UPDATE 12-24-17
Today I installed an Adorama Glow Pop 38″ octa into my DIY focusing rod in anticipation of purchasing the new SMDV Mega 160 Speedbox as well as the SMDV 110 cm octa.
Glow Pop using the Cheetahstand Chop Stick.
Side view with Glow Pop
Light in fully flooded position.
Light in fully focused position.Original Article
It’s no secret that I have enthusiastically adopted the use of focusing rod light modifiers. I’ve found them so versatile and the light quality they produce to my taste and my clients satisfaction. Sure there are times I love super soft light, but for me soft light, or the constant use of soft light is well….. boring. Indirect light like when using an umbrella produces some of the best contrast, detail of any modifiers I’ve used. the problem is umbrellas have their own issues one of them in controlling spill.
When I first was made aware of the Broncolor Para line of focusing rod modifiers I was captivated. It took quite some time for me to find a rental house that would not only rent the Para 88 octa, but the focusing rod as well. Once I tried one, I was sold. But the price was too cost prohibitive for my client base. At the time $4900.00 USD for one modifier was too pricey. So I made my own focusing rod which I wrote about here. I love the light it produces and the flexibility it gives me.
Since those days I purchased a Parabolix 35D, a CononMark 120cm focusing rod modifier and a Cheetahstand Chop Stick which I use with my Zeppelin line of modifiers. What has always frustrated me is I could never find anyone who produced a focusing rod that would accept ANY Bowens modifier. Each of the manufacturers I mentioned before including Cheetahstand all use proprietary mounting solutions for their focusing arms. 16 rods, or 8 rods, holes a certain size, you name it every manufacturer only fits their own line.
Prior to using focusing arm modifiers, my favorite modifier were my two Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octas. The quality of lights they produce is delicious. Yet because of the Elinchrom speedring design I could never figure out a way to mount a focusing arm to those octas…until now.
I searched for a bracket that is used for speedlights which can be directly mounted to a swiveling Bowens adapter and found this one on eBay. The next issue was finding a male Bowens adapter that would fit onto the mounting bracket. After much measuring I determined that the Adorama or SMDV Bowens ring would fit perfectly. There is quite a bit of modification that needs to happen and perhaps at some point I will outline those steps. But for now anyone with motivation can buy those two items (which were the toughest parts to figure out btw) and make your own. And NO I will NOT be making/selling these brackets, so please don’t ask.
The one other issue many trolls will like to talk about is if this or that modifier is TRULY PARABOLIC in shape. While those folks are flapping their pie holes along with their constant need to be right, I simply look at how any modifier PERFORMS to my own as well as my client’s satisfaction to determine if it’s right for my taste. I love the flexibility of choice and having a bracket that will allow me to use any Bowens mount modifier with a focusing arm gives me freedom to choose. I’m even going to try hard modifiers with a focusing arm!!!! Who knows I may find out it works great…or not. But at least I have the option.
My focusing rod bracket which accepts any Bowens mount modifier. The focusing arm is by Cheetahstand and called a Chop Stick.
Front view of the completed bracket
Rear view of the completed bracket
Bracket in the foreground next to my Parabolix 35D
Elinchrom Deep Rotolax installed using the Flashpoint remote head in a fully flooded position.
How it looks from the back side.
My test shot of Maggie. Focusing arm is in the fully flooded position.
OMG this is brilliant.
I have the SMDV A90 (thinking on getting the 110 and sell the A90) and would love to use the Chopstick like this. Not to mention with any other I decide to buy.
Are you still using it? If not, I will but that mod from you. š
Or how much would you charge to do it? I have ZERO DIY skills.
Thank you!!!!
Lol hi Gabriel, yes Iām still using it and will be using it tomorrow with my SMDV 110. I don’t make them for sale, sorry.
dang it. thanks š
Hi Mark.. Great info, thank u for the insight! Just wondering whether there is any difference of the light quality between the parabolix 35d and deep octa using chopstick in focus mode and flooded mode?
Thank you in advance
Hi Albert, you’re very welcome. Yes there is a difference in the quality of light between the Parabolix 35D and the Elinchrom Deep Octa using the chopstick. BUT you would have to have a very keen eye to spot the differences. I would venture to speculate that if I ran a side by side test most people would not see a difference either in fully flooded or focused positions. Do I plan on doing that, nope. I’m NOT a review site, nor do I make money from these posts. It’s just to help others and if they are that interested they can do their own.
Now having said there is a difference some people will stress out feeling ‘they have to have the best….’ but the reality is how you shoot, how you use light, how you develop a concept is much more important.