barn doors on halogen work light - advice/help needed...

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

MJL Photo - 27 Nov 2004 02:05 GMT

I've been using a 500W halogen work light (warm to hot temperatures) on a
dimmer switch for studio lighting.
The results are quite good with very easy adjustments on light output, but
of course there is alot of unwanted "light spill" with this light source.

Any ideas on what I can use for barndoors to control the light spread?

I'm a bit of a handy man so even crazy ideas are worth mentioning here.

Thanks,
ML

Reply to this Message

Paul - 27 Nov 2004 09:49 GMT

> I've been using a 500W halogen work light (warm to hot temperatures) on a dimmer switch
> for studio lighting.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Thanks,
> ML

ML

Try visiting your local printer and seeing if you can get hold of an old aluminium litho
printing plate about (12thou" thick) this would be an ideal material to make a barn door
as these plates are easily folded and cut.

Paul

Reply to this Message

teflon - 28 Nov 2004 02:13 GMT

On 27/11/04 2:05 am, in article zhRpd.354305$nl.124086@pd7tw3no, "MJL Photo"
<mjlphotographics@shaw.ca> wrote:

> I've been using a 500W halogen work light (warm to hot temperatures) on a
> dimmer switch for studio lighting.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Thanks,
> ML

Some sheet aluminium and some pop rivets. Ideally, using a dimmer with
halogen isn't reccomended. They need to burn at full power for best
efficiency. A piece of ND gel clipped across your 'barndoors' would cut down
the light for better control.

Reply to this Message

Q.G. de Bakker - 28 Nov 2004 13:13 GMT

> [...] Ideally, using a dimmer with
> halogen isn't reccomended. They need to burn at full power for best
> efficiency. [...]

Noy just for efficiency: colour temperature varies with voltage.

Colour temperatures of commonly available halogen lights vary a lot already.
Use dimmers to regulate output, and you'll need a good colour meter (which
you'll need anyway) and the full set of correction filters.

Reply to this Message

teflon - 28 Nov 2004 13:46 GMT

On 28/11/04 1:13 pm, in article 41a9cd3f$0$76541$b83b6cc0@news.wanadoo.nl,

>> [...] Ideally, using a dimmer with
>> halogen isn't reccomended. They need to burn at full power for best
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Use dimmers to regulate output, and you'll need a good colour meter (which
> you'll need anyway) and the full set of correction filters.

To use an expensive color meter on cheap 'security' lighting wouldn't make
financial sense, and would be largely unnecessary if the original poster is
using digital and correction gels. Though, to be honest, I was assuming he's
shooting black and white.

Reply to this Message

MJL Photo - 29 Nov 2004 03:11 GMT

Right, I'm using black and white film.
So far I've had nothing but good results - except for some light spillage
that I'd like to control more. In fact, with colour film and at a higher
power, it simulates the light from a fireplace very nicely.

> To use an expensive color meter on cheap 'security' lighting wouldn't make
> financial sense, and would be largely unnecessary if the original poster
> is
> using digital and correction gels. Though, to be honest, I was assuming
> he's
> shooting black and white.

Reply to this Message

teflon - 29 Nov 2004 10:02 GMT

I also remember making up some thin wooden frames for diffusion material.
I'm guessing you've already done something similar, or are about to. It was
all very 'temporary', a lot of fun (not to mention dangerous!), and I got
some satisfying results - especially as it was done for next to nothing.

> Right, I'm using black and white film.
> So far I've had nothing but good results - except for some light spillage
> that I'd like to control more. In fact, with colour film and at a higher
> power, it simulates the light from a fireplace very nicely.

Reply to this Message

Bandicoot - 28 Nov 2004 02:24 GMT

> I've been using a 500W halogen work light (warm to hot temperatures) on a
> dimmer switch for studio lighting.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> I'm a bit of a handy man so even crazy ideas are worth mentioning here.

Studio suppliers sell black aluminium foil on the roll. Not as convenient
as barn-doors to use, but simple and in many ways more flexible. Might be
worth experimenting with some, if only to work out the optimum size for any
barn-doors yo make later on.

Peter

Reply to this Message