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Report: Got some Profoto RFI boxes

fotografz

Well-known member
Just received one of the new 1'X3' Profoto RFI strip boxes and can report they are quite nicely made in the typical Profoto manner.

I have all the bigger Profoto stuff, but wanted a few smaller strip boxes for both portable location and table-top work.

Once the 1'X3' arrived and I saw they were well made, I immediately ordered the $199 1' X 4' version with the 50º grid (which at $99 is actually affordable :eek:).

I also ordered 2 of the RFI speed-rings for Profoto mount ... which are also less expensive than the standard ones. There are rings for most brands of lights.

Got them on Amazon which has them in stock where B&H did not.

-Marc

There is a current promo running that gets you a Canon/Nikon RFI speed-ring if you buy all 3 parts (box, grid, strobe speed-ring) ... a $100 value. Ends Dec. 31st.

-Marc
 

Dustbak

Member
:) I just got 2 of the 1x4" striplights with the 50degr. grid as well. Some people say these Rfi are rebadged creative lights but I find the quality and feel of the boxes much more in line with the RF series. The grids are amazingly affordable!!! you definitely need to get them with every box.
 

Kirk Candlish

New member
It's good news to hear that PF realized they were over priced on their softboxes and brought the new designs in line with the market.
 

Kirk Candlish

New member
You may not have noticed Marc, but the point of my post was that amazon has the linked Octa listed as 3 INCH, not 3 foot. I was trying to add some humor by calling them the new 'Micro' series. All of the RFIs are listed incorrectly. Maybe outsourcing their data entry wasn't a good idea.

The amazon return policy is no questions asked so I'd suggest order a grid and see if it fits.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
You may not have noticed Marc, but the point of my post was that amazon has the linked Octa listed as 3 INCH, not 3 foot. I was trying to add some humor by calling them the new 'Micro' series. All of the RFIs are listed incorrectly. Maybe outsourcing their data entry wasn't a good idea.

The amazon return policy is no questions asked so I'd suggest order a grid and see if it fits.
Yeah, they are all listed that way ... I was thinking how cool a doll house studio would be :ROTFL:

Good thought about trying it.

-Marc
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Just assembled the 1 inch x 4 inch strip light and egg-crate grid, and now I can light some really, really small tabletop stuff ... :ROTFL:

Kidding aside, these RFi pups are not any easier to assemble than the RFs. I'll be sticking with the Elinchrom Rotalux boxes with Profoto rings for location work. :thumbup:

Also ordered the 7cm strip mask for the RFi 3 foot strip light ...

Plus, got a 3' X 4' soft grid for my older RF 3' X 4' box ... I do not see why it will not fit ... the velcro on the inner lip of the soft-box is the same width as the RFis. Soon as I get it, I'll come back and confirm that it works.

-Marc
 

archivue

Active member
i first thought that the "i" stands for improved... but then i realized that it stands for "i"conomy...
I've didn't see one in real world... but it looks like that the plain RF are better build, and more heat resistant (no more "windows"... some times i'm using Profoto compact with the pilot lamp on, will it be ok with the RFi ?
 

Tibor

Member
Kidding aside, these RFi pups are not any easier to assemble than the RFs. I'll be sticking with the Elinchrom Rotalux boxes with Profoto rings for location work. :thumbup:
I use Plume Wafers (designed by Gerry Register and made by Bowens UK for European market) with Bowens quickring and Profoto adaptor ring and this works remarkably well with the Plume 140 strip, 140 softbox and 180 hexagonal. Very quick and easy to setup and break down (a little force is needed at the end when pulling the movable part of the quickring though).
 

fotografz

Well-known member
i first thought that the "i" stands for improved... but then i realized that it stands for "i"conomy...
I've didn't see one in real world... but it looks like that the plain RF are better build, and more heat resistant (no more "windows"... some times i'm using Profoto compact with the pilot lamp on, will it be ok with the RFi ?
I've only got the smaller RFis ... so I don't know if there are window flaps for heat on the larger ones. I seriously doubt any of these are for use with hot lights.

Even with the modeling lights on full, I've never opened the flaps to no ill effect.

The build quality of the RFi soft-boxes seem the same as the RFs, whether the speed-rings are remains to be seen over time, but they seem well made and sturdy. Color coding helps assembly a bit.

-Marc
 

Downtown

New member
Just received one of the new 1'X3' Profoto RFI strip boxes and can report they are quite nicely made in the typical Profoto manner.

I have all the bigger Profoto stuff, but wanted a few smaller strip boxes for both portable location and table-top work.

Once the 1'X3' arrived and I saw they were well made, I immediately ordered the $199 1' X 4' version with the 50º grid (which at $99 is actually affordable :eek:).

I also ordered 2 of the RFI speed-rings for Profoto mount ... which are also less expensive than the standard ones. There are rings for most brands of lights.

Got them on Amazon which has them in stock where B&H did not.

-Marc

There is a current promo running that gets you a Canon/Nikon RFI speed-ring if you buy all 3 parts (box, grid, strobe speed-ring) ... a $100 value. Ends Dec. 31st.

-Marc
Your odds would be better winning the Power Ball Lottery than that of getting the Nikon/Canon RFI Speedrings if you buy all 3 parts. Speaking from experience NO ONE has any RFI inventory of any kind without having to wait 1-3 weeks which in turn will VOID your request. What a gimmick! Shame on you Profoto : (
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Your odds would be better winning the Power Ball Lottery than that of getting the Nikon/Canon RFI Speedrings if you buy all 3 parts. Speaking from experience NO ONE has any RFI inventory of any kind without having to wait 1-3 weeks which in turn will VOID your request. What a gimmick! Shame on you Profoto : (
Really?

