Anyone make a small octobox

[Jannie]

I've been shooting a lot of food this week and using my octaboxes a lot. I've got the Deep 39", 53", and 69". I really like that the spectral reflection is round or more that it is not square and was wondering if anyone makes one smaller or even one that works with speedlights or could be used with the Kacey speedlight adapter?

[Jannie]

Would love it if Elinchrom made a 27" Deep octa or even 24" for studio work. I love the Deep 39" but sometimes I want to squeeze in closer and having the smaller parabolic would be lovely. I've been experimenting with Lumiquest 80-20 with the front diffusion placed really close to the subject with nice results and something in between that could be used with my BX400's would be nice. May just have to go with the Elinchrom square 27" because i's available.

[mufutau55]

Well, Interfit does make a 24" Octabox, see below:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/331861-REG/Interfit_PSOR60_Octobox_24_.html

Mufutau

[Conner999]

Small BD with front diffuser/sock?

[Jannie]

I forgot about the BD with a sock and without, I have one tucked back in the closet and it's a 17".

The interfit looks pretty good, and you can get a Elinchrom adaptor ring, modify the Quadra adaptor by adding a support plate for a speedlight and this might be a pretty handy setup. Or maybe there's a way to work this with the Kacey speedlight adaptor. But adding all of that makes it pretty pricy, will try my BD first.

[Jannie]

Just set up the 17" BD with and w/o the diffuser sock and it's stunning, I need to look no further. Thanks, I tried it on some product shots when I first got it and lost interest and put it in the back of the closet and basically forgot about it. It really has a wonderful look, want to go shopping for beets at the farmers market this weekend and I'll give it a try.

Funny but having worked also all week with the 69" octabox, as I sit here looking at it and the Deep 39", the latter looks really small lol. This is fun.

[TMR Design]

Hi Jannie,

You may also want to check out this reflector.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/16864-REG/Elinchrom_EL_26137_10_1_4_High_Performance_Reflect or.html

I have one and it's very cool. Quite deep parabolic shape and it gives you very directional, high contrast light.

[Jannie]

Whoa, I'd fogotten someone posted about one of those last year and I don't remember seeing examples of photos from it but it makes a lot of sense. I was just about to post a question if any strobe/fresnel lights are made, something with about a 8-10" lens but I know it would be way over the top expensive. But I'm a huge fan of paraboic lights, I used to have a huge Mole Richardson 2000W focusable one I carried often to food shoots when shooting commercials, but it was too clumsy. Robert that might just do the job for the low punchy side light I like so much when doing table top.

Is this the one that is often referred to as a good one for sports because it has such a long throw; there were two in that size if I remember right.

I'm off to interview some beets for a photo shoot hopefully today but when I get back I might call my local store and see if they have one of those reflectors in stock.

I feel as if my lighting kit is really getting a nice balance, also thinking it might be worth it to get a third BX400 head but for now the speedlights are working well for additional accent.

[TMR Design]

Hi Jannie,

Yes, that is the one that is used for sports. It's called a high performance reflector.

[Hermes]

Whoa, I'd fogotten someone posted about one of those last year and I don't remember seeing examples of photos from it but it makes a lot of sense. I was just about to post a question if any strobe/fresnel lights are made, something with about a 8-10" lens but I know it would be way over the top expensive. But I'm a huge fan of paraboic lights, I used to have a huge Mole Richardson 2000W focusable one I carried often to food shoots when shooting commercials, but it was too clumsy. Robert that might just do the job for the low punchy side light I like so much when doing table top.

Is this the one that is often referred to as a good one for sports because it has such a long throw; there were two in that size if I remember right.

I'm off to interview some beets for a photo shoot hopefully today but when I get back I might call my local store and see if they have one of those reflectors in stock.

I feel as if my lighting kit is really getting a nice balance, also thinking it might be worth it to get a third BX400 head but for now the speedlights are working well for additional accent.

You have a few options.

You can get a fresnel adaptor similar to the one Elinchrom used to make here:- http://walimex.nuna.ch/product_info.php/info/p810_walimex-Fresnel-Spot-VC-K-DS--Nr--15892.html

As Rob pointed out you've also got the high performance reflectors. The two largest ones (maxi-spot and maxi-lite) are the same size/shape but with different finishes and are incredibly crisp.

You could also get yourself an expensive but brilliant Mola Setti which is about the size you were looking at (28"), perfectly round and can be focussed - makes even the deep octa look tame.

[TMR Design]

Hi Hermes,

I was wondering about this adapter. I've had a real interest in Fresnel and continuous lighting for a while now and I see that this adapter costs roughly what it would cost to get some of the name brand Fresnels with reasonable amounts of power.

How does the adapter compare to a dedicated Fresnel light and are you able to use the modeling lights with the adapter to model the subject?

[Hermes]

Hi Hermes,

I was wondering about this adapter. I've had a real interest in Fresnel and continuous lighting for a while now and I see that this adapter costs roughly what it would cost to get some of the name brand Fresnels with reasonable amounts of power.

How does the adapter compare to a dedicated Fresnel light and are you able to use the modeling lights with the adapter to model the subject?


Hi Rob,

I haven't ordered one yet - I can't be 100% sure from the pictures or blurb whether or not you can focus/change the angle of spread of the light like you can with real fresnels and the adapters made by Elinchrom and Bron. The latter have a slider with angles marked out for adjustment. You might be able to adjust the walmex ones with the knob on the bottom right but that's just a guess based on the sentence "Therewith the scattering angle can be changed quickly."

I'd imagine it would be indistinguishable from a 'hot' fresnel in photos. Normally the front lens is fixed and the angle of spread is changed by moving the light source closer or further from it. Can only guess that these work by having a second moveable lens so the light source can also stay fixed.

