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Author Topic: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question  (Read 12156 times)

tsinsf

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Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« on: September 25, 2014, 02:48:28 pm »

I get to slightly make over our guest room to make it photo editing friendly. I plan to paint the walls light grey (photo grey is too dark) and heavily shade the large window. I don't get to change light fixtures (marriage!) so my question is what bulbs are best in conventional screw in type fixtures: one overhead, and one floor lamp. I use a 30" Nec monitor and Epson 3800 printer. I have read many of the articles when one googles this subject, but most recommendations are for bulbs that require specialized fixtures, which aren't an option in my case. I'm not a pro, just a serious amateur. Thanks!!
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digitaldog

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2014, 03:10:11 pm »

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PhilipCummins

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2014, 08:00:11 am »

I think you can still get some of the MR16 clamp/tripod mounted Eiko/Wiko lamps, look for part number Eiko 19129 (White) or 19120 (Black, I think), these include the fixture and 120v transformer to plug in to a standard wall socket. You can clamp or simply screw them onto a tripod and then adjust to get the right height / light amount you need as they are not technically dimmable. You probably should get the black backed bulbs as the standard ones will have a orange fringe which could be annoying.
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PeterAit

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2014, 08:11:01 am »

If you are talking about on-screen editing, it does not matter much as long as the room lighting is subdued and without a blatant color cast. For viewing, there are lots of options, and I like the Solux 3500K bulbs in their gooseneck fixtures, which can be clamped wherever they are needed. I have a wall area illuminated by these bulbs that is about 8 feet from my computer chair and at a right angle, so I can shift view from the screen to the print by simply turning my head.
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Some Guy

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2014, 11:03:15 am »

I find if I make a print while viewing it with a 250 watt blue photoflood (BCA) they will look pretty good no matter the future light source.  Maybe that tungsten bulb is a broad enough in the spectrum to cover other lamp oddities, but it works for me and is bright enough too.  Our college had a gray painted viewing cabinet which had those things in it that we used for judging color balance and print density.

Local frame shop has 3-4 tables with different viewing lights over them for the painters to move their stuff around on.  If I do the above with the BCA lamp, the print looks okay no matter where I plant it.

If you want nice home viewing lights for prints, check out the color adjustable LED lamps by Roger Hograth, but they are expensive custom jobs at ~$1,000 each and pretty much built and aimed to fit the print size. http://www.hogarthlighting.com/

I've used those $30 brass piano lights (Westinghouse brand) with a pair of T-6 frosted bulbs available at Orchards Hardware, and then dipped the bulbs in Martha Stewart's sky blue transparent glass paint from Micheal's Art Supple (that makes them approximate daylight) along with a slide dimmer.  Works well and not too expensive to illuminate framed prints up to around 28" wide and maybe 36" tall.  Really are impressive individually lighted that way.

SG
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howardm

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2014, 01:37:52 pm »

Has anyone had a chance to play w/ the new Cree MR16 3000K TruWhite LED lamp? 

Chris_Brown

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2014, 04:55:33 pm »

« Last Edit: October 19, 2014, 05:00:37 pm by Chris_Brown »
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Tim Lookingbill

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2014, 05:24:01 pm »

How about the Kino Flo KF55 26W lamps? Or the Impact SF32 bulb?

Why not spend the $24 and found out for yourself the color rendering quality of those CFL's and report back with image samples showing their color accuracy. I've done this for over 5 years spending at least $100 on a wide range of low voltage bulbs and tubes and posted on two photography sites.

How about someone else pitch in? Or do a Google image search to see if someone else has already gone through the effort.
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Jim Pascoe

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2014, 09:50:55 am »

Why not spend the $24 and found out for yourself the color rendering quality of those CFL's and report back with image samples showing their color accuracy. I've done this for over 5 years spending at least $100 on a wide range of low voltage bulbs and tubes and posted on two photography sites.

How about someone else pitch in? Or do a Google image search to see if someone else has already gone through the effort.

Tim - I think that's a bit harsh.  The post you quote is just Chris Brown trying to make a suggestion to the OP - who himself is asking a perfectly reasonable question in a colour management forum.  Isn't that what forums are for?  The OP is not asking you to test bulbs for him, just asking anybody else's experience.  Chris Brown was making a suggestion to the OP - also not asking anyone else to test bulbs on his behalf.

Jim
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bjanes

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2014, 11:06:52 am »

Why not spend the $24 and found out for yourself the color rendering quality of those CFL's and report back with image samples showing their color accuracy. I've done this for over 5 years spending at least $100 on a wide range of low voltage bulbs and tubes and posted on two photography sites.

How about someone else pitch in? Or do a Google image search to see if someone else has already gone through the effort.

Tim,

How about posting a link to your findings?

