Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Hi all,

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Ironically, my old V1 Einsteins worked just fine, but the new & improved
faceplate / fingers do not hold the Westcott Big Mama 7ft octabank. (Doesn't fit snuggly in my Mola either.)

I'm now hearing about rubberband solutions? I think I accidentally sent the rubber bands back with my V1 units.

Where do these rubber bands attach to the modifier / speedring? This is a cheeseball solution btw. $2000 on lights and I need rubber bands?

Thanks,
James

V1 Einsteins had a clamp issue, but not one that could be fixed with rubber bands. The original V2's came with modified fingers, but there wasn't enough force on the fingers to hold modifiers. So, the rubber-bands came into being as a way of using V2's pending the release of an updated V2. You can find pictures if you do a search on rubber bands. It does look cheesy, but it's way better than having your modifiers hit the ground.

Like Cruiser said, the rubber band fix was not meant to be a permanent solution, just something to get folks through until their lights could be replaced with the fully updated V2's with the finger fix. You should probably call customer service and see where/if you are on the replacement list.

If you want to give it a try just mount a modifier and then take a sturdy rubber band and loop up under the finger release tab so that it is pulling up and increasing holding pressure on the fingers. Then loop the other end over the umbrella holder thumb screw on the top of the flash.

Thanks for the replies. I just received these V2's as replacements for my v1 units. I will contact customer service....and go buy some rubber bands :roll:

What speedring are you using?

Good luck. Hopefully you are on the list to get the final V2 units soon. I'm not sure that it makes a difference but the rubber bands that PCB was sending were "industrial" heat resistant bands. Probably not a big deal though... just get some that are fairly thick.

This was my response to a previous post ( viewtopic.php?f=8&t=609 )
Honestly, Luap's 4 finger connection method will NEVER hold these giant octas with complete security on location. The simple physics of 3 1/2 ft of lever-arm trying to pry the giant octa off the light is difficult to overcome. It aint Paul's fault.
That said...
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I have a large Octa (6'7"), that I lovingly call the "OctaMonster". None of the clamps on the White Lightnings or the Einsteins will secure it in the slightest breeze... even butterfly farts will rip it from the clamps.

I fabricated this fixture so the Octa holds the light, rather than the light holding the Octa. I've had it out in 10mph breeze and it worked great. Of course I had over 80 pounds of bags holding the c-stand in place ;)

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Later,
Ziv[/quote]

Thanks for all of the replies. Much appreciated.

The speed ring I'm using is:
Westcott Speed Ring for Strip Bank & Octa Bank for Balcar, White Lighting
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/2 ... Strip.html

Ziv... you have the right solution. I wish I were as "handy" as you. Want to make me some brackets for $$?

When I get home tonight, I'm going to search for a bracket add on that I vaguely remember coming with the big octa. Maybe that will lessen the load on the Einstein...and have the octa support the Einstein vs the other way around. Fingers crossed.

Other than that solution...honestly, it may be time to consider whether to jump ship and go with a different lighting system. I'm not sure I can "live with" a system that's held together by rubber bands.

The Einsteins I'm using are the latest and greatest V2.

Westcott Speed Ring for Strip Bank & Octa Bank for Balcar, White Lighting

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/2 ... Strip.html