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[DanHD]

Hey guys, I've posted some threads here about my situation with the Rifa88, but I need answers quick. Your help would be much appreciated.

I'll get right to it,
Im shooting a film next week where I will need my lowel lights (tota, DP, and rifa88) to be daylight balanced. I am gelling the tota and dp with CTB, but I'm going to buy Flouros for the Rifa88.


I've already purchased the FLO-X3 3 light adapter for the Rifa.

Now which lamps do I buy??

I need to get as close to a 1000w tungsten output as possible, and I am aware of the 4 to 1 rule with flouros..

My question is, can I purchase 3 of these for the adapter, or is 85 watts too much?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/523189-REG/General_Brand_SP85_50_MED_Fluorescent_Lamp_85.html

In the lowel pamphlet that is packaged with the Rifa, the highest wattage bulb they have listed under the Rifa is the x1-65 65 Watt Flouro lamp.

Can I go higher, and get the 85? that would bring me closer to the light level I was getting with the 1000w quartz bulb

 

[PerroneFord]

I just looked at my FloX3. It says max 240w total, 80w each socket. Me being me, I'd fudge it for 5 watts, but certainly wouldn't go to 100w. And if you blow up your socket with the 85w then you didn't hear it from me! LOL!

-P

 

[DanHD]

haha..alright then!!!


That's strange to me though...if the Rifa88 is rated for 1000w why does the flo3 socket max out at 240w??

 

[scorsesefan]

Dan,
The 88 maxes out at 1000 tungsten (which is 240 fluorescent).

 

[DanHD]

I talked with Perrone about this, and he said three 85's is definitely overkill.

I'm going to go with three 27s

 

[scorsesefan]

Ok. Just keep in mind that's equal to about 300 tungsten watts -- not enough for a key in most situations. If you're using it as fill it's fine. You can also combine 27s and 85s in that fixture...

 

[DanHD]

I was consulting the panavision exposure chart that says around 60 footcandles at 5 feet (the distance id like the place the rifa) would allow for proper exposure,
and according to that chart, three 85'd would be overkill,

but it IS just a chart, that doesnt account for every shooting situation

now I'm in the bind all over again.

Should I reconsider and just get three 85's, or three 27's.......
I can always turn one or two of the 85's off right??

The lowel chart says the maximum flouro lamp you should use with the rifa is three 65w lamps, and they make them.

Maybe I should just go with the lowel made 65's...then I can complain to them if anything goes wrong. they have great customer service

and like you said, I can always combine them.

any suggestions?
what would you guys do?

 

[PerroneFord]

All the talk of lighting recently, and my upcoming shoot, got me in the mood to do some testing. So I thought I'd share the results with the community.

Over the holiday, I bought 4 more 100w 5500k CFL bulbs from Home Depot, and a number of 2-to-1 adapters.

So I had a total of 6 bulbs in the fixture, and placed it 10ft from a blank wall, and measured the light output both with and without the front diffuser.

With Front Diffuser = 19.6FC @ 10ft
Without Front Diffuser = 34.8FC @ 10ft

So at typical 5ft operating distances for interview, the fixture is giving off nearly 80FC with the front diffusion on, and nearly 140FC without the diffusion.

According to the Panavision chart here (Table of Exposure for Motion Picture film stock)

If we rate our cameras at ASA 320 (like I do for my EX1 at -3db) we are at ~T2.0 at 10ft with the diffuser on, and T2.8 with it off. At 5ft, we are just above T4 with the diffuser and nearly T6 without!

I took some photos of the bulb configuration but I'll have to wait until I get home later tonight to attach them.

After this testing I have to reiterate my comments, that the 3-lamp fluorescent fixtures for this light transforms it from a nice softbox into a wonderful cinematographers tool. Anyone with basic sewing skills could easily make their own front diffussers with some black canvas strips, 4 grommets, and some grid cloth or other diffusion material. To get really fancy (and I may do this myself) you could make the diffusion material attach with velcro all the way around and have instant control of the softness of the light

Terrific solution.

 

[PerroneFord]

I was consulting the panavision exposure chart that says around 60 footcandles at 5 feet (the distance id like the place the rifa) would allow for proper exposure,
and according to that chart, three 85'd would be overkill,

Take out your camera, point it at a couple of table lamps 5ft away with 60 or 100w bulbs in them, and see what F-Stop your camera indicates. Don't take my word or Panavision's word. Do what I do. Test it yourself. I did. And found that the chart was just about spot on with my EX1. But do it for yourself.

but it IS just a chart, that doesnt account for every shooting situation

now I'm in the bind all over again.

No, the chart does not account for every shooting scenario. However as we discussed, it's RARE that the Rifa would be your ONLY source of illumination on a shoot. The chart gives and idea of what your stops would be of you had "X" amount of light falling on a subject. That's ALL light. Kicker, fill, key, ambient, etc. This I believe is why so many people overlight, and it never looks normal or natural. If you want your lighting to look natural, it's darn hard to do it with the subject being the brightest thing in the room. The practical should be the brightest, or the sun, or whatever. If your subject is 15 feet from the window, how are they going to be brighter than the window, or the window sill?

Should I reconsider and just get three 85's, or three 27's.......
I can always turn one or two of the 85's off right??

Why not buy ONE 85, and pick up a few 27s from Home Depot. Those 3 27w lamps are not going to offer a lot of light on their own, so you're going to have to put 5-6 in there, or go with stronger bulbs. I wouldn't mind having some 85w 5500k bulbs. They would be great in a bright room when I want to put some flattering light on a subject. But in most interview scenarios, you are going to be controlling the light, so you can do what you like.

The lowel chart says the maximum flouro lamp you should use with the rifa is three 65w lamps, and they make them.

Well, there you go!

Maybe I should just go with the lowel made 65's...then I can complain to them if anything goes wrong. they have great customer service

Not a bad idea. You can always pick up some 27w lamps cheaply later.

and like you said, I can always combine them.

Absolutely!

any suggestions?
what would you guys do?

You already know, and you've seen me do it.