Opinions of Lowel Rifa EX?

Rifas are EXCELLENT tools. Fast and easy to setup, travel very well, with cfl kit you can go between 3200 and 5600 and with most cameras these days they provide more than enough light in interview situations. I own two, and will never sell them because none of my LED kits pack down so well for light weight shoots.
 
I also have two Rifas, the 55 and the 88. Both are light weight, compact when folded, and a lot easier to set up than a light with a separate soft-box. The optional florescent x3 light did not show any color shifts after white balancing. If you had to get only one, I'd recommend the Rifa55 and the optional 300w lamphead to keep the heat down when you move it in close.

Kevin
 
I like them quite a bit. Unfortunately I've found they are a bit fragile and difficult to repair. Since they only have one face they are a little less versatile than a chimera plus soft box and a 1k open face.

Either way a good buy in the end.
 
I'd think I would have come across someone with other types of diffusion (custom made) for Rifas by now. Even if it's not as elegant as the one it comes with, all you really need is whatever fabric you choose with some grommets, preferably reinforced with some nylon webbing sewed in.
 
Rita's are lovely and terribly efficient -- more illumination that a lamp with a Chimera in front of it because on the Rifa the bulb is within the softball and all the light is used. I highly recommend getting the egg crate that goes on the front to help control spill. It's my go to interview light.
 
Another fan of Rifas & own two of the EX88. They're great for air travels.

Also picked up the thinner faces & a pair of egg crates.
 
Victor Nhat Nguyen said:
Do you guys know if the Rifa can be battery power in anyway?
Click to expand...
Kind of...

Using one of the FLOx3 adapters to use 3 Edison-base bulbs and opt for something like CREE 100w-equivalent LEDs or high-CRI CFLs, wattage pull is low enough that it can run for a time from an inverter connected to a 12V car battery. The 500W+ halogens can do this as well, but obviously need a much much larger inverter and battery.
 
Lowel sells adapter cables for getting from a 12v cigarette receptacle or 4 pin XLR to the IEC connector that's on the tail coming out of the Rifa light. Throw in a low voltage lamp and you still have actual tungsten, if that's what you're after, that can run on a battery.
 
Victor, what are you shooting that you are thinking of the Rifa? I have both the Rifa and Litepanels. When I need battery only, I use LP. When I want "the look" of eggcrate and beautiful soft interview light, I use the Rifa. Think about what you are shooting, rather than the light you think is right.
 
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