Product Review: Impact Universal Filter Holder

[TMR Design]

This is a review of the Impact Universal Filter Holder. You can find it at B & H (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=359886&is=REG&addedTroughType=search) and many other retailers and online shops.

I'm using Alien Bees strobes and had determined that I did not want to buy their Lite Mod frame to use modifiers on the strobes. This is a great alternative solution for adding colored gels or filters to your Alien Bees and it gives you far greater flexibility in my opinion.

I like this product a lot. It is fully adjustable and lets you position your gels directly in front of the reflector or you can extend the length of the arm to about 14". This is particularly useful if you wanted to use a gel or a neutral density filter in front of a set of barn doors. Another thing I like about this design is that the gels are not sitting so close to the modeling light, and this will save them from warping and melting. Positioning and adjusting the fittings is easy and they stay where you put them without slipping. The holder can be mounted on a lightstand with standard 3/8" or 5/8" stud and can mount to the same stand as the light by adding an extra spigot on top of the stud to mount the strobe on top, or you can mount the holder on a seperate stand and position it in front of your strobe.

The frame is designed to hold 12" x 12" gels and the set of Bogen vivid color gels fit perfectly. They corners of the gel are held with spring clips, making them easy to attach and remove.

I highly recommend this filter holder.
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[MikQuattro]

Thanks for the effort and info Robert, it's appreciated! :)

[StealthLude]

Robert,

Thanks for the picts, now I can see why you were pushing the filter holder, they work awsome with barndoors.

I might have to look into this, ill also have to send you a PM on the barb doors because I think its about time I get 1 of 2 of them for my lighting setup.

[TMR Design]

Robert,

Thanks for the picts, now I can see why you were pushing the filter holder, they work awsome with barndoors.

I might have to look into this, ill also have to send you a PM on the barb doors because I think its about time I get 1 of 2 of them for my lighting setup.

Hi Umesh,

I wasn't sure how it was going to work out until I got it but I really like it. As I've mentioned before and in my review, I think it's a great alternative to using the Alien Bees Lite Mod frame with their accessories.

[samurai]

Robert, thank you very much for posting this. It is much appreciated.

I have a question about the size of the gels this holder can handle. I think I made a mistake buying the Alien Bee gel pack ($50 for 20 gels) and they are 8"x10" in size. Will the Impact holder support that size? Looks like the horizontal support bars (top and bottom) have a hinge in the middle. Can you pull out the hinge joint to bring the clips in and accomodate an 8"x10"?

Also, do you think 8x10 would be too small to use with the barn doors?

Thanks again.

[TMR Design]

Robert, thank you very much for posting this. It is much appreciated.

I have a question about the size of the gels this holder can handle. I think I made a mistake buying the Alien Bee gel pack ($50 for 20 gels) and they are 8"x10" in size. Will the Impact holder support that size? Looks like the horizontal support bars (top and bottom) have a hinge in the middle. Can you pull out the hinge joint to bring the clips in and accomodate an 8"x10"?

Also, do you think 8x10 would be too small to use with the barn doors?

Thanks again.

Hi Samurai,

I'm sorry to say that you are not going to be able to use those 10" x 12" inch gels from Alien Bees with the Impact (or equivalent) filter holder.

Since one of the dimensions of the Alien Bees gels is 12" then you could clip it at top left and top right and leave the bottom hanging. You could also get some small clips and clip the gel on anywhere you want along the frame.

Unfortunately the design does not allow for what you are describing. If you fold the sides of the holder in enough to bring the height down to 10" then it closes the width down at the actual 'hinge' point and will be inside of the reflector perimeter, as shown in the picture below. I've made the height exactly 10".

[cristian]

I have used it and I can't say that it creates problems: it is very flexible and it can fit to suit your tastes.

[TMR Design]

I still use mine. The only thing is that I wish they would be cleare or give some documentation about what it will actually attach to and what won't work.

Myself and a few people I've spoken to made mention of the fact that if you try to attach it to a standard 5/8" stud on the top of a light stand you'll find out quickly that it doesn't work and in the process you'll have a broken piece of plastic.

The holder is designed to slide over a 5/8" riser (not a stud with indentations). As long as you have a riser, stud or light stand that is a constant 5/8" then all is well.

By the way, I've returned 2 of them to B&H because they broke and like an idiot I broke the second one just as I did the first before I finally figured out what the heck was wrong.

[Rudi]

Hi Samurai,

I'm sorry to say that you are not going to be able to use those 10" x 12" inch gels from Alien Bees with the Impact (or equivalent) filter holder.

He should still be able to use them, just attach them at the top and one side with a clothes peg. One corner will end up flapping in the wind - not pretty, but usable. Or... buy a whole new set of gels! ;)

[Cathpah]

The holder can be mounted on a lightstand with standard 3/8" or 5/8" stud and can mount to the same stand as the light by adding an extra spigot on top of the stud to mount the strobe on top, or you can mount the holder on a seperate stand and position it in front of your strobe.

Sorry to bring this thread back from the dead, especially since it's for such a silly question....but might you be able to post a link to a spigot that I can add on top in order to accomodate both the filter and the light? I did a quick search on B&H and this (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/546500-REG/Manfrotto_by_Bogen_Imaging_119_119_Short_16mm_Adap ter.html#reviews)was the best i could come up with, and i'm not sure it's want I want.

thanks ahead of time.

[TMR Design]

Hi Jeff,

Since that posting I've abandoned those filter holders. They will not work with standard spigots and will not tighten down on the stud at the top of a light stand. I had a lot of trouble figuring out exactly how these filter holders were intended to be used and as it turns out they really only work when slid on to the riser of a light stand or an extension arm. The hardware for tightening the mount is made of plastic and very temperamental. It's not like a clamp that will keep closing down as you tighten it. I found out the hard way by trying to tighten it on to a standard stud and in the process it cracked and I had to replace it.

Unless you're going to mount it to an extension arm or disassemble a light stand to slide it on the riser from the bottom then I don't recommend this device. I ended up fabricating brackets myself that would hold securely and work for me.