Diffusing Rifa lights?

[QuickHitRecord]

Is anyone adding additional diffusion to Lowel Rifas? What has been working best for you? Are there any success stories for taping/velcro-ing gels or fabrics directly over the softbox?

 

[mcbob]

Sure, sometimes I'll shoot the RIFA through a larger silk (4' or so)... this is most always on its own stand with some substantial offset, otherwise it's just cutting light output.

Regarding gels, I clip the gel inside of the diffusion panel... although to go to daylight, I usually re-lamp it with 2-3 daylight CFLs.

 

[RyanT]

Since the Rifa's have such a thick diffusion on there already, your best bet for further diffusion is to shoot them through something larger. As Mcbob said a 4x4 frame or 6x6 frame could do the trick. I'm sure you know, but softness is defined by not only the thickness of the diffusion, but the size of the source relative to the subject.

That being said, you could shoot it through a 20x20 frame, but because you have it a mile away it's very small to the subject. Therefore it's still a hard light.

 

[QuickHitRecord]

Thanks. Like McBob, I've been diffusing with 4x4 frames and silks mounted on a separate stand but was really wondering if there was some happy compromise between transmission and softness of the light when it came to direct-mount diffusion. I've heard of people taping half grid cloth in front of the Rifa softbox (the 88 is pretty big). I have not tried that myself. There might not be any shortcuts here, but I thought I'd ask.

 

[Moseph]

Clipping further diffusion right onto the front of the light might give the illusion of more softness due to it lowering the intensity, but if you want to actually soften it more and give it more "wrap" it'll require a larger frame on a stand.