A DIY Retro Adapter or How to Make Any Modifier Indirect ...

Since putting up a photo of a reverse mounting strobe adapter I concocted, I've received several inquiries about the mechanics of the device. Though I consider it to be still a work in progress, I thought I'd provide some insights into how it works.

The aim of the excercise was to come up with an adapter that would let just about any modifier with an Elinchrom mount to be used in indirect mode with any of a variety of strobe makes. I was most interested in trying this approach with the 100cm Rotalux Deep Octa and the 175cm (69") Rotalux Octa. Of course, any softbox or octa (except the umbrella opening type) with an Elinchrom mount can also be used.

This is a photo showing the 100cm DO with a reverse mounted Alien Bees Einstein on board:

Currently, I am able to use lights with Elinchrom, AB, or Bowens mounts.

The indirect adapter looks like this:


As you watch it spin, notice the various component parts. The black Elinchrom mount comes from Jerry Kacey. It is attached to a 6" diameter by 1/4" thick aluminum disk that has been drilled and tapped to accept the mount's four 8-32 screws.

On the front of the adapter you will also see a Manfrotto 5/8" (aka "baby") receiver. Here the receiver is holding an Alien Bees PLM V2 "cage" that has been transferred to a Bowens speed ring insert.

On the back side of the adapter is a Lowel baby receiver. The Lowel item is unique in that it is tapped to accept a 3/8-16 bolt. The Manfrotto receiver on the front side terminates in a 3/8-16 stud. The Lowel receiver and the Manfrotto receiver are screwed together through a 3/8" hole drilled in the center of the aluminum disk.

The adapter is supported by the 5/8" aluminum rod inserted into the Lowel baby receiver. Length of the rod is non-critical. The size used is the size I happened to have on hand. It has proven to be a convenient length. The rod is used for aiming the attached assembly and also for holding a counterweight. At the end of the rod you will see a Novatron baby receiver with a 1/4-20 eye bolt screwed into it. I can hang a counterweight or, nowadays, an AB Vagabond Mini Lithium from this eye bolt.

Here's a closer look at the front of the adapter:


and the rear (removed from the 5/8" aluminum support rod):


You'll notice a small trapdoor on the back side of the adapter. This covers a 1-3/8" hole that was cut in the aluminum disk to allow power cords to pass through. Remember, Rotalux modifiers do not have openings at the rear like conventional softboxes/octaboxes do. The aluminum cover has a notch cut into it sized to accommodate a power cord (or light head cable) plus a sync cord.

Finally, this is the modified AB PLM V2 "cage":


In addition to transferring the tripod assembly to a Bowens speed ring insert, I enlarged the mounting screw hole to accept a 3/8-16 bolt which is what is used to attach the stud.

So that's pretty much the whole story thus far. Please note that I am making absolutely no performance claims regarding the indirect lighting approach. As much as anything, this adapter is a testing platform to explore the benefits (if any) of reverse mounting strobes in a modifier.

Dave F.