It has vents and is made of metal so you should be able to use modelling lights to some degree. Can't find anyone who owns one to answer these questons so i may just have to take the risk and order one myself sooner or later

[Hermes]

Few more pictures here:- http://www.foto-walser.biz/shop/Artikel/3165/266/Light_Control_walimex_pro_Universal_Fresnel_Box_Pr ofoto.htm

[TMR Design]

I'm intrigued. Not enough to run out and buy one at this time, but very intrigued.

[Cathpah]

Few more pictures here:- http://www.foto-walser.biz/shop/Artikel/3165/266/Light_Control_walimex_pro_Universal_Fresnel_Box_Pr ofoto.htm

Looks very cool and pretty darn simple (the way I like it!).

[george m w]

Hi Jannie,
I know you said you found a solution to your lighting situation, but would a 'brolly box" from Paul C Buff work ? They are small, light, inexpensive and fold down to just a tube about 20" long. I picked one up since they don't cost much and I figure I can use it for times when I'm outside and the wind might be a factor on the bigger softbox. Just a thought.

[Jannie]

I'll look at the Brolly Box.

Re Fresnels: the point where a fresnel really becomes magic is when they are set on full flood or it's widest coverage, the beams are most parallel and it's the easiest to cut with a flag/gobo and this gives you the most control, like when you want that beautiful light coming through a window and leaving a pattern on the interior. The bigger the lens the sweeter the light. I mostly used Mole Richardson hot lights for quartz and later many of the Arri lights (loved their cameras). Later I was shooting mostly with HMI's which were LTM's and Arri mostly and they were all good.

The nicest small fresnel light that you can plug into a wall socket is the 2000w version and as I said the wider the lens the sweeter the light. Fresnels do not put out the amount of light that an open face will but a combination of both works just fine. If I was going to diffuse it through a silk or bounce off a 4x8 foam core or bead board, I'd use open faced lights, direct light, even if I added diffusion to the barn doors would generally be a fresnel. If you use something very light like one of the 1/2 frost type diffusions or 1/4 by Lee or Rosco, you can place a full width sheet off the roll about 5' long about 4 or 5' in front of the light, hanging off a c arm and the fresnel still offers a wonderful look and yet still punchy, much nicer than an open face but looses the crispness and control of a clear fresnel.

Shooting commercials we generally found most studios stocked quartz fresnels up to 10,000w with an occasional one that had a 20,000 watt which was one of the loveliest lights I've ever worked with. That and the Big Eye Tenner (large lensed 10,000w and the old fashioned Brute Arc's which are still my favorite but labor intensive for everyone. These have sort of been replaced by 12,000w HMI's which don't even come close for power or look but are daylight balanced and although horribly expensive to rent, are at all rental houses.

For table top though if just using hot lights, I'd try for at least one 2,000w and two 1,000w, add a few inkies (100-200w tiny fresnels) and you can do a lot. But at 100ISO you may only be shooting at f4 unless getting into the quite low shutter speeds which of course you can.

I'm loving having the power of the angels in strobes so I don't think I'll be going back to hotlights just to get a fresnel. I'd want to see what the adaptor units do before I put the money into them, I don't know how they'd work with the ring type strobe bulb which makes for a wide source. The point of how a fresnel works is taking the smallest point source of light and then aiming it with the fresnel lenses. If you get the chance some time, check out the lighthouse fresnels, they are stunning, mostly made in France and a 1,000 watt bulb will make that light seeable 30 miles away, awsome.

[RichNY]

Hi Hermes,

I was wondering about this adapter. I've had a real interest in Fresnel and continuous lighting for a while now and I see that this adapter costs roughly what it would cost to get some of the name brand Fresnels with reasonable amounts of power.

How does the adapter compare to a dedicated Fresnel light and are you able to use the modeling lights with the adapter to model the subject?

This has a pretty decent sized lens- 8.6" You'd need an Arri 2000 Watts fresnel to get this large a lens.

[TMR Design]

Yes but we have yet to see anything or hear from an owner/user. I'm a little leery of the adapter vs. a dedicated Fresnel and you can get a fairly powerful Fresnel for the cost of the adapter.

[Hermes]

Hmmm, maybe seeing the price of of Broncolor's version of the adapter will convince you all of what a bargain this is :) - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7127-REG/Broncolor_12_3135_Pulso_Flooter_S_Fresnel.html

And here is the no longer manufactured Elinchrom version it seems to be directly copied from:- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Elinchrom-spot-lite-S35-Flooter_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a10Q7c66Q3 a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c293Q3a2Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2e c0Q2em14QQhashZitem58818c68daQQitemZ380130584794QQ ptZUKQ5fPhotographyQ5fStudioEquipmentQ5fRLQQsaleno tsupported

Looking at these pictures, it seems that the knob on the walimex fresnel must be for changing the beam spread. It comes with barndoors too whereas the Elinchrom ones are like gold-dust.

As for the ring-shaped flashtube, just about every hot fresnel I've used has a cone-shaped reflector behind the luminary which is comparable to elinchrom's flashtube & backplate setup. Elinchrom state on their adapter that it zooms from 25 degrees to 70 degrees which is quite respectable and would seem to suggest that the lens doesn't have any trouble focussing the light from the flashtube.

Just found that these adapters are also on eBay ending soon with 'best offer' turned on.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/walimex-pro-Fresnel-Box-mit-Universalanschluss_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q 3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1683Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294 Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3911Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem518b225e 37QQitemZ350226636343QQptZDEQ5fElektronikQ5fComput erQ5fFotoQ5fCamcorderQ5fBlitzeQ5fPMQQsalenotsuppor ted

Must... resist.