Elinchrom Bxri or ranger

Mahoneyd187

Mahoneyd187

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Danny
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Hey guys

I currently have an Elinchrom Style 300S that I use along with speedlights. Elinchrom mono as the main, speedlights for hair, rim, hilite if I'm using it and so on.

I have accumulated a few Elinchrom modifiers now, I love the quality, so I want to stay with them.

99% of my work is mobile portraiture, most of the time it's inside and with access to mains electricity but with my first summer of trading coming up, I'm a little concerned that I may wish to take my lighting outside quite often. I know I could get an Innovatronix Explorer if I bought the bxri's but I think it depends on how much indoor vs outdoor I'll be doing.

Are the Rangers (or battery pack flash kits in general) any less reliable than a mono when used indoors day in day out? :help:

Regards

Danny
 
Further to that....I'm going to get an Octagonal rotalux but I'm not sure which size to get...

I was thinking either the 100cm, 100cm deep octa, or the 135cm...

Regards

Danny
 
I have a Ranger RX pack and use it indoors, outdoors and it has never let me down. I would highly recommend it.

Apart from its mobility, it is also good not having additional power leads getting in the way. Handy when shooting indoor location where sometimes there are no sockets. The heads are also smaller and lighter, which means you can use them on lighter more portable booms - especially with large octas. And they kick out a good amount of power - very handy outdoors in sunlight.


The Ranger Quadras are also very good and compliment the bigger Rangers well.
 
To add to that, I have taken them abroad many times. Packed properly in a peli case and checked into the hold, they have also stood up well to the abuse of air travel.
 
I've used Rangers occasionally and Quadras a couple of times. But not for long enough to have them fail on me ;)

I bet Rangers would work great indoors though you might suffer from lack of a modelling light and you're paying a lot for outdoor reliability if you want to use them indoors mostly. Quadras are nice but are built to a size and wouldn't be my first choice for mainly indoor use.

Couple of thoughts....

1. If you don't like the Innovatronix then Profoto make a new Batpac to run monos on location. Lot of money (it's a Profoto) but I bet it's very good. £900 ish or rent for £20 a day. I bet it would run Elys (though you might want to check...)

2. I have, erm, 5 Elinchrom heads that I advertised ages ago and haven't sold yet. I bet you could get a good price on them.

3. If you fancy a trip over to Kent you could take a look at the heads. I also have, erm, 3 different location flash systems if you wanted to play.

Re the Octa. I like a big one ;) But Frank Doorhof swears by the deep octa and it does seem very nice.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Oh cool. Never used that button ;)

I know Quadras have their led ones - are the Ranger ones proper ones or "light up for 20s" ones?
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If you press the button once you get 15sec of modelling light.
If you press the button twice quickly you get..wait for it...30sec of modelling light!

To be honest, I only use the modelling lights to focus in really dark conditions. I think modelling lights had more use when shooting film and polaroid. Now you can check your camera to see what the light is doing.
 
Ah makes sense. I couldn't imagine them having the battery power to run a modelling lamp all the time.

On location I'll happily guess at lighting and don't miss modelling lamps. But in the studio I'm often lighting quite tightly and it's nice to see how it works. Couple of inches can make a big difference. And yeah, I'm always falling over stuff in the gloom....
 
I have Ranger Quadra RX and its great. :) The modelling light is quite bright indoors in darker situations, but outdoors pretty much useless. I really like the size and weight of it, that was on of the main reasons why I got it. Before using speedlites they were not powerful enough. Not owning a car and using foot a lot the Quadra was better option for me than the full size Ranger. :) Also one battery lasts somewhere from 110-140 full power shots, which is more than I ever need (plus I have two batteries, so x2).

As for now I only have few umbrellas and the 7 inch reflector with grid. But I'm planning on getting the 100cm Deep Octa and a beauty dish.

