Name: Chimera 5' Octaplus Expandable Light Bank
Brand: Chimera
SKU: CMOP5
Price: 619.65 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

Chimera 5' Octaplus Expandable Light Bank

Chimera OctaPlus 5

Chimera

<a rel="nofollow" class="promo-financing short trackEvent popup" data-track-data="financing apply,suggested minimum payment credit,pdp" data-callback-context="adrma" data-callback-arguments='{"financeMonth":"6","financePrice":"104","TotalPrice":"619.65","financeDateEnd":"12/31/9999"}' data-callback="renderFinancingPromoPopup" data-href="/api/getContent?ContentName=CAFinancingPromo&Output=Desktop" data-popup-class="popup800 popupFinancing">$104/mo suggested payments with 6&#8209;month special financing. Learn&nbsp;how.</a>

In Stock

Adorama Protect 2-Year Protection Plan

Adorama Protect 3-Year Protection Plan

Adorama Protect 4-Year Protection Plan

Adorama Protect powered by Extend is available for purchases to customers in the United States only. Not available for international or U.S. territories purchases. Adorama Protect plans are available for ABS clients.

<a class="percent-off-everyday-promo popup promo-financing trackEvent" data-href="/api/getContent?ContentName=CAFinancingGenericPopup&amp;Output=Desktop" data-popup-class="popupFinancing popup800" rel="nofollow" data-track-data="financing apply,ways to save every day savings,pdp" 
		data-callback-context="adrma" data-callback-arguments="{&quot;financeMonth&quot;:&quot;{1}&quot;,&quot;financePrice&quot;:&quot;{0}&quot;,&quot;TotalPrice&quot;:&quot;{2}&quot;}" data-callback="renderFinancingPromoPopup"><img alt="edge-creditcard" src="/col/assets/edge-creditcard.png">
 <h3>Save 5% Every Day†</h3>with the Adorama Edge Credit Card.Learn More</a>

Adorama

Photography

Lighting & Studio

Light Modifiers & Reflectors

Softboxes & Accessories

Softboxes

Chimera Softboxes

Chimera OctaPlus 5 

Shop the Chimera 5' OctaPlus softbox for beautiful, diffused light. Durable build, easy setup, universal mount. Includes baffles. Order today!

An exceptional addition to the Chimera OctaPlus Lightbank series, the OctaPlus 57 is a versatile lighting solution, boasting a 5-foot diameter (1.5m) that can be effortlessly expanded to a 7-foot diameter (2.1m) using a 2-foot (.65m) expansion kit. This expandability offers photographers and cinematographers the flexibility to adapt to varying lighting conditions and creative demands. The OctaPlus Lightbank family, including the OctaPlus 3 with a fixed 3-foot diameter (.9m), is meticulously designed to generate a captivating soft light with rounded highlights, perfect for creating depth and dimension in your images. The OctaPlus 5 can also be purchased separately, allowing you to add the 7-foot expansion kit at your convenience.What sets the OctaPlus 5 and OctaPlus 57 apart is their innovative graduated baffle, combined with a soft silver interior. This unique design ensures a highly efficient spread of light, providing an evenly lit scene. During rigorous testing, it was observed that the OctaPlus 57 exhibited a minimal .2 f stop light fall off between the center and the outer edges, demonstrating its superior light distribution capabilities.All Chimera OctaPlus Lightbanks are compatible with both strobes and continuous light sources up to 1,200 watts, while the larger 5' and 7' models can accommodate light sources up to 2000 watts. This compatibility allows for a wide range of lighting options to suit your specific needs.To ensure optimal performance and stability, the Chimera OctaPlus Lightbanks require an OctaPlus Speed Ring. For the larger models, we recommend using a Chimera model 3770 stand adaptor or a similar model stand adaptor. This ensures that the weight of the Lightbank is not supported solely on the fixture, providing a more secure and stable setup. In conclusion, the Chimera OctaPlus Lightbank series, with its expandability, efficient light distribution, and compatibility with various light sources, is an invaluable tool for photographers and cinematographers seeking to elevate their lighting game.

This box strikes a useful balance between rugged construction and light weight. It is easier to set up and take down in the field than the Profoto 4ft or 5ft Octa and better made than Elinchrom Rotalux boxes. 

Part of this has to do with the Chimera speed ring and the slightly curved poles. They are easier to use than any other brand and there are no folding pole sockets to break off or get stuck like the Eiinchrom rings. I have used this box with Speedotron, Elinchrom and Profoto gear.  

The light quality is very evenly soft from close to medium distances and has no hot spots due to the unique interior diffuser...which has graduated diffuson rings crafted in. This is a  big deal when you are using light heads that have different degrees of intrusion into the softbox, different diffusion covering the flash tubes and different reflector configurations. These days I most often use Quadra heads and Profoto D1 & Acute / D4 heads - and the light amongst them with this box is indistinguishable . 

This is the only 5 ft Octa I would trust with a Quadra head - but you have to use the 3770 to make it so. I do 85% of what I want with the 5 ft Octa, a Chimera beauty dish, a medium rectangular Chimera, a strip light, a set of Profoto Deep umbrellas - and  a few foam core panels. 

If I want softer light I can rent something too big to take seriously. It has not happened yet. A reliable, sturdy indirect in the 5-6 ft range, for under $1200.00 might be a softer alternative. A 6ft or 7ft foot indirect soft box will sail just like a similar size umbrella. No matter how much you sand bag all but the heaviest stands - you have to have a human being to guard it. 5 ft is about the viability limit on location unless you have a decent size crew.

This is the only large octa I recommend if you have to set up and take down several times a day. As far as i can tell the light from the 5ft  Chimera is a tiny bit softer than the light from a Profoto 5 ft octa and much softer than the light from a Rotalux Midi. I also have access to the 69 inch older style indirect Elinchrom...and that is a nice light but I prefer the Chimera for what I do...mostly portraits. 

I was turned on to the Chimera 5 ft Octa by a cinematographer who uses the Chimera 5 ft octa made for hot lights in multiple setups a week.

Chimera 5' Octaplus Expandable Light Bank

Key Features

Protect your gear with Adorama Protect.* Learn more