mixing different fluoros, white balance and color correction issues at DVinfo.net

Greg Stout · February 17th, 2012, 07:34 PM

I'm not talking about mixing intentionally different temperatures, but I'm considering a 5 point setup for indoor video using all daylight fluoros.

Thing is, it's starting to look more and more like there will be at least a couple types and manufacturers of bulbs.

Is this going to cause an issue as they have different spikes? Will it throw off my white balancing or color correcting abilities?

Thx.

Newbie and just want to be sure there's not some weirdness I should be aware of.

Ken Plotin · February 17th, 2012, 09:21 PM

Greg,
If the fluros are your sole/main light source in the scene, white balance from the key light and you should be fine. If their are other sources in the scene (a large office lit by ceiling fluos, for example), expect to see a color shift in the BG areas not lit with your daylight bulbs (sounds worse than it usually looks). And, if there is a large amount of actual daylight/window light in the scene, you might have to gel your fluos with a 1/4 or 1/2 minus green (magenta) to match the real daylight more closely. I don't think the slight variance between manufacturers is going to make any appreciable difference in the way you light your scene.

Hope this helps.
Ken

Greg Stout · February 18th, 2012, 10:23 AM

Yeah, sorry, let me be clearer.

I'm only shooting indoors where I'm not matching anything but the lights I provide. Only doing greenscreen work with no outside lights.

So, really just wondering about the variance between the different "daylight" video fluoros out there... like if I have a kino daylight bulb in one, and an osram in another, or some of the supposedly video oriented cfl screw base spiral daylights in another...

Do the green spikes always end up in the same spot? Is a little variation in the color temperature going to matter if they are all somewhere in the 5-6k range?

thx.

February 17th, 2012, 07:34 PM	#1
Greg Stout Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 27	mixing different fluoros, white balance and color correction issues I'm not talking about mixing intentionally different temperatures, but I'm considering a 5 point setup for indoor video using all daylight fluoros. Thing is, it's starting to look more and more like there will be at least a couple types and manufacturers of bulbs. Is this going to cause an issue as they have different spikes? Will it throw off my white balancing or color correcting abilities? Thx. Newbie and just want to be sure there's not some weirdness I should be aware of.

February 17th, 2012, 09:21 PM	#2
Ken Plotin Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 254	Re: mixing different fluoros, white balance and color correction issues Greg, If the fluros are your sole/main light source in the scene, white balance from the key light and you should be fine. If their are other sources in the scene (a large office lit by ceiling fluos, for example), expect to see a color shift in the BG areas not lit with your daylight bulbs (sounds worse than it usually looks). And, if there is a large amount of actual daylight/window light in the scene, you might have to gel your fluos with a 1/4 or 1/2 minus green (magenta) to match the real daylight more closely. I don't think the slight variance between manufacturers is going to make any appreciable difference in the way you light your scene. Hope this helps. Ken

February 18th, 2012, 10:23 AM	#3
Greg Stout Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 27	Re: mixing different fluoros, white balance and color correction issues Yeah, sorry, let me be clearer. I'm only shooting indoors where I'm not matching anything but the lights I provide. Only doing greenscreen work with no outside lights. So, really just wondering about the variance between the different "daylight" video fluoros out there... like if I have a kino daylight bulb in one, and an osram in another, or some of the supposedly video oriented cfl screw base spiral daylights in another... Do the green spikes always end up in the same spot? Is a little variation in the color temperature going to matter if they are all somewhere in the 5-6k range? thx.