Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I really love my Einstein 640's. Great light, fast recycle times. Love Paul C. Buff service and tech support. Absolutely HATE the spring loaded prongs for the Balcar mount system. I have sent my units in for inspection and replacement of springs and they still drop my soft-boxes soon after the modeling lights have been on for a while. This especially happens when I raise or lower my lights on a stand. The slightest movement can cause the soft-boxes to spring loose and fall.

Shooting head-shots in my studio yesterday and it happened twice in-front of the client. So FREAKING embarrassing.

I mount my lights to the soft-boxes off the stand. I put my soft-boxes face down on the floor, attach my Einsteins making sure that all prongs are mounted securely. Then I place the light and soft-box on my stands.

Paul C. Buff corp should really consider giving up on the current mount and redesign - personally I think they should adopt a Bowens S mount for their lights. Its time to move on with this. I for one am putting my units up for sale and moving on to another brand as they can's seem to resolve this matter for me. I already said the customer service at Paul C. Buff is great, hands down. But this has happened too many times and it seems they are just not willing to admit this is a flawed system.

Hi, Robert

First off I want to be clear that I am not a fan of the Balcar mount either. It's definitely not my favorite among the several mounts I have used over the years.

That said, I switched from Bowens monolights to e640's back in 2012, and with the three Einsteins I now own I have never experienced one drop. Since you mention that your drops tend to happen after the modeling lights have been on for a while, could you possibly share what adapter rings you use? I am wondering if the rings are softening as they heat up, allowing them to go "out of round" and playing right into the weak-suit of the Balcar mount.

When I switched to Einsteins in 2012, I chose this adapter ring to fit into the Bowens Quickrings in which I was already invested and liked very, very much:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/185322-REG/SP_Studio_Systems_SPARBW1_Speed_Ring_for_Balcar.html

I regularly boom my Einsteins as seen below, and this is a fairly heavy rig: a heavy-duty, 60" eight-rod Visico Octa with an inner diffuser, outer diffuser, Bowens Quickring, and the SP adapter linked above. I've never weighed it, but it's a load to be sure; it requires a steel stand and boom, and 15-20 pounds of counter-weight. I've also used the same setup in studio with a grid (adding even more weight) and with the modeling light on, and have not had a drop in that scenario either.

What speedring are you using? Not all 3rd party speed rings are created equal, and there could be some that prevent the fingers from returning to their fully engaged state.

Craig,

Thank you for the thorough and well reasoned reply. Aside from the brand of softbox, the setup you show in your photo is exactly what I use along with softboxes on HD Avenger rolling stands, C-stands with and without boom arms.

You raise an interesting question about the actual speed ring adapter. Most of my softboxes come from Fotodiox and have noticed that the adapter rings have some variance in lip size depending on which softbox I use. So I would be willing to try the one you suggested, especially knowing you have had success with the same setup I am using. Out of curiosity, do your speedring adapters allow the levers of the E640 rest in a fully engaged position when the softbox is on the light?

But you have to know even PCB thinks there is a problem with their design since they offer the "Softbox Stand Mount Adapter" so you can support your softbox off of your stand instead of off the strobe. Clearly this is a tip off that there is a flaw in the design of attachment with the Balcar design.

I have also asked the folks at PCB to make available for sale, a PCB approved adapter ring with the right diameter, thickness and height that they believe "plays nice" with their lights. There is none on their site that I can find, that does not make sense to me.

Again, I like the lights, I love PCB support - the Balcar mounting solution is not a Pro grade softbox mounting solution.

Fair enough, can you point me to a PCB approved Balcar adapter for speedrings. The speedring brand should not matter. I don't see one on your site that PCB sells or suggests.

We recommend our LGSR for most softboxes, found here: http://www.paulcbuff.com/speedrings.php. While compatible with most softboxes, we have not tested the entire gamut of softboxes available, so we cannot guarantee compatibility beyond our return policy. I do know it will not fit the Larson boxes or some of the budget boxes. It should fit any box that uses a 7" outer diameter speed ring and has rod holes smaller than 10mm.

It is the whole speedring, but the insert may be compatible with other outer rings, should there be one with a feature you like.

Thanks, but I think you misunderstood me. I dont need or want speedrings that work. I have those, I am not going to try to force a softbox onto another manf. speedring. What PCB should be offering for sale is the speedring adapter that works with the balcar mount.

Your response is why I am so discouraged about how PCB handles this particular issue. Why is PCB not offering a proper fitting speedring adapter for their lights, given how particular the mounting system is?!? I have found speed ring adapters generally come in 6" and 6.5" outer diameter. It would be easy for PCB to offer inserts of both sizes.

Thank you!

Hi, Robert

Yes, the levers/fingers rest in a fully engaged position. Like you, I assemble my softboxes/octas face-down on the ground/floor and then mount the Einstein to the adapter ring, so one thing I do still spot-check fairly regularly is whether the rims of my adapter rings slip down onto the levers at all when I pick the whole assembly up. And, even though I have not experienced a drop, I have gotten into the habit of using a cable restraint.

Fwiw, I have the older White Lightning Ultras that used the four thumb-screws and clamps for attaching the Balcar items.

I've had boxes go airborne from wind outside and the things stay attached unless the aluminum plate on the softbox back gets bent and it then comes loose. They were very secure, albeit slower to mount. Maybe revisit that old design, although it is forged casting so might be more expensive and heavy both.

There was something here (or elsewhere?) on some intermediary mount that takes the stress off the coupling. Looked like a U-shaped yoke where the Einstein attached to its back, and the box went on the front. All pivoting was on the yoke itself which seemed like a good idea for heavy items.

Mack

We offer speedrings that fit the majority of softboxes as well as softboxes and, reflectors and other accessories that fit and are retained on our lights. It is not cost effective for us to stock items that would be low volume to compensate for other brands that are made incorrectly and claimed to be compatible with our product. Our speedrings are $29.95, and the inserts can be swapped with many other speedrings. Our inserts are are 6" in diameter.

If a speedring is made incorrectly, that does not make a mount more particular than another. I have seen mismanufactured speedrings for Profoto (the Holy Grail of mounts) not fit well and slide off. I have seen Elinchrom rings go on (with force) and not want to come off at all, and Bowens mount that have lugs that are too large to fit the Bayonet mount.

Historically, Chimera, Westcott, and Photoflex have been good fits, though we cannot account for any changes they may have made.

Creative Light/Profoto speedrings are less reliable. Much of this is due to the curvature of the insert interferes with the ends of the fingers, preventing the fingers from returning to the fully engaged position.

I will pass along your concerns and request for inserts.