Rifa Softbox vs. Cool Lights CL-255P - looking to buy new light for intvs

singleframe

singleframe

Well-known member
between these two:

Rifa Softbox vs. Cool Lights CL-255P

do you guys have any recommendations on what to buy as my key for interviews. i'm good on fills, and background, but do need a new key. been using a 500w fresnel with diffusion, but want to get a quick style set-up.

and part two of this question::
should i get 32K or 56K bulbs/lamps??
i feel like 56K would be great for outdoor window backdrops...but then i also do a lot of non-outdoor background as well.
hmmmm....

thanks,
sf
 
I think softbox gives a very different look than the Cool Lights flourescent. Even though the light is diffuse with a softbox, it's still a hard source that gives very defined shadows. I use my CL455 mainly as a fill.
 
I think the first question to ask is do you care if you're working with a hot light or a cool light and will your subjects care all that much. In addition, you don't have the choice of daylight in the Rifa unless you do some gelling. Many get the CL-255P or 455P with another set of bulbs in the opposite color temperature in order to be prepared to blend in with whatever existing light is necessary.
 
The Rifa will be quicker and easier to setup then the Flo's because with the Flo's you are encouraged to not travel with the lamps installed. That said, the Flo's are far more useful in other situations then the Rifa. I would also suggest getting the 4 lamp unit over the 2 lamp for interview. It's always easier to scrim down too much light than if you don't have enough light to start with.

Matthew
 
Huy Vu said:
I think softbox gives a very different look than the Cool Lights flourescent. Even though the light is diffuse with a softbox, it's still a hard source that gives very defined shadows. I use my CL455 mainly as a fill.
Click to expand...
Why do you think a SOFTbox is a HARDlight source?
The main thing that matters is the relation/distance between the size of the fixtures illuminating surface and the illuminated object´s size.
If you put a softlight far enough away from your subject, the shadows will get harder of course...
The Rifa puts out a beautifully even light, is easy to set up and so light you can take it anywhere and rig it anywhere.
But my Rifa88 is also a BIG fixture and unfortunately I´m not always filming in 400 squaremeter lofts, so I´m also looking into some CoolLights fixtures...
Having a cool (low heat) lightsource that also draws much less power than my 1000W Rifa will be another plus...

- Spart
 
Put a Flozier on a cool light 4 bank and you have a instant softbox.

I sold my rifa when I got the cool lights setup.
 
hmmm. still torn. does anyone have a frame grab of the CL-255 used in an interview. i already know what the Rifa looks like.
 
We've had both, and both are very good approaches.

We decided on the Rifa because of our workflow -- faster set up, etc.

But you have to make that decision. Both light well, but with different approaches.
 
Spartacus said:
Why do you think a SOFTbox is a HARDlight source?
The main thing that matters is the relation/distance between the size of the fixtures illuminating surface and the illuminated object´s size.
If you put a softlight far enough away from your subject, the shadows will get harder of course...
Click to expand...

I've used softbox fixtures before, and to me even though it's a SOFTbox the the light it gives off is clearly different from something like a Cool Lights fixture. A light with a softbox on has a more diffused beam, but it is still coming from a clearly identifiable source. A soft light source like the Cool Light is more of an even wash of light across the subject's face. The two aren't interchangeable. A setup I use frequently is have the softbox fixture as my key and a Cool Lights as my fill, like this:

4.jpg


BTW, I believe the closer the light source is, the harder the shadow.
 
A Rifa is an open faced light with a softbox attachment made by Lowel. Its known for its easy setup which I believe is like an umbrella in operation.
 
Richard,
your site's been a little funky this weekend. couldn't access it yesterday at all. today it's suuuuper slow. just thought i'd let ya know.
sf
 
seunosewa said:
Not travel with flo lamps installed? I've done that several times. Why is it bad?
Click to expand...

Hehe. It works great until that one time you drop the fixture and the tubes shatter. :crybaby:

That being said, the new portables are much easier on the tubes in cushioning the shock than the metal fixtures that you have are Seun.
 
singleframe said:
... i'm good on fills, and background, but do need a new key. been using a 500w fresnel with diffusion, but want to get a quick style set-up. ...
Click to expand...

Bounce key lighting works much better for video than a direct rifa. If you have a round reflector then put it at the key location. Take your fresnel and place it to bounce its light off the reflector at an angle where its key. Then backlight and fill as normal.

This will give a dvx running at 24p a more filmic look. Here's an example from Walter Graff himself shot on a dvx during the first parts of the setup. Final stages use flags to remove specular hot spots from ceramics.

bouncekey.jpg


For men, if you want that chiselled look don't use a strong fill or for the extreme don't use a fill at all.
 
singleframe said:
Richard,
your site's been a little funky this weekend. couldn't access it yesterday at all. today it's suuuuper slow. just thought i'd let ya know.
sf
Click to expand...

Yes, thanks for letting me know. I'm aware of that and have been contacting my host and they are working on it. I think they are doing some kinds of upgrades or changes on web host servers which is no doubt the root of the problem. You can contact me directly at richard@coollights.biz and we can handle things manually until all that gets sorted out. Thanks again.
 
BTW, I believe the closer the light source is, the harder the shadow.
Click to expand...

Not with soft light sources. I think you mean something like an open face or a fresnel gets much harsher when you put it too close, but with something big like a softbox/kinoflo/coollight, the light source becomes much larger in relation to the subject when you put it closer - therefore the light becomes much softer.
Imagine a 6-bank flo light that is 10 meters away from your subject, it will then be just a small spot of light. If you put it right before your subject, like 1m away, then it is huge in relation and will light the face from almost every direction.
 
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