As for comparing Quadra to monolights I can only compare them to Bowens lights. For indoor studio work I would chose them over Quadra any time. Much more quicker recycle time, really powerful modelling light (and adjustable to power out put, Quadra is fixed all the time). :)

edit - Quadra modelling light can be turned on and left until battery runs dry... (according to TFC it should be about 2h)
 
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Another thumbs up for Ranger RX, I've got the 'speed' version with symmetrical power. Use it indoors and out. TBH I don't use the the modelling lights, chimping seems to have killed off the need for me. Mono blocks may recycle faster, but the RX is pretty quick. I also use them with the 135 Octa, which is a nice size for easily taking up and down, not so sure that would be the case with the 175cm. With regard to the deep Octa, I suggest hiring one and see which you prefer.
 
My concern with the deep octa is the narrow spread of light, its great in some circumstances but if I'm shooting in a small space and cant back it up then I may not get the coverage I need.

I think ill go for the 135. Has anyone used the deflectors with a 135 as a beauty dish-esque light? I have the 44cm which is incredible for headshots but I don't like it for anything else
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
My concern with the deep octa is the narrow spread of light, its great in some circumstances but if I'm shooting in a small space and cant back it up then I may not get the coverage I need.

I think ill go for the 135. Has anyone used the deflectors with a 135 as a beauty dish-esque light? I have the 44cm which is incredible for headshots but I don't like it for anything else
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If you don't know Frank Doorhof's work then check him out ;) Loads of advice on his site and he's sponsored by Ely.

I think you're right though - the deep octa seems a nice tool but if you can only have one bog you need something a bit more versatile.
 
I can't seem to find a UK supplier for the Profoto Batpac.

I'm now debating between

innovatronix explorer + 2 x more Eli monoheads

Profoto Batpac and a pair of D1 500 Air heads

Or a 2 head Ranger RX or Quadra kit

At the moment I'm thinking along the lines of the Ranger RX. How weatherproof are these in real terms? I know the pack can stand in 5cm of water blah blah blah but thats hardly good if the heads blow to bits at the hint of light drizzle. This would be my main concern with using the explorer and eli mono heads, and to a point the D1s?
 
Oh and I've had my RX main unit out in pouring rain, (by mistake I might add) and it carried on firing for the shoot, which is why I forgot it was outside and not with us in the dry!

What's also now very appealing for the RX, is it can be paired up with the new PW Mini's, which will allow you to control its power remotely as well as any speedlites you might be using too. With Skyport you could only control your other Elly stuff. You do need to wait for the AC3 zone controller, but that should be out in Feb. :)
 
I really don't know what to do now lol

b****r, I'll just hire some stuff and see how I get on.

If I was retricting myself to solely studio, I'd get the D1s, they look stunning and their recycle time is immense! I can't afford the Profoto Pack stuff so the D1's would be my only option.

D1 500s plus batpac is approx £2500 without modifiers, but I guess I'll only need to buy it once!

Ranger RX on the other hand, loads of power! Built for inside and out! I already have modifiers....so we'll see.

Where's the cheapest place to find the RX? Robert White?
 
You won't find any light of any make that's completely waterproof, they don't and can't exist.

With the Lencarta Safari I just put the pack in a bin bag, put another bin bag over the head and the job's done, as long as the flash tube is protected from the rain - no flash tube is likely to survive a drop of water on it as it fires.
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
Where's the cheapest place to find the RX? Robert White?
Click to expand...

Certainly were last year when I bought mine.

I could be wrong about this, but stick with me here, the D1's don't actually have a bare bulb facility, as they're always housed in the zoom reflector. So if you want as soft a light as you can get, from a front firing soft box like the Octa's, it simply ain't gonna be as soft as a bare bulb strobe in that same situation. Pretty much like putting speedlites in a soft box. I could be wrong, I've not tried it, but the theory works for me. I guess only a live test will prove it one way or the other.

Any one up for a test? :)
 
Garry Edwards said:
You won't find any light of any make that's completely waterproof, they don't and can't exist.

With the Lencarta Safari I just put the pack in a bin bag, put another bin bag over the head and the job's done, as long as the flash tube is protected from the rain - no flash tube is likely to survive a drop of water on it as it fires.
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I don't mean waterproof, as in I'd ever want to submerge the heads. More like if it starts spitting.

I guess I was sort of asking if the head's are built for outside use, as the ranger rx pack itself is? For example I wouldn't shoot outside with mono's plugged into an innovatronix explorer if there was a danger of it spitting, but should I feel more confident about doing so if I had the ranger rx to hand?
 
