PIC! why regular lightbulb sucks compared to full spectrum fluorescent , see it yourself

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J

Jerboy

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Oct 27, 2001
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A few days ago, I made a thread about my lighting upgrade project in this thread. The pictures looked like standard fluorescent to some people and I didn't include any pictures that emphasizes it's good color rendering, so I took some pictures comparing it between standard halogen lighting and full spectrum fluorescent lighting. I think it's very obvious why regular light bulb suck.

In the pictures, you'll see three objects. From left to right: mango, American quarter and Fuji apple.

300W halogen torchiere
Camera set to auto white balance. Source of light is 300W halogen torchiere floor lamp
Camera white balance set to outdoor. Illuminated with 300W halogen torchiere floor lamp

full spectrum fluorescent
Camera set to auto white balance. Illuminated with overhead full-spectrum fluorescent light
Camera white balance set to outdoor. Illuminated with overhead full-spectrum fluorescent light

When your white balance is set to outdoor, camera locks it's white balance to a pre-set value that is calibrated to natural sunlight. The realistic the objects appear in this setting, the higher the quality of sun emulation.

in the dark using camera's flash Flash is not a very reliable source of light in close up shot. The reflection of flash light covers up the details of an object significantly.


After having a look at all four pictures, answer in the poll


Edit: picture link mix ups.



footnote:

Damn. Picturetrail is having it's usual trouble again. :| If you get "The page cannot be displayed
The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Web site might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings." message, try again later.
 
J

Jerboy

Banned
Oct 27, 2001
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<< a 300W halogen is not a "regular" light bulb. >>




ah well. It's close enough. They're both incandescent bulbs.
 
M

Mookow

Lifer
Apr 24, 2001
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<<

<< a 300W halogen is not a "regular" light bulb. >>




ah well. It's close enough. They're both incandescent bulbs. >>



Yes, but with different material in the bulb (tungsten alloy vs halogen, I presume from the name), thus the emitted spectrum will be different.
 
J

Jerboy

Banned
Oct 27, 2001
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<<

<<

<< a 300W halogen is not a "regular" light bulb. >>




ah well. It's close enough. They're both incandescent bulbs. >>



Yes, but with different material in the bulb (tungsten alloy vs halogen, I presume from the name), thus the emitted spectrum will be different. >>



The filament is tungsten in either lamps. Halogen lamps have iodine in them to prolong useful life of the bulb. It is indeed different slightly. Regular incandescent is at 2800K(filament temp 2577C), any higher and tungsten evaporates fast and burn out in short order.

Halogen lamps can operate at 3100K or so. Iodine(halogen) combines with tungsten vapor in glass envelope and floats around, but once it comes in contacts with filament, it decomposes into tungsten and iodine again, thus effectively returning tungsten back to filament.

So yes, halogen lamp looks whiter than $.25 Wal-Mart bulb, but still nowhere near sunlight.

Philips F32T8/CL950 fluorescent lamp gives off 5000K light.
 
Ciber

Ciber

Platinum Member
Nov 20, 2000
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i think jerboy has way way way way way too much free time......
rolleye.gif
 
J

Jimbo

Platinum Member
Oct 10, 1999
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<< Which light would you rather have sex with a man under? >>


That is soooooo mean.
ROTFLMAO!
 
M

Mookow

Lifer
Apr 24, 2001
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<< i think jerboy has way way way way way too much free time......
rolleye.gif
>>



I think they're about to put that in the forum FAQ ;)
 
J

Jerboy

Banned
Oct 27, 2001
5,190
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<< u have a lot of time dude... >>







<< if i wanted to hear from an asshole, i would've farted >>



You have alot of time too. Well you must have to search/record such wav and upload it on your webspace.

 
Y

yakko

Lifer
Apr 18, 2000
25,455
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And let's just forget about the fact that a torchiere lamp directs light upwards while an overhead flourescent directs light diwnward.
 
C

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
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Can you tell a rainbow to stop being a rainbow for a second?

NO! Can't-uh have-uh the Mango!
 
K

kgraeme

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2000
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In these picture, the full specturm flourescent obviously looks better. Of course, you are measuring your camera's color balance as much as the light source. If your camera has tungsten balance, or if you can put a tungsten filter on the lens (blue 80A), it would be interesting to see the results.

But in general, a full spectrum flourescent is far better at reproducing natural visible sunlight than a halogen.
 
M

mithrandir2001

Diamond Member
May 1, 2001
6,545
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Look at all the adolescents here.

I can't stand the yellow cast that incadescents put out and I replace them with so-called "natural light" screw-in fluorescent bulbs. It's a noticable and welcome improvement.
 
K

kgraeme

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2000
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<< Anyone ever seen those lightbulbs for treating those bipolar / seasonal depression folks? Those things are cool. >>



One of my coworkers has one. Or I should say four. Hers are just a portable box of full spectrum flourescent lights. The box is probably 2'x3'. And it's reallly bright! When we lost our offices and moved into cubicles she had to take hers home because it was so bright it would annoy people.
 
J

Jerboy

Banned
Oct 27, 2001
5,190
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<< In these picture, the full specturm flourescent obviously looks better. Of course, you are measuring your camera's color balance as much as the light source. If your camera has tungsten balance, or if you can put a tungsten filter on the lens (blue 80A), it would be interesting to see the results.

But in general, a full spectrum flourescent is far better at reproducing natural visible sunlight than a halogen. >>




Needing to use optical compensation to match color means light source isn't comparable to sunlight.

Anyways, I got some more pics

Reference photo, WB set to outdoor and taken with actual sunlight

halogen light illumination AFTER setting camera white balance to incandescent.

The more realistic the color with WB set to outdoor means similar your light is to actual sun.

 
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