Shooting with CFL lights at DVinfo.net

Vipul Amin · September 24th, 2008, 09:42 PM

I have been shooting with Lowell Tota (Halogen)...
Due to power consumption vs output and heat I am considering using cool lights or CFL.

I am looking into Interfit Photographic INT217 Super Cool Lite 9 Twin Head Kit, with Softboxes & 18 28 watt Fluorescent Lamps, 5200 K Color Temperature.

Any one has used it? Any opinions on such lights...This would give me 270 Watts consumption with 1000 watts output per light....It also has dimmer...

The hall I shoot frequently, is very very dark. They rely on videographer's lights...

Gary Moses · September 25th, 2008, 06:45 AM

I use a a different but similar fixture. I have 9 100 watt CFL's in my fixture. Instead of a dimmer I have a switching process that allows me to use either 4 bulbs or 5 bulbs or all 9.
I love the soft light (no need for diffusion) and daylight color. I have been using 2 fixtures for about a year and have no complaints. I must tell you that soft light (by its very nature) has "no throw". Dependning on ambient light, I get about 10 to 15 feet of usable light.
By the way the Fotodiox fixture I use costs about 90 dollars without the bulbs (which I get at Home Depot).
Gary

Vipul Amin · October 1st, 2008, 11:15 AM

Can you tell me the model number? I have a co-worker (photographer) and he loves fotodiox....I would like to pick them up today...

Vipul Amin · October 1st, 2008, 11:20 AM

Well, I just forgot that I can at least try to look for it..
I found two of them one with 16 and other with 9 bulbs...

I will check them out today.

Vipul Amin · October 1st, 2008, 11:27 AM

Based on your experience can you tell me what bulbs (Company, watt, day/soft/..light)?
I would like to use something that I don't have to modify and matches the outdoor shooting.

Gary Moses · October 2nd, 2008, 09:16 AM

You got it. There are in fact 2 versions a 9 and a 16. I have two of the 9 socket fixtures. At first I put Nvision daylight in 5 and 3500 kelvin in the other 4. Giving me the option of daylight or tungsten. I recently replaced all with the Nvision daylight and made a CTO filter if I ever need it.
The Bulbs are available at Home Depot. They are 23 watt (100 watt equivilent) with a pretty good CRI.
GAry

Vipul Amin · October 2nd, 2008, 10:49 AM

Gary,
Are you using the softbox?

Gary Moses · October 2nd, 2008, 01:05 PM

No I've never had the need. The light is a nice balance of soft. They are bright though.
Gary

Jonathan Levin · October 6th, 2008, 10:13 AM

Gary,

Your thread on the home-made CFL light was great. I went to Home Depot and bought one N-Vision 23 watt (100 watt) daylight bulb to test out using a Nikon D2X, and the results were very good. With a pre-set white balance, even better.

It takes about five minutes for the bulb to "warm up", but then is really bright.

A question I have: Is there any chance of picking up any kind of "flickering" due to the bulb being of the flourescent nature and that US electric is 60Hrtz.

I don't have a video camera to test this but am curious as to whether shutter speed, frame rate or a combination of both has any unwanted surprises.

Are there any combinations that DON"T work.

Otherwise I am going to start looking into building something like this as my main light source for interviews, and mixing that with other lighting for hair and background lighting.

On another note, Home Depot also sells a 300/600 watt halogen "work light" for under fourty bucks. I can't tell what the color temperature of this unit, but it gave me food for thought!

Jonathan Levin

Jonathan Levin · October 6th, 2008, 10:23 AM

OOPS!

I was actually looking at this thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/photon-ma...ing-units.html

Thanks Martin.

Jonathan

Richard Andrewski · October 6th, 2008, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan Levin

A question I have: Is there any chance of picking up any kind of "flickering" due to the bulb being of the flourescent nature and that US electric is 60Hrtz.

I don't have a video camera to test this but am curious as to whether shutter speed, frame rate or a combination of both has any unwanted surprises.

Are there any combinations that DON"T work.

Otherwise I am going to start looking into building something like this as my main light source for interviews, and mixing that with other lighting for hair and background lighting.

