Author Topic: Hallogen Floodlights for lighting (Read 7832 times)

Boylet · « **on:** July 29, 2006, 01:28 »

Hi ... newbie here. I just want to ask all you experts out there if I can use a 500 watts hallogen flood lights for my lighting setup. If so, what improvised light diffuser can I use. Thanks.

leaf · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2006, 02:12 »

yeah they work good but the room gets very hot very fast

Anything opaque can be used as a difusser such as a large sheet, some thin white silk (fairly cheep at a material store). Depending on how much $$ you are wanting to spend, you could easily make a square frame to attach 1 meter square of silk to and have a quite nice diffuser.

Boylet · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2006, 02:22 »

Thanks leaf... the next available lower powered bulb in the hardware I looked at is a 150watts. I was trying to look for at least a 250w but to no avail.

I'll make the diffuser you suggested. Thanks.

leaf · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2006, 03:36 »

yeah i would go with the 500 watt floods.

GeoPappas · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2006, 06:11 »

I have (2) 500-watt halogen worklights and even they don't seem like enough light!

Boylet · « **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2006, 06:29 »

I guess i'll try the two 500 watts first and see what happens. I'm going for the suggestion of leaf on th improvised diffuser. Any ideas how far the silk cloth should be from the glass of the floodlights so as not to be burned when exposd for a long period of time??

leaf · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2006, 07:01 »

the closer the 'sheet' is to the light, the more concentrated the light source will be.. but also the stronger it will be.

In any case you could make sort of a 'tent' around your object (called a light tent), or on just one side of your object, and then move the lamp from between 30 cm to 5 meters away and see how it effects the results.

you should be able to see stronger shadows when the light is 30cm away and soft shadows when the light is farther away.

GeoPappas · « **Reply #7 on:** July 29, 2006, 08:13 »

Quote from: Boylet on July 29, 2006, 06:29

Any ideas how far the silk cloth should be from the glass of the floodlights so as not to be burned when exposd for a long period of time??

You can get pretty close. I tried a few different materials within a foot or so of the lights and they were alright.

Legalese: If you burn your house down it ain't my fault.

Boylet · « **Reply #8 on:** July 29, 2006, 08:45 »

Quote from: GeoPappas on July 29, 2006, 08:13

Quote from: Boylet on July 29, 2006, 06:29
Any ideas how far the silk cloth should be from the glass of the floodlights so as not to be burned when exposd for a long period of time??

You can get pretty close. I tried a few different materials within a foot or so of the lights and they were alright.

Legalese: If you burn your house down it ain't my fault.

Ha ha ha ... don't worry... I'm too far away from you to sue you ... LOL..

kacper · « **Reply #9 on:** August 02, 2006, 06:43 »

I was a bit worried about getting the 500W ones and purchased three table top 150W halogens. Hmm... mistake. They provide nowhere near enough light for macro / light-tent photography. Now I've purchased a studio flash bulb and a white diffuser umbrella and do my macros with it. Much better. In fact I ditched the light tent all together now, it's just a pain in the arse. I simply roll out a seamless white paper and shoot objects with two halogens lighting it at 45% angles (diffused), the umbrella above at a 90% angle and a buit-in flash at a 45% angle setting it off. I get pretty good light coverage with that with minimal photoshop work required.

cmillc22 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 09, 2007, 00:07 »

rip-stop nylon (can be purchased at joann fabrics) works really well and can take the heat from the lights for a diffusser panel. I believe it would take about 10 500 watt halegon lights to equal enough lighting for the standard 5000k so you should always get the 500w unless you are going to use the 250w a for backgrounds. You can get some good shots with about 4 500w if you have a fast lens and a nice air conditioner to keep the room from getting too hot

sharply_done · « **Reply #11 on:** September 09, 2007, 04:43 »

The bottom line here is that you're always going to be in a compromised situation if you use hot lights. Unless you're shooting video, strobes are the (proven) way to go. You think you're being smart and saavy by getting some cheap hot lamps, but, and to be sure, in the end you'll see the light.

Consider buying used strobes if you want to save money - if you buy hot lamps you will sooner or later regret it.

Stu99 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 09, 2007, 05:44 »

Quote from: sharply_done on September 09, 2007, 04:43

The bottom line here is that you're always going to be in a compromised situation if you use hot lights. Unless you're shooting video, strobes are the (proven) way to go. You think you're being smart and saavy by getting some cheap hot lamps, but, and to be sure, in the end you'll see the light.

Consider buying used strobes if you want to save money - if you buy hot lamps you will sooner or later regret it.

Totally agree, after using hot lamps for a while, I have decided that strobes are definately the way to go!

cmillc22 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 09, 2007, 23:44 »

bottom line is a good set of strobes is the better way to go.

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Author Topic: Hallogen Floodlights for lighting (Read 7832 times)

Boylet

leaf

Boylet

leaf

GeoPappas

Boylet

leaf

GeoPappas

Boylet

kacper

cmillc22

sharply_done

Stu99

cmillc22

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