p.1 #1 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
Replaced some of my stolen gear (storage got broken into) and instead of getting another 5 ft Profoto RFI octa, I decided to get one of the new Profoto 4 ft octas with the integrated speedrings, rather than the RFI.
The new softboxes are significantly lighter than the RFI boxes, and have an integrated profoto mount. I've used the Westcott Rapid Boxes and similar design octas, and dislike how fragile they are when they're knocked around by airlines in road cases and how much space they take up. The integrated speedring octas close so they take up a lot less space in a bag, and have held up ok in cross country air travel so far so fingers crossed.
One thing I really like about the 5 ft RFI is the thickness of the front diffusion material, which looks great feathered and the Clic 4 ft functions well in this regard as well. The new octas aren't cheap, but considering a speed ring is $160 bucks new I guess it makes sense. No buyer's remorse on this one, really happy with this new piece of kit. The weight savings and speed of setup are worth it
p.1 #2 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
It made sense for Profoto to expand the Clic line, but I was hoping they would be a bit less expensive than they are, however, you make a good point about the speed ring. Right now my bigger octas are also the Westcott Rapidbox series and while faster than the Profoto RFIs, they do take some time. I might look at getting a couple of the stripboxes to replace my RFI's
p.1 #3 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
story_teller wrote:
It made sense for Profoto to expand the Clic line, but I was hoping they would be a bit less expensive than they are, however, you make a good point about the speed ring. Right now my bigger octas are also the Westcott Rapidbox series and while faster than the Profoto RFIs, they do take some time. I might look at getting a couple of the stripboxes to replace my RFI's
I mean you can get the same thing from Glow Parasnap or SMDV Flip (Pretty sure SMDV made the Clic for Profoto). Both the Parasnap and SMDV have the special silver lining, which is very efficient and able to produce even lighting.
p.1 #4 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
The 5 ft RFI is a pain to put together for sure, and I agree if the 4 ft Clic was at $399 retail they’d sell much better. I don’t think they have clic strips out yet but hoping they do soon, because I use a 1x3 as a kicker a ton.
I use the Westcott rapid beauty dish often, but I’m on my second one because the thin metal ribs break easily when jumbled around in a road case. I used to use the rapid 3 and 4 ft a lot, but found they had a slightly different tint when color correcting compared to profoto boxes so made sense to consolidate. Also because of how they collapse into a cylinder, the rods don’t take much to bend or break. It is such a big difference for me because most of my income comes from location work. When my assistant and I were breaking down a job last week, I think it took us all of 15 mins to pack up a 4 light setup
story_teller wrote:
It made sense for Profoto to expand the Clic line, but I was hoping they would be a bit less expensive than they are, however, you make a good point about the speed ring. Right now my bigger octas are also the Westcott Rapidbox series and while faster than the Profoto RFIs, they do take some time. I might look at getting a couple of the stripboxes to replace my RFI's
p.1 #5 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
story_teller wrote:
... Right now my bigger octas are also the Westcott Rapidbox series and while faster than the Profoto RFIs, they do take some time.
I swear by the Chimera Quick Release speed ring:
Expensive, and not available for octa, but these make SB setup a cinch. With diffusion panels preinstalled, I can deploy a SB in 30sec. In collapsed form, the assembly is easy to maneuver through doorways, and can stand upright on its own. I dedicate one for my medium Chimera SB, and one for a Profoto Lantern.
p.1 #6 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
I’m not familiar with those ones, but the Flip doesn’t look like it comes in profoto mount and only is made up to 36” from what I can find. When you add a bowens to profoto adapter you add weight and lose the ability to zoom the softbox, also depending on the adapter they can hang a little askew on the strobe because the strobe face hits the back of the adapter. Looks like the Parasnap can swap out rings but has the same type of umbrella style opening mechanism which I’ve found tends to be heavier and less durable long term when used on the road. Also can’t find those larger than 44”, and they’re not much cheaper than the profoto at that size, so I’d rather spend an extra hundred for the Clic.
I know people that use the Glow and SMDV mods and they all produce great light, but I prefer to keep them consistent across my setup because they all produce subtly different color. I’ve found the Westcott boxes are a bit cooler/magenta than the Profoto ones for example.
