elinchrom stand attachment cheap

[cdmonkey]

I have had 2 dlite heads locking arms come off, they are cheap molded plastic so im not surprised. but now one head the nut has gone through the plastic which means the head is now flopping about.

can you get better stronger head holders(not sure what else to call them)

none of my large modifiers feel secure on.

[Hermes]

http://www.theflashcentre.com/stand-tilt-locking-handle-i2605.html

Get one of those for each light and a bolt to thread it onto.

[Rudi]

AFAIK, the swivel mounts on D-Lites can be replaced with better ones (higher-up Elinchrom parts), but it won't be a simple swap! I'm sure someone who has done something similar (Hermes?) will pipe up here soon enough.

EDIT: Beat me to it! :D

[Hermes]

Damn right I did :)

And it's a 2-minute swap btw. The only thing you might have to do that takes any effort at all is cut down the bolt with a hacksaw if you can't find one in the right length.

[hawk911]

I bought a heavier handle from Rockler store to replace the lever. Mine is rock solid now!

[cdmonkey]

Thanks guys, hermes which one did you replace it with.

[Rudi]

From the description, I wasn't sure but thought that the OP might need to replace the whole swivel mount (which, IIRC, you have also done on some of your equipment in the past). If this is all they need, then all the better. And thanks for piping up so fast, Hermes! :)

[cdmonkey]

yeah it looks like I will need to buy one of these, but I would like something stronger


http://www.theflashcentre.com/d-lite-stand-tilt-head-complete-i2607.html

[Hermes]

Thanks guys, hermes which one did you replace it with.

Did it to my D-lite 4s before I sold them.

All you need is the standard handle (which I posted a link to), and a steel bolt in the right thread (can't remember which I'm afraid but it was a normal metric thread) which will insert into the other side of the tilt mechanism where the nut currently is and screw into the handle.

Tricky to describe but once you've taken it apart I'm sure you'll see what I mean.

[slivr]

Same thing happened to me with my Genesis lights. I got a heavier-duty replacement as well. The materials used and some of the design layout for the Genesis lights are very similar in to the D-Lites so it's no surprise to me they exhibit similar issues. Once I had my replacement bolt and handle the fix took about a minute. :)

[cdmonkey]

thanks will look into it, pain tho as I have a shoot tomrrow and i was hopeing to try my new 70cm dish and grid, but not sure if the mount will take the weight on my other light

[Hermes]

yeah it looks like I will need to buy one of these, but I would like something stronger


http://www.theflashcentre.com/d-lite-stand-tilt-head-complete-i2607.html

You mean you need to replace the whole mount with something better?

That's much harder and probably not worth it tbh. Just repair them with the original D-lite mount, sell them and replace them with more durable lights - that's what everyone else here has done.

The D-lites just aren't designed to take big, heavy modifiers and I don't think you'll ever be fully happy that they won't fail.

[cdmonkey]

thought as much, shame as the lights fit my needs perfectly other than that.

time to start having a look around.

[cdmonkey]

if I was to buy a new head and sell one of my dlite4 what head would people recommend?

[Hermes]

Still not sure whether the new BXRis have the same mount as the D-lites or not - if they use a better mount then they'd be the obvious choice.

If it can wait a few days then I'll check for you next week when I'm down at the flash centre.

[MR do little]

No the D-lites and BXri dont share the same mount, the BXri is more similar to the RX/FX/BX but not as sturdy.

[Hermes]

No the D-lites and BXri dont share the same mount, the BXri is more similar to the RX/FX/BX but not as sturdy.

The main thing is, are the tilt handles friction-fitted to the heads of the bolts and liable to snap off at any time like the D-lites'?

[hawk911]

the problem is you can't get the handle tight enough with the current design. You need a solid lever. The rockler handle has a 2-piece handle where the lever is one piece, and a bolt that attaches separately. I'll throw up a picture later, but the part number is previously posted. I'll dig that out too.

edit: here's the thread: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=561365&highlight=lever

[cdmonkey]

ive thrown a bodge job fix together for the moment its a thinner bolt but has a wider end which I have also added a washer to to distribute the pressure a bit, I then just use and allen key.

Works ok for now till the replacement that ive ordered arrives.

The beauty dish fits on ok, buts its a 3rd party dish so that adaptor dosnt fit quite as well but when i add the beauty dish the weight is to much, there goes that idea.

I might get bx kit and sell my dlite 4 kit and keep my dlite 2

[MR do little]

D-lites


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/multiple_images/item_images/IMG_95442.jpg

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/multiple_images/item_images/IMG_95443.jpg

BXRi
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/multiple_images/item_images/IMG_75427.jpg

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/multiple_images/item_images/IMG_75408.jpg

[Hermes]

I worked with some BXRis today.

The handle isn't as delicate as the D-lites but it still feels a lot more liable to break than the RXs. The friction mount doesn't appear to be very strong either and it wouldn't hold some of my heavier modifiers upright. The RXs manage to do this with no slipping at all. On the plus side, the BXRi's seem to respond to the skyports much faster and being able to adjust from the transmitter in half-stops makes them easier to work with.

Overall they seem to be better all-around lights than the D-Lites but I still wouldn't recommend them for a professional setup as the mount just doesn't seem tough enough.

On another note, I spoke to my dealer and he said the RXs are currently being redesigned to incorporate all the new advances in the BXRis and will probably be out in the second half of next year. If they add the built-in skyports with no physical switch to change groups then that would put me off a bit. If they cheap out on the mount like they have done with the D-Lites, BXRis and the Quadra heads, then I don't see myself buying any more Elinchrom strobes at all.

[slivr]

Sorry to throw this tip in so late for you, Carl - but if you're mounting weighty modifiers to the front of the D-Lite you can always grab a short bungy-cord for the back side of your light. Clip it to the handle then stretch it down to clip to one of your light stand handles to offset the weight in front. I often do that with my Genesis when I'm attaching a 22" beauty dish, otherwise it wants to slowly creep downwards during a shoot until it's pointed below the model's face. Arrgghh!