Bill
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Tim Lookingbill

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2014, 01:18:46 pm »

Tim - I think that's a bit harsh.  The post you quote is just Chris Brown trying to make a suggestion to the OP - who himself is asking a perfectly reasonable question in a colour management forum.  Isn't that what forums are for?  The OP is not asking you to test bulbs for him, just asking anybody else's experience.  Chris Brown was making a suggestion to the OP - also not asking anyone else to test bulbs on his behalf.

Jim

Harsh? I disagree. Lazy on Chris's part? Yes! How hard is it to buy the bulb and find out for his self and share with others? That's what the forums are for.

Dropping a one liner question on a brand of light bulb isn't a helpful response, and doesn't make clear whether Chris has used the bulb or is about to buy the bulb or whether he's asking if someone else is about to do both.

As you can see and I've seen in many of these types of posts the lack of responses on one particular bulb no one has used or heard of doesn't make for a meaningful discussion.

You get enough of these types of unproductive threads and I just have to throw my hands up? Let's just say the money spent on the bulb wasn't important enough to find out and share with others. That's just plain laziness.

Again, how hard is it to spend a little money to find out for yourself and share with others? Are you all lazy and penny-less?

I put about 7 years of my life sharing with others my findings on lights used for print viewing and I don't get one thank you. THAT'S HARSH!
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Tim Lookingbill

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2014, 01:20:16 pm »

Tim,

How about posting a link to your findings?

Bill

I'm too lazy, Bill.
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Chris_Brown

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2014, 04:56:48 pm »

Quote
Harsh? I disagree. Lazy on Chris's part? Yes! How hard is it to buy the bulb and find out for his self and share with others? That's what the forums are for.

Dropping a one liner question on a brand of light bulb isn't a helpful response, and doesn't make clear whether Chris has used the bulb or is about to buy the bulb or whether he's asking if someone else is about to do both.

As you can see and I've seen in many of these types of posts the lack of responses on one particular bulb no one has used or heard of doesn't make for a meaningful discussion.

You get enough of these types of unproductive threads and I just have to throw my hands up? Let's just say the money spent on the bulb wasn't important enough to find out and share with others. That's just plain laziness.

Again, how hard is it to spend a little money to find out for yourself and share with others? Are you all lazy and penny-less?

I put about 7 years of my life sharing with others my findings on lights used for print viewing and I don't get one thank you. THAT'S HARSH!

geez. What a prick.

I have a dozen Kino Flo KF55 lamps of both temps and use them when shooting interiors that already have fixtures. They work really well for that. I have not tried them in fixtures as the OP intends to use them for.

The white neutrality of the fixture itself is the crux. The use of a $24 bulb with a CRI of 95 in a fixture that yellowed could seem frivolous, and if the fixture is badly stained or heavily tinted, then a separate lighting fixture would be best for the OP's application.
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photocor

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #14 on: October 21, 2014, 03:34:14 am »

Like you I'm not a pro, just a serious amateur.

I use this
http://www.just-normlicht.de/us/articlelist.html?id=Leuchtstoffr%C3%B6hren%20Prographic
high CRI Ra8 = 98 / Ra215 = 95,6
chromaticity error < 0,003
metamierism indices MIvis < 1,0 and MIuv < 1,5
These 3 criteria are the most important in your choice and pictures sent by the ;D  Tim Lookingbill  don't provide this information
And you put these tubes in support mobile (you can find it in a DIY shop (fashion mainly))
http://www.coutureo.fr/site/3891-3366-thickbox/lampe-daylight-fluorescente.jpg

(I apologize for my english)

Regards
« Last Edit: October 21, 2014, 03:49:40 am by photocor »
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Jim Pascoe

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #15 on: October 21, 2014, 04:03:23 am »

Harsh? I disagree. Lazy on Chris's part? Yes! How hard is it to buy the bulb and find out for his self and share with others? That's what the forums are for.

Dropping a one liner question on a brand of light bulb isn't a helpful response, and doesn't make clear whether Chris has used the bulb or is about to buy the bulb or whether he's asking if someone else is about to do both.

As you can see and I've seen in many of these types of posts the lack of responses on one particular bulb no one has used or heard of doesn't make for a meaningful discussion.

You get enough of these types of unproductive threads and I just have to throw my hands up? Let's just say the money spent on the bulb wasn't important enough to find out and share with others. That's just plain laziness.

Again, how hard is it to spend a little money to find out for yourself and share with others? Are you all lazy and penny-less?

I put about 7 years of my life sharing with others my findings on lights used for print viewing and I don't get one thank you. THAT'S HARSH!

Did you completely misread Chris Brown's post.  My reading is that he was making recommendations to the OP (tsinsf)- not asking you (Tim Lookingbill) to test anything.  Or perhaps I cannot read English too well.  The biggest problem with forums is people going off half-cocked because they either have not read, or have completely misunderstood what somebody is trying to say.  If you are tired of folk asking straightforward questions then you are tired of forums - in my opinion.

