UPDATED: Flash info with Elinchrom and LS lenses

[Guy Mancuso]

I do not normally start threads here but I felt since no one has done the tests so far it was worth passing this data on to folks. I do not know how this will work with other wireless transmitters in the market like PW and such but I use Elinchrom lighting and i do like the Skyport wireless units and trying to figure a way with the LS to keep this setup intact without buying the Profoto transmitters and even with the new V grip not buy the Profot module you can get with it. Reason being is I can control light output with the remote from camera. So like to continue using the Skyports but get the most from the flash sync speeds on the new LS lenses. Here is what I came up with. This is also posted on my forum as well. This may actually HELP someone.

Good news: This is with Elinchrom Quadra Lighting with A head and New Elinchrom Speed transmitter. The A head flash duration at full power on the A post is 1/3000 and on B post is 1/6000. FYI my previous test was with a S head which has a slower flash duration.

 I am updating a test I did before with new data but thought I would start a new thread because if you read the past report it might confuse you since i used the S head which is a slower flash duration . Which now this is the bottom line on wireless ( Skyports Speed Transmitter) and the LS lenses from Phase

Okay A head Full Juice with elinchrom wireless the new speed unit I went from 1/400 with the S head to easy 1/500 1/3rd light loss to maybe 2/3rd of a stop light loss at 1/800. Good news here with the flash duration being shorter on the A head at 1/3000 you can sneak 1/800 in with just some light loss. Again at this point it is more flash duration and the wireless timing delay but this unit is only rated to 1/250 with Focal plane. So leaf shutters cheat that and give you faster shutter speeds. This is very encouraging

Okay moved the head from the A post to the B post which is even shorter flash duration at 1/6000 I believe . B post is set for a 2:1 lighting ratio so it drops the power 2 full stop which gives faster flash duration. Okay nice news here I only lose 1/3rd of a stop at 1/800 so with the faster duration it is better than losing 2/3rds on the A post which is full power. Obviously Flash duration is having the final word here on speed and at 1/1600 with same settings it gets cut off by several stops and this effect is now the wireless timing itself.

So in wireless with the Elinchrom Speed transmitter it will always come down to flash duration like normal but you do have the wireless timing. Obviously Profoto Air transmitter found a way to get 1/1600 with timing on there units.


Okay back to hard sync with cord on either B post reduced power or even A post at the 1/3000 flash duration . NO light loss at all at 1/1600


So end of day if your a Elinchrom shooter you may and given your needs not have to move into the Profoto transmitters . Obviously the key here is high flash durations to even think about this and it will be at least 1/3000 to be able to handle this and you CAN cheat with the Elinchrom Speed transmitter given enough power and the need not to use 1/1600. Your max will be 1/800 with some light loss on the Phase LS lenses.

Hard synced no issues at all works as advertised and it is damn cool too.


 I should add here you really need to keep a eye on the specs of your flash units since your flash duration/flash power output will be a factor.

[Guy Mancuso]

Okay found a little secret from Bob Fruend if I put the Quadra in speed mode and the transmitter in speed mode on the B post at 1/1600 there is NO light loss at all. Now on the A post at full power with 1/1600 I ONLY lose 1/3 of a stop.

Now you have to have the Speed transmitter for this and put Quadra pack and transmitter in this mode to get this. This is very exciting to me at least

[Frank Doorhof]

Hi Guy,
I think you triggered the first time in the normal mode indeed.
The new trigger is slightly faster than the old one indeed, but not much.

By holding the test button for a few seconds you will see the led blink twice very quickly instead of once,mafter that set the quadra on speed and you should indeed have 1/800 without loss of light, I can't test 1/1600 with my setup but 1/800 works fine.

[Guy Mancuso]

Yes Frank first test was without the Speed mode than I put in speed mode and 1/1600 was possible with some loss of light but it works. Good news for me at least is I have the BXRI mono units also and I can put them in speed mode and everything will at least trigger in that mode. I actually like the skyports  they are small and I can control the power through groups so this keeps me in this setup without jumping to the Profoto transmitters and dangling them off units which is a pain. Everything is built in with these lights.

[Frank Doorhof]

You can even trigger RX and non elinchroms.
For RX you need software. For other brands use the universal receiver.

