Folding Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Throat octabox

[sdipirro]

I recently purchased one of these and followed the provided instructions to assemble it. Definitely easier than the Photoflex medium octa to assemble. It comes with a nice carrying case, and I understand that one of the advantages of this octa is its portability and that it "folds up like an umbrella." But after wrestling with it to get it together, I wasn't inclined to undo what I had done without first asking how others do it. The instructions only show how to assemble it. Can someone who has one explain the easiest way to fold it for transport, minimizing the amount of effort on the other end? And does it have to be completely disassembled to fit into the carrying case? Thanks.

[TMR Design]

You need to press down on the rods a little near the locking knurled collars to ease the tension. The you pull the collar out slightly and it releases that rod so it can be folded.

The first few times you do it is can be difficult but after a few times you'll get the hang of it and be more comfortable.

Once all the rods have been released you can just fold it up and place it into the carrying case with the speed ring on the bottom.

[Hermes]

Yep, as Robert says, the key is pressing down on the rod so the locking collar isn't under tension and can be pulled out - one of those things that seems impossible at first but soon becomes second nature.

[sdipirro]

Hi, Robert. Thanks for replying, but I'm still confused about "releasing" the rods. Are you removing the rods from the speedring to fold the unit or are you trying to get those pivoting locking slots back into the 90-degree position (used for assembly) but keeping both ends of the rods in their slots? I should have paid more attention during assembly to possible intermediate steps where perhaps it could be folded. Thanks.

[FlyingPhotog]

You leave the rods inserted at both ends. Once you get the knurled sliders out of their holes in the ring, the rods should just stand up straight.

Note too that the carrying case is tapered so the ring end is bigger.

Don't ask me how I figured this out. :rolleyes:

[TMR Design]

The rods stay in place. Once the tension is released and the collars 'hinge' up you just leave everything in place. The rods stay in the holes in the speed ring and in the pockets at the ends of the Octa.

[sdipirro]

Thanks. I'll give this a try. Obviously, the Photoflex octa scarred me for life!

[TMR Design]

You'll adjust. It's cool once you get the hang of it.

[sdipirro]

At the moment, in my "home studio," I'm planning to use it as a more controlled, soft fill light to complement the Photoflex octa w/grid as my key light. But on location, I'd use the Deep Throat as my main light and Ezybox for fill. So I'd like to be able to fold it for transport. I'll leave it assembled for now because I'll be using this week for some family portraits (as the fill light). I think it will work well for this with both diffusion panels. I also have the silver panels in the Photoflex octa with just the outer diffusion panel. And in case anyone cares, I'm going to use the Lastolite Hilite with probably a blue gel (might try a couple of other colors as well). Using Dlite-4's for each of these. My 580EX in the Ezybox hotshoe with rectangular (horizontal) diffusion panel or circular panel will be my back/hair light. That's the plan, if I can squeeze all this into the space I have!