I've never seen flicker issues with the N:Vision bulbs. One guy reported an issue once with some though. Perhaps it was just one batch. He did mention that there was a big sale going on so it could have been a slightly different model than normal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan Levin

On another note, Home Depot also sells a 300/600 watt halogen "work light" for under fourty bucks. I can't tell what the color temperature of this unit, but it gave me food for thought!

Halogen worklights are about 2600 to 2800K so a more "warm" or reddish color temperature than your standard 3200K. If thats all your using or you're mixing with other 2800K type lights (N:Vision has a 2800K--or is it 3000K?) your camera white balance will take care of it and it will work fine. Otherwise, you can get color correct 3200K bulbs for that type of fixture but I don't remember the source. One thing to remember, the higher the color temperature in that halogen tungsten bulb the lower the life. Those 2800K versions may have a life in the range of 1000 to 2000 hours. Raise the color temperature to 3200K and it goes down to 100 to 200 hours.

So, thats one reason you'll find the worklights with the 2800K, people that buy worklights aren't primarily using them for film/video; they're using them for other uses and don't care about color temperature.

Jonathan Levin · October 6th, 2008, 06:56 PM

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the informative post! I want to make my own nine bulb light panel simular to Martin Catt's in his thread, but I'm have a hard time locating the appropriate light sockets. I'll keep poking around.

Thanks again.

Jonathan

Richard Andrewski · October 7th, 2008, 03:38 AM

The light sockets should be very easy to find. All you need as long as you are using a low wattage CFL (up to around 60w or less) would be the standard plastic E26 (Edison / Medium) base type sockets. If you can't find them at Home Depot then look at a place like this:

http://www.lightingparts.com/millerpdf/1-50.pdf

They have a ton of stuff there. The L9063 on Page 8 would be a good choice for instance. Phenolic plastic but rated to 660w / 250v so more than enough to handle these small N:Visions. Home Depot has a model just like that as well and its what I used when I first converted my worklights to run these N:Vision bulbs 3 years ago.

Norm Rehm · October 7th, 2008, 09:08 AM

Jonathan
I bought my light sockets from Home Depot. The only problem with them is if you try to remove the screws that hold the wires it usually ruins the socket. I wanted to remove them so I could use the closed crimp on eyelets. After ruining 3 sockets I used the spade crimp ones. The spades will work but I would feel safer with the closed crimp on eyelets.

Also, a big thanks to Martin for his help when I built my fixture.

Norm

Jonathan Levin · October 7th, 2008, 09:10 AM

Richard and Norm.

Off to Home Depot I go.....

Jonathan

September 24th, 2008, 09:42 PM	#1
Vipul Amin New Boot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hanover Park, IL Posts: 22	Shooting with CFL lights I have been shooting with Lowell Tota (Halogen)... Due to power consumption vs output and heat I am considering using cool lights or CFL. I am looking into Interfit Photographic INT217 Super Cool Lite 9 Twin Head Kit, with Softboxes & 18 28 watt Fluorescent Lamps, 5200 K Color Temperature. Any one has used it? Any opinions on such lights...This would give me 270 Watts consumption with 1000 watts output per light....It also has dimmer... The hall I shoot frequently, is very very dark. They rely on videographer's lights... __________________ vam

October 1st, 2008, 11:15 AM	#3
Vipul Amin New Boot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hanover Park, IL Posts: 22	Can you tell me the model number? I have a co-worker (photographer) and he loves fotodiox....I would like to pick them up today... __________________ vam

October 1st, 2008, 11:20 AM	#4
Vipul Amin New Boot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hanover Park, IL Posts: 22	Well, I just forgot that I can at least try to look for it.. I found two of them one with 16 and other with 9 bulbs... I will check them out today. __________________ vam

October 1st, 2008, 11:27 AM	#5
Vipul Amin New Boot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hanover Park, IL Posts: 22	Based on your experience can you tell me what bulbs (Company, watt, day/soft/..light)? I would like to use something that I don't have to modify and matches the outdoor shooting. __________________ vam

October 2nd, 2008, 10:49 AM	#7
Vipul Amin New Boot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hanover Park, IL Posts: 22	Gary, Are you using the softbox? __________________ vam

