Tiffen Lowel Omni-light - Manual (Page 4)

Camera A
D
A Camera
C
B
Omni-light for the New Pro
Lowel Omni-light Instructions
Use the focusing knob to move from
Spot (narrow beam) to Flood (wide beam).
Its 6:1 focus ratio (when used with supplied
#1 reflector & an FTK lamp) means that the
spot setting will be approximately 6 times as
bright as the flood setting.
Omni is an open face (lensless) fixture.
It is capable of throwing sharp shadows. Add a
diffusion glass accessory, diffusion gel with a
Tota-frame, or attach an umbrella to create a softer source. Use
one Omni without diffusion and another with diffusion, to create
the classic “hard key & soft fill” lighting setup common in many
interview & still life settings.
Use the rotating barndoors to trim unwanted output spill,
(for example: to reduce risk of shadow in your shot caused by
use of overhead boom microphones). Flexi-shafts & Tota-flags
can also be attached for increased light control options.
Because the Omni is a tungsten-halogen source,
its color temperature will be in the 3000–3200°K range,
depending on lamp choice. To use Omni in locations where
its output will mix with daylight (5600–6500°K ), its color
temperature can be converted by attaching a Dichroic Filter
accessory, or adding day blue gels to the Tota-frame. Both will
give more realistic daylight white-balancing in video or film.
To simply raise the ambient level of light in a room,
point the Omni-light at a white wall or ceiling (from a safe
distance of several feet or more), and focus to flood setting.
Position the light so it won't be in your shot.
The Omni-light can use different wattage lamps, from
300–500W @ 120V. This increases its versatility, especially
when mixing with other fixtures of different max. wattages.
See the lamp chart for more information.
For special use applications, Omni can be converted in the
following ways. (see Accessories for more information):
Swap the power cord & lamp, for a battery powered, hand-
held light at 12 or 30V. (see lamp chart)
Swap to the #3 reflector for non-focusing
higher output Super-Spot. This can be useful when
lighting a smaller area from a greater distance when
higher output is needed.
Or use the #4 reflector for warmer color output to
simulate late day sun or when lighting a pale skin complexion.
For more reduced spill, consider adding either the
Omni Snoot or the Omni Narrow Snoot which allows front
accessories, for further control options.
Other front accessories can help vary the quality
of the light output. For example, the rotating half-scrim can
allow you to reduce light output on a close subject while still
illuminating subjects further away with full output. The full
A Key light Omni with barndoors
B Fill light Omni with umbrella
C Background Tota
D High back light Omni with Tota-frame & diffusion
Setup Keys
Camera A B
These 3 setups show some ways the Omni can be used;
alone, with Tota-brella, or with diffusion, in a small lighting
setup. Position of the lights and distance to the subject can
be varied for different creative results. Varying the distance of
either light from the subject will vary the contrast ratio
between Key & Fill lights. Tip: position your subject away
from walls to avoid shadows and give more a sense of depth.
Setup #1 shows single fixture use, and can be set on either
side of the camera. Varying the position of the light will
increase shadow & contrast on the subject.
Setup #2 uses 2 Omni’s, one with only barn doors, as
hard key, and the other with a Tota-brella as soft fill. Vary
the position of the lights, as shown. Be aware of reflection
in eyeglasses or reflective surfaces.
Setup #3 uses 2 Omni’s as hard key/soft fill, with a Tota to
evenly light the background. An additional Omni from high up
behind the subject as a back hair-light, lighting the back of the
head & shoulders, will create a sense of separation from the
background. Be careful to keep the light output of the back light
from spilling into the camera lens which will cause lens flare.
Example Setups using Omni-light
Setup 3
scrim reduces output without the use of a dimmer which can
shift the color temperature warmer as the lamp is dimmed.
The oversimplified diagram above shows some of the
ramifications of positioning lights for different subject types &
lighting effects. This diagram is only useful as a starting point
for new pros. All subjects & scenes are different and make dif-
ferent demands upon lighting. The height of the lights & cam-
era, and the subjects angles & reflectivity must be considered.
When finished setting multiple lights, it’s a good idea to
check the effect of each light by powering them all down &
looking at your set with one light on at a time. This will help
you better understand the components of lighting and how
each fixture contributes to the final image.
These are just some starting suggestions.
For additional introductory information, see the Resources
section of the complete Lowel catalog. For an in-depth
understanding of the creative decisions involved in the art of
lighting, we suggest Ross Lowell's acclaimed book, Matters of
Light & Depth, available from many of our dealers.
The wide focusing range of the Omni-light makes it a flexible key, fill or
back-light. Adding accessories will extend its creative possibilities.
Setup 2 Setup 1
Lowel equipment and kits are sold through authorized Lowel Dealers and, in some countries, Authorized Lowel Distributors.
Repairs, problems, suggestions, and requests for brochures, instructions, parts lists may be handled by your authorized
Lowel Dealer (Distributor) or directly with Lowel. Electrical repairs should be made only by Lowel or a qualified electrician.
Lowel Omni-system, Lowel Omni-light, Lowel Tota-system and Tota-light are trademarks of Lowel-Light Manufacturing, Inc.
Lowel Patent Nos.: 3852582, 4187531, version: 5.4 © Lowel-Light Mfg., Inc. 2009 725 90 Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, N.Y. 11788
Call: 800 645-2522 or 631 273-2500
Fax: 631 273-2557
e-mail: [email protected]
www.lowel.com
Problems, info, repairs, etc. Lowel-Light Manufacturing, Inc.