flourescent lights at DVinfo.net

Chet Hardin · May 29th, 2002, 01:15 PM

anyone using flourescence? i have been hearing good things about these color corrected lighting systems.
and if so, how flexible are they? interior? exterior? hard lighting?
thanks.

Keith Loh · May 29th, 2002, 03:11 PM

Excuse my ignorance, but wouldn't you get a strobe problem with fluorescents?

Frank Granovski · May 29th, 2002, 06:42 PM

If you are forced to use this type of lighting, consider Heliopan's 2 types of filters to correct the lighting.

Kai Leibrandt · May 29th, 2002, 06:52 PM

here in Europe you get high-frequency fluorescents; I believe they light up at 100Hz rather than the usual 50Hz. You probably have them in the US too. I haven't tried them but I am curious now and will shoot some tests at the office tomorrow...

Kai.

Ken Tanaka · May 29th, 2002, 08:24 PM

High-output, color balanced flourescent lighting is an excellent soft/medium lighting source for video work either in a studio or in the field. They run far, far cooler than incandescent lighting, they use far less power, can be gel-ed for color correction if necessary and the lamps last tens of thousands of hours. I use a Lowel Caselight 4, a portable 4-lamp flourescent fixture, frequently for interview or small-scene work. The primary limitation of such lighting is that it cannot be focused the way that incandescent lighting can.

Aaron Frick · May 30th, 2002, 04:00 PM

As for the flicker if you are shooting NTSC in Europe you will get it and if you are shooting PAL in north america you will get it. Otherwise if in north america with ntsc or europe with pal there should not be a flicker.

Frank Granovski · May 30th, 2002, 09:44 PM

Yup. That's why I never use my PAL cams in artifical 60 cycle lighting. Outdoors it's fine.

I do recommend those fluorescent filters, though. Heliopan makes good ones.

Bruce Moore · May 31st, 2002, 12:13 AM

i visited a lighting supply here in PHX. and he said their pretty good and he's getting more requests. he thinks that's where the industry is headed.

David Mesloh · May 31st, 2002, 12:58 AM

I know we used KINOFLO in Hollywood for years as a lighting source. Different sizes, etc. Real nice stuff. Not cheap, but pro-gear. Worth a look.

David

Ford Minton · June 1st, 2002, 09:59 PM

The KinoFlo gear is great, but as was stated it aint cheap. I've used their mini-flo kit and have had good results.

http://www.kinoflo.com/

PS- have not experienced any flicker yet.

whiterabbit · June 2nd, 2002, 07:39 PM

I built my own double lamp high output 55w per lamp T5's 48" long using a very high quality ballast at 3000 color.

My tests so far are they blend seamlessly with my tungsten lights, are an excellent source of soft light, very low power consumption, and what a pleasure, no heat. As for the buzz and flicker these are also non existant but you have to use top of the line components. Lamps are available in many colors for all your shooting needs and as mentioned gells are also available

We fabricated our own brackets and attached them to high quality bogen light stands. The cost was about $180 per fixture and the stand was about $100. In comparison the cheapest commercial fixture we found went for $400 and was only 2 foot in length.

To finish it off we just added a tent (like a softbox) with attachable gells. I highly recomend flourescents. We use them on location and then to light up our green screen at the studio.

Cheers

Bryan Beasleigh · June 2nd, 2002, 08:22 PM

"Excuse my ignorance, but wouldn't you get a strobe problem with fluorescents?"

T8 electronic ballasts are spec'd at better than 65KHZ. The new T8 is high voltage and high frequency (at the ballast output)

whiterabbit · June 2nd, 2002, 09:00 PM

I beleive the T5 is used more now for photo optic applications than the T8. It's supposed to put out as much as 10% more light. That was just what I discovered in my research before building ours. We get absolutely no flickering or strobing whatsoever.

Bryan Beasleigh · June 2nd, 2002, 09:41 PM

T5 is cheaper and operates at about 45KHZ, a lower frequency but you'd never detect any flicker at that frequency anyway. T8 is a heavier duty and higher frequency product that I work with on a daily basis. I was just using the frequency of that electronic ballast as an example and to satisfy any question of flicker. The human eye can tell a 50 HZ AC light from a 60HZ. At 45 or 65K it's flicker free and it high enough that the interference factor is practically nil. Neither is spec'd specifically for production lighting.

What ever is cheaper and will do the job is the best.

Nathan Gifford · November 9th, 2002, 06:06 PM

Here is a good writeup on using fluorescents:

http://www.studio1productions.com/Ar.../FL-Lights.htm

May 29th, 2002, 01:15 PM	#1
Chet Hardin Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Troy Ny Posts: 60	flourescent lights anyone using flourescence? i have been hearing good things about these color corrected lighting systems. and if so, how flexible are they? interior? exterior? hard lighting? thanks.