The RFi introduction Promo for a free Speed-light Speed-ring has been running from Oct. 01/12 and ends Dec. 31/12. Three month promo time. You snooze, you lose.

However, Amazon still has a lot in stock. All three pieces in many cases. Some combo units with box and grid are offered.

Amazon.com: profoto rfi

Ordered 1' X 4' stripbox, 50º grid, and Profoto speed-ring from Amazon on Nov. 29th, Got all three items w/free shipping by Dec 6, filled out the promo form and sent it in already ... been shooting with it.

You have to buy by Dec. 31st (dated invoice from retailer), but can send in the promo request post marked up to Jan 15, 2013.

http://www.profoto.com/us/forms/RFi_Rebate.PDF?utm_source=Lyris&utm_medium=eBlast&utm_campaign=RFi

Just this minute ordered a 2' X 2' RFi to use with the Free Speed-Light ring when it arrives ... RFi box will be delivered on Dec. 18th from Amazon.

-Marc
 

Dustbak

Member
I've only got the smaller RFis ... so I don't know if there are window flaps for heat on the larger ones. I seriously doubt any of these are for use with hot lights.

Even with the modeling lights on full, I've never opened the flaps to no ill effect.

The build quality of the RFi soft-boxes seem the same as the RFs, whether the speed-rings are remains to be seen over time, but they seem well made and sturdy. Color coding helps assembly a bit.

-Marc
I have never opened the 'flaps' either. About the speedrings, I currently use the regular Profoto ones. Are the Rfi's any different?? ( besides the plastic and color coding)

The setup of the 1x4's seem to need a bit more force than I would prefer hence my question whether the Rfi speedsrings might have the holes for striplights on a slightly different location?
 

fotografz

Well-known member
I have never opened the 'flaps' either. About the speedrings, I currently use the regular Profoto ones. Are the Rfi's any different?? ( besides the plastic and color coding)

The setup of the 1x4's seem to need a bit more force than I would prefer hence my question whether the Rfi speedsrings might have the holes for striplights on a slightly different location?
I tried an existing Profoto Speed-Ring I had before ordering the RFi version, but the back flaps didn't cover the back enough ... then realized it was a Profoto mount speed-ring for my Plume Wafer which I had sitting around after swapping that box to a Hensel mount for the Porty ... Duh! :facesmack:

I didn't have a spare Profoto ring, so just gave in and ordered the RFi version since I leave most of these set up for quick use.

Even with the RFi ring, it was a bit of a struggle to assemble the bigger 1" X 4' strip compared to the 1' X 3' ... maybe because they are so new. I'll try another time after they've been set up for a while to see if they stretch out a little bit.

BTW, I did get the less expensive 50º grid for my existing RF 3' X 4' box, and it was a smidgen to big ... so that the last row of egg-crate compresses on the long side ... I see no real world effect of this, so I kept it.

-Marc
 

Downtown

New member
Really?

The RFi introduction Promo for a free Speed-light Speed-ring has been running from Oct. 01/12 and ends Dec. 31/12. Three month promo time. You snooze, you lose.

However, Amazon still has a lot in stock. All three pieces in many cases. Some combo units with box and grid are offered.

Amazon.com: profoto rfi

Ordered 1' X 4' stripbox, 50º grid, and Profoto speed-ring from Amazon on Nov. 29th, Got all three items w/free shipping by Dec 6, filled out the promo form and sent it in already ... been shooting with it.

You have to buy by Dec. 31st (dated invoice from retailer), but can send in the promo request post marked up to Jan 15, 2013.

http://www.profoto.com/us/forms/RFi_Rebate.PDF?utm_source=Lyris&utm_medium=eBlast&utm_campaign=RFi

Just this minute ordered a 2' X 2' RFi to use with the Free Speed-Light ring when it arrives ... RFi box will be delivered on Dec. 18th from Amazon.

-Marc
Maybe it's just me? But when I tried to order the RFi Profoto speedrings they were out of stock at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, Unique photo etc. In the end I had to order the more expensive Profoto 100660 rather than wait the 1-4 weeks. I ran into the same issue trying to order the 1 x 4 grids and 2 x 2 grid. Seems in some cases they like to show in stock but when you order 2 days later you get the dreaded email stating that they're out of supply! As you say snooze ya lose! I just wish I would have picked up on this thread earlier ;)
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Maybe it's just me? But when I tried to order the RFi Profoto speedrings they were out of stock at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, Unique photo etc. In the end I had to order the more expensive Profoto 100660 rather than wait the 1-4 weeks. I ran into the same issue trying to order the 1 x 4 grids and 2 x 2 grid. Seems in some cases they like to show in stock but when you order 2 days later you get the dreaded email stating that they're out of supply! As you say snooze ya lose! I just wish I would have picked up on this thread earlier ;)
Yeah, Profoto did send out an e-mail blast with the attached promo form in November, so it may have depleted retail reseller stocks quickly after that.

Hell, some of these promos are really short timed ... just got one from Hasselblad that is for only a week!

-Marc
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Got the free promo speed-ring yesterday. That has to be the fastest promo response ever.

Looks good, very well built. All metal.


-Marc
 

fotografz

Well-known member
As a follow up the getting the Free Promo RFi speed-ring for use with speed-lights, I discovered it was a perfect fit for use with my little Quadra portable kit.

With the standard reflector on the tiny Quadra head it is a perfect fit for the opening on RFi ring.

Here's what it looks like.

-Marc
 
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