Wescott Apollo Speedlight Kit...Need Help

Hi, I have just purchased this one, and am having an awful time setting it up.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …dlight_Set_.htm​l#features

On the bottom, where the light stand comes up into the softbox and zippers closed, the softbox is tilting upwards, not level.

What am I doing wrong? It looks so simple.

Can anybody help me, pictures of it set up?

Thanks, Kath

sunnybeach wrote in post #8247798
Hi, I have just purchased this one, and am having an awful time setting it up.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …dlight_Set_.htm​l#features

On the bottom, where the light stand comes up into the softbox and zippers closed, the softbox is tilting upwards, not level.

What am I doing wrong? It looks so simple.

Can anybody help me, pictures of it set up?

Thanks, Kath

Hi Kath,

Pictures of the setup are seen on the B&H and the Westcott site. Perhaps you can show us a picture of what your looks like. The box obviously should not be tilting up.

Are you using a standard umbrella adapter? If so then it sounds like you're installing the umbrella rod the wrong way or that you have the adapter upside down. If you're using an umbrella adapter then you want the half with the hole for the umbrella rod at the top and you want the umbrella rod installed so it is angled down as it enters the adapter.

I think I figured it out. I didn't realize that the softbox rod need to go almost all the way through the bracket, and everytime you change the angle of the softbox, you also need to move the rod further in or out.

That makes the flash pretty darn close to the back of the softbox. Does that sound right?

Thanks, Kath

No, that doesn't sound right. Changing the angle of the softbox does not require any other adjustments to keep things right. Show us a picture of your setup please.

The amount you insert the rod is really determined by the center of the box where the light stand enters from below. The flash shouldn't be any closer to the back than the distance from the back to the central opening for the stand.

Kath,

First check your tilter bracket...some have the umrella hole angled to allow the flash head to aim more to the center of umbrellas.

Second, the Apollos do limit the amout of usable up/down tilt because of the length of the zippered entry slots.

To get around this problem, I use a Bogen/Manfrotto stand extension to place my tilter bracket outside the Apollo.

Go here to see the seutp: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/davedct/

David