The weight savings alone are worth it for me. We did about 150 headshot sessions last week, with a mix of standing and seated, requiring raising and lowering the strobe several dozen times a day, and it was noticeably less tiring for my assistant with the Clic.
hiepphotog wrote:
I mean you can get the same thing from Glow Parasnap or SMDV Flip (Pretty sure SMDV made the Clic for Profoto). Both the Parasnap and SMDV have the special silver lining, which is very efficient and able to produce even lighting.
p.1 #7 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
Chimera makes great stuff. I’ve been wanting to get the XS because Daniel Norton over at Adorama uses it so well, but it’s hard to justify spending that much for a little softbox
rico wrote:
I swear by the Chimera Quick Release speed ring:
Expensive, and not available for octa, but these make SB setup a cinch. With diffusion panels preinstalled, I can deploy a SB in 30sec. In collapsed form, the assembly is easy to maneuver through doorways, and can stand upright on its own. I dedicate one for my medium Chimera SB, and one for a Profoto Lantern.
p.1 #8 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
Sad news about the theft.
Glad to hear the Profoto clic is working out for you.
I like the Cheetahstand QSB but that's only 3.5' not 4', not sure how their version of the Profoto mount would compare. For me it's held up pretty good but I probably get a new one every 2nd or 3rd year because the sea salt takes its toll.
p.1 #9 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
neoshazam wrote:
Sad news about the theft.
Glad to hear the Profoto clic is working out for you.
I like the Cheetahstand QSB but that's only 3.5' not 4', not sure how their version of the Profoto mount would compare. For me it's held up pretty good but I probably get a new one every 2nd or 3rd year because the sea salt takes its toll.
What really hurt was that they stole a discontinued Larson Reflectasol 42x72", which probably ended up in a dumpster somewhere and are hard to find. Thankfully was able to find a NOS one on ebay a few months later, and I'm always looking for another as a backup. Shame they went out of business as the reflectasols are one of my favorite ways to add fill on location and very quick to set up.
p.1 #10 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
sungphoto wrote:
I’m not familiar with those ones, but the Flip doesn’t look like it comes in profoto mount and only is made up to 36” from what I can find. When you add a bowens to profoto adapter you add weight and lose the ability to zoom the softbox, also depending on the adapter they can hang a little askew on the strobe because the strobe face hits the back of the adapter. Looks like the Parasnap can swap out rings but has the same type of umbrella style opening mechanism which I’ve found tends to be heavier and less durable long term when used on the road. Also can’t find those larger than 44”, and they’re not much cheaper than the profoto at that size, so I’d rather spend an extra hundred for the Clic.
I know people that use the Glow and SMDV mods and they all produce great light, but I prefer to keep them consistent across my setup because they all produce subtly different color. I’ve found the Westcott boxes are a bit cooler/magenta than the Profoto ones for example.
The weight savings alone are worth it for me. We did about 150 headshot sessions last week, with a mix of standing and seated, requiring raising and lowering the strobe several dozen times a day, and it was noticeably less tiring for my assistant with the Clic.
The SMDV Flip offers mounting rings for most common mounts, and it comes in a 44" size, among other shapes. The Glow Parasnap uses a similar mechanism (not umbrella-style) but has fewer mounting options. However, you can purchase rings from SMDV, and they will work with it. The Glow Parasnap’s mechanism is also similar to what Profoto uses.
I was just responding to the previous poster, not making a judgment about whether Profoto being twice as expensive is justified. They might use better materials, but I’m not sure. Their integrated mount could offer greater durability in the long run. That said, the Sterling Silver finish is truly impressive. If your work is color-critical, though, it’s important to check the exact color cast of the silver before committing.
p.1 #11 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
The main reason I like to use Profoto or Elinchrom for my key modifiers is because you can rent them most places. I get a lot of work in NY and SF, and sometimes I just want to fly in with my camera and lenses, and rent everything else locally, and it’s nice to know I won’t have any surprises using the same SBs in my studio as I will on the road. I’m sure Profoto knows they can extort us to reduce a small amount of risk on a job.
hiepphotog wrote:
The SMDV Flip offers mounting rings for most common mounts, and it comes in a 44" size, among other shapes. The Glow Parasnap uses a similar mechanism (not umbrella-style) but has fewer mounting options. However, you can purchase rings from SMDV, and they will work with it. The Glow Parasnap’s mechanism is also similar to what Profoto uses.
