Double Speedlight Bracket for 39" Elinchrom Deep Octa

Anyone know of a reasonably priced double speedlight bracket that works well with the Elinchrom Deep Octa? I have two older Vivatar 285 speedlights that I have had for quite some time and also purchased the deep octa recently.

P.S. My original thought on purchasing the deep octa was to pair it up with a studio strobe but have not purchased that yet. I would like enable the use of it temporarily with a double speedlight bracket. I assume one speedlight might not fill it up sufficiently.

silvermesa1 wrote in post #17858960
Anyone know of a reasonably priced double speedlight bracket that works well with the Elinchrom Deep Octa? I have two older Vivatar 285 speedlights that I have had for quite some time and also purchased the deep octa recently.

P.S. My original thought on purchasing the deep octa was to pair it up with a studio strobe but have not purchased that yet. I would like enable the use of it temporarily with a double speedlight bracket. I assume one speedlight might not fill it up sufficiently.

Hi, IMO 2 Speedlites will be a considerable compromise - but - assuming your Deep Octa has either an Eli or Bowens insert - then - you could use a Godox S bracket designed for either insert and then add Godox's own internal Speedlite cranked arm adapter. See;

http://www.amazon.com …fRID=0MB0PTPBWB​PJJFF6ARKP

These are not perfect, but they place up to four Speedlites internally within the modifier - with the latter held by the Godox S bracket.

silvermesa1 wrote in post #17858960
Anyone know of a reasonably priced double speedlight bracket that works well with the Elinchrom Deep Octa? I have two older Vivatar 285 speedlights that I have had for quite some time and also purchased the deep octa recently.

P.S. My original thought on purchasing the deep octa was to pair it up with a studio strobe but have not purchased that yet. I would like enable the use of it temporarily with a double speedlight bracket. I assume one speedlight might not fill it up sufficiently.

Heya,

Well, a single speedlite actually will handle it fine, up to the 48" size or so and below, just fine. It's more, how close it needs to be to subject that will determine how fine it is or not.

By adding a 2nd speedlite, you get 1 more stop of light, and a little more spread, but not much more spread. This is assuming you're zoomed back at 24mm or 35mm. Two speedlites are ideal if you need to get +1 stop of light but not at full 1/1 power, so that you can shoot at lower power, get more light, and have a faster recycle time, and to get a little more spread for a larger modifier (but really for 48" and below, you really don't need more speedlites for spread, one at 24mm is fine).

That said, I use two speedlites in a key modifier often (48" and 60" reflective umbrellas with covers, "brolly boxes"). I shoot them at lower power (1/4) for the recycle times and number of shots and for the spread at 24mm. I use a basic $25 bracket that allows two speedlites to gang up with an umbrella shaft. I use Yongnuo 560 III's so I don't need transmitters for each light, so ganging up lights for me is not a problem nor a chore, it just adds light.

For the Elinchrom, you need a speed ring that will support more lights, it was made mostly for a single light. The above linked add-on for an s-bracket will hold more speedlites internally in the octa for you.

Very best,

Prepare to go through a lot of batteries. The old 285s are not particularly battery efficient and are dead slow to recycle. I wouldnt bother. Any money you invest in a braclet would better spent on a bargain strobe like a flashpoint or jinbei, or better yet a used monolight.

I just got a Rotalux Deep Octa 39" also. I don't have a speedlite bracket for it, but I tried just now aiming two 600ex-rt into the back of it (both set to 35mm zoom) and I metered f/131 at 1 meter from the front panel on axis and f/8.00 at 2 meters, with both speedlites at full 1:1 power.

That's plenty usable in a lot of situations, provided you don't have to take shots in quick succession, and don't need to freeze motion (since you will need the speedlites near max power and longest flash duration). External battery packs can help overcoming the slow recycling issue. I want to be able to freeze jumps and shoot quicker, so I bought a Rovelight 600b to power this thing. I fully intend to use speedlites in setups along with it, just not in the Octa. For comparison, the Rovelight at full power in the 39" octa measures f/272 at 1 meter and f/190 at 2 meters.

The circular flahshtube of a strobe will be a MUCH better fit then any number speedlights.

I have used a Nissin i40 with the 27.5" Deep Octa and it worked fine. It's was interesting to use a TTL cord and hold the camera in one hand and hold the sbracket/Nissin/deep octa in the other and use the flash in TTL mode. The results were not bad. Flash was set to widest with diffuser.

The Godox 360 is a much better combination with a deep octa.

Kacey has a double speed light bracket available..

Image from their website ~~ http://www.smugmug.com​/photos/548747413_vGZq​k-XL.jpg

Grip gear is more expensive than molded plastic, but you can build anything, and the pieces are both reusable and unbreakable.

I think using speedlights with the 39DO doesn't do that modifier justice. Bare bulb to get the light distribution, else all you're doing is throwing light at the diffuser, which will not be even.

That contraption regardless how durable would be useless in the Deep Octa

HERE is a great source if he is still offering them.

If not let me know, I have a double speedlite bracket and the Eli mount that hasn't been used in quite awhile.

windpig wrote in post #18139275
I think using speedlights with the 39DO doesn't do that modifier justice. Bare bulb to get the light distribution, else all you're doing is throwing light at the diffuser, which will not be even.

The S type adapters I've seen all support the use of the Elinchrom deflectors. The 27.5 came with a deflector. This will solve your even light distribution problem, no?

When I used the Nissin, I used the flash's own built-in diffuser (14mm FF) and the cloth inner diffuser and no front diffuser. If there was unevenness, I did not notice it, but I was taking pictures, not running tests.

F2Bthere wrote in post #18140571
The S type adapters I've seen all support the use of the Elinchrom deflectors. The 27.5 came with a deflector. This will solve your even light distribution problem, no?

When I used the Nissin, I used the flash's own built-in diffuser (14mm FF) and the cloth inner diffuser and no front diffuser. If there was unevenness, I did not notice it, but I was taking pictures, not running tests.

I've not tried a speedlight with either the 27 or 39 DO (I have both), still, why would anybody want to pay the premium for the Elinchrom modifier and use it with a speedligjt when there are cheaper alternatives that would most likely work better?

windpig wrote in post #18140694
I've not tried a speedlight with either the 27 or 39 DO (I have both), still, why would anybody want to pay the premium for the Elinchrom modifier and use it with a speedligjt when there are cheaper alternatives that would most likely work better?

Light weight, convenience and portability. I often have the Nissin and a TTL cable in my bag and almost don't notice it. The 27 only adds the light bag. I can quickly pop the flash and cord on, put it in the reflector and start shooting without having to determine flash exposure and I can vary the subject distance. Adding any other unit means at least another bag, might demand a stand and might demand a plug.

I don't do this often, but I did it at an event where I was taking pictures just for fun to test it. I would practice this method more before using it for serious work, but the results were good. I suggest you try it, just for fun. You might be surprised.

I can imagine this setup being interesting for nightclub shooting, as one example.

Add a serious strobe and you need a stand or an assistant. I could certainly do it with a Godox 360, but then I have to manage a camera in one hand, a flash in a deep octa in the other (which is now substantially heavier) AND a battery pack. Rangers, B1, B2 are all even heavier. Monolights and packs are tied to plugs.

I agree a more serious strobe is usually preferable, but there are situations where this combination would make sense.

And if I had a speedlight and didn't yet have a more serious strobe and I could afford either a deep octa or a more serious strobe, personally, I would get the octa today and save for the more serious strobe later. I know I can get decent results quickly with the Nissin within its power capability. The DO is my favorite modifier and what I would choose if I could have only one.