Diffusers for Full Spectrum Fluorescent lamps

[bob_bell]

I was thinking of building a shooting table with full spectrum Fl.

lamps (5000-5500 kelvin) for product and macro photography so that I

can flood the work area with balanced light so I can control the

shadows. My question is how about diffusing the light to remove any

reflections from packaging, etc... I haven't found any softboxes

that are meant for 4 foot long fixtures, so I was thinking i could

make a frame and buy the material but I am not sure what the material

is called or what it is made of. I am thinking of the standard white

as a starting point.

 

Thx for your help.

-bob

[bob_bell]

Sorry I thought this was being saved in the general forum... If a mod could move it, thx

[jonathan_ratzlaff]

Get some white rip-stop nylon. You can use it as a diffusion panel in front of the lamps and it should work quit e well. If you have the bulbs in a regular fluorescent light fixture, just get a white acrylic diffuser fror the front of the fixture. It will diffuse the light from the lamps very well. You can get this from a local Home Depot or other similar store.

[brooks short]

Bob,

 

Translum works well. You can get it from The Set Shop in NYC.

[bill c.]

Bob-- If this is something that will stay in place most of the time and not have to be folded up, look up some material called "Tough Rolux". I think it's made by Rosco. I get it from R&R Lighting in Silver Spring, MD but I'm certain that you can get it from nearly any professional lighting supply ompany. It is evenly translucent, light, color-neutral, and so tough that you can literally wrap it around a quartz tube and not have it affected much. It is made for the type of application you are considering. -BC-

[scott_eaton]

1/8 milk plexi from a hardware store is both durable, and very diffuse. The problem is that it eats a lot of light, is heavy, and requires support brackets to keep from sagging.

 

White nylon tends to eat less light and is easier to stretch over a frame. I vote for nylon.

[kelly_flanigan1]

The full spectrum Fl. lamps (5000-5500 kelvin) are also available in 18" Fluorescent bulbs. General Electric F15T8C50 Chroma 50 . A dual set fits a drafting table lamp. Single and dual 18" fixtures are at Home Depot here ; and the electrical contractor/fixture places. Strangely; the bulbs are special order here at all places but Walmart; which has them 1/2 the price; available 24/7.....

[kelly_flanigan1]

Fluorescent lamps vary in brightness versus temperature of the bulb. A lamp at 50F might only put out 1/2 the light of one in a closed light box; on a hot summer day. In shooting stills and animation; a quick exposure check vary with time; as the bulb/box heats on a cold day.....The Phillips and GE "full spectrum" bulbs are close; but slighty different in "color"; but close enough for most applications. Most bulb life numbers are based on say a "3 hour burn"....A bulb left on all the time can last many years; maybe 4 to 7 sometimes....Turning the bulbs on off many times an hour or a day cuts their lives radically. In a home made fixture; some fluorescent bulbs require being close to a metal frame; in order to start. This depends on the starting circuit and ballast....

[bob_bell]

Interesting comments. I live in phoenix, so most of the time, like today the temperature is over 70F, so I don't think I need to worry about warming them up too much.

 

I didn't know I could buy the full spectrum bulbs locally. There is a new Walmart super store near here that has only been open a few months, hopefully they will have a good selection of the bulbs.

 

Thx for the recommendations on a diffusion material.

 

Thanks everyone for your comments.

-bob