Jim
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Tim Lookingbill

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #16 on: October 21, 2014, 01:00:38 pm »

Did you completely misread Chris Brown's post.  My reading is that he was making recommendations to the OP (tsinsf)- not asking you (Tim Lookingbill) to test anything.  Or perhaps I cannot read English too well.  The biggest problem with forums is people going off half-cocked because they either have not read, or have completely misunderstood what somebody is trying to say.  If you are tired of folk asking straightforward questions then you are tired of forums - in my opinion.

Jim

It's clear you can't even read what you just quoted me because I specifically pointed out in that quote Chris's one line mention of two light bulbs doesn't communicate effectively what or why he posted it. How can you not misread it. No one knows who Chris is. How does that help anyone? Is Chris suggesting the OP buy those bulbs and try them out? Why does Chris assume that's a helpful response?

And to you, Chris. Thanks for calling me a prick. I now know how to grab someone's attention here. That says more about you all than it does about me because clearly no one took notice of my efforts in the past years showing what these "print viewing lights" actually look like. Not one feedback from anyone by someone actually buying one of these bulbs and confirming what I outlined stating whether it was good or bad or helpful.

I just wish one day someone here would post a thread titled..."New print viewing light and here's how good it is". and include photos. Not going to hold my breath on that.

It really feels different being a prick. It's invigorating!
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GWGill

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #17 on: October 21, 2014, 07:34:58 pm »

I just wish one day someone here would post a thread titled..."New print viewing light and here's how good it is". and include photos. Not going to hold my breath on that.
I can't help but agree that contributions along the lines of:

"I was googling and found this...." while of value to those whose google foo is weak, are not nearly as valuable as

"I've been using this, here are attributes (such as emission spectra, measured CRI) that you can't know without having one, and here is what I think of it in actual use...".
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Jim Pascoe

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #18 on: October 22, 2014, 11:03:06 am »

It's clear you can't even read what you just quoted me because I specifically pointed out in that quote Chris's one line mention of two light bulbs doesn't communicate effectively what or why he posted it. How can you not misread it. No one knows who Chris is. How does that help anyone? Is Chris suggesting the OP buy those bulbs and try them out? Why does Chris assume that's a helpful response?

And to you, Chris. Thanks for calling me a prick. I now know how to grab someone's attention here. That says more about you all than it does about me because clearly no one took notice of my efforts in the past years showing what these "print viewing lights" actually look like. Not one feedback from anyone by someone actually buying one of these bulbs and confirming what I outlined stating whether it was good or bad or helpful.

I just wish one day someone here would post a thread titled..."New print viewing light and here's how good it is". and include photos. Not going to hold my breath on that.

It really feels different being a prick. It's invigorating!

Tim - I don't know who you are either.  I don't often look in the colour management thread and to me the OP asked a question to which he received several civil replies including one from a Chris Brown.  Why shouldn't Chris Brown suggest the OP buys the bulbs and tests them - that is exactly what you're doing. Or maybe he has tried them and was merely giving the OP a choice as to which one he could try.  If there was only one light bulb we would all be using it, wouldn't we? Then you jumped in because obviously that post was the tipping point for you because you've run out of patience with the forums.  My saying "that's a bit harsh" was exactly how I read the post.  Maybe if I hung out in the CM forum more often I would feel like you - but I came in as an outsider.  I do see that Chris Brown has only 800 or so posts to your 1200, so I guess that gives you authority. 

Over the years I have asked many questions on LL.  I have also posted my experiences of gear and techniques that cost many times $100 to try out.  It is all done voluntarily after all - this is meant to be a friendly place. Just lighten up a little perhaps.

For what it's worth I have a consumer type Verilux desk lamp, model number ZED01.  It has a bank of four tubes, the product code of which is CFML24VLX.  It came from a department store here in the UK called John Lewis and I find it is quite adequate for my purposes.  It sits near my monitor and in fact I often have it on in the evening when I'm editing pictures on screen.  Good for checking prints up to about A3 size underneath.

Jim
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Tim Lookingbill

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Re: Another what is the best light bulb for photo editing question
« Reply #19 on: October 22, 2014, 12:08:25 pm »

Quote
Why shouldn't Chris Brown suggest the OP buys the bulbs and tests them...

Because Chris didn't make it clear in his initial "one line" post whether to buy the bulbs and test them. On top of that Chris posted the one liner 4 WEEKS after the OP posted the topic? The thread lost momentum in that time. So no one in those 4 WEEKS could offer any better help? That's sad.

And what does the thread title say? I thought Chris (just like the OP) was asking ALL of US in this thread what we thought about the two bulbs. See how I misread that?...and OTOH I think you all misread it.

So Jim, I can see you aren't offering any better help outside of being argumentative over my demands for better information from thread contributors. So I'll ask you, when are you going to pitch in?

It's a freakin' bulb! Why ask about a bulb when it's so easy to buy one and find out for yourself? What's there to know about a bulb from thread contributors that would be meaningful information outside of specs that anyone can read online?

How's that for perspective?
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