Where to get 3200k ultra white halogen bulbs?

L

lisali

Guest
Hi,

I am looking for "Ultra White Light (3200K)" double-ended tungsten halogen lamps. The article below shows how to make your own light tent, but it kind of requires daylight halogen bulbs, which I can not seem to find in the UK. Anybody know of a (affordable) source?

http://www.shuttertalk.com/articles/diylighting

Many thanks!
:clap:
 
Are you planning to mix light-sources? Otherwise you might as well correct the light temperature with the white colour balance.
 
There's no such thing as white light - and 3,200K is certainly not white it is very red. Set your WB to match your lightsource and you should be ok - but shoot RAW.
 
@Cistron -Hi there, Many thanks for your reply.

Probably no mixing of light sources; I'm looking to build a tiny lightbox, about 10x10x10 inches, as I need some quite bright product photos for ebay.

Do you mean that I could adjust the white balance afterwards in a photo-editing application? I can not shoot RAW with my Panasonic Lumix though.

@awp - The one he suggests in the tutorial looks blue - not red. And he says it gives off daylight-like light. Can you get those in the UK?

How many of those halogen work lamps and what strength would I need?

Thanks!
 
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awp said:
There's no such thing as white light - and 3,200K is certainly not white it is very red. Set your WB to match your lightsource and you should be ok - but shoot RAW.
Click to expand...


As above, and I would add that you're extremely unlikely to ever get two consecutive shots when using any form of tungsten lighting (which is one of the reasons why most of us use flash). All forms of true tungsten lighting rely on stable voltage to provide stable temperature, and ordinary domestic voltage is far from stable - typically '3200K' varies from around 2700K to 3300K.

Because of this you MUST shoot raw, and if you're using a camera that can't shoot raw then it's even more important that you use flash.
 
I've now looked at that article and see that what he's talking about here is Halogen lamps in a blue sleeve. I don't know whether they're available in the UK but, even if they are, the same problems will obtain i.e. the colour temperature will be different every shot, because of voltage fluctuations.
 
Why not try shooting in daylight - otherwise you're going to struggle with what you have. You can't do the job without the tools I'm afraid.
 
lisali, you might as well use CFLs for lighting. Now if my physics knowledge isn't completely wrong, gas discharge lamps shouldn't be affected by voltage fluctuations, as eventually it's the phosphorescence which transforms UV into the visual spectrum.

Check the colour temperature of the bulbs at purchase and get something close to tungsten or the more traditional fluorescent tubes, so you can use the according white balance setting of your camera. For ebay product photos via a cheap setup, it will suffice.

edit: yes, the bulbs you already have should do. Take a couple of test shots with various white balance settings to pick a suitable one. If you camera allows, you might even be able to tweak it.
 
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@Cistron - many many thanks for your reply! Yes, I will definitely try that. I can adjust white balance on my camera and I can also adjust it later in editing if needed. I'll revert with resluts later.
 
Cistron said:
lisali, you might as well use CFLs for lighting. Now if my physics knowledge isn't completely wrong, gas discharge lamps shouldn't be affected by voltage fluctuations, as eventually it's the phosphorescence which transforms UV into the visual spectrum.

Check the colour temperature of the bulbs at purchase and get something close to tungsten or the more traditional fluorescent tubes, so you can use the according white balance setting of your camera. For ebay product photos via a cheap setup, it will suffice.

edit: yes, the bulbs you already have should do. Take a couple of test shots with various white balance settings to pick a suitable one. If you camera allows, you might even be able to tweak it.
Click to expand...
I agree - but CFL lights can have their own problems with accurate colour rendition, so get ones that are specifically designed for photography and make sure that the quoted Color Rendition Index is at least 90 - otherwise you'll have different problems, e.g. reds will reproduce as orange
 
Hi Garry - the CFLs that I have are CRI 95, 6000k, 1600 lumens.
 
I'm not sure what's going on with the blue tinted halogen bulbs. They don't exist anywhere. I also have a few shop lights for my lighting and they work great, except for the fact they are yellow. I have a north window next to my setup and would love to use that light as well but I can't with yellow halogens. I'll keep looking and will hopefully post some good news.

ps...awp please try to contribute to the thread!
awp said:
There's no such thing as white light - and 3,200K is certainly not white it is very red.
Click to expand...
He was looking for a specific light with ultra white in the name. Not for a random comment about true white light and what 3200k is. We are both looking for an Ultra White 3200k halogen bulb. It is what it is.


awp said:
You can't do the job without the tools I'm afraid.
Click to expand...
Of coarse he can and so can I! You can get some great pics with a cheep light setup. Here is an example of my first shots of my wife with my setup and I've made it much better since.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iflook/4832010584/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iflook/4832653644/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27357995@N04/4575947432/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27357995@N04/4624006497/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27357995@N04/4590448441/
 
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@david
Ok I guess we still need to clarify this thread even further. Color temp has been mentioned multiple times and does not pertain to this thread and I have already explained this. Please read the thread so that when you comment it actually adds something to it.

We are trying to find ((BLUE TINTED 3200K DOUBLE ENDED QUARTZ HALOGEN BULBS)) 500w, 800w or whatever that fit in a shop light. It's the regular old warm colored halogen bulbs but these have a bluish coating to make the light cooler and closer to white. We know they are 3200k.

This is a quote from the article linked to by the thread creator (lisali).
"The particular globes I bought were made by an Australian company called Nelson (www.nelsonlamps.com.au) and were called "Ultra White Light (3200K)" double-ended tungsten halogen lamps. I bought them from Bunnings Hardware at about US$4 each, and they range from about 200watts to 500watts. I suspect this particular brand isn't widely available overseas, but I am sure there are other brands that are. The blue tint of the globes is a dead giveaway that the globes are designed to give a light that is closer to daylight."

So far no one I know of has found these or a similar blue tinted halogen bulb and this is what a lot of people are trying to find. I live in the U.S. and have not been able to find them anywhere online or in any store.

@carlrafferty
That looks interesting but are they only frosted or do they have a blue tint? They look like they are just frosted and would still have the warm color issue.
 
@Flook

They do not have a blue tint and they are warm, but much brighter than the standard 500w flood obviously. I will post some shots later.

The lamps were £8 odd and the fittings from Focus are £4
 
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Definitely sounds better. What fitting are you talking about and the 800w 240v lamp works fine in a 110v 500w shop light fixture? If so I'll be ordering a couple right away. Thanks
 
What people are trying to explain is that the light temperature shouldn't be an issue when white balance is so easily corrected both in camera and in post processing. There's no need to go to the ends of the earth looking for a particularly uncommon bulb with blue tinting with an effort to try and create a white light, which frankly will still be far from white and probably only complicate correcting colour temperature and colour casts.
 
And another person not reading the thread. Good job TriggerHappy. Your point on white balance has already been thoroughly talked through and I specifically said "I have a north window next to my setup and would love to use that light as well but I can't with yellow halogens." I can't correct that with white balance. I'm fine with it not being perfect but I still want the bulbs to at least try it out out and test it. I want to be able to say for sure that they work great or that they suck and provide example shots and reasons why.

Please everyone just cut that urge to post (especially about color temp) unless you have useful info regarding double ended halogen bulbs for shop lights.
 
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Why don't you just use blue gel's over the shop lights??
 
I forgot about the gels. I was thinking the lights might be too hot for them but I made a cool soft box for my shop light and could just get some blue gels to filter the light. Now I just need to do some searching for some larger gels at least 24"x24". Thanks.

edit: I think I found what I'm looking for here. http://www.adorama.com/LE201.html?u...opping Site&utm_campaign=Other&utm_term=Other It raises 3200 Kelvin to 5500 Kelvin and is a 20"x24".
 
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Flook, your attitude is pretty poor quite frankly. Lisali starts this thread asking for help and people try to contribute in a way they see fit. You then hijack this thread and attempt to take command by ranting about people mentioning colour temperature, which you deem inappropriate. If the pointers people give aren't relevant to you just gloss over them and take the information that is pertinent to your situation. Whilst you may be trying to balance colour from natural and artificial light we have no mention of Lisali trying to do the same. As this is their thread my comment was intended as help to their situation, not yours. Your disparaging comments do nothing to help.
I hope you reach a lighting solution that works for you, and I have to also say you have some very nice pictures on your flickr.
Regards, Jamie.
 
Yes I know I'm being harsh and sorry about that. I don't think I'm hijacking the thread to keep people on track with the forum starter and pointing out to people (especially high forum posters) that these topics have been talked over already. I also don't like people saying that it can't be done when it can. Your post before was directed to me and you obviously had not read the thread including my earlier posts about what I was trying to do. I said I was mixing light earlier in the thread and you specifically replied to me with how easy it is to fix it with white balance when it's already been talked about why that won't work. Sorry to be mean and point it out since it doesn't seam to do any good.

As you can see I've been nice and thankful to anyone who seams to have read the thread and posted something that contributes. This is the original thread start by lisali and there's not much more to say than that besides I'll stop being so harsh and critical.

Hi,

I am looking for "Ultra White Light (3200K)" double-ended tungsten halogen lamps. The article below shows how to make your own light tent, but it kind of requires daylight halogen bulbs, which I can not seem to find in the UK. Anybody know of a (affordable) source?

http://www.shuttertalk.com/articles/diylighting

Many thanks!
 
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For what it's worth I did read the whole thread and did comment with the intention of being helpful, obviously the reality was different.

Hopefully you'll stick around and find the answers you need for this and any future questions.

Regards, Jamie.
 
The Color Correcting Lighting Filter is looking like a great solution; too bad none of the local camera shops carry the sheets. I have a little shoot this weekend and was hoping for a fix soon. I'll just have to order a couple.
 
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2700 Warm White Very Warm White Interna Similar light to “normal” incandescent bulbs, giving a warm “cosy” feel
3000 Warm White The colour of most halogen lamps. Appears slightly “whiter” than ordinary incandescent lamps.
3500 White The standard colour for many fluorescent and compact fluorescent tubes.
4000 Cool White Gives a more clinical or “high tech” feel.
6000 Daylight Fluorescent or compact fluorescent lamps simulating natural daylight.
6500 Cool Daylight Extremely “white” light used in specialist daylight lamps.
Take a look here for halogen lamps
 
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So, since these bulbs seam impossible to find I think I will try the 800w bulb that was suggested along with a large color correcting filter that fits my soft-box. Once I get them I will post some results.

Color Correcting Lighting Filter here:
http://www.adorama.com/LE201.html?u...opping Site&utm_campaign=Other&utm_term=Other

800w double ended quartz bulb here:
http://www.bulbtronics.com/Search-T...utm_medium=ProductListing&utm_campaign=Nextag

Even though the shop light is for 500w bulbs people have gotten the 800w 240v bulbs and say they work fine. If anything it might start a fire :)

I posted a few more pics using the light setup as well as pics of the setup itself.
Shop lite soft box:

Shop Light Soft Box by iFlook, on Flickr
Pics using the setup:

Life @ 30 Weeks by iFlook, on Flickr

Life @ 30 Weeks by iFlook, on Flickr

I guess no matter what I can't resist. @Chaz....what in the world are you posting??? Random links to regular old halogen bulbs and they are low wattage. Of no use to us at all. You can buy regular halogen bulbs up 500w at just about any store in the world (slightly exaggerated). Thanks...I hope or think you are just trying to mess with me.
 
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I finally got some blue color filters that seam to correct the yellow light from the shop light very well. I just taped it on the front of my home made softbox. I'll be posting some pics using it soon. I've been able to let all the light I want in from my windows and haven't noticed any color issues.

Still not bright enough but it works. I haven't ordered a higher watt bulb yet. I found the blue color filters at a local theater lighting equipment store that I never knew existed. They also carried some halogen bulbs but the lowest watt was 1000. I bought it anyway to test out, knowing it probably wouldn't work well and it isn't the safest thing. It worked great for maybe 15 minutes and then started to make a popping sound. The fixture is obviously not meant to handle such a high wattage bulb but I still had to try.
 
One tip if you have live view try setting the colour balance with that some will show the corrected colour and it may give you a bit of a starting point.
 
I used blue engine block paint that resists up to 2000 degrees. Paint is on the tempered glass on the opposite side of the bulb. It works well, but will still crack off after a long session and also rubs off extremely easily when warm so the cage is a must or you must repaint often. I never run it for longer than 10-15 minutes at a time, and would absolutely never leave it unattended. I usually shoot on jobsites where I need some upward lighting that matches the daylight.
Not a great solution but it worked okay for me.

5495164099


http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoosiercms/5495164099

-Tom
http://www.hoosiercms.com
 
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