Just remember that your Ely modifiers won't (easily) fit the Pros. I reckon the Batpac should be able to power any well behaved lights - did you ask if you can run Elys off it?

As for shower resistance...I bet Rangers are a lot better than indoor lights for this. Apart from anything else most decent studio lights have fans and if you get more than a little water through the vents onto the fan I suspect it wouldn't be too good.

Just to confuse you more.... http://www.viewfinderphotography.co...0w-Studio{47}Location-Flash-Complete-Kit.html - doesn't have the quality of a Safari or Ranger but it's a cool option.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Just remember that your Ely modifiers won't (easily) fit the Pros. I reckon the Batpac should be able to power any well behaved lights - did you ask if you can run Elys off it?

As for shower resistance...I bet Rangers are a lot better than indoor lights for this. Apart from anything else most decent studio lights have fans and if you get more than a little water through the vents onto the fan I suspect it wouldn't be too good.

Just to confuse you more.... http://www.viewfinderphotography.co...0w-Studio{47}Location-Flash-Complete-Kit.html - doesn't have the quality of a Safari or Ranger but it's a cool option.
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Na I didnt ask about the eli's, I called the procenter and the guy on the other end of the phone didnt seem to know what he was talking about. I asked if my skyports would trigger the D1 heads ok...and he said no. I said "ok so what size is the sync socket"..."3.5mm jack"..."o...k...so I can use the skyports then with a socket adapter!?"...."I dont know....but you won't get the adjustability of the air system"....blah blah blah

I suspect the ranger rx will be the route I take, durability, power and modifiers I have, and I want!

As a cheap option I did consider the Calumet Genesis 300B, now that IS cheap! And it fits eli modifiers. :thumbs: slow....but ok for posed stuff
 
Go chat to Profoto at Focus. They are always quiet because nobody can afford them.

Or come to Kent and try some stuff.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Go chat to Profoto at Focus. They are always quiet because nobody can afford them.

Or come to Kent and try some stuff.
Click to expand...

lol sad but true!

I'll definately be popping over, I just wanna see what the outcome is of my interview tomorrow as it will mean I can only make weekends :|

Do you have any profoto gear too?
 
treeman said:
Certainly were last year when I bought mine.

I could be wrong about this, but stick with me here, the D1's don't actually have a bare bulb facility, as they're always housed in the zoom reflector. So if you want as soft a light as you can get, from a front firing soft box like the Octa's, it simply ain't gonna be as soft as a bare bulb strobe in that same situation. Pretty much like putting speedlites in a soft box. I could be wrong, I've not tried it, but the theory works for me. I guess only a live test will prove it one way or the other.

Any one up for a test? :)
Click to expand...

I've gone off the D1's, just been doing some more research on them and I agree with you. Profoto initially claimed that the heads were compatible with all modifiers but they've changed their mind now since people have struggled fitting a beauty dish to it.

That's without going into the effects on such modifiers with a "built-in" reflector in place.

Ranger RX it is I'm thinking....:thumbs:
 
I have the 600 rxs and you can run three from the invotronix se with no problems.
Not close to being easy to transport but it works. Picked up a qudra rx to solve that.
The ranger rx is next on my to buy list. You will not be disappointed with the rangers but consider going with the speed as pack. Faster recycles, larger capacity and can be powered down lower.

The 135 octa is a nice start and combined with the 100 deep should give you alot of options.
 
Sylvester XxX said:
I have the 600 rxs and you can run three from the invotronix se with no problems.
Not close to being easy to transport but it works. Picked up a qudra rx to solve that.
The ranger rx is next on my to buy list. You will not be disappointed with the rangers but consider going with the speed as pack. Faster recycles, larger capacity and can be powered down lower.

The 135 octa is a nice start and combined with the 100 deep should give you alot of options.
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Brilliant stuff!

I have wondered about the quadra rx actually. Do you think you have enough power in them for outdoor portraiture work? It's not like I need to make it midnight at 12pm with summer sun if you know what I mean.

