Tips for the New ProResourcesChoosing a Light<strong>Lowel</strong> lights & accessoriesare efficient, easy to use anddependable. Choosing theright light depends on yourspecific technical andaesthetic requirements.In addition to the belowinformation, visit our onlineEDU Resource Center for freelighting lessons, & muchmore. www.lowel.comHard lights:n Produce strong, dramatic highlightsand shadows unless diffused by user(example, the sun on a cloudless day).n Can be used relatively far away fromthe subject.n Generally require fill light to softenshadows and control contrast.n Brightness and spill are fairly easyto control.Focusing hard lights:n Have beams that can be continuouslyvaried from wide to narrow (flood to spot).n Give the user control over the spread of thebeam and the intensity of the light.n Higher focusing ranges offer more control.<strong>Lowel</strong> focusing hard light sources:• Pro-light: 12, 30, 120v & 230v models;50–250w• i & id-light: 12/14v; 55,100w• Omni: 12, 30, 120, 220/240v;100–500w.• DP: 120, 220/240v; 500–1000w<strong>Lowel</strong> non-focusing hard light sources:• L-light: 120v; up to 300w• <strong>Lowel</strong> Blender LED: AC/DC color change• <strong>Lowel</strong> Prime LED: 120-240v autosetHigh intensity(super-spot) light:n Throws hard light in a very narrow beamover long distance.<strong>Lowel</strong> high intensity non-focusing(super-spot) light options:• Are available via quick-change accessoryreflectors for <strong>Lowel</strong> Omni& DP lights.• Are also available by using Clear SafetyGlass in the Front Housingwith the Pro, i & id-lights.Wide angle(broad throw) lights:n Are semi-hard and non-focusing.n Light large areas evenly.<strong>Lowel</strong> wide angle light sources:• V-light: 120, 220/240v; 500w• Tota-light: 120, 220/240v; 300–800wSoft lights:n Consist of a relatively large, indirect lightsource (example, an overcast sky)n Produce gentle, flattering, highlightsand shadows.n Need to be closer to the subject.n Tend to spill and reduce contrast.n Require little or no fill light.n Work well as fill because it does notintroduce hard shadows.n Can be created from hard light sourcesby adding accessory umbrellas, or gelframes with diffusion.<strong>Lowel</strong> dedicated soft light sources:• Rifa eXchange: efficient, quick set-up; 4sizes with max wattages from 250 -1000w; accessory eXchange lampheadsystem allows use of 50-100w DC lamps& high CRI screw-threaded fluorescents,27 & 80w.• Caselite fluorescent: 120v & 230vmodels; (2 sizes) 2-lamp 110w,4-lamp 220w. Daylight or tungsten highCRI color temperatures.• <strong>Lowel</strong>Scandles fluorescent:120v; 8-lamp cluster of either 18or 24w lamps. Daylight or tungsten highCRI color temperatures.• <strong>Lowel</strong>/Fluo-Tec fluorescent:120v, & 230v models; (5 dimmablemodels housing 2-8 55w lamps)Daylight or tungsten color temperaturelamps with high CRI (Color RenderingIndex).• <strong>Lowel</strong> Ego fluorescent:120v, 2 lamp (27w high CRI daylight)compact desktop digital imaging light,for small object tabletop lighting.Compatibility & versatility:n Both Tota/Omni and ViP systems consistof focusing and wide angle hard lights thatwork well together in most lighting situations.All can be converted to soft sourceswith accessories. Tota/Omniand ViP systems share many ofthesame light control andmountingcomponents.n <strong>Lowel</strong> fixtures such as theDP, Omni & Pro functionin multiple modes: asa focusable spot/flood light;as a high-intensity superspotlight (with an inexpensiveaccessory reflector for DP &Omni or Clear Glass with Pro & i);and as a soft source (with an umbrellaor diffusion).80
ResourcesTips for the New Pro<strong>Lowel</strong> has a wide rangeof professional light controltools. To help you selectand use the most appropriateones, we offer thefollowing suggestions:To diffuse & soften light:n Use umbrella attached to Tota, Omni,V, L-light (with stand-fitting), or DP.n Use Frost Gel on Gel Frames of Tota,V, L-light, Pro, i, Omni, and DP, or clip toBarndoors of Caselite.n Use Diffused Glass accessory inBarndoor frame of Omni or DP, or asSwing-in Accessory on Pro, i & id.n Bounce light off white (color neutral) wallor ceiling.n Bounce light off large, white panelattached to a Maxa-mount, Lobo andstand.n Use Barndoor Softening