Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Hello, I'm loving my new Einsteins but as always I need more!

The design of these lights creates the potential for an AWESOME new accessory- a set of color changing diffuser domes that would allow us to match light sources such as tungsten, fluorescent, etc, as well as special effects colors. The best part is the ability to do this with any modifier. If infused into glass or some type of durable, heat-resistant plastic , I'd think the color could be long-lasting.

I was thinking about creating my own but then I realized how much it would cost me to R&D and how much more inexpensive it would be if PCB just did the development and sold them to us all by the millions!

Are you guys working on this? I see you have a 5200K design, why not a 2800K, 3200K, green, purple, etc? I would buy a set for each of my units! :mrgreen:

This has already been discussed... search the forum, it is in here somewhere.

Thanks, I did a search but I guess not vigorously enough- I'll have another look

Hey hoffsta - I just re-read my post and I think I sounded a bit snippy... wasn't my intention, sorry. Anyway, I'm glad you found the other thread.

The 5200K dome I can understand as a useful product, as it matches Profoto and some other studio-hire equipment when used in this mixed environment.

I dunno, other than not having to cut a few sheets of gels every now and then, it's just something else to pack and have to remember. IMHO, gels are readily available, cheap, fast, stackable and easier to store. Plus if i'd lose one of those domes on location it may cost me valuable time in PS later.
Maybe I'm just old-school or plain 'ol hardheaded - don't mind me ;)

That's a good point... gels are tough and relatively cheap so it is easy to have backups and they don't break if you drop'em.

Hey PowerEngineer, no worries at all. What got me was the other thread must have been started by a Brit: ("Coloured" vs. "Colored")!

I've often wondered how to easily gel big softboxes or now, the PLMs, without massive rolls of gel or gaps that let through the wrong color. I would love to learn better technique on this! If replaceable colored domes were available, I think it would be much easier, faster, and more compact than said large gels.

Hoff, You don't really need a huge amount of gel for a large modifier. A standard 20"x24" sheet should make big enough gels for at least 3 strobes with large modifiers.

Just make sure you have enough so that you can wrap around the flashtube or better yet - gaff it in a cup-like shape to the actual speedring on the inside of the modifier - , but remember to leave a decent amount of space away from the flashtube or modeling light (don't wrap it tight or they'll melt on the tubes) and possibly poke a few 'holes' toward the back part (closest to the flash unit) for to allow for heat dissipation and to minimize any introduction of white light, but these little amounts won't really show much if at all.

Ghetto-Cheap and it just works. Hope this helps.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far....oh wait that's a different story.

OK, a long time ago when strobes were not so color balanced and Kodak Ektachrome was the film of choice things went decidedly blue.

A photographer I worked for had strobes that had domes over the flash tubes just like the Einsteins. He used to have us use yellow Magic Markers and draw an "X" pattern on the domes to warm up the lights. Unlike the Einsteins these domes were only frosted on the inside. The outer surface was still glossy smooth and we could wipe the color off if we wanted.

If you were to experiment around some (there's no 1/2 CTO Magic Marker that I know of) you might be able to find a color or combination of colors to get close to the color balance you're looking for.

Of course with the Einstein domes being frosted on the outside it might be a one way trip.

Other than that I think just plan old Rosco or Lee gels would be the way to go.