Cheap Clamp Work Lights?
- Thread starter dr jones
- Start date
Cool Lights
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I call them worklight scoops or just scoops. They're generally in the $4 to $7 range depending upon the size. You can use just about any kind of light bulb with a medium edison (E26) base as long as it doesn't exceed the wattage rating which is usually around 60w for the smaller scoops and can be as high as 250w for the bigger scoops. It says plainly on the scoop somewhere what the rating is.
Capt Quirk
Veteran
Glad you popped in on this Richard... what are the best type of bulb to use? I got some awful funky color shifts using standard bulbs.
Cool Lights
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When you mean standard, do you mean tungsten types? Or CFLs? Try some N:Vision CFLs from Home Depot. They're somewhere in the range of 82 CRI and many have found that to be fine. Otherwise you can try some higher CRI CFLs from somewhere like naturallighting.com. I don't favor the photoflo bulbs as they're just painted blue and they don't last too long--maybe what 8 hours?
Considering that the effective wattage of some of the smallest ones is 60w, that's a darn big CFL. You can get medium base CFLs in up to 105w or so from sources like naturallighting or teksupply.com.
Hope this helps.
Considering that the effective wattage of some of the smallest ones is 60w, that's a darn big CFL. You can get medium base CFLs in up to 105w or so from sources like naturallighting or teksupply.com.
Hope this helps.
Capt Quirk
Veteran
I mean standard as in whatever they have at the place I happen to be shopping. Probably tungsten, but I'm not interested in getting to know them, just use them. And the cheaper the better 
When I use those clamp lights, it's usually for my reptiles and they use UV bulbs. Since I usually have several spare lamps, I used them for some photos once, substituting the bulbs in the cabinet for the UV. And thanks, now I know what to look for
When I use those clamp lights, it's usually for my reptiles and they use UV bulbs. Since I usually have several spare lamps, I used them for some photos once, substituting the bulbs in the cabinet for the UV. And thanks, now I know what to look for thanks for the info guys. speaking of bulbs, what is the best (most commonly used in film) color temperature for florescent lights?
in doctors offices/schools/business buildings i've always noticed that florescence makes human skin have this nasty green tint and makes people look dead and lifeless. i want to avoid this as much as possible...
in doctors offices/schools/business buildings i've always noticed that florescence makes human skin have this nasty green tint and makes people look dead and lifeless. i want to avoid this as much as possible...
Cool Lights
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That's 4200K or thereabouts. Sometimes known as Cool White or just White. Everyone is in common agreement that its not a flattering color temp for the eye but if the bulbs are generally of high CRI and the ballasts flicker free, you can white balance to them and your video turns out just fine as long as there aren't other color temperatures mixed in as well like daylight streaming in through the windows. You're practically guaranteed to get issues then with your video.
When you go get some CFLs to use people are generally buying daylight 5500K ones now most commonly. In addition, it is a bit harder to find a 3200K equivalent anyway. The N:Visions come in 2900K, 3500K and 5500K and sometimes 6500K. The 5500K is the only one that people report pretty consistent good results with.
When you go get some CFLs to use people are generally buying daylight 5500K ones now most commonly. In addition, it is a bit harder to find a 3200K equivalent anyway. The N:Visions come in 2900K, 3500K and 5500K and sometimes 6500K. The 5500K is the only one that people report pretty consistent good results with.
Cool Lights
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3500K, not being so far from 3200K will look about the same but again but just a bit more whiter, but remember that you're just talking about how it looks to your eyes. It's really important to separate the two concepts: eyes and camera.
When you white balance a white card in front of 3500K or 5500K, they all look the same to the camera as long as you only have one color temperature lighting your subject/area.
As far as preferences or what my eyes like, personally, I use 5500K in all household lighting now because I really like the natural feeling you get once you get past the initial shock of whatever you've been used to before. After you get used to it, its sort of like you're not aware of lighting at all in the room.
When you white balance a white card in front of 3500K or 5500K, they all look the same to the camera as long as you only have one color temperature lighting your subject/area.
As far as preferences or what my eyes like, personally, I use 5500K in all household lighting now because I really like the natural feeling you get once you get past the initial shock of whatever you've been used to before. After you get used to it, its sort of like you're not aware of lighting at all in the room.