Photoshop Insider

Your Questions on the Elinchrom Octabank

By Scott on Tuesday, November 20th, 2007 at 8:01 am | updates.

Since I mentioned the Elinchrom Octabank in my New York Studio Post two weeks ago (and in my shots of Photoshop User News anchor Stephanie Cross), I’ve had a steady stream of emails and posts asking questions about it, so I thought I’d go into a little detail on a rig I use.

The Octa Light Bank (which is it’s more formal name), that I use is actually three parts:

An Elinchrom Ranger Battery Pack (it’s important to get this battery pack, so your Octa isn’t stuck in your studio, so you can use it for on location lighting gigs).
An Elinchrom Free Light S Flash Head (which comes as part of the “Ranger Kit” so you get the battery pack and flash head together)
A Free Light S Flash Head, which mounts inside the very large 74″ (diameter) Elinchrom Octabank softbox, and it aims at the back of the softbox, so the light wraps around and comes back out toward your subject, somewhat like a really giant umbrella, but the way it’s designed you get virtually no falloff from the center to the edges (less than 1/4 stop from the center to any edge), which gives you the most glorious, wrapping light I’ve ever seen.

So, it’s those three pieces (a flash head, a battery pack which powers the flash head, and the Octabank softbox itself). Now, there is an optional stand you buy for it on B&H Photo, but I recommend using a heavy-duty C-stand instead, and I would get one with wheels to make it easier to move this very large unit around (I use a Matthews C-stand).

By the way; another reason you want the battery pack, even in the studio, is so you can move the whole unit as one piece, without worrying about cables getting in the way (you plug straight into the battery back, and then mount the battery back to your stand).

Now, this rig certainly isn’t cheap, but I actually think it’s a bargain, because if you get this one rig, you’re pretty much set for portraits (you’ll wind up using this one light and a reflector, and that’s about all you need). The Ranger Kit at B&H Photo (which is the flash head, battery pack, a hard case, and accessories), goes for around $2,029, and then you need the 74″ Octabank softbox itself, (which goes for around $1,100) and then I recommend a Matthews’s Hollywood C-stand to hold it all (for around $150, plus you should buy some wheels for it).

So, altogether you’re talking around $3,300, but if you’re really serious about getting a gorgeous, fabulous, top-pro quality strobe, this is the one I recommend (and now couldn’t live without). Thanks to one of the world’s best shooters, Joe McNally, who turned me onto this rig (it’s the one he uses to shoot everything from corporate clients, to national magazines, to celebrity shoots), and he was right–it totally rocks!

Note: If you happen to have a Profoto flash head, Elinchrom makes a speedring that lets you use the Profoto as your strobe, which fits into the Octabank, so if you’ve already got the strobe, you could just buy the Octabank softbox.

Comment form for this post

^#1

You just had a post on the Elichrome Ranger finder kit that you have been using for your photo shoots. How are these lights compared to the wescott lights that you where using during your lightroom tour. Is either one better?

Tom Sheahan on November 20th, 2007 at 1:06 pm

^#2

Scott - Not sure I get it - #2 and #3 are the same are they not?

Hey, does the octabank come with the speedring for the elinchrom strobe or is that a seperate item you need to track down? This is exactly the setup I’ve been looking for but I find the whole issue of strobe/softbox/speedring compatibility a little confusing.

I think this kit will serve me better than the wescott lights - constant lights are great, but strobes are better if you need to freeze the moment as I do with animals who despite my best efforts still don’t understand “sit still!”

Lastly, (man I’m pushing my luck) - do these particular elinchrome’s dial way down? The last thing I need is strobes that are too powerful.

If you get a moment I’d love some thoughts on these. Thanks.

david on November 20th, 2007 at 2:25 pm

^#3

dammit.. this is my secret rig. And Scott had to blab it to the world. (Truth be told, it was Joe that turned me on to it two years ago. Thank you Joe!)

Well, I guess I could contribute, now that the cat is out of the bag. The one bit that you need is either a sand bag or two to hold the c-stand steady, or alternatively, a pair of superclamps and a magic arm which can then hold the ranger pack to counter the weight of the softbox and head. The superclamp/magic arm route is better because the whole friggin thing is on then on wheels and can roll around on your hardwood floor.

You are also going to need a ceiling of at least 9 feet. It will just barely fit in an 8 ft ceiling, but movement is pretty restrictive. Oh, and you need a hardwood floor.

Ron H
Westport CT

(Did I mention that B&H even ships sand bags and 9′ rolls of paper for free under the NAPP program? Can Scott work a deal or what?)

ron on November 20th, 2007 at 9:21 pm

^#4

Scott — can I edit your post?

