The Elinchrom Maxilite (aka Fireball) Sample Images Thread

I wish I had been a touch less blunt in how I reacted to the "any reflector" statement. I blame too much espresso combined with ice cream .

I read back a few posts and I think Bobyz is asking a sincere question earlier when he asked wouldn't a beauty dish of similar size deliver similar results (I presume he means the silver high output from Paul Buff when he said 22") or the 18" Omni reflector. I haven't used those two, so I can't say with confidence one way or the other. But I do think that is a fair question.

As a guess, I think that the silver 22" beauty dish might, in fact, deliver a similar quality of light to one of the configurations of the maxilite with a deflector in it if they were set at appropriate distances, etc. I haven't done a lot with the deflectors in place on the maxilite, but I have run a few experiments. I mostly use it without the deflectors. I will say that the deflectors make the fireball more beauty dish-like and that the difference in results from the different deflectors wasn't quite what I would have predicted. For example, I would have expected more warming from gold than I got.

The deflectors make the maxilite more similar to a beauty dish than the maxilite is without the deflector. Without the deflector, it is more contrasty, providing a darker shadow.

My experience with a beauty dish is mostly with a mola demi, which is white. I have also used a Profoto beauty dish (also white) and a bowens/travellite 16" dish (again in white), so I lack direct experience with a silver beauty dish. They seem to generate more contrasty light than white from what I have seen from others.

I doubt the 22" will be super similar to the maxilite without a deflector (I might be wrong...only a direct test will say), since this sunlight quality seems fairly unique (the Profoto Magnum is similar) and is more in the territory of a fresnel than the territory of a beauty dish.

And to be fair, the unique qualities of a given modifier are often harder to discern when competing with daylight because there are significant variables at play in how the light is balanced with ambient and the actual ambient conditions. The only real way to test is side by side or in studio conditions with a single light source and the same photographer. In all cases, the photographers skill is a much bigger factor.

So someone with direct experience will be needed to confirm, but the AB 22" silver BD seems like a fair contender to certain configurations.

The shape of the reflector is going to determine, among other things, how the resultant light transitions from full light to no light. If you have three reflectors, all 18" in diameter, all with the same interior finish, but one is a cone, one is a hyperboloid, and one is a parabola, you're going to get very different looks out of them. That's why I'm confident in saying that the PCB 22" HOBD or the 18" Omni won't look anything like the Fireball. The shapes are just very different.

Still, no one has addressed my actual question which is if the conversion to Balcar mount will put the flashtube in a bad spot compared to where the flashtube would be on a Elinchrom-native installation.

Adding to comments by F2Bthere, I use the white Profoto BD as a harder light by pulling it back, and any light source will behave similarly at distance. The Maxilite, being a parabolic, will throw light much more efficiently while being hard at any distance. A BD, whether white or silver, cannot compete in that role. Similarly efficient dishes include the PCBuff 11" Long Throw, Profoto TeleZoom and NarrowBeam (both parabolic). The Profoto Magnum (my personal fav) dish is comparatively soft and less efficient.

Cheetah Colt 45 also

Profoto TeleZoom Reflector
Broncolor P45
Elinchrom Maxilite
Cheetahstand Colt45
all produce the same look and have long throw. I love how people will say I can do the same thing with a 7" reflector and get the same look.

You can watch the videos below that with explain reflectors

https://youtu.be/jnPoq​jDYSis

https://youtu.be/zWvNC​3Aj_Vo

Probably 7" was exaggeration on my part. But for outside day time, it will be very hard to tell any of these reflectors from each other. Inside the studio I would agree you will see the subtleties.

Seems Phottix also had one for blacar mount. I might try to pick one up.

https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …8P8HAQ&is=REG&s​ku=1297249

Bowen seem to have this also:
http://www.bowensusa.c​om/reflectors/maxilite​-reflector
or this
http://www.bowensusa.c​om …igh-performance-reflector

williaty wrote in post #18363956
Still, no one has addressed my actual question which is if the conversion to Balcar mount will put the flashtube in a bad spot compared to where the flashtube would be on a Elinchrom-native installation.

