# It's all about the Octabanks



## chuasam

I have decided that I want a big lovely Octabank.
I'm still deciding between a 5' and 7'
it must be sturdy and easy to assemble and disassemble. 
it MUST be heat resistant.

in the Affordable column we have
*7' Westcott Pro Signature Octabank*

in the Splurge column we have 
*HR Softbox Octa 7'*

*Elinchrom Litemotiv *and* Rotalux*
are also under consideration.

Price is a factor but longevity and build quality matters too.
for lights I use Profoto Compact 600


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## FKP007

chuasam said:


> I have decided that I want a big lovely Octabank.
> I'm still deciding between a 5' and 7'
> it must be sturdy and easy to assemble and disassemble.
> it MUST be heat resistant.
> 
> in the Affordable column we have
> *7' Westcott Pro Signature Octabank*
> 
> in the Splurge column we have
> *HR Softbox Octa 7'*
> 
> *Elinchrom Litemotiv *and* Rotalux*
> are also under consideration.
> 
> Price is a factor but longevity and build quality matters too.
> for lights I use Profoto Compact 600


I use the elinchrom rotalux large octa and a westcott 7' parabolic. The elinchrom gives beautiful light. I use it all the time and it's size makes for great fill length work too. I highlighted recomend it.


Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk


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## chuasam

How is the rotalux for heat resistance? I shoot for hours and don't want melted fabric.


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## FKP007

chuasam said:


> How is the rotalux for heat resistance? I shoot for hours and don't want melted fabric.


Lol melted fabric? Are you talking about flash or continuous lighting here? No way you can melt the fabric with flash even if you shot from dusk till dawn.

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## chuasam

Melted from the modelling lamp is my worry.


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## FKP007

I don't think you would need to worry about that. Many pro photographers use Elinchrom and I'm sure the comapny has made their modifiers to withstand hours of use. 

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## chuasam

FKP007 said:


> I don't think you would need to worry about that. Many pro photographers use Elinchrom and I'm sure the comapny has made their modifiers to withstand hours of use.
> 
> Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk


I wonder how that compares to the Profoto RFi 5' Octa


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## table1349

Been exceedingly happy with this.

Photoflex FVMOD7 Octodome 3 Large Softbank 7 213 cm FVMOD7


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## chuasam

One more thing. I share a studio with 4 other photographers so I would have to set up and tear down each time I have a shoot.
How is the Photoflex for easy assembly and disassembly? The Elinchrom is still calling my name.
I hope to spend under USD 700 for this.


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## FKP007

chuasam said:


> One more thing. I share a studio with 4 other photographers so I would have to set up and tear down each time I have a shoot.
> How is the Photoflex for easy assembly and disassembly? The Elinchrom is still calling my name.
> I hope to spend under USD 700 for this.


That's a pain. Having to take the octa box down after every use I would recomend something else than the rotalux elinchrom. Although it's not hard to do I would use something like the westcott 7" parabolic with white diffuser. It's a bounce back umbrella and gives almost identical light quality to the elinchrom however it is a little bit more punchier. Very quick and easy to assemble.

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## chuasam

FKP007 said:


> chuasam said:
> 
> 
> 
> One more thing. I share a studio with 4 other photographers so I would have to set up and tear down each time I have a shoot.
> How is the Photoflex for easy assembly and disassembly? The Elinchrom is still calling my name.
> I hope to spend under USD 700 for this.
> 
> 
> 
> That's a pain. Having to take the octa box down after every use I would recomend something else than the rotalux elinchrom. Although it's not hard to do I would use something like the westcott 7" parabolic with white diffuser. It's a bounce back umbrella and gives almost identical light quality to the elinchrom however it is a little bit more punchier. Very quick and easy to assemble.
> 
> Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

60 Inch Rapid Pro Folding Umbrella Octabox this seems to tempting pricewise


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## Derrel

Yeah, that looks okay for a third-party octa of that size, with speed ring and front diffuser. Have you looked at the Paul C. Buff PLM series? Paul C. Buff - The PLM System   Plenty of options as far as interiors, how you mount it, and front diffusion panel options. Price is good too, plus you have some different options as you use it: as a shoot-through source, with no spill-kill, or as a shoot-through with the black spill-kill fabric on there. Or, as a reflecting umbrella, wither with or without a front diffusion fabric in place. And....when using it as a reflecting umbrella, you can shoot it with a black cover to contain the flash tube's pop and boost the bounce OR use no cover and allow that 40% or whatever of light to shoot through and add to ambient fill/spill and let the other 60% of the flash pop be reflected.

You could use the same back covers, same front diffusion panels on a white-interior umbrella, or   a soft silver umbrella, or an extreme silver interior umbrella.


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## chuasam

Derrel said:


> Yeah, that looks okay for a third-party octa of that size, with speed ring and front diffuser. Have you looked at the Paul C. Buff PLM series? Paul C. Buff - The PLM System   Plenty of options as far as interiors, how you mount it, and front diffusion panel options. Price is good too, plus you have some different options as you use it: as a shoot-through source, with no spill-kill, or as a shoot-through with the black spill-kill fabric on there. Or, as a reflecting umbrella, wither with or without a front diffusion fabric in place. And....when using it as a reflecting umbrella, you can shoot it with a black cover to contain the flash tube's pop and boost the bounce OR use no cover and allow that 40% or whatever of light to shoot through and add to ambient fill/spill and let the other 60% of the flash pop be reflected.
> 
> You could use the same back covers, same front diffusion panels on a white-interior umbrella, or   a soft silver umbrella, or an extreme silver interior umbrella.


Yeh but shipping to Canada for PaulBuff stuff is horrendous...like not even kidding usurious rates.


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## Derrel

Maybe you know somebody in Seattle???


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## chuasam

I know tons of people in Seattle and the outlying areas. Once B&H wanted to charge $50 to ship an RT32 transmitter to Canada. It cost $75 on B&H and $250 in Canada. That was easy to have a friend ship.
A bloody umbrella...not so much.


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## chuasam

So I went cheap and go the Rapid Pro Octabox. I quite like it even though a fellow photographer made fun of me saying that the Octabox is so 10 years ago in terms of lighting style.
I like the look so I will get the Elinchrom Litemotiv when it is time to upgrade.
Litemotiv


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## chuasam

Update:
I was just given a Elinchrom Rotalux.
Wow! What a difference.
It is sooo much better made.


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