September 25th, 2008, 06:45 AM	#2
Gary Moses Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 110	I use a a different but similar fixture. I have 9 100 watt CFL's in my fixture. Instead of a dimmer I have a switching process that allows me to use either 4 bulbs or 5 bulbs or all 9. I love the soft light (no need for diffusion) and daylight color. I have been using 2 fixtures for about a year and have no complaints. I must tell you that soft light (by its very nature) has "no throw". Dependning on ambient light, I get about 10 to 15 feet of usable light. By the way the Fotodiox fixture I use costs about 90 dollars without the bulbs (which I get at Home Depot). Gary

October 2nd, 2008, 09:16 AM	#6
Gary Moses Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 110	You got it. There are in fact 2 versions a 9 and a 16. I have two of the 9 socket fixtures. At first I put Nvision daylight in 5 and 3500 kelvin in the other 4. Giving me the option of daylight or tungsten. I recently replaced all with the Nvision daylight and made a CTO filter if I ever need it. The Bulbs are available at Home Depot. They are 23 watt (100 watt equivilent) with a pretty good CRI. GAry

October 2nd, 2008, 01:05 PM	#8
Gary Moses Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 110	No I've never had the need. The light is a nice balance of soft. They are bright though. Gary

October 6th, 2008, 10:13 AM	#9
Jonathan Levin Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chicago, Illinois USA Posts: 692	Gary, Your thread on the home-made CFL light was great. I went to Home Depot and bought one N-Vision 23 watt (100 watt) daylight bulb to test out using a Nikon D2X, and the results were very good. With a pre-set white balance, even better. It takes about five minutes for the bulb to "warm up", but then is really bright. A question I have: Is there any chance of picking up any kind of "flickering" due to the bulb being of the flourescent nature and that US electric is 60Hrtz. I don't have a video camera to test this but am curious as to whether shutter speed, frame rate or a combination of both has any unwanted surprises. Are there any combinations that DON"T work. Otherwise I am going to start looking into building something like this as my main light source for interviews, and mixing that with other lighting for hair and background lighting. On another note, Home Depot also sells a 300/600 watt halogen "work light" for under fourty bucks. I can't tell what the color temperature of this unit, but it gave me food for thought! Jonathan Levin

October 6th, 2008, 10:23 AM	#10
Jonathan Levin Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chicago, Illinois USA Posts: 692	OOPS! I was actually looking at this thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/photon-ma...ing-units.html Thanks Martin. Jonathan

October 6th, 2008, 06:56 PM	#12
Jonathan Levin Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chicago, Illinois USA Posts: 692	Hi Richard, Thanks for the informative post! I want to make my own nine bulb light panel simular to Martin Catt's in his thread, but I'm have a hard time locating the appropriate light sockets. I'll keep poking around. Thanks again. Jonathan

October 7th, 2008, 03:38 AM	#13
Richard Andrewski Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Shenzhen, China Posts: 781	The light sockets should be very easy to find. All you need as long as you are using a low wattage CFL (up to around 60w or less) would be the standard plastic E26 (Edison / Medium) base type sockets. If you can't find them at Home Depot then look at a place like this: http://www.lightingparts.com/millerpdf/1-50.pdf They have a ton of stuff there. The L9063 on Page 8 would be a good choice for instance. Phenolic plastic but rated to 660w / 250v so more than enough to handle these small N:Visions. Home Depot has a model just like that as well and its what I used when I first converted my worklights to run these N:Vision bulbs 3 years ago. __________________ Richard Andrewski - Cool Lights USA - RED #114 http://www.coollights.biz

October 7th, 2008, 09:08 AM	#14
Norm Rehm Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Keizer, OR Posts: 66	Jonathan I bought my light sockets from Home Depot. The only problem with them is if you try to remove the screws that hold the wires it usually ruins the socket. I wanted to remove them so I could use the closed crimp on eyelets. After ruining 3 sockets I used the spade crimp ones. The spades will work but I would feel safer with the closed crimp on eyelets. Also, a big thanks to Martin for his help when I built my fixture. Norm

October 7th, 2008, 09:10 AM	#15
Jonathan Levin Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chicago, Illinois USA Posts: 692	Richard and Norm. Off to Home Depot I go..... Jonathan