Set on <strong>Lowel</strong>Prime LED.To reduce overall brightness:n Flood a focusing light, move the lightback, or partially close Barndoors.n Use full scrim in Omni, Pro, i,or DP light.n Use lower wattage lamp.n Use neutral density gel on a Gel Frame.n Switch off lamps in Caselites, or<strong>Lowel</strong>Scandles. Use <strong>Lowel</strong> Fluo-Tec dimmablemodels (all fluorescent).n On broadcast camera-top, use id-light.n Dim down both daylight & tungsten colorLED arrays on <strong>Lowel</strong> Blender.n Use dimmable <strong>Lowel</strong> Prime LED fixtures.Note: Tungsten lamps shift colortemperature warmer when dimmed. Scrimsand neutral density gels do not diffuse orsoften, they only reduce intensity.Translucent diffusion materials do both.To reduce brightnessin some areas:n Use Barndoor or Tota-shades to shadowspecific area.n Use 1/2 or graduated scrim in Barndoorto darken an area; rotate as needed.n Use a Tota-flag.n Use Fin-S or Hollywood Strip forfinessing fine details of control.n Use Snoot on Omni, Pro, i, id, andDP light.n Use fabric egg crates on Rifa eXn Use accessory Honeycomb Grids on<strong>Lowel</strong>/Fluo-tec fluorescents or <strong>Lowel</strong>Prime LEDs.n Reverse mirror side Barndoor/Intensifiersto black barndoor side to trim spill ofCaselite or TRIO fluorescents.To increase brightness:n Use maximum wattagerecommended lamps.n Focus toward spot position.n Use super-spot options with Omni Pro,i, id and DP for high-intensity or longthrows (area covered will be greatlyreduced, and fixture becomes non-focusing).To control spill:n Use Barndoors Tota-shades, or Snoots,if available.n For small lights, use Tota-flags onFlexi-shafts attached directly to the lightor to a Tota-tatch, Tota-clamp, Tota-daptoror Flag-link.n Use Tota-flags if Barndoors do notsufficiently control spill. (Note: the furtherfrom the light, the sharper the shadow).n With Rifa’s add fabric Egg-Crate (30, 40,or 50 degree dispersion).To correct for daylight:n For tungsten, use various strengths ofDay Blue Gel or on a Gel Frame, clipdirectly to Barndoors or clothespin tovelcro pockets of Rifa. Blue gels fadequickly, if light is near spot setting.Check and replace as needed to assureconsistent color.n Use Dichroic Filter in Barndoor of Omni,i, id, Pro and DP Lights.n Use high CRI (Color Rendering Index)daylight lamps in fluorescent fixtures.n Use <strong>Lowel</strong> Blender, color changing LEDfor daylight, tungsten or a blend of the 2colors.To color the light:n Use colored gel on Gel Frames or clipto Barndoors with Gel-jawz.n Take advantage of “off-color” sources(relative to photographic lights),such as windows, to add blue or othercolor accents.Controlling the LightTo prevent “washing-out”:In film and video, when subjects movingtoward a light become too bright andmoving away they become too dark,try one of the following:n Use Graduated or Half Scrim on Pro,i, id, Omni or DP with screen area on thebottom of the light. Position light highenough to provide gradual shadingof moving subject.n Use neutral density or Frost Gel overbottom 1/2 of a Gel Frame. Can be usedwith Tota, V, Omni and DP as above.n With Rifa’s add fabric Egg-Crate (30, 40,or 50 degree dispersion).To provide fill lighton exteriors:n Use daylight fluorescent sources such asCaselite, or Rifa eX (with accessorylamphead & daylight fluorescent lamps)n Use Lightflectors or Tota-flector forsmall areas.n Use Omni, i, id, Pro-light or Rifa eX(with TH-X300 lamphead) with 12 or 30vlamps, appropriate cable, and battery,and daylight gel or dichroic filter.n See “To correct for daylight”.n To avoid the need for fill, shoot in shadedarea or when sky is overcast.To improve camera-toplighting:n Use id-light for dimming with variablefocusability. (Note: Tungsten-halogenlamps shift color temperature warmerwhen dimmed.)n Use low wattage lamps to avoid overwhelmingavailable light.n Soften with Swing-in Diffuser on Proand i/id.Using Batteries<strong>Lowel</strong> does not offer rechargeable batteries.However, portable battery packs for the<strong>Lowel</strong> Blender, Pro, i, id & Omni lights areavailable through many <strong>Lowel</strong> Dealers.<strong>Lowel</strong> has accessory plugs for the mostcommon connector styles. See the varioussystems components sections for moreinformation.81