DoPchoice/Ellar Works SNAPGRID Core Modifier for ARRI Omnibar and Astera Titan Tubes Explained

by Johnnie BehiriSeptember 15^th, 2026

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DoPchoice has released the SNAPGRID Core, a rigid honeycomb grid with a 40° cell structure that snaps onto the ARRI Omnibar 2 and Omnibar 4 as well as the Astera Titan and Helios tubes, developed together with Dutch grid maker Ellar Works. We met DoPchoice founder Stefan Karle and Ellar Works founder Job Kraaijeveld on the ARRI stand to find out what a hard grid does for a linear fixture that a fabric one cannot, and why the outer cells on the long version are angled toward the middle.

The Omnibar is ARRI’s first LED bar, which we covered in detail when it was announced earlier this year, with magnetically swappable optics, IP65 weather sealing, and a built-in battery in two-foot and four-foot lengths. DoPchoice already had a fabric SNAPGRID, a SNAPBAG, and an inflatable AIRGLOW lantern for it. The SNAPGRID Core is the company’s first rigid grid, and it is also the first product to come out of its collaboration with Ellar Works, which makes it a somewhat unusual launch for a company that has built its reputation on textile modifiers.

How two grid makers ended up on one product

Stefan Karle told us the two companies first met about two years ago and had talked about doing something together for a while. Job Kraaijeveld has spent years building hard grids for the Astera Titan and Helios tubes under the Ellar name, so when ARRI customers began asking for a rigid grid for the Omnibar, the collaboration had an obvious starting point. As Stefan put it, this is the product for the Omnibar, with the Omnibar 4 version using the new material in a way that allows the cells to be angled toward the sides, something a regular plastic grid could not do.

Job Kraaijeveld described the material as heat-resistant, matte black to keep reflections down, and a balance between rigid and flexible, since the grid has to survive life on set without cracking. The same material has been on Ellar’s Astera grids for a few years and, in his words, has been in rental inventories all over the world without complaint. We have followed DoPchoice’s partnerships before, including the Snapbridge developed with Lightbridge, and this one follows the same pattern of pairing DoPchoice’s distribution with a specialist’s design.

Why a hard grid instead of a soft one

We asked the obvious question, since fabric grids for LED bars from several manufacturers already exist. Stefan’s first answer was the angled cell structure. In the middle of the grid, the cells point straight ahead, and toward the ends of the long version they tilt progressively inward, which focuses the output on the talent and cuts it off the wall or whatever background sits behind them. DoPchoice calls this CORE FOCUS on its product page: instead of running parallel, the outer cells aim at a virtual focal point in front of the fixture, so the far field of a 121cm (47.6in) bar gets more light in the center and a gentler edge falloff rather than an abrupt one.

The second argument is stability over time. On a longer installation, a rigid grid does not sag, shift, or change shape, and it stays where it was clipped on. Stefan added that mounting is as simple as the rest of the range: the grid clicks onto the fixture face, which is why it carries the SNAPGRID name.

Straps, clamp openings, and no rear spill

Along the sides of the grid are openings that serve two purposes. The first is for safety chains, if a user wants extra security. On the Omnibar versions, DoPchoice has also included hook-and-loop straps, which Stefan said are there because the four-foot bar is long enough that an additional fastening makes sense, even though the grid already holds itself in place.

The other openings are lined with rubber and are meant for clamps. Job’s point was that users can keep the clamps they already own, whether Astera’s or another brand’s, and fit them through the grid onto the fixture while the rubber closes the gap so no light escapes at the back. The closed rear of the grid is the same on the Omnibar and the Astera versions, so there is no spill onto walls or other subjects behind the light.

Sizes, and running several in a line

The SNAPGRID Core is available for the full Omnibar range, meaning both the Omnibar 2 and the Omnibar 4, alongside the Titan and Helios tube versions. DoPchoice lists the Omnibar 2 grid at 61 x 6.5 x 4cm (24 x 2.6 x 1.6in) and 0.3kg (0.66lb), and the Omnibar 4 grid at 121 x 6.5 x 4cm (47.6 x 2.6 x 1.6in) and 0.5kg (1.1lb), each with a carry bag. The grid is also compatible with ARRI’s own Flat Diffuser and Intensifier optics, so it can be combined with the fixture’s magnetic attachments rather than replacing them.

Stefan also pointed out that the grids can be cascaded, and the ARRI stand had a long run of Omnibars fitted with them behind the DJ booth as a demonstration. For anyone building a long linear source out of several bars, that means the light stays controlled along the whole length rather than only where a single grid happens to sit.

Small batches, and a request to viewers

Before we wrapped up, Stefan made a point about what the collaboration changes. With Ellar on board, the two companies can now produce modifiers that combine a rigid structure with a textile, and do so in smaller series and smaller batches than a conventional production run, which he described as the new advantage they have. He asked viewers directly: if there is a fixture that needs a structure, or a structure plus a textile, to become a useful lighting tool, get in touch.

We should also mention that Stefan acted as a mentor to Johnnie during the design of the SmallRig x CineD OrBrella, our own umbrella-style soft light, which is one more reason we were glad to catch up with him at the show.

Price and availability

According to Stefan, the SNAPGRID Core is available now in all sizes, for both the Astera tubes and the ARRI Omnibar. No pricing was given at the booth, and DoPchoice’s own product pages list the grids on a quote basis, so check with your dealer for local figures.

For more information, please visit the DoPchoice website.

Do you reach for a hard grid or a fabric one when you need to control a tube or bar light? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!