Cheap lighting for Light tent?

[MichaelPlace]

I bought a 50x50x50cm light tent recently and I'm just looking for some really cheap lighting so i can have a play.

I'm currently looking at buying some very cheap desktop lamps like these

and fitting some of the spiral CFL daylight bulbs?

I'm a bit lost with all this lighting, any comments or suggestions?

cheers

 

[Flash In The Pan]

I started out with a light tent and a couple of 500w (!) workshop lamps from B&Q. Funnily enough I have recently seen the same set up recommended as a good way to start out in portrait phography.

This pic was taken using that set up....

 

[Garry Edwards]

The cheap household fluorescents aren't designed for photography. They will do the job (up to a point) but because household lamps don't need to render all colours accurately the CRI (Colour rendition index) is usually far too low to produce accurate colours.

Fluorescent lamps designed for photography cost more to produce because they have (should have) a CRI of over 90. But some of those sold on Ebay have very low CRI and are totally unsuitable, even though the sellers may claim otherwise.