Parabolix - Just what I've been waiting for!

Was getting too excited too soon (finally something that's not Sinojunk), but alas...

Wake me up when they have adapters for Hensel.

Hmm, just noticed they have a 'universal' adapter. Doesn't look as elegant as a dedicated one, but it might just suit the bill.

Alveric wrote in post #18100507
Hmm, just noticed they have a 'universal' adapter. Doesn't look as elegant as a dedicated one, but it might just suit the bill.

Ha, yes, that's the first thing I asked about also, because they only have the nice cage style one for Profoto so far, and my lights are all Bowens S mount. They said that more dedicated adapters are on their to-do list, but there are technical challenges: the Profoto mount allows the light to slide in and out, but something like a Bowens speedring type mount might leave the flashtube too far recessed into the ring to work properly (light only shining towards the back, not out the sides where it needs to. Probably not an issue for lights with a frosted dome, but definitely for some that have just the bare ring-shaped flashtube.

On the other hand, I don't think I'd feel not anxious by having a 3-kilogram light hanging by its light-former retention brackets; so yea, their universal adapter might be the best solution after all, provided it's as sturdy and iron-gripped as they claim it to be. I'm definitely digging this parabolics now. Hopefully they'll keep manufacturing them in the US forever.

While I will likely get this new para, due to affordable price and I was a para modifiers enthusiast , it will be more or less different from Broncolor para.

The interior surface of Parabolix is slightly pebbled. It will give more scattered light / less focused light than smoother surface.
But It doesn't mean its a bad thing. It might even give more pleasant look, as the guy from the Parabolic said in dpreview :

6) Reflective surface. Using a slightly "pebbled" reflective material does have the effect of producing micro-scattering of the light. This is actually a desirable effect. A true mirror-like reflective surface will produce very harsh lighting on skin and fabric. If you ever see fresnel lights being used on movie or TV sets, they are almost always used with some kind of diffusion paper to soften the light, for exactly this same reason. Truly focused light is like sunlight at noon on a clear day - very harsh, tricky to work with, and not the best option in most cases. Using either a pebbled reflective material, or a soft "matte" reflective material, is a better option.


https://www.dpreview.c​om/forums/thread/40153​51?page=4

Depth comparison of Bron Para 88cm and Parabolix 35 (89cm)

Of course, before some of us pull out the already taxed credit card, we'll need to see actual images taken with these Parabolix things.

Parabolix's models are closer in shape to the Briese equivalents than to Broncolor's versions, but all 3 companies have a mix of very deep and more shallow paras, with different diameters having different aspect ratios.

The big deal here is that these are all true parabolas, not "kinda parabola shaped" imported softboxes that have been retrofit with focusing rods to (unsuccessfully) try to get the same effect (Selens/Cheetahstand, Cononmark, etc). I tried putting a flash head inside my Ricebowl 120, it does not quite focus the way the real thing does.

What Parabolix has managed to do is bring this tech down to the photo enthusiast price bracket. I don't know any self-employed photographers who can afford Briese systems; they are priced like Porsche 911s and generally only seen in huge studios or for rent. The Broncolor paras are substantially cheaper but still not accessible to most amateurs or small studios.

There are examples shot with the Parabolix modifiers on their Instagram feed. But the company is brand new, so you won't find too many other examples.

ezzyz wrote in post #18125875

Hosted photo: posted by ezzyz in
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forum: Flash and Studio Lighting

We got excited and went to LA to spend half a day at Parabolix' studio. I know that this is not an in-depth review of the Parabolix modifiers but I am very enthusiastic about the short time spent playing with these modifiers.

http://www.thebroketog​raphers.com …lix-light-focusing-system

We do plan to run a comparison with our Broncolor Para in real world setting at a later date at the Parabolix studio.

By the way in the article you mentioned about Profoto B1.
Profoto B1 is not suitable for parabolic modifiers due to its strobe head design which send most of the light forward than to all direction. I am not sure if frosted dome can spread the light evenly. But let's your test results.

Well, according to Profoto, their D1/B1/B2 design is fully bare-bulb-capable. I'm sceptical about that, hence I've deemed the B2 'glorified flashguns' in the past, but then again, I haven't played with their strobes myself.

@Ezzyz: aye, that Parabollix vs. Broncolor comparison would be quite neat indeed.

I have no real use for it and no where to even store one, yet I feel that I must have one. . . . .. .

ROFL

nixland wrote in post #18125910
By the way in the article you mentioned about Profoto B1.
Profoto B1 is not suitable for parabolic modifiers due to its strobe head design which send most of the light forward than to all direction. I am not sure if frosted dome can spread the light evenly. But let's your test results.

With the glass dome, they are still more directional than a bare flash tube, obvious if you pop the flash looking at in on-axis, vs 90 degrees off axis. The frosted dome is also going to be a much more diffuse source than a bare bulb. From what I've seen though, the D1/B1 seem to get the desired effect inside Broncolor Paras. It may not be exactly the same distribution or softness of light as with a bare flash tube, but I've never seen a side-by-side comparison.

I have the Parabolix 55" and deep 30" headed my way, and I'll be using them exclusively with the Flashpoint Xplor 600. I have the handheld extension head, which is what I plan to mount on the focusing rod, leaving the power pack at the base of the stand.