May 29th, 2002, 08:24 PM	#5
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	High-output, color balanced flourescent lighting is an excellent soft/medium lighting source for video work either in a studio or in the field. They run far, far cooler than incandescent lighting, they use far less power, can be gel-ed for color correction if necessary and the lamps last tens of thousands of hours. I use a Lowel Caselight 4, a portable 4-lamp flourescent fixture, frequently for interview or small-scene work. The primary limitation of such lighting is that it cannot be focused the way that incandescent lighting can. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

May 30th, 2002, 04:00 PM	#6
Aaron Frick Contributor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: New Mexico Posts: 71	As for the flicker if you are shooting NTSC in Europe you will get it and if you are shooting PAL in north america you will get it. Otherwise if in north america with ntsc or europe with pal there should not be a flicker. __________________ Land of Enchantment, New Mexico

May 31st, 2002, 12:13 AM	#8
Bruce Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 57	i visited a lighting supply here in PHX. and he said their pretty good and he's getting more requests. he thinks that's where the industry is headed. __________________ There are only three things that will kill you: Bad Luck, Stupidity, and Time.

May 31st, 2002, 12:58 AM	#9
David Mesloh Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 94	Kinoflo I know we used KINOFLO in Hollywood for years as a lighting source. Different sizes, etc. Real nice stuff. Not cheap, but pro-gear. Worth a look. David

May 29th, 2002, 03:11 PM	#2
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	Excuse my ignorance, but wouldn't you get a strobe problem with fluorescents?

May 29th, 2002, 06:42 PM	#3
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	If you are forced to use this type of lighting, consider Heliopan's 2 types of filters to correct the lighting.

May 29th, 2002, 06:52 PM	#4
Kai Leibrandt Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Munich, Germany Posts: 70	here in Europe you get high-frequency fluorescents; I believe they light up at 100Hz rather than the usual 50Hz. You probably have them in the US too. I haven't tried them but I am curious now and will shoot some tests at the office tomorrow... Kai.

May 30th, 2002, 09:44 PM	#7
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Yup. That's why I never use my PAL cams in artifical 60 cycle lighting. Outdoors it's fine. I do recommend those fluorescent filters, though. Heliopan makes good ones.

June 1st, 2002, 09:59 PM	#10
Ford Minton Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: San francisco Posts: 54	The KinoFlo gear is great, but as was stated it aint cheap. I've used their mini-flo kit and have had good results. http://www.kinoflo.com/ PS- have not experienced any flicker yet.

June 2nd, 2002, 07:39 PM	#11
whiterabbit Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Miami Posts: 37	I built my own double lamp high output 55w per lamp T5's 48" long using a very high quality ballast at 3000 color. My tests so far are they blend seamlessly with my tungsten lights, are an excellent source of soft light, very low power consumption, and what a pleasure, no heat. As for the buzz and flicker these are also non existant but you have to use top of the line components. Lamps are available in many colors for all your shooting needs and as mentioned gells are also available We fabricated our own brackets and attached them to high quality bogen light stands. The cost was about $180 per fixture and the stand was about $100. In comparison the cheapest commercial fixture we found went for $400 and was only 2 foot in length. To finish it off we just added a tent (like a softbox) with attachable gells. I highly recomend flourescents. We use them on location and then to light up our green screen at the studio. Cheers

June 2nd, 2002, 08:22 PM	#12
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	"Excuse my ignorance, but wouldn't you get a strobe problem with fluorescents?" T8 electronic ballasts are spec'd at better than 65KHZ. The new T8 is high voltage and high frequency (at the ballast output)

June 2nd, 2002, 09:00 PM	#13
whiterabbit Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Miami Posts: 37	I beleive the T5 is used more now for photo optic applications than the T8. It's supposed to put out as much as 10% more light. That was just what I discovered in my research before building ours. We get absolutely no flickering or strobing whatsoever.

June 2nd, 2002, 09:41 PM	#14
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	T5 is cheaper and operates at about 45KHZ, a lower frequency but you'd never detect any flicker at that frequency anyway. T8 is a heavier duty and higher frequency product that I work with on a daily basis. I was just using the frequency of that electronic ballast as an example and to satisfy any question of flicker. The human eye can tell a 50 HZ AC light from a 60HZ. At 45 or 65K it's flicker free and it high enough that the interference factor is practically nil. Neither is spec'd specifically for production lighting. What ever is cheaper and will do the job is the best.

November 9th, 2002, 06:06 PM	#15
Nathan Gifford Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Tickfaw, LA Posts: 1,217	Try this link Here is a good writeup on using fluorescents: http://www.studio1productions.com/Ar.../FL-Lights.htm __________________ Nathan Gifford Southern Cyclist Magazine & Productions For quick answers try our Search! To see me and Rob Lohman click here