DIY Print Viewing Booth

[BradSmith]

The "gold standard" for print viewing stations seems to be very expensive print viewing booths from companies like GTI and Just Normlicht.  They each offer two versions of their desktop units....the cheaper one with a dimmer and then $300-$400 or so more for one with a dimmer. 

They both sell their very tightly spec'd bulbs that are used in their viewers for about $30 to $40 per bulb.  Has anyone built their own viewer using these bulbs?  If you build one with a dimmer, will that mess up the color temperature or CRI of the bulb.  The companies say they have designed/engineered their electronics so that this doesn't happen.   I'm tempted to give it a try.
Brad

[Rand47]

Brad,

I have a GTI booth (PDV e2020) and LOVE it, but as you say, pretty spendy.

I see no reason why you couldn't make a decent viewing booth yourself using their "Munsell Grey" spectrally neutral paint and their bulbs. 

http://www.rpimaging.com/munsell-neutral-gray-paint.html

You could get a pretty good idea of bulb spacing from the back, and other parameters, via taking a close gander at their web site. 

Rand

[digitaldog]

The dimmer is great for a few reasons:
1. You can adjust that and the display backlight calibration for a better visual match.
2. If you're collaborating with other's using the same unit, you can put em in sync.
You can build a very nice Solux viewing system for less but there are some disadvantages to this, but the illuminant is far superior to any Fluorescent.

[BradSmith]

You can build a very nice Solux viewing system for less but there are some disadvantages to this, but the illuminant is far superior to any Fluorescent.

Hi Andrew,
Do you think that a Solux based system provides a better illuminant than GTI or Just Normlicht?  I know GTI uses fluorescents.  I think (don't know) that Just Normlicht does also.  I had been assuming that there was something "special" about their bulbs that made them, as I said, the "gold standard" for viewing booths.  Regarding the dimmer, I like that feature to dial in the brightness level to match my monitor.  I'm just worried that they may have something special in their dimmer electronics (not bulbs) that keeps color temp and CRI quite constant with changing illumination levels and I wouldn't be able to duplicate that with a dimmer in my DIY booth. 
Brad Smith 

[digitaldog]

Hi Andrew,
Do you think that a Solux based system provides a better illuminant than GTI or Just Normlicht?  I know GTI uses fluorescents.  I think (don't know) that Just Normlicht does also.  I had been assuming that there was something "special" about their bulbs that made them, as I said, the "gold standard" for viewing booths.  Regarding the dimmer, I like that feature to dial in the brightness level to match my monitor.  I'm just worried that they may have something special in their dimmer electronics (not bulbs) that keeps color temp and CRI quite constant with changing illumination levels and I wouldn't be able to duplicate that with a dimmer in my DIY booth. 
Brad Smith

IF you need to work with others using Fluorescent booth's, use the same. IF not, not ideal for print viewing.

See: http://digitaldog.net/files/15TheRightLightpart1.pdf


Recipe for Solux viewing option:


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