DIY: Elinchrom Mount & Speedlight Flash

First, let me give credit where credit is due.

Dave F. (tetrode) found the Elinchrom accessory mounts (EL22061) and created this DIY, demonstrating how to adapt a shoe mount flash to the Elinchrom accessory mount.

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=725198

After receiving one of those mounts from Dave I went into design mode, taking his idea a little further, involving a bit more engineering. Although I'm not an engineer, nor do I play one on TV, I can work with tools and translate ideas from paper to raw materials.

My idea is based on the Photoflex plastic speed ring (AC-B200SC). I used aluminum and steel to construct the bracket and a variety of hardware to assemble the components.

Although I'm calling this a DIY it's more of a DIM (do-it-myself) because I'm really not trying to lay out plans or a parts list for others to follow. This was a project that gives me a very strong and sturdy assembly for using my Speedlight (Nikon SB-900) with any Elinchrom accessory I choose, be it reflectors, deflectors, barn doors, Rotalux boxes and Octa's, and any modifiers with an Elinchrom mount such as my Speedotron beauty dish or standard Photoflex boxes on Elinchrom speed rings.

Since I designed the bracket for me and my SB-900 I did not make it adjustable other than to provide small movements up or down and to move the flash slightly further forward or backward. If I were to use it with any other flash it would probably be a Nikon SB-800. I was not trying to build something that is universal, although that would be easy to accomplish if need be.

For the cold shoe's, I chose the Flash Zebra #0137 over the popular Stroboframe shoe. I like the more stealthy, all black design and prefer the more substantial black knob over the small red one on the Stroboframe. Since I was also using my own 1/4"-20 screws I didn't need the knob-like screws supplied with the Stroboframe so it made more sense to go with the FlashZebra cold shoe.

I wanted to be able to take advantage of the Elinchrom deflectors with the wide angle reflector and the Speedotron beauty dish so I included a deflector holder with a set screw rather than trying to replicate the Elinchrom friction mount. It didn't make much sense to have a deflector without a back plate to bounce the light from but I hadn't done any testing to see if this was going to work or work the same with a large rectangular flash head as opposed to the smaller round flash tube found in strobes. So, I took a tupperware lid, cut it to shape, covered it with crumpled tin foil and then added a piece of black foam to cover the back of the mount, preventing light loss, which would diminish the effect of the bounced light.

OK, on to the images.

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Here I show the mount with the flash and Pocket Wizard.

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These shots show the deflector and back plate.

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Various Elinchrom reflectors mounted.

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Robert, the mount really came out looking great. It was hard to fully appreciate all the work you were putting into this design over the phone as well as the amount of work to build it. Btw, your product shots of this came out looking really nice as well.

Thanks Rich. As you know, it took quite a bit of time and brainstorming but it came together nicely. Im really thrilled with the final product and the results I'm getting.

Now I just have to install the locking mechanism and do some tests for lighting patterns and coverage.

It never ceases to amaze me the sheer talent and ingenuity consistently shown by Robert, and others, on this forum. I can barely add 1+2.

And as Rich said, excellent product photography also. I can only imagine the effort this entire project took.

Very well done indeed.

mark

TMR Design wrote in post #8372409
Thanks Rich. As you know, it took quite a bit of time and brainstorming but it came together nicely. Im really thrilled with the final product and the results I'm getting.

Now I just have to install the locking mechanism and do some tests for lighting patterns and coverage.

Nicely done - maybe think about using the PW screw mount hole instead of mounting the PW by it's shoe (and the flash zebra cold shoe) - whenever I can I always mount my PW's buy their screw mount.

Twist your metal PW mounting arm to properly position the PW into the ideal position and mount with a single screw.

MDJAK wrote in post #8372598
It never ceases to amaze me the sheer talent and ingenuity consistently shown by Robert, and others, on this forum. I can barely add 1+2.

And as Rich said, excellent product photography also. I can only imagine the effort this entire project took.

Very well done indeed.

mark

Thanks very much Mark. It's been a while. Hope you are well.

Palladium wrote in post #8372722
Nicely done - maybe think about using the PW screw mount hole instead of mounting the PW by it's shoe (and the flash zebra cold shoe) - whenever I can I always mount my PW's buy their screw mount.

Twist your metal PW mounting arm to properly position the PW into the ideal position and mount with a single screw.

Thanks man. I actually prefer having the Pocket Wizard on a cold shoe for this type of application. When I'm using strobes I mount a Superclamp to the light stand riser with a spigot and the 1/4"-20 thread in the back of the Pocket Wizard but the spigot makes it impossible to change batteries without unscrewing it from the PW.

excellent design, how much time did the project take, to plan and implement?

abdul10000 wrote in post #8372802
excellent design, how much time did the project take, to plan and implement?

Thanks Abdul. Designing all the little details and getting it all to work took me about 3 or 4 days, working on and off. Since I don't design on CAD and the only drawings are rough, I tend to engineer projects like this as I'm building it. From start to finish I would say it took about 8 or 10 hours to complete based on having a working design in my head and on paper.

TMR Design wrote in post #8372831
Thanks Abdul. Designing all the little details and getting it all to work took me about 3 or 4 days, working on and off. Since I don't design on CAD and the only drawings are rough, I tend to engineer projects like this as I'm building it. From start to finish I would say it took about 8 or 10 hours to complete based on having a working design in my head and on paper.

it took some time, but the results are well worth it.

now you just have to test the light coverage. You only have 1 adapter correct? It would be awesome if you could compare the same modifier on both this adapter and a monolight. and instead of using a sto fen, which apparently from Dave's tests doesn't do much I suggest trying the wide angle adapter.

just few thoughts,

TMR Design wrote in post #8372797
Thanks man. I actually prefer having the Pocket Wizard on a cold shoe for this type of application. When I'm using strobes I mount a Superclamp to the light stand riser with a spigot and the 1/4"-20 thread in the back of the Pocket Wizard but the spigot makes it impossible to change batteries without unscrewing it from the PW.

On location the screw mounts give me piece of mind having one less component to worry about coming loose - also think about your next gen design when you upgrade to the NEW "N" PW's - you can use the screw mount and still change batteries.

The "N" PW's should be out by the time your ready for production