My concerns with that are that strength of the adapter being unable to handle anything over 100cm, and the power.

The Ranger RX packages arent that much more money, can work with everything I'll throw at it, and have shed loads of power (granted not 1650w/s Mr Ryan before you pipe up about your Bron mobil lol)
 
And I can't seem to find anywhere with the 135cm Octa in stock. I called flash centre and they said they werent getting anything delievered soon as they have a big exhibition coming up, I couldnt be bothered to question it but I assume they mean Focus.

So I'll probably just try and grab one there. And maybe I'll get a deal on buying the Ranger RX and 135cm octa ;)
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
Brilliant stuff!

I have wondered about the quadra rx actually. Do you think you have enough power in them for outdoor portraiture work? It's not like I need to make it midnight at 12pm with summer sun if you know what I mean.

My concerns with that are that strength of the adapter being unable to handle anything over 100cm, and the power.

The Ranger RX packages arent that much more money, can work with everything I'll throw at it, and have shed loads of power (granted not 1650w/s Mr Ryan before you pipe up about your Bron mobil lol)
Click to expand...

Ti knew I wanted a 59 octa straight away which is one of the reasons I went with the 600 rx has the quasm. L
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
Brilliant stuff!

I have wondered about the quadra rx actually. Do you think you have enough power in them for outdoor portraiture work? It's not like I need to make it midnight at 12pm with summer sun if you know what I mean.

My concerns with that are that strength of the adapter being unable to handle anything over 100cm, and the power.

The Ranger RX packages arent that much more money, can work with everything I'll throw at it, and have shed loads of power (granted not 1650w/s Mr Ryan before you pipe up about your Bron mobil lol)
Click to expand...

The only thing the quadra has over the ranger is size but the largest modifier it can handle with the adapter (an extra £70 ish) is the 135.

I say pick up the ranger rx as speed with a A head or two. The octas now come with a reflector with is nice also.

It would be nice to have a bit more power when using big modifiers. Also it is very useful to be able to change the power levels from the camera so look at the rx triggers as well.
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
And I can't seem to find anywhere with the 135cm Octa in stock. I called flash centre and they said they werent getting anything delievered soon as they have a big exhibition coming up, I couldnt be bothered to question it but I assume they mean Focus.

So I'll probably just try and grab one there. And maybe I'll get a deal on buying the Ranger RX and 135cm octa ;)
Click to expand...

Very odd. It would make sense that they would have more coming in. I would call again on Monday.
 
jsgrounded said:
An Elinchrom Bxri and a Tronix Explorer battery is a way to go! :)
Click to expand...

That does indeed mean very controllable power, as each head can be adjusted as normal....decisions decisions......
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
That does indeed mean very controllable power, as each head can be adjusted as normal....decisions decisions......
Click to expand...

The BXri Are Multi voltage. As a result more than one does not play right with the tronix.

I have a tronix and have used it with 3 600 RX's heads with no problems.
 
Sylvester XxX said:
The BXri Are Multi voltage. As a result more than one does not play right with the tronix.

I have a tronix and have used it with 3 600 RX's heads with no problems.
Click to expand...

Seriously? On the compatibility chart on innovatronix website, the BXRI is listed as compatible with the Explorer XT SE. So I would make the assumption based on that, that it "should" power a BXRI out of each socket (i.e 2 heads at least!)

Theres a video on the flashcentre website where they mention doing a shed load of full power flashes with a dlite4, and thats multi voltage isnt it?

It's looking like I'm gonna get a Ranger RX to be fair, when I'm spending alot of money anyway, I dont really want to make compromises like with the quadra's power, and the xplorer being mains voltage outside and somewhat open to the elements.
 
Oh yeah I had another question. I have one of the universal skyport transmitters, I dont think it's the current model, but there ARE + and - buttons on it, is it compatible with a Ranger RX with an RX receiver fitted to it?
 
treeman said:
Yep, you just need to buy the little Rx - Ranger RX, adaptor.
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WOOHOO!! lol. Just had a look, I think I need a Skyport RX Receiver, and the RX to Ranger RX adapter. This can be triggered, and the power adjusted, using my universal transmitter on camera...I think...sound right?:help:
 
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