You mean item #3 is the octabank softbox itself.

David… yes, my octabank came with an elinchrom speed ring.. nothing else to buy. Dialing down? My ranger pack dials from 3.5 to 7 in 1/10 stop increments. 3.5 is still a lotta light. If you are using in conjunction with something like a nikon SB-800, you are going to need the SB dialed way up.

I read somewhere that an SB-800 puts out about 50 ws of light, while a ranger/S combo puts out about 1100 ws at full power. So you have a legit concern. My solution? I use reflectors — take advantage of that power, rather than fighting it.

Ron H
Westport, CT

ron on November 20th, 2007 at 9:28 pm

^#5

Scott:

I have been using Elinchrom lights for 2 years, and I love them…

The Ranger pack is definitely the way to go and something I wish I had. However, I have (8) 600RX units that ROCK. I regularly use these lights for portraits, as well as lighting arenas for shooting sports. The Flash is very consistent…

They are small, the light is great, and surprisingly, they are a lot tougher than you might think. In addition, Elinchrom offers a much wider range of reflectors than most companies.

The Ranger is my next investment… I have wanted this setup for a while.

For anyone considering Elinchrom lights over other, much cheaper versions, I definitely believe that you will be glad you spent the extra money down the road.

When lighting an arena in Atlanta, I consistently got almost a full stop difference in the light from my 600RX units over another photographer that was using a much cheaper solution.

In addition, the flash duration with the Elinchrom 600RX units is much faster. Because of this, I was able to freeze the action much better. The other photographers photos always had some sort of motion blur in them.

SI photographers regularly use Elinchrom lights, as well.

Scott is definitely steering you all in the right direction.

NOTE: SI recently came in to shoot a portrait at the Bucs facility, and their photographer used 2 of my Elinchrom lights that were already setup in the studio, as well as another one for a key light.

Paul Abell on November 21st, 2007 at 1:36 am

^#6

Don’t forget to pick up a “Elinchrom Skyport kit” at the same time. That gives you radio sync and control of your flash from the camera!
I use the Ranger + Octa on my weddings all the time. I even use the ranger handheld at the dance floor

Niklas Wikman on November 21st, 2007 at 6:58 pm

^#7

Has anyone with the 600RX’s used them with a Vagabond or Tronix Explorer? I’ve read where one will work at a time but not two. I just can’t see paying the price for the Ranger battery pack.

Mike on November 29th, 2007 at 5:57 pm

^#8

Do you only use the 74″ softbox, or can I get a 53″? What is the difference? Especially in the interest of portability such as use for weddings.

Brandon on December 10th, 2007 at 10:12 pm

^#9

Anyone have preferences regarding the “A” or “S” heads?

Alex V on December 25th, 2007 at 3:04 am

^#10

Hi Scott

I stumbled across your web page while doing a google search on ‘Elinchrom Ranger Users’

I am a press photographer based in the Midlands area (UK) and have used Elinchrome for 15 years and always been very impressed with them.

But I have never used the Ranger series, and on location away from power sockets I have been using a number of Canon flashguns with pocket wizards that has given me some very good results. But I always want more quality for my features stuff.

Recently I have been considering getting a ranger set with a couple of batteries and three heads to use for all my location work. But seeing that I already have 7x mains flash heads I am very much in two minds.

(I currently have 3x Classic 500’s & 3x Style 600 & 1x Classic 1000 head)

I mainly use the Style 600 heads which replaced the Classic head, but I couldn’t bring myself to sell them on.

As I don’t know anyone with a Ranger set I was wondering if you didn’t mind me asking you what your views and experiences, good & bad are with this equipment? What Items would you recommend?

I often find that I use a three head set up for indoor work (one with a softbox on the subject, one 3/4s backlight with honeycomb softbox and one light into the background)

Do you have a preferences regarding the “A” or “S” heads?

Is there anything to be gained by having the Speed battery packs over the standard packs?

Do you carry spare batteries and if so how many per pack?

How long does it take to set up and take down the Octa on location?

I look forward to your reply

Regards

Jamie

Jamie Jones on February 19th, 2008 at 4:55 pm

^#11

wait…i’m a bit confused, let’s say i’m just in studio, do i need the battery pack, or can i just buy the free lite S and octabank???

luis on March 3rd, 2008 at 10:47 pm

^#12

Scott,
What is the best light kit setup for doing weddings? I need a good light kit for doing weddings.

Thanks

Andra Howard on March 16th, 2008 at 8:03 pm

^#13

This might be just what I want; should work outside with no issues, which is where I’m need more light. What about the shape of the softbox . . why this shape vs. rectangular?

How much does all of the weigh?

Bob on July 9th, 2008 at 7:56 pm