Strictly DIY fluorescent

Bob Grant · January 30th, 2006, 06:54 AM

Sorry to come late to this party.
Basically the best fluro tubes are made by Osram. Their Studioline stuff is made for video lighting. Please take care, the last set of numbers indicate the Rendition Index, should aim for 900, 950 is better, anything less than that is going to be hard to get a proper white balance. No domestic fluro will cut it in this respect. To get the RI so high they add more chemicals to the mix which costs more and slightly reduces light output, not what you want in a domestic / commercial tube.
Osram make matching HF ballasts, dimmable and non dimmable models are available. Don't waste your money on iron ballasts, a) you won't get any for the 4 pin tubes and b) you'll have flicker problems plus the tubes have a shorter life and produce less light.
For reflectors, use any backing and glue Lee Filters 273 onto it, works a treat.
The Chinese are now into this market. Most of them are using Osram tubes but with their own ballasts. some of the ballasts look OK and some are pretty bodgy jobs. Look inside the fitting and see if the ballasts are fully enclosed. Also be warned, a lot of the Chinese stuff isn't CE or C tick rated or UL rated either, could raise issues. The Osram ballasts are compliant. That may mean nothing but if something goes wrong....

Luis Reggiardo · March 6th, 2006, 04:44 PM

Hola!!!

I am helping a friend to build two kinos each with 4 x 36W Osram Dulux "L" tubes (3200K, 2800 lux, T-5 shape, +80, 2G11 mount) totalling 288W of fluorescent power (22K lux) to light a small video studio for models video shots (DV PAL). I get the tubes in Buenos Aires at 9 USD each.

The design will result in a 18' x 10' case for the lamps and at the back we'll install the ballasts with another back panel for protection..

-I am considering wood (0,5' thick) or metal.
-Do you have pictures of your kino system? Did you have someone to do the metal case or you bought it?
-Do you have close-up pics of it along with the rig system you used to connected to the light tripod?
-Any ide for other compact tubes? (must be Osram or Philips in order to get the easily in Buenos Aires). Flick is not a problem since using PAL 50hz cameras and they'll use it always indoors so we opted for the 3200K because they give much more lux than cooler ones.

Thank you!
Luis

Argentina

Henry Gretzinger · March 8th, 2006, 10:12 AM

Thought these links would be of some use:

http://www.goodmart.com/products/lig...ector_lens.htm

http://electrical.hardwarestore.com/...and-parts.aspx

http://www.lightinguniverse.com/inte...7&page=1&sort=

Slap a KinoFlo baby mount on one of those, spray paint it black, and you're good to go for about $100

March 6th, 2006, 04:44 PM	#47
Luis Reggiardo Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Posts: 37	Hola!!! I am helping a friend to build two kinos each with 4 x 36W Osram Dulux "L" tubes (3200K, 2800 lux, T-5 shape, +80, 2G11 mount) totalling 288W of fluorescent power (22K lux) to light a small video studio for models video shots (DV PAL). I get the tubes in Buenos Aires at 9 USD each. The design will result in a 18' x 10' case for the lamps and at the back we'll install the ballasts with another back panel for protection.. -I am considering wood (0,5' thick) or metal. -Do you have pictures of your kino system? Did you have someone to do the metal case or you bought it? -Do you have close-up pics of it along with the rig system you used to connected to the light tripod? -Any ide for other compact tubes? (must be Osram or Philips in order to get the easily in Buenos Aires). Flick is not a problem since using PAL 50hz cameras and they'll use it always indoors so we opted for the 3200K because they give much more lux than cooler ones. Thank you! Luis Argentina __________________ Luis Buenos Aires, Argentina Film Student

March 8th, 2006, 10:12 AM	#48
Henry Gretzinger Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 28	Thought these links would be of some use: http://www.goodmart.com/products/lig...ector_lens.htm http://electrical.hardwarestore.com/...and-parts.aspx http://www.lightinguniverse.com/inte...7&page=1&sort= Slap a KinoFlo baby mount on one of those, spray paint it black, and you're good to go for about $100 __________________ Henry Kieffer VanAllen Gretzinger DP, NYC

January 30th, 2006, 06:54 AM	#46
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Sorry to come late to this party. Basically the best fluro tubes are made by Osram. Their Studioline stuff is made for video lighting. Please take care, the last set of numbers indicate the Rendition Index, should aim for 900, 950 is better, anything less than that is going to be hard to get a proper white balance. No domestic fluro will cut it in this respect. To get the RI so high they add more chemicals to the mix which costs more and slightly reduces light output, not what you want in a domestic / commercial tube. Osram make matching HF ballasts, dimmable and non dimmable models are available. Don't waste your money on iron ballasts, a) you won't get any for the 4 pin tubes and b) you'll have flicker problems plus the tubes have a shorter life and produce less light. For reflectors, use any backing and glue Lee Filters 273 onto it, works a treat. The Chinese are now into this market. Most of them are using Osram tubes but with their own ballasts. some of the ballasts look OK and some are pretty bodgy jobs. Look inside the fitting and see if the ballasts are fully enclosed. Also be warned, a lot of the Chinese stuff isn't CE or C tick rated or UL rated either, could raise issues. The Osram ballasts are compliant. That may mean nothing but if something goes wrong....