Any lights for CFL's that are directional?

markblasco

Well-known member
I've seen using CFL's with china balls, and I've seen fixtures that are designed to put out a big soft light, but are there any fixtures designed to use CFL's that put out a somewhat directional light?

Also, are there CFL fixtures that have doors, or some other way to shape the light?
 
The nature of softlight is such that its hard to control or train into a beam even with a good parabolic reflector and lens. And fluorescent can only really be a soft light source. Yes you can get some more power and direction out that way but its still not an intense beam like a fresnel or another hard type light using a point light source. And you won't be able to get it to produce hard shadows or render a cookie pattern well.
 
I understand that a CFL won't put out a hard light, but I have yet to find a fixture that doesn't just spill light everywhere. The cool lights fixtures have reflectors that help to get the light in a certain direction, as well as barn doors to help keep it from going where you don't want it. I'm wondering if there is something similar that uses CFL bulbs.
 
I understand that a CFL won't put out a hard light, but I have yet to find a fixture that doesn't just spill light everywhere. The cool lights fixtures have reflectors that help to get the light in a certain direction, as well as barn doors to help keep it from going where you don't want it. I'm wondering if there is something similar that uses CFL bulbs.

The CoolLights (and Kino, et.al.) use "egg-crate" arrangements to make the light more directional. Like this one from CoolLights...


Softbox2424GridBlueCm.jpg


If by "CFL" you mean the small round(like) things that replace incandescent bulbs, then there are CFL products built into traditional glass bulbs with metalized reflectors in the same form-factor as the incandescent globes they replace. Like this...


Mini-4U-Reflector-CFL-Energy-Saving-Lamp-A30c10.jpg
 
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