Halogen lighting

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POP_Server=pop.clara.net - 20 Jan 2004 00:14 GMT

What's the advantage in using a ?150 photographic halogen lighting unit over
a ?15 halogen garden light from B & Q?
I've had a look on Google and see comments on heat produced; colour of
light; and length of exposure required, compared to flash. But I haven't
seen whether using a cheap B & Q halogen light would work.

Also, I've seen it stated that halogen is better than studio flash for
digital, but with no explanation. Why? After all, the digital cameras
themselves have flashes.

I'd be grateful for any advice, and apologise if this subject has come up
before, but I couldn't see anything in the newsgroup posts using the "find"
facility. I suppose I should get a ?15 halogen light and try it out, but
I'd be interested in more experienced people's comments first.

By the way, if it makes any difference, I'd be using the light to photograph
plaques (some quite large: often up to 2 metres x 1 metre, and occasionally
larger) in church interiors.

Thanks, Alex

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Michael Quack - 20 Jan 2004 06:47 GMT

> What's the advantage in using a ?150 photographic halogen
> lighting unit over a ?15 halogen garden light from B & Q?

You usually can fit light formers. Snoots, softboxes,
barn doors etc. Other than that - none.

> I've had a look on Google and see comments on heat produced;

That is the case with any continuous hot light.

> colour of light;

Tungsten, right. Use appropriate white balance in digital
or corrective filters for film.

> and length of exposure required, compared to flash.

Of course. Tungsten lights have much less power than flash.

> But I haven't seen whether using a cheap B & Q halogen
> light would work.

http://www.photoquack.de/tutorials/diylights.htm

> Also, I've seen it stated that halogen is better
> than studio flash for digital, but with no explanation.

Dead wrong. Cheaper, but only if you don't look too
close at the disadvantages.

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Michael Quack <michael@photoquack.de>

http://www.photoquack.de/glamour/1.htm
http://www.photoquack.de/fashion/1.htm

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Rob Loxley - 20 Jan 2004 18:31 GMT

> > colour of light;
>
> Tungsten, right. Use appropriate white balance in digital
> or corrective filters for film.

Or use Lee or Rosco colour-correction gel over the light itself.

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POP_Server=pop.clara.net - 21 Jan 2004 00:16 GMT

> > What's the advantage in using a ?150 photographic halogen
> > lighting unit over a ?15 halogen garden light from B & Q?
>
> You usually can fit light formers. Snoots, softboxes,
> barn doors etc. Other than that - none.

Thanks for the comments. They've been helpful. Now I won't have to worry
too much about "...you only get what you pay for..." which was lurking at
the back of my mind. I'll try the B & Q garden lamps. And, as a bonus,
I've learned a few more things from Michael Quack's website.

Alex

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Rob Loxley - 23 Jan 2004 17:59 GMT

> > > What's the advantage in using a £150 photographic halogen
> > > lighting unit over a £15 halogen garden light from B & Q?
> >
> > You usually can fit light formers. Snoots, softboxes,
> > barn doors etc. Other than that - none.

For domestic floods, you can use Rosco Cinefoil - a matt black, thick,
shapeable aluminium foil - to make barn doors, snoots etc. Le Mark make a
heat proof aluminium foil adhesive tape which is the ideal solution to
sticking the Cinefoil on, alternatively use bulldog clips.

Rob

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Michael Quack - 24 Jan 2004 13:04 GMT

In article <Pine.SOL.4.44.0401231757130.23079-100000
@red.csi.cam.ac.uk>, Rob Loxley says...

> > > You usually can fit light formers. Snoots, softboxes,
> > > barn doors etc. Other than that - none.
>
> For domestic floods, you can use Rosco Cinefoil - a matt black, thick,
> shapeable aluminium foil - to make barn doors, snoots etc.

Or the equivalent from Lee, called "blackwrap".
It is expensive, though, and it crumples away
soon after you put it on and off or bend it
a few times.

Signature

Michael Quack <michael@photoquack.de>

http://www.photoquack.de/glamour/1.htm
http://www.photoquack.de/fashion/1.htm

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Simon Waldman - 24 Jan 2004 23:24 GMT

> For domestic floods, you can use Rosco Cinefoil - a matt black, thick,
> shapeable aluminium foil - to make barn doors, snoots etc. Le Mark make a
> heat proof aluminium foil adhesive tape which is the ideal solution to
> sticking the Cinefoil on, alternatively use bulldog clips.

The LeMark product is called BlackTak, and is great (if expensive)
stuff) - if you only need a little you can use it instead of
BlackWrap/Cinefoil.

As far as the answer earlier goes about colour correction gels - Lee 201
is full CT Blue, to go from tungsten-halogen at 3200K (ish) to daylight.
B&Q sunflood-type things look yellower than that to me, so you might
need to try two layers, or mix some different strengths if it's
critical. For what it's worth:

L200 = double CTB (to about 14000K)
L201 = full CTB
L202 = 1/2 CTB

There are also 1/4 and 1/8 versions, but they're so pale that I've never
used them. Cant' remember the numbers off the top of my head - one is
L203 (not sure which), but the other is something totally different. I'm
sure Rosco do equivalents, but on this side of the pond Lee is usually
cheaper and easier to obtain.

HTH.

-Simon, theatre lampie.

Signature

The young man who has not wept is a savage, and the old man who will not
laugh is a fool. -George Santayana
---------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Waldman, UK email: swaldman@firecloud.org.uk
http://www.firecloud.org.uk/simon
---------------------------------------------------------------

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Journalist-North - 20 Jan 2004 08:32 GMT

> What's the advantage in using a £150 photographic halogen lighting unit

over

> a £15 halogen garden light from B & Q?

(snip)

> Thanks, Alex

--------

None in particular and you save £135 on each of the B&Q units. In my kit I
use at various times: regular photo-strobes for colour work; but for B&W I
also use 300w halogen yard lights (£4.50 each) adapted to my studio stands;
and 300w halogen video light units (focusing and with integral barn doors -
bought second hand for £10 each including the stands).

Journalist

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Charlie - 21 Jan 2004 09:22 GMT

I've been using a ?3.90 halogen light from Argos for photographing jewellery
with a digital camera. I've had really good results, although I have been
using the customisable white balance. My boyfriend has been taking some
slides with his SLR