxes. Hard enough that they won't swing and I've never felt that it is a weak point. On the other hand I had an Alien bee that broke that part very easily. I guess the white lightnings are much sturdier there.

Dec 03, 2008 at 01:25 AM

Ben Horne
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p.1 #10 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

rudiphoto wrote:
Ben Horne wrote:I had a ranger pack. It was certainly a nice unit, but IMO, it was overly complex (too many things can go wrong with it), I did not like the way modifiers attached, and the two head thing seemed great, but in practice it was difficult because of the fixed ratio.

You have to work around your equipment's limitations. There are other ways to adjust the power, and you can always use more than one pack if you really need totally independent power controls. My point is - I knew what I was buying before I bought it!

Ben Horne wrote:
I put a medium sized softbox on the ranger, and it broke the light stand attachment point. I guess it was too much weight. We're talking about a medium sized softbox here....

That sounds like a lemon to me! It happens. The swivel mounts on the Ranger are as tough as on any other professional-line Elinchrom light.

Not a lemon at all ---- just a bad design. I don't remember the specifics, but there is a metal bolt that is held in place by a piece of plastic that can be easially distorted. When I put the softbox on the light, it kept tilting forward, so I had to crank down the tilt adjustment. It continued to creep. I tightened it a bit more, and crack. I didn't think I was anywhere near over tightening it.

After that incident, I bought an adapter for my speed rings (which I highly recommend) so that the speedrings mount directly to the light stand on a heavy duty swivel. I use these whenever I use larger boxes now. The light simply attaches to the speedring, but it does not have to carry any of the load.

Dec 03, 2008 at 02:36 AM

rudiphoto
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p.1 #11 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

Well, you're the only one who's had a problem with the swivel mount on a pro-line Elinchrom strobe. I just looked at mine, and there are no plastic parts. I vote for a lemon!

Dec 03, 2008 at 04:52 AM

Ben Horne
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p.1 #12 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

rudiphoto wrote:
Well, you're the only one who's had a problem with the swivel mount on a pro-line Elinchrom strobe. I just looked at mine, and there are no plastic parts. I vote for a lemon!

So I'm the only one who has ever had a problem with the swivel mount on a pro-line Elinchrom strobe? It's that a ridiculous statement?

Dec 03, 2008 at 05:14 AM

rudiphoto
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p.1 #13 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

Not as ridiculous as your not being able to accept that you most probably had a lemon! Out of all the things that can possibly go wrong with a pro-level Elinchrom strobe, the swivel mount would be one of the last things that anyone would mention. Your allegation that there is a design problem is what is ridiculous! If there was a design problem, we'd be hearing about it before now...

Dec 03, 2008 at 05:18 AM

mark petri
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p.1 #14 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

I have a few Elinchrom speed AS and came from Profoto-- no regrets at all.

Oh Ben, I've been mounting a 7' Octa on my Rangers for two years on locale and in the studio and have yet to have one issue...

Dec 03, 2008 at 05:19 AM

Ben Horne
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p.1 #15 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

rudiphoto wrote:
Your allegation that there is a design problem is what is ridiculous! If there was a design problem, we'd be hearing about it before now...

If I recall accurately there is a little plastic cap that covers the part I mention. You can say my remarks are ridiculous all you want, but if you see the flimsy little plastic piece that is suppose to hold the torque of the bolt, you will realize that it is a bad design. There is absolutely nothing that could have been a lemon with the unit that I had. It's a small plastic piece that stops a big bolt from turning. I really don't understand the defensiveness of your posts. If you want me to tell you it's a perfect design that that it was crafted by Jesus himself, I can do that too. However, that does not change the fact that it's not a good design.

When I bought the profoto setup, one of the first things I checked was the light stand mounting point. I've worked with this stuff for a while. Believe me, I'm not just some idiot.

Dec 03, 2008 at 06:13 AM

rudiphoto
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p.1 #16 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

I know who you are, Ben. That does not change the fact that it appears that you had a lemon.

Dec 03, 2008 at 07:29 AM

Ben Horne
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p.1 #17 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

rudiphoto wrote:
I know who you are, Ben. That does not change the fact that it appears that you had a lemon.

Whatever guys.... go drink your Kool-Aid and be happy. There must have been no design flaws whatsoever in the unit I had. I'm just making up the whole thing about how it's a bad design. I must have been imagining things when I saw what I saw. Feel free to pop off that little plastic piece opposite the lever crank to see how perfect the design is. You'll see sheer perfection --- like a Kia Sophia.

Dec 03, 2008 at 02:51 PM

rudiphoto
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p.1 #18 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

Ben Horne wrote:
Whatever guys.... go drink your Kool-Aid and be happy. There must have been no design flaws whatsoever in the unit I had. I'm just making up the whole thing about how it's a bad design. I must have been imagining things when I saw what I saw. Feel free to pop off that little plastic piece opposite the lever crank to see how perfect the design is. You'll see sheer perfection --- like a Kia Sophia.

See, it's posts like this that make you sound totally rational!

I never said it couldn't happen - anything man-made can and will fail. I didn't even bring up the word "ridiculous" - that was you! You insist that there is a design problem with the swivel mount on Elinchrom pro-line strobes, and yet you're the only one who's complaining about it...

I don't doubt that it happened to you! I doubt that it's a design problem, because a design problem would result in a failure more frequently than seems to be the case here. S**t happens, and so do lemons, once in a while...

Dec 03, 2008 at 03:56 PM

PeterBerressem
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p.1 #19 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

Whatever guys.... go drink your Kool-Aid and be happy. There must have been no design flaws whatsoever in the unit I had. I'm just making up the whole thing about how it's a bad design. I must have been imagining things when I saw what I saw. Feel free to pop off that little plastic piece opposite the lever crank to see how perfect the design is. You'll see sheer perfection --- like a Kia Sophia.

I know what you're talking about. I routinely replace those plastic levers by sturdy steel variants. Should be availible anywhere in the world, too.
steel levers
cheers, Peter

Dec 03, 2008 at 04:16 PM

Jonathan H
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p.1 #20 · Elinchrom Ranger RX AS Speed A-head & Bowens

While mine never broke, I was entirely unimpressed with the swivel on my Freelite S heads. So unimpressed that I traded my entire Elinchrom kit for a Profoto Pro7a and head.

It's lovely, but for the cost, I'm actually looking to sell it off and just stick with my tried and true Dynalites.

Dec 03, 2008 at 04:24 PM

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