Genesis 200 vs. Elinchrom 7" Grid Reflector... Oops!

While on my shopping spree at B&H earlier today I picked up an Elinchrom 7" grid reflector and a set of Speedotron 7" grids. If anyone else is planning on doing this, there are two things you should be aware of:

1. The Speedotron grids will fit in the Elinchrom reflector but just barely. The fit is *very* tight and you are advised to resist the temptation to fully seat the grids. If you do, you will find them almost impossible to remove.

2. That big honker of a modeling light on the Genesis flash units has been nothing but trouble from day one. The issue du jour: You cannot mount a grid in the Elinchrom 7" grid reflector with the modeling light in place. Grrrrr. It's as if the gods are trying to force me to buy a set of Style 600 RX's.

Dave F.

Wow Dave. It never occurred to me that the long modeling lamp wouldn't allow for the grids but now that I think about it it makes sense. I keep thinking of the D-Lite's which use a short squat flood type bulb.

I feel badly because I recommended the Speedotron grids. I was told they were a perfect fit but apparently that's not the case.

For your reference, or for others that want a good set of grids that fit perfectly in the Elinchrom 7" grid reflector, the Alien Bees grids do just that. They are $100 for a set of 4, including 10, 20, 30 and 40 degree grids. I own them and use them so I can say with certainty that they work.

TMR Design wrote in post #5727011
Wow Dave. It never occurred to me that the long modeling lamp wouldn't allow for the grids but now that I think about it it makes sense. I keep thinking of the D-Lite's which use a short squat flood type bulb.

I feel badly because I recommended the Speedotron grids. I was told they were a perfect fit but apparently that's not the case.

For your reference, or for others that want a good set of grids that fit perfectly in the Elinchrom 7" grid reflector, the Alien Bees grids do just that. They are $100 for a set of 4, including 10, 20, 30 and 40 degree grids. I own them and use them so I can say with certainty that they work.

No need for you to feel badly, Robert. The Speedotron grids do work with the Elinchrom reflector and the issue with the modeling light would be the same regardless of the brand of grid. The root of all evil is the incredibly poorly thought out modeling light implementation on the Genesis lights.

I have one more adaptation/mod to report on later and I'll tell you right now, the protuberant modeling lights have again crippled an otherwise near perfect mod. Double grrrrrrr!

Dave F.

That long modeling light looks dangerous! I never understood why it has to be so long. Unnecessarily annoying to have to take it out every time you want to use a grid or a gel, so just remember how much money you saved, Dave! (towards that 600RX kit... )

Speaking of grids, I'm just springing for the 8.25" Elinchrom set (with the reflector included). By the time you factor in the $100 that the AB version cost, and the reflector, you're only a few dollars off anyway... and let's not forget that the 8.25" reflector fits the Interfit barndoors as well!

It's amazing that for a product that has so many things right, they screw up the modeling lamps. Considering that so much of the design is 'borrowed' from Elinchrom you would think that they would have followed through and used the same design or changed it once they saw how silly it is.

Has anyone done the research to find out if there are alternative bulbs that are not quite as long?

I saw someone here post a photo with a shorter (what looked like) halogen bulb, but I can't find it now...

P.S. I think it's hilarious that even their (original) protective caps did not fit with the modeling lights installed! LOL

TMR Design wrote in post #5730158
Has anyone done the research to find out if there are alternative bulbs that are not quite as long?

Do chickens have lips? Of course I've researched this, Robert, and posted my findings quite a while ago.

The shortest functional equivalent that bulbmongers could suggest is shown here next to the Calumet original:

Thanks Dave,

I think that when you originally posted those findings I had not tested or expressed an opinion about them so it probably went right by me.

The protective covers were an easy fix for them because it didn't require redesigning or re-engineering the strobe itself. I think the chances of an upgrade to these units is slim. If anything I could see a newer model or a change for future models so it seems like that is the 1 negative strike against the Genesis strobes. It's not terrible but rather inconvenient.

I should have known it was you, Dave...