I was just responding to the previous poster, not making a judgment about whether Profoto being twice as expensive is justified. They might use better materials, but I’m not sure. Their integrated mount could offer greater durability in the long run. That said, the Sterling Silver finish is truly impressive. If your work is color-critical, though, it’s important to check the exact color cast of the silver before committing....Show more →
p.1 #12 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
I use the Parasnaps with my Profotos and they work great but I think I'm going to grab the 4 foot Octa. I just really like that size and it does look like the speedring is more compact than the Parasnaps. I wouldn't mind the 1x4 strip as well. For those of you with Parasnaps you can also get the Profoto adapters for $20 on AliEpress.
My general location shooting kit is XL, L and M Profoto Deep White Umbrellas with diffusion and then a 44" ParaSnap and 1x3 ParaSnap strip. I use the Godox 1200s for some shoots so it would be nice to keep the Paras with them and have a set of dedicated Profoto soft boxes. It only takes a second to swap the adapters though.
p.1 #13 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
stuuke wrote:
I use the Parasnaps with my Profotos and they work great but I think I'm going to grab the 4 foot Octa. I just really like that size and it does look like the speedring is more compact than the Parasnaps. I wouldn't mind the 1x4 strip as well. For those of you with Parasnaps you can also get the Profoto adapters for $20 on AliEpress.
My general location shooting kit is XL, L and M Profoto Deep White Umbrellas with diffusion and then a 44" ParaSnap and 1x3 ParaSnap strip. I use the Godox 1200s for some shoots so it would be nice to keep the Paras with them and have a set of dedicated Profoto soft boxes. It only takes a second to swap the adapters though. ...Show more →
I think you'd really like it. I've done a bunch of headshot and some family portraits with it in the last few weeks and it's been my go to modifier for location stuff. It sets up and tears down so quick, and it's so light.
p.1 #14 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
sungphoto wrote:
I think you'd really like it. I've done a bunch of headshot and some family portraits with it in the last few weeks and it's been my go to modifier for location stuff. It sets up and tears down so quick, and it's so light.
p.1 #15 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
Both in terms of the space they take up and how robust they seem to be, I agree with OP about the Westcott Rapid Boxes (and the Angler products which appear to be from the same OEM. The Elinchrom, for whatever it's worth, appears to be a moderately different and a somewhat more robust design, although it still has the size problem).
I ended using Glow ParaSnap, which folds flat very similarly to this Profoto, and I consider it to be a vastly better solution. I've switched to that for my strip boxes. For my big rectaboxes I still have Chimeras with the QR speed ring rico has already mentioned, but for strip boxes those are a bit overkill. By the way, I haven't tried the Octa version since I prefer a beauty dish, but Glow does make a ParaSnap Octa in 36" and 44", and all of the Glow stuff has Profoto mount option.
rico wrote:
I swear by the Chimera Quick Release speed ring:
These are the absolute best, I've had mine for 15 years and still going strong. If they'd make an Octa version I'd buy it in a second. Have you ever tried contacting Chimera about buying a replacement insert for it, say to swap from Bowens to Profoto? They're obviously removable, but neither the B&H nor Chimera websites list the inserts by themselves that I've been able to find.
p.1 #16 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
Lee Saxon wrote:
Have you ever tried contacting Chimera about buying a replacement insert for it, say to swap from Bowens to Profoto? They're obviously removable, but neither the B&H nor Chimera websites list the inserts by themselves that I've been able to find.
The catalog lists a dozen OUTER rings that can be substituted, and a diagram for fitment. The inner rings are apparently unavailable but I guess you could purchase an entire polycarbonate SR, extract the inner ring, and throw away the outer. I have a polycabonate Profoto ring waiting for me to upgrade to QRSR form: the savings are there, if modest.
p.1 #17 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
I love my Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octa 100cm, but it doesn’t get as much use now that I got the Profoto Clic 48”, as the latter packs down smaller. The only Westcott rapid modifier I still use frequently is the 24” rapid beauty dish, especially with the fabric grid. Looks like Glow EZ Lock now has a round soft box that is built quite similarly, so if I ever lost the Westcott I’d probably just get a Glow or something similar. Seems like there are a ton of options in that size. My old 36” and 48” rapid boxes always needed straightening of bent ribs. The way they collapse down just makes them particularly susceptible to damage in a case with other mods, stands, etc.
Lee Saxon wrote:
Both in terms of the space they take up and how robust they seem to be, I agree with OP about the Westcott Rapid Boxes (and the Angler products which appear to be from the same OEM. The Elinchrom, for whatever it's worth, appears to be a moderately different and a somewhat more robust design, although it still has the size problem).
I ended using Glow ParaSnap, which folds flat very similarly to this Profoto, and I consider it to be a vastly better solution. I've switched to that for my strip boxes. For my big rectaboxes I still have Chimeras with the QR speed ring rico has already mentioned, but for strip boxes those are a bit overkill. By the way, I haven't tried the Octa version since I prefer a beauty dish, but Glow does make a ParaSnap Octa in 36" and 44", and all of the Glow stuff has Profoto mount option.
These are the absolute best, I've had mine for 15 years and still going strong. If they'd make an Octa version I'd buy it in a second. Have you ever tried contacting Chimera about buying a replacement insert for it, say to swap from Bowens to Profoto? They're obviously removable, but neither the B&H nor Chimera websites list the inserts by themselves that I've been able to find. ...Show more →
p.1 #18 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
To get a Parasnap to work with my Xplor 100 (AD100) lights, what do I need exactly and where can I get it please? Also, do you if anything similar to the Profoto Clic Magnum works with the Xplor 100’s? Love the Magnums but they’re so expensive for what they are.
hiepphotog wrote:
The SMDV Flip offers mounting rings for most common mounts, and it comes in a 44" size, among other shapes. The Glow Parasnap uses a similar mechanism (not umbrella-style) but has fewer mounting options. However, you can purchase rings from SMDV, and they will work with it. The Glow Parasnap’s mechanism is also similar to what Profoto uses.
I was just responding to the previous poster, not making a judgment about whether Profoto being twice as expensive is justified. They might use better materials, but I’m not sure. Their integrated mount could offer greater durability in the long run. That said, the Sterling Silver finish is truly impressive. If your work is color-critical, though, it’s important to check the exact color cast of the silver before committing....Show more →
p.1 #19 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
sungphoto wrote:
Replaced some of my stolen gear (storage got broken into) and instead of getting another 5 ft Profoto RFI octa, I decided to get one of the new Profoto Clic 4 ft octas.....
Just a minor correction with the nomenclature...the "Clic" line of Profoto softboxes only refers to the pop-up softboxes made for the A-Series flashes. The pop-up softboxes, strips and octas for the 100mm diameter heads do not carry the "Clic" name.
Anyways, have you been happy with the durability so far with it? One of the rods on my Clic 2' Octa has already poked through the end, and I have been hesitant on getting the new pop-up softboxes. I don't like the wimpy construction of the RFi line, and might just keep my Chimeras.
p.1 #20 · New lightweight Profoto 4 ft Octa with integrated speedring works great
senna4ever wrote:
Just a minor correction with the nomenclature...the "Clic" line of Profoto softboxes only refers to the pop-up softboxes made for the A-Series flashes. The pop-up softboxes, strips and octas for the 100mm diameter heads do not carry the "Clic" name.
Anyways, have you been happy with the durability so far with it? One of the rods on my Clic 2' Octa has already poked through the end, and I have been hesitant on getting the new pop-up softboxes. I don't like the wimpy construction of the RFi line, and might just keep my Chimeras.
Weird, I swear the display at my local camera store had them shown as Clic modifiers and the profoto website up until recently had them listed as Clic but now they are just shown as softboxes.
Yeah really happy with it so far. I tend to consider softboxes as wear items - we have Elinchrom, Westcott and Profoto RFI softboxes in the studio, and a couple of them have some torn areas at the end of the rods after some heavy use. I have the westcott beauty dish (the round one, not the octa) and though I've had some ribs break on a previous one, am still really happy with the quality of light, and versatility with a non-westcott grid (I got one off amazon for $20-30). I like the Chimera softboxes too, but I usually just use them when I'm renting and typically only their strip boxes. I just tend to like the diffusion material the most on Profoto RFI and Elinchrom boxes.
I hated setting up the old 5 ft RFI octa though. I've almost put an eye out trying to get a rod into a speed ring lol, plus the damn thing is heavy and takes up a lot of room in a travel bag.