I've converted a couple Fireballs over to use with Bowens and PCB strobes, using the SP Studio Systems adapters. They are low profile and they are 5 1/2" which makes them ideal for the Fireball conversion. The Elinchrom adapter, which is just riveted on, is also 5 1/2" so it's an easy conversion. You can put the two adapters back to back to drill your holes and they also fit perfectly in the indention on the inside of the Fireball.

The PCB mount is rather low profile to begin with so I have never experienced any issues with the flash tube being in a "bad spot" with any modifier I have converted. My first experience using a Fireball was with an AB400 in mid day sun. That setup was not by choice but by circumstance (long story). I was rather surprised at how efficient the Fireball was and I never lacked for flash power during the shoot.

Here's a couple of pics of the PCB conversion.

agv8or wrote in post #18364474
I've converted a couple Fireballs over to use with Bowens and PCB strobes, using the SP Studio Systems adapters. They are low profile and they are 5 1/2" which makes them ideal for the Fireball conversion. The Elinchrom adapter, which is just riveted on, is also 5 1/2" so it's an easy conversion. You can put the two adapters back to back to drill your holes and they also fit perfectly in the indention on the inside of the Fireball.

The PCB mount is rather low profile to begin with so I have never experienced any issues with the flash tube being in a "bad spot" with any modifier I have converted. My first experience using a Fireball was with an AB400 in mid day sun. That setup was not by choice but by circumstance (long story). I was rather surprised at how efficient the Fireball was and I never lacked for flash power during the shoot.

Here's a couple of pics of the PCB conversion.

Thanks for the confirmation. However, the SP Studio Systems adapter rings for the Balcar mount (all PCB stuff) is no longer made. Does anyone know of any other 5.5" adapter rings on the market?

What happened to the Maxilite?

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1483359

F2Bthere wrote in post #18398392
What happened to the Maxilite?

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1483359

It's listed as discontinued everywhere I could find. I called around to every Elinchrom dealer in this half of the country. Eventually Adorama was able to find one for me (they seemed to think it was the last one they had), which arrived yesterday. It was nice and sunny in the evening for golden hour and just before but my wife was tired and I didn't want to force her to be a model just so I could test the Fireball out. Today, I wake up, check the forecast, and I'm not supposed to see the sun again for over a week! Figures...

bobbyz wrote in post #18364304
Probably 7" was exaggeration on my part. But for outside day time, it will be very hard to tell any of these reflectors from each other. Inside the studio I would agree you will see the subtleties.

Seems Phottix also had one for blacar mount. I might try to pick one up.

https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …8P8HAQ&is=REG&s​ku=1297249

Bowen seem to have this also:
http://www.bowensusa.c​om/reflectors/maxilite​-reflector
or this
http://www.bowensusa.c​om …igh-performance-reflector

To a person thats never used them all yes it will be hard for those people to tell the difference. I can tell the difference between a 5" 7" 9" reflector

williaty wrote in post #18398636
It's listed as discontinued everywhere I could find. I called around to every Elinchrom dealer in this half of the country. Eventually Adorama was able to find one for me (they seemed to think it was the last one they had), which arrived yesterday. It was nice and sunny in the evening for golden hour and just before but my wife was tired and I didn't want to force her to be a model just so I could test the Fireball out. Today, I wake up, check the forecast, and I'm not supposed to see the sun again for over a week! Figures...

Glad I have a stock pile if thats true

Desert shoot, Arizona. MaxiLite on a C-stand. Was a very windy day.

Elinchrom RX AS Speed battery pack. Light was at least 8 feet up maybe 20 feet from the model. C-stand had an adjustable leg, making it great for uneven terrain.

I checked the area for snakes other critters before walking the model in to the location. Arizona has a few. Since the shoot was in the morning, the little guys like to come out lay around for a bit. Snakes are not a big deal. Shy little guys. People are not on their menu. In all the years here in AZ, I've only run into two rattlers. I assume more have seen me.

Real nice there!

windpig wrote in post #18403443
Real nice there!

Thanks. A Nikon D300 and an 80-200 work just fine.