Solux light users

[Benny Profane]

I will be installing Solux tracks and heads to light a print viewing environment. Second bedroom, ten foot ceilings. How far away from the wall should the track be installed on the ceiling for proper illumination? What works well for you? How many heads for about a ten to twelve foot wall, although the main, concentrated viewing area will be about 4-5 feet wide?

[Mark D Segal]

My room is about 12 feet long and I have a track down that length with six Solux 4800 bulbs, fairly evenly spaced. The distance from the walls depends on the position from which you will view the prints, as the prints are best seen directly below a couple of the lights at an angle that provides the clearest and brightest reflection for viewing.

[elliot_n]

I view prints on a magnetic board attached to the wall straight in front of me (standing). The track for the Solux lamps is about 3ft from the wall. I have 3 lamps, with Lee diffusers, all pointed at the same spot on the magboard. If you want to wash a large area with even light, Solux lamps are probably not the best answer - daylight fluorescent lamps would be more suitable. But Solux provides the cleanest light.

[Benny Profane]

We'll, the critical viewing area will be like yours, but, I figure, as long as Im going through the bother of installing and wiring, extend the track with heads out to make a larger area for ongoing image projects. This will also enable me to hang a few prints on the other wall at one end.
How many heads can I use on a longer eight foot track? I am calling in an electrician for this. I am a klutz around that stuff, and it scares me.

[Mark D Segal]

The electrician should advise on the load limits of both the track and the fuse or breaker to which the track will be connected, but depending on what else is connected to the same load limiter you may have substantial leeway.

[elliot_n]

Six Solux lamps pointed at that 4x5ft area would be ideal.

(I much prefer evaluating prints in daylight. Solux is the next best thing for late night sessions.)

[Rand47]

The electrician should advise on the load limits of both the track and the fuse or breaker to which the track will be connected, but depending on what else is connected to the same load limiter you may have substantial leeway.

Benny,

I have the Solux 4 head 'Color Proofing Light Kit.'  ( http://www.solux.net/cgi-bin/tlistore/colorproofkit.html )
The instructions stated that for 8' ceilings the fixture should be 24" out from the wall.  For your ceiling height you should be able to "do the math" to get it right for the height of your desired "viewing area."

I had my electrician put the track on its own breaker in the panel, just to be safe.  I also installed a remote operated light switch from Lutron so that I can turn the lights on and off while sitting right at the computer.  I, too, have magnetic panels on the wall to the left of my workstation, and use magnetic "tacks" to hold the print to be evaluated in its correct position.  The panel came from Diamond Life:  http://diamondlifegear.com/magnetic-board.htm?my=3#a and I chose their "city grey" color which looks pretty neutral next to my WhiBal card.  The magnetic tacks came from K&J magnetics, I got the large white ones: https://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=XLTK-WHT&cat=192 .  Works great and doesn't use up the real estate that a GTI booth would on my available countertop in the digital darkroom.  I'm using 4700k bulbs.

Addenda: Be aware that when you first fire them up (the kit cited above) that they stink to high heaven as the paint on the fixtures "heat cures" (or whatever it is doing!).  My poor electrician thought he was lighting my house on fire for all the "burnt smell" that occurred!  Never saw anyone go up the scuttle hole ladder that fast to check out the wiring above!   The smell went away after about half an hour. 

If you'd like a photo of the setup, shoot me a PM.

Rand

[Benny Profane]

Benny,

I have the Solux 4 head 'Color Proofing Light Kit.'  ( http://www.solux.net/cgi-bin/tlistore/colorproofkit.html )
The instructions stated that for 8' ceilings the fixture should be 24" out from the wall.  For your ceiling height you should be able to "do the math" to get it right for the height of your desired "viewing area."

I had my electrician put the track on its own breaker in the panel, just to be safe.  I also installed a remote operated light switch from Lutron so that I can turn the lights on and off while sitting right at the computer.  I, too, have magnetic panels on the wall to the left of my workstation, and use magnetic "tacks" to hold the print to be evaluated in its correct position.  The panel came from Diamond Life:  http://diamondlifegear.com/magnetic-board.htm?my=3#a and I chose their "city grey" color which looks pretty neutral next to my WhiBal card.  The magnetic tacks came from K&J magnetics, I got the large white ones: https://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=XLTK-WHT&cat=192 .  Works great and doesn't use up the real estate that a GTI booth would on my available countertop in the digital darkroom.  I'm using 4700k bulbs.

