Tiffen Lowel Rifa-lite - Manual (Page 3)

Lowel Rifa-lite ® Instructions
The Rifa is a dedicated soft light,
with quick set-up and beautiful output.
With a little practice, good results are
easy to achieve. Rifa Models
There are 4 models of Rifa, with front
diffusers in sizes of
• 16 x 16" (Rifa 44)
• 21 x 21" (Rifa 55)
• 25 x 25" (Rifa 66)
• 32 x 32" (Rifa 88)
So logically, at same distance, the 88 will be
softest of all because its source (the lit diffuser)
is the largest.
Rifa's 55, 66, & 88 all use
the same socket.
And while you should never use higher wattage
lamps than the maximum recommended for
each model, you can use lower wattage lamps
in the larger models for increased softness at
the same wattage / output.
For example, using the 500 watt EHC lamp in
the Rifa 55 at a distance of 5 feet will give you
88 foot candles of light with the amount of
softness from a 24 square inch source, yet
using the same 500 watt EHC lamp in the Rifa
88 from a distance of 5 feet, will give you the
aprox. the same 88 foot candles of light, yet a
greater amount of softness because its now
coming from a larger 32 square inch source.
Postitioning the Rifa
Soft light falls off in output strength much
more quickly than a hard source of identical
wattage, because the soft source is so much
larger in size (light is dispersed in a wider
direction). As a result, soft sources, like Rifa
are designed to be used fairly close to the sub-
ject. This can create problems of light spill on
the areas behind the subject. The first step in
First, a brief overview...
Soft light is soft because the size of its source
is large when compared to the size of the sub-
ject being lit. The larger the ratio of light source
size to subject size, the softer the light. If you
stand outside on an overcast day, you will have
very little shadow because the size of the
source (the whole sky) is so much larger than
you are.
Hard light is hard because the size of
its source is small when compared to the sub-
ject being lit. In a fixture such as a Pro-light,
the physical size of the source is much smaller.
This makes the light very directional and as a
result, the shadows it throws are sharper. A
clear sunny day will result in sharper shadows
because of the smaller (harder) source.
Distance from source to
object
becomes a factor in sharpness as
well. The further away from the subject the
source is, the smaller the source appears to be
& therefore the harder its shadows.
minimizing background spill is to move the
subject away from walls, by 6 feet or so if pos-
sible. This will allow a light placed on a stand
higher than the subject to fall off towards the
floor, before hitting the wall.
Using Fabric Egg Crates
Another situation that can arise as a result of
using soft sources close to the subject is fluc-
tuation in exposure level that can occur if the
subject moves back & forth in relation to the
light source. With the source being so close,
its effect can be noticable in the camera. An
easy solution to this, which can also help
reduce the light spill described previously, is to
add an accessory fabric egg crate to the front
of the light. Fabric egg crates are available in
different degrees of dispersion, so where the
Rifas have an output that will cast light in
almost 180 degrees (with the strongest portion
of the output will being in the center 70- 75
degrees), the egg crates will trim this to either
30, 40 or 50 degrees, depending on the model
of egg crate used. They do a great job of pre-
venting the subject from "burning up" if they
happen to get too close to the light source for
your exposure.
Mixing with daylight
For setups when you are shooting in a room
that also has windows, where the desire is to
mix the output of the Rifa with daylight, some
level of color correction gel will be needed.
The goal is to match the warmer 3200k tung-
sten lamp in the Rifa, with the cooler daylight
color (5000-6500k). Because daylight can vary
in color, depending on whether its direct sun,
overcast clouds, blue sky or any combination
An Introduction to Rifa-lite for the New Pro
of the above, you will need to choose either
1/4, 1/2 or full day blue to most closely match
the Rifa to the daylight in the room. Rifa Day
Blue Gels are custom cut to fit the Rifas.
They are sized to cover the front diffuser with
enough excess to allow them to be clipped to
the velcro pockets on the side of the light.
You can use clothespins, Lowel Gel-jawz,
or any small spring loaded clip.
These are just some
starting suggestions.
For additional introductory information,
see the Resources section of the complete
Lowel catalog. For an in-depth understanding
of the creative decisions involved in the art of
lighting, we suggest Ross Lowell's acclaimed
book, Matters of Light & Depth, available from
many of our dealers.
Also see the evolving educational
resource section of www.lowel.com
3
3:00 9:00
C
B
A Camera
B
3:00 9:00
A Camera
A Rifa with 250 - 500W lamp Setup Keys: B Pro-light with 100 - 250W lamp C Tota-light with 300 - 500W lamp
1 Rifa-lite, 1 Pro-light, 1 Tota-light
To light an interview subject with 1 Rifa-lite and 1 Pro-light (250w
focusable hard source), try using the Pro-light as a back light to give the
subject separation from the background.
Vary the angle to the subject while keeping the 2 lights facing each other
for increased dramatic results. As you approach a 9:00 / 3:00 place-
ment, the Pro becomes a hard / dramatic key, as the Rifa becomes soft
fill. Note: watch for lens flare from the back light (Pro). Place the broad
throw Tota so it lights the background without spilling onto the subject. 1 Rifa-lite, 1 Tota-light
To light an interview subject with the Rifa-lite alone, You can place the
light at a 45º angle, 2-3 feet higher than the subject, with the light tilted
down towards the subject. From there, you can arc the angle of the Rifa-
lite out in either direction from 6:00 (at camera - this will give the most
even lighting) to either 3:00 or 9:00, depending on how much dramatic
contrast & fall off you want in your shot. Place the broad throw Tota so it
lights the background without spilling onto the subject.
Basic Starter Setups using Rifa-lite
Setup 2 Setup 1
Soft source close = Softest shadow
Same soft source further back =
Less soft shadow
Direct (small) source = Hardest shadows
Directional Sources have
smaller surfaces