Elinchrom Maxispot with Pixapro Hybrid 360 in use

She does smile, honest!

Lighting checks need to be taken seriously - NOT!!!

I've long been a fan of Elinchrom flash, modifiers and light shaping tools. Last year I was introduced to Pixapro portable battery flash, namely the CITI600 aka Godox AD600, which is fine, but the solutions to attach my existing Elinchrom soft boxes is clunky!

An unusual combination of gear creates beautiful light

Enter the Pixapro Hybrid 360 or PIKA200 (AD360 & AD200) and the S-Type or EL bracket adaptors which allow Bowens or Elinchrom soft boxes and light shapers to be used with these diminutive and deceptively powerful flashes.

Elinchrom 56cm Portalite Octa on standard EL clamp bracket

Efficiency improves with the adaptor plate in place as it puts the light where it's needed!

In the basic form the clamp bracket adaptors are inefficient as the light emitted from the flashes has nothing behind them to put the light where it's needed. Recently I illustrated how with the aid of a simple adaptor that the efficiency can be improved by up to ⅔ stop!

Elinchrom Maxispot showing adaptor plate & Hybrid 360 flash tube

Elinchrom Maxispot on EL clamp bracket with Pixapro Hybrid 360

attached to painters extension pole with The SPIG

This also applies to the Elinchrom Maxispot reflector which with Elinchrom flash is impressive - I have to say the results yielded with the Hybrid 360 (AD360) I only needed 1/128th power, in other words minimum power at 100ISO with the who set-up 2.5m from the model & 2.4m high.

When working outside and off-road I now use my pre-production CamKart to carry my gear and as my mobile light stand - so much easier than a light stand!

The light from the Elinchrom Maxispot & Pixapro Hybrid 360 combination give a controlled beam with a hard defined shadow edge which exhibits sparkle or specularity - in other words it's a hard light, which with Hattie works well. From this test, I will be using this combination in future.

Model: Hattie Pack aka "Hurry up Dad", the long suffering daughter!

Hair & make-up: Hattie Pack

That's it for now and don't forget if you really enjoy lighting to visit and join The LIGHT Side - a place to learn, be mentored, nurtured and learn about light, lighting and photography, whatever your level or experience.

My thanks to Yang Wu, Ling Tan & team at Pixapro for providing such great service. If you're in the UK do support them as they do offer a 2 year warranty on their products and it really does save a pile of hassle by not dealing with a overseas supplier of potentially unknown provenance who may not be there when you need them . . .

Elinchrom flash is available from The Flash Centre - contact Brian Collier at the Birmingham branch & don't forget to mention this blog ;)
Soon there will be workshops for both off camera flash & studio flash soon - keep an eye on my social media channels for more information.

Social MediaFacebook - Personal
Facebook - The LIGHT Side
Twitter
Instagram - Personal & work
Instagram - The SPIG - the lighting accessory every photographer should have in their bag!