p.1 #1 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
PCB Einstein with heavy modifiers.... Can anyone with the V2 Einstein affirm that the grip fingers have been improved and can hold heavier modifiers securely?
I frequetly like to boom a Mola beauty dish and large softboxes and need to know if the mount is secure enough? Also anyone with a Mola and Einstein- did you get the Mola/PCB speedring? I believe Kacey makes a speedring adapter also? Just wondering which fits better, apparently the Einstein mount requires a very accurately sized flange on the modifier for it to seat and lock the holding fingers properly?
p.1 #2 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
In my opinion it comes down to the fit of the speedring. I have modifiers with speedrings that fit perfectly (mount levers travel back fully to the locked position) and I am very confident that they will not fall off and could easily hold more weight. I also have speedrings (including an original Buff speedring) that prevent the mount levers from travelling to the fully locked position and I have little confidence in using them with heavy modifiers.
Don't get me wrong, my V2 Einstein is still a stronger mount than my old AlienBees but something changed from V1 to V2 that gives me less confidence in the mount. The V1 had an issue as well, I believe the mount fingers weren't long enough to hold certain modifiers, but even if the mount levers were only 80% back due to a poor speedring mount there was no chance of the modifier falling off. With my V2's, if the mount levers aren't 100% back you can easily force the mount fingers open using fairly little pressure.
p.1 #3 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
Even within the V2's, there are multiple revisions of the fingers. If you just call them up, they should be able to help you tell the difference I think. There are many mentions of this fact in the PCB forums.
I have an FTX 22" BD, and it feels completely secure on the unit, with no signs of play. I've had it up on a boom above me and have adjusted it while grabbing onto the dish and the strobe moved as one unit with the dish.
p.1 #4 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
I've had mine exchanged for the latest V2's already. With a speedring that fits perfectly they are 100% secure, but not all speedrings that are made for the Buff mount fit perfectly.
p.1 #5 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
The biggest modifier I have is a Medium Chimera SB with grid, it sits on the Einstein and hasn't come off yet, but it just feels more secure on my Bowens units. The fingers on the later Einsteins are definitely an improvement but I don't have the full confidence in them yet.
p.1 #6 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
I have two V2's and with my Calumet Illuma Large (and Calumet's speedring) I still use rubber bands PCB sent with V1.
Fingers are much better than V1, but with Calumets speedring they don't hold well, imho.
p.1 #7 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
The mount is the worst thing about the Einstein.
If it weren't for the excellent performance and service I would not put up with it.
Even the rubber bands don't solve the problem for larger modifiers.
p.1 #8 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
I have the Mola Setti (and I don't use the provided Mola grip... too heavy and no need for it). I mount it directly to my Einstein, and my Einstein directly to the light stand.
No problems.
I also use the 47" Octabox with Grid (on the heavy side), along with a Photoflex large strip box with grid.
Again - no problems.
If you lock in the mount and the teeth grip and the lever closes, its not going anywhere.
p.1 #9 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
m.shalaby wrote:
If you lock in the mount and the teeth grip and the lever closes, its not going anywhere.
That's the problem, if the lever does not fully close there can be problems. Even the original Buff speedring (for non-foldable softboxes) doesn't allow the levers to fully close. The speedring for the foldable softboxes are a perfect fit.
p.1 #11 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
kaiserkudo wrote:
Thanks for all the feedback. i've ordered a couple of V2 Einsteins and their stripbox along with the Kacey 22" Dish. Will see how I go with those.
p.1 #12 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
I would really like to get some einsteins to replace my WLs, but I often shoot tabletop with largish softboxes on booms directly above fragile artwork.
To have a box come off would be disastrous, and I don't want to risk that.
Most of my boxes are chimera, with the chimera ql rings.
If I could test an einstein in person maybe I'd have more confidence, but I can't take a chance.
I keep hoping they make a modification that universally is reported as comepletely trustworthy.
fwiw, with my WL1600's I am very confident once I put the softbox on and check to make the fingers are all correct.
p.1 #13 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
The Chimera speedring that I have allows me to mount the speedring to a light stand, this allows me to mount a huge softbox with no problem. Then the buff monolight attaches to the speedring and ony has to support its own weight. I liked this design so well that I drilled and tapped my Paul Buff speed rings so I can mount them to a light stand directly.
p.1 #14 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
Have been using my Einstein boomed with a 1m softbox. The third party ring is a little too deep with it's flange so the fingers/locking lever doesn't close the whole way, however it hasn't come off or loose.
p.1 #15 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
kaiserkudo wrote:
Have been using my Einstein boomed with a 1m softbox. The third party ring is a little too deep with it's flange so the fingers/locking lever doesn't close the whole way, however it hasn't come off or loose.
I can see that with a softbox vertical, but my boxes are always horizontal on the end of a boom pointing down.
p.1 #16 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
I've used Einsteins with several different speedrings to varying results.
The Kacey AB speedring works fine. I have both his 22" and large dish, although with the large the adapter is mounted to the stand, not the light.
I've also used softboxes up to 3'x4' from Photoflex. While I had issues with the modifiers coming loose with the photoflex adapters when I switched to AB's generic adapter I've had no problems since.
As stated above it comes down to the adapter meeting specifications. The Photoflex one was a mm or two smaller than spec and didn't allow the fingers to expand as much as they needed to to get a good grip.
p.1 #17 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
I don't know if my chimera quick lock speedrings for WL meet specs or not, but on my WL1600s they grab well. And I like those speedrings better than the Buff ones I have (although they were a good deal of course).
If I happen accros a e640 in person I will be eager to know if it grips them as well as my WL's.
A perhaps unusual additional interest I have in the einsteins is that t they are a little shorter than my WLs and allow me to raise my boxes a few inches higher in the room I shoot tabletop.
Really wish I had a taller and bigger room to shoot in, but it is not in the cards for now....
p.1 #18 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
Turning wrote
A perhaps unusual additional interest I have in the einsteins is that t they are a little shorter than my WLs and allow me to raise my boxes a few inches higher in the room I shoot tabletop.
Interesting idea. If I didn't already have a range of chimera (mostly) boxes, those might be something to take a look at.
Would be interested if how even a light they throw as compared to a regular softbox where the bulb is centered. And I would guess less light gets through for the modeling lamp.
Also chimera makes a shallower box that I have considered from time to time. I would expect less light cutoff, though.
p.1 #20 · Einstein with heavy modifiers- has it been fixed?
I'm still using the V1 Einsteins with no problems. I use some pretty big Chimera SBs outdoors, in the wind, with no problems. If you give the modifier a bit of a wiggle to make sure it's seated, and the release levers return completely, you'll be fine.