Addenda: Be aware that when you first fire them up (the kit cited above) that they stink to high heaven as the paint on the fixtures "heat cures" (or whatever it is doing!).  My poor electrician thought he was lighting my house on fire for all the "burnt smell" that occurred!  Never saw anyone go up the scuttle hole ladder that fast to check out the wiring above!   The smell went away after about half an hour. 

If you'd like a photo of the setup, shoot me a PM.

Rand

Awesome. Thanks. The magnetic panels were the next step. The booths I have used professionally are awfully expensive, and a little restrictive, although, if I could find a unit sitting on top of some flat files at an affordable price, I'd jump on it. Doubtful.

Room is already blacked out and painted grey. This will be a problem when I need to sell the condo, but, whatever.

[digitaldog]

Page 2:
http://digitaldog.net/files/16TheRightLightpart2.pdf

[Benny Profane]

(I much prefer evaluating prints in daylight. Solux is the next best thing for late night sessions.)

"Daylight" is a very generic term. You do know that natural light varies constantly as per the time of day and time of season? Sunny days and cloudy days? Is this north or south light? You may never be able to reproduce that particular viewing environment ever again.
This is why controlled lighting environments exist. It's a standard that you can always go to to evaluate and create prints. There are dangers, of course, that the viewing area you create will produce prints not acceptable for certain walls, but, at least, you have a zero point to go back to to modify the print accordingly.
I'll have different "real" light set ups out in the apartment to compare.

[digitaldog]

"Daylight" is a very generic term. You do know that natural light varies constantly as per the time of day and time of season?

The overall shape of SPD doesn't enough to be a concern; the CCT does and that's why Solux offers differing options for color temp. It's the SPD that's what is rather critical here. Solux has an SPD that as far as I've seen, is about the best man made illuminate around.

[Rand47]

The overall shape of SPD doesn't enough to be a concern; the CCT does and that's why Solux offers differing options for color temp. It's the SPD that's what is rather critical here. Solux has an SPD that as far as I've seen, is about the best man made illuminate around.

Andrew,

Thanks... it was your advice on LULA over time that was the genesis of my approach to creating a consistent evaluation "station" using the Solux lights.   Your expertise has been a HUGE help in many areas.

Rand

[Mark D Segal]

The overall shape of SPD doesn't enough to be a concern; the CCT does and that's why Solux offers differing options for color temp. It's the SPD that's what is rather critical here. Solux has an SPD that as far as I've seen, is about the best man made illuminate around.

Andrew, could you please translate this: What is "SPD" and what is "CCT" in this context? Also the first part of the first sentence before the semi-colon doesn't parse. Thanks.

[elliot_n]

Yes, it was Andrew's advice that led me to Solux lamps many years ago. Whilst I like my Solux set-up, I give window-light the ultimate authority. Solux is clean, fluorescent is even. Window-light is both.

[elliot_n]

I have a light switch by my magnetic board because I don't like leaving the Solux lamps on for extended periods of time. They generate a lot of heat. You can smell it in the air.

[digitaldog]

Andrew, could you please translate this: What is "SPD" and what is "CCT" in this context? Also the first part of the first sentence before the semi-colon doesn't parse. Thanks.

SPD: Spectral Power Distribution (see the graphic I provided) and http://digitaldog.net/files/15TheRightLightpart1.pdf
CCT: Correlated Color Temperature. http://digitaldog.net/files/22Thecolorofwhite.pdf

[Mark D Segal]

Ah, thanks.

[BradSmith]

I will be installing Solux tracks and heads to light a print viewing environment. Second bedroom, ten foot ceilings. How far away from the wall should the track be installed on the ceiling for proper illumination? What works well for you? How many heads for about a ten to twelve foot wall, although the main, concentrated viewing area will be about 4-5 feet wide?

Nobody has mentioned two key factors - for you to answer your question, you must determine two lamp parameters, wattage and beam spread.  Solux produces 35 and 50 watt MR 16 bulbs with beam spreads of 10, 17, 24 and 36 degrees. 

Here are a couple links with info to help you figure out what to order.

http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightinganswers/mr16/needToKnow01.asp
https://www.solux.net/cgi-bin/tlistore/soluxbulbs.html

[digitaldog]

Nobody has mentioned two key factors - for you to answer your question, you must determine two lamp parameters, wattage and beam spread.

Actually it was mentioned by Joe Holmes in the URL I provided.

[elliot_n]

I use Lee diffusers on 36 degree Solux lamps.