Elinchrom Quadra or Ranger?

ed. wrote in post #10587744
haha that's right, with that bag in tow, Luke won't need to come to my Gold Coast workshop anymore because the bag will do everything for him

Haha, any idea when the Workshop is thinking about launching into gear GC style?

I think you may have received an email from a friend as well requesting a spot?

Rai33 wrote in post #10587774
@Rudi - sent you a PM recently re. what I found for the Eli Softlighter

Sorry Rai, I got it, just didn't get back to you yet. I just spent some time in bed with the flu. NOT my favourite to spend time in bed with!

I'll PM you back right now.

mickeyjuice wrote in post #10587778
And, ah, we'd all like to know as well...

I bet you would, Mic.

I'm going to order some Quadras today, I just need to pick a softbox. Decisions decisions

Any recommendations? This is my first foray into Elinchrom gear.

Deep Octa is the way to go. No doubt.

mumbles wrote in post #10588924
Deep Octa is the way to go. No doubt.

Always start with the Deep Octa, build from there.

mickeyjuice wrote in post #10589133
Always start with the Deep Octa, build from there.

I went the other way.

I owned and explored the 53" Midi Octa for a while before getting the 39" Deep Octa. For my purposes and shooting it made more sense.

No matter how great the Deep Octa is, it's not always the best tool or the first tool that an Elinchrom shooter should get, in my opinion.

A good example would be if you did a lot of full length work. The DO is a beautiful modifier that can be feathered for full length but it's far from ideal and not at all the best tool for such work.

So, like anything else, the photographer must assess his/her shooting style and the type of work being done.

Don't get me wrong... I LOVE the Deep Octa. I just don't see it as a singular universally great lightbox.

What size DO and regular octa can be safely used with the Quadra and RQ adapter?

I have the 39" mini octa. I haven't unpacked it yet because I'm still waiting for my quadra. Anyway, I have a shoot coming up with 14 family members on the beach. I'm going to do it near sunset. Think I can light them all with the 39" if I get it back enough? Would it be better to stick a silver deflector in and use it as a beauty dish instead? I originally decided on the 39" instead of the 53" for portability reasons...

I don't know if the spread if wide enough for 14 people, don't forget the inverse square law. Sure you'll have more even light across the group from further back, but your also losing light very fast the further back you go. I'd make sure the sun is rather low on the horizon when you do it.

Personally speaking of course.

Just sold my 53" Octa, I love and use the deep octa for lots of tabletop, still life and for back/edge lighting but generally if I'm going to use an octabox on a face I'll use the 69" Elinchrom, I use that for so much, it's light an easy to set up too.

I was just picking up a new Mola BD and was looking at the Ranger A head, jeeze being used to Elinchrom monolights the Ranger heads are less than half the size, it's the power pack that gets big, I saw a Ranger RX Speed power pack setting near a Quadra power pack and it was like a truck next to a motorcycle, huge difference.

I just wish I could use larger modifiers on the Quadra, it's essentially the same power as my BX400's which work with my 69" Octabox beautifully. If we could just use the Quadra power pack with the Ranger head LOL.

Jannie wrote in post #10591457
If we could just use the Quadra power pack with the Ranger head LOL.

You can. There's a $95 cable adapter that will let you do it.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ter_Cable_for_R​anger.html

TwoShoes wrote in post #10587784
Haha, any idea when the Workshop is thinking about launching into gear GC style?

I think you may have received an email from a friend as well requesting a spot?

If I don't go to photokina then it's September

If you can afford the Octa, get it. It is incredible. It will pardon a lot of sins with your lighting. I haven't tried the Octa with my Quadra yet, has anyone tried the combo?

TMR Design wrote in post #10589158
Don't get me wrong... I LOVE the Deep Octa. I just don't see it as a singular universally great lightbox.

Oh yeah, I agree totally - I just like making definitive statements to unanswerable questions

JDubya wrote in post #10589206
What size DO and regular octa can be safely used with the Quadra and RQ adapter?

I've got the DO and the MidiOcta, and they're fine.

Wwow that could solve a lot of problems for me if I could use a Quadra power pack but I wonder if that will make the Ranger heads fire okay at 400W and if it affects number of shots or recycling tme?