Elinchrom RX 600s -- Got 'em!

So, I finally pulled the trigger on the Elinchrom RX 600s, with the El Skyport RX radio slave system and 2-7” reflectors. These things are incredibly well made, designed, etc. – I can’t stop drooling. I'm so excited to start testing these, this evening.

Modifiers I'm using include:

Photoflex Q39 soft boxes:
- 2 medium (24”x32”) with 1 set of fabric grids
- 2 large (36”x48”) with 1 set of fabric grids
- 1 extra large (54’x72”)
- 1 medium (5’) Octodome
- Small Halfdome with fabric grids

A number of reflectors, umbrellas, and gobos.
10, 20, 30, and 40 degree grids for reflectors.


I’m not yet familiar with Elinchrom’s line of modifiers. For those who are, what are your favorite modifiers for portraits? Do the Elinchrom soft boxes produce a better quality of light than the Photoflex?

Congratulations Alex. You're going to love using Elinchrom's.

If you're using the Photoflex LiteDome boxes then there is a big difference in quality of light between those and the Elinchrom. If you're using MultiDome then you probably won't see much of a difference.

Hi Robert,

I am using the LiteDome boxes. I just looked at the MultiDome, and the difference seems to be the use of removable gold/solver panels. If the panels are removed, is the light quality the same as the LiteDomes and, thus (if I understand you correctly), not as good as the Elinchrom?

Do you think you may be able to describe how the light quality is better with the Elinchrom boxes? This is something I've wanted to understand; since I haven't used other boxes much, I've speculated that 'better quality of light' refers to the light being more diffuse (so maybe thicker diffusion panels) which creates a softer shadow transition (if that is what's desired).

Hey Alex,

The Photoflex LiteDome has an all white interior and tends to produce very soft light. Removing either or both layers of diffusion material will increase contrast but not to the extent that a silver interior will increase the contrast.

The MultiDome with the silver panels installed gives you light that is close to the Elinchrom but not exactly the same. I think the pebbled silver interior of the Elinchrom modifiers produces light with a unique quality that is different from the generic smooth silver interior in some boxes or from the silver panels of the MultiDome.

I shoot a lot of portraiture and one thing that I've become very aware of is how the boxes with silver interiors add a really bright 'pop' to the eyes of my subjects that isn't there when I use a box with a white interior. I happen to find it very appealing and in my portraiture the eyes are extremely important. It's a very pleasing quality with slightly greater contrast than that of a white box, yet it still retains a very soft quality at the same time.

The Elinchrom pebbled silver interior in their boxes is a bit nicer and more pleasing than the smooth silver panels in the Photoflex MuliDome.

I haven't used other softboxes in the last few years (I had some Bowens boxes back in the day, but to be honest I can't even remember how they compare), but my Elinchrom Rotalux boxes amaze me with how uniform and even the light is, right across the face of the box. Not that it's perfect, but there is no definite hotspot in the middle, as is the case with some softboxes. The silver pebbling on the inside of the box scatters the light very well, and is probably one of the reasons for the even light. The two diffusers probably don't hurt, either.