DIY Kino Philips T-8 Fixture Lighting Engineers, let me know experience so far.

[Deer Film]

Hi, its been a year now since people have posted DIY Kino unit using Philips T-8 Fixtures.

Anyone that has built this, I would love to hear your experience. Good and bad points. I want this only for video, so any flicker issue show up? They say no, but curious with 1080/60p or other settings. Or lighting or color issues?
And what is the distance between subject and light?

And if I am not worried about size or weight, why would I even think of spending more money on something else?
I assume you just need to set up WB first. Let me know what your camera setup was?

I want these for interviews. It seems with you imagination, you can get creative in the build, and if these bulbs work, and are cheaper, then this is a great foundation. To me, I think it is a fun and rewarding to be able to make your own pro-level lights.

I am just curious to know after a year now, is this light still being used and satisfying your lighting needs?


Here are links for people that have not heard about this. And check out Joe Edelman, his video really inspired me. As well as the others in the DXforum listed below. Thanks to all.

http://www.joeedelman.com/blog/photography/lighting/fluorescent-studio-lighting/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBPDSBCoN2c&feature=youtu.be
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1130916/0
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?287176-Step-by-step-DIY-Kino-instructions
http://www.youtube.com/user/PhotoJoeEdelman?feature=watch

 

[Moseph]

The cheap off the shelf T8 ballasts that I used in my parabeam like fixture run the lamps at something over 20khz. Not going to flicker at 60fps unless it's a magnetic ballast, and even then you can avoid the flicker issues by using the correct shutter speed.

Get the Kino Flo T8's, more color accurate. They go for $15-17 a piece.

 

[Deer Film]

Will the kino flo t8 fit with the electronic ballastLithonia Lighting Industrial 6-Light High Bay Grey Hanging Fixture ?

where can I buy the Kino Flo t8 at? Might be interesting to try a few if I can get them around 15.00 a piece. It would be great if it works with the 2, 4, or 6 hanging fixture you can get at Menards or Home Debut. I don't care about dimming and the housing, grid, and barn doors I can make myself.
Something tells me someone will say it can't work.

 

[Deer Film]

Hi, I used my DIY JoeeDelmon T8 light fixture last week on a job. Right away the administration that hired me where very impressed of my light set up. It looked very professional and the results I got were perfect. This DIY setup saved me thousands.
I hung my lights vertical to film a interview. Just curious, when would you use the lights horizontal and what situations would you use the light vertical. I bought some Monfrotto super clamps so I can hang this light horizontal.
I assume for people standing and full body shot you want vertical and head and shoulder shots you want horizontal, but not sure.

Just a note, the only problem with the lights, is you need to be careful transporting them. I put all my tubes in the box. Other then that, to save money, I am fine with it. All my interviews said the light was perfect on their eyes and no heat. I had plenty of good light and WB both my cameras and came out with a very nice result. I will be using this setup a lot.

 

[wangtrirat]

Greeting! from Thailand. lately I've made some of this fixtures too. I've research deep for years about lamp to use with Cinema shoot or videos. This is what I got.

Those lamps in market today divided into 2 categories
-Tri-Band, Multi-Band
-Full-Spectrum

Very simple method to check what kind of these is using CD as spectroscope and see if there are bands of color distinct to Red Green Blue, It's Tri-Band. If it's continuous spectrum like natural daylight, It's Full-Spectrum.

CRI or Color Rendering Index is one of the most confusing measurement for Video Light, Film Light. but that's all we got. I suggest you to take a camera take a picture with solid 3200k,5500k WB with the bulb before you buy it. Some lamp rated at CRI 93 like BlueMax bulb, Is that Full-spectrum? I don't know but many youtubers use it tend to have to use Custom WB because color in RAW 5500K is terrible. As Osram StudioLine 55/5600 Rated at CRI 85 but result is what you see. It's amazing.

Most of lamp that sold on web like CFL spiral one or Alzo Pan-L 55W tube is Tri, Multi-Band which is rated not beyond than CRI 94. What does it mean is that Green spike is still there.
Anything beyond CRI>95 like all kino-flo bulb will really have excellent color rendition.

CRI>95 considered to have Full-Spectrum or some case plus some Tri-band to improved color with camera senser. But for Emulsion film this is only kind of lamp you only to use, Multi-band lamp will ruin your shot.

and my recommendation for mixed with natural Daylight.

-Philips TL-D 950 Graphica, TL-950 CRI 98
-Philips PL-L 950 CRI 98
-Osram Dulux L 954 CRI>90 (I don't know what exactly it is.)
-GE Cinema Biax "Plus" 55/5500K (It's same bulb as Diva in kino.)
-All Kino-Flo bulbs

-------------------------------------------

for reasonable color Tri-band, Multi-Band

Example Video of Studioline55/5600 used with FS700 it's not belong to me.

Here is video I used Studioline 55/5600 color corrected. Backlight is my DIY 400W HMI.

Benefit of Multi-Bands lamp
-They can withstand more ambient temp than Full-spectrum. (If FS bulb get warmer green spike likely to more appear.)
-They have higher output than FS bulb. GE Cinema Plus Biax rated at 3000lm/55W FS, but Osram StudioLine 55/5600 rated at 4000+lm.
-most use in work that likely to use it all the time and required high output like TV Studio, NEWS desk, High-Speed filming.

The example of these are.

-Osram StudioLine 55/5600 (This lamp has some magenta tint mixed with HMI beautifully but with natural daylight I have issue with it. Plus green will solve the problem.)
-GE Studio Biax 55/5500K (tend to have green tint some how, to human eye it's beautiful clear white interestingly for camera sensor green tint appeared.)

My impression with TL-D 950 Graphica that many DIYer used it.

First time I fired it up color for eye look so neutral nothing fancy. It can mixed with natural daylight perfectly as they have CRI>98.
but from camera sensor it's truly fantastic light, Color pop no green tint at all.

Here it is.

Left is Osram StudioLine 55/5600 Right (Experiment test) TL-D 950 Graphica

WB at Daylight 5500K

If you want clean white Sci-fi color look. Studioline will do for you. WB 5600K

For problem on Ballast that I used. If you use Electronic ballast and experienced flicker, This is solution. (Danger!!!! electrician skill required.)

EB operated at >15KHz many of these mostly operated at 20KHz+. But Where is the hell that flicker came from?

Circuit have to transform AC to DC which it'll use Bridge Rectifier and output is DC approximately about 400v, you'll see the largest capacitor on circuit. It did the job for smoothing the electric flow but some how it's too small.

The blue component on this ballast is Capacitor.

50Hz (in my country) override smooth 25KHz operating Frequency of Ballast result in Banding on Shutter Speed over 1/250.

How to solve that? Very simple answer = Bigger Cap. to smooth out all that shimmering current.

This is picture of Kino-Flo Ballast itself totally proved my idea. Big 2 390uf 200v cap in series.

I've use 470uF/400v cap for one 55W tube and result is fascinating. 1/4000 max of DSLR, No flicker or banding at all.

Notice : I've use expensive ballast before, problem still there. Recently I used cheap Chinese ballast but with modification of this solved all problem.

Hope this is helpful but again I've no responsibility for damage. Try at your own risk!!!!!!

If you have some suggestions please let me know.

Thank you.