[AlDoori]

The A head flash duration at full power on the A post is 1/3000 and on B post is 1/6000.

hi guy,
did you check the flash duration with a device like the bron FCC?
the numbers you posted look like t o.5, not t o.1.

[Guy Mancuso]

Here is the PDF tech data on the quadra heads  http://elinchrom.s3.amazonaws.com/specifications/quadra_battery_system_en_rq-brochure-en.pdf


Have not tried the Bron stuff

[UlfKrentz]

hi guy,
did you check the flash duration with a device like the bron FCC?
the numbers you posted look like t o.5, not t o.1.

No doubt for me, the rangers will work here. No need to measure. We are not talking about a lot of electrical energy (max 400J) and the tubes of the fast ranger heads have a closed ring shape, providing two very short arc ways that are working in parallel (and suck a lot of juice). Flash duration is t0.5, but as descibed - short enough.

Cheers, Ulf

[BrendanStewart]

Guy, just to be clear, you tried the A head in the B port and you are still losing power?

[Guy Mancuso]

Yes any head that goes into the B port is reduced power by 2 stops. Elinchrom set it up for a 2:1 lighting ratio. So if you use two heads in 1 pack the A port is two stops more light than the B port. Even with one head you put it in the B post it automatically gets reduced two stops. With the Speed setting at any shutter up to 1/1600 there no light loss but on the non speed setting at 1/1600 there is light loss and this is more a wireless timing issue. The real trick here is using the speed mode

[BrendanStewart]

Yes any head that goes into the B port is reduced power by 2 stops. Elinchrom set it up for a 2:1 lighting ratio. So if you use two heads in 1 pack the A port is two stops more light than the B port. Even with one head you put it in the B post it automatically gets reduced two stops. With the Speed setting at any shutter up to 1/1600 there no light loss but on the non speed setting at 1/1600 there is light loss and this is more a wireless timing issue. The real trick here is using the speed mode

Ok so that's funny. I mentioned that in the original post and the guy that mentioned how Profoto works, he dismissed that.  I guess i should take posts with a grain of salt.

[Brent McCombs]

Has anyone tested the RX heads, and is there any way to get 1/800 or 1/1600 out of those mono-strobes? In our studio test, with hardwired sync, we started losing light at 1/400.

[BrendanStewart]

Has anyone tested the RX heads, and is there any way to get 1/800 or 1/1600 out of those mono-strobes? In our studio test, with hardwired sync, we started losing light at 1/400.

Are you using the Speed transmitters? Not sure if it'll help on the RX Strobes, we have RX600's. I don't have time to test though. Hmm.

[UlfKrentz]

Are you using the Speed transmitters? Not sure if it'll help on the RX Strobes, we have RX600's. I don't have time to test though. Hmm.

That does not matter. He did the tests with hardwired sync (=no additional delay). Any wireless transmitter will add delay and make things worse. The problem is the flash duration itself, the RX is equipped with a standard tube, standard voltage, the result is an average flash duration, which is too long for the fast shutter speed. The smaller RX ones will perform better than the bigger ones (300 better 600 better 1200). May be this helps.

Cheers, Ulf

[BrendanStewart]

That does not matter. He did the tests with hardwired sync (=no additional delay). Any wireless transmitter will add delay and make things worse. The problem is the flash duration itself, the RX is equipped with a standard tube, standard voltage, the result is an average flash duration, which is too long for the fast shutter speed. The smaller RX ones will perform better than the bigger ones (300 better 600 better 1200). May be this helps.

Cheers, Ulf

Woops. Missed that.   2 hours of sleep will do that.

[Guy Mancuso]

The BXRi units do have speed mode built in like the Quadras the RX units do not.

 I actually have 3 BXRi units myself and need to put them on speed mode and try this out also to see how they do. There full power flash duration is 1/1558 so not sure if it will lose some light or not. Have a feeling they will unless I lower power for a faster duration

[jorisvm]

has someone tried pocket wizard multimax with ranger rx and h4d at 1/800 ?
will there also be loss of 1/3 stop ?
currently using the skyports with ranger rx and h4d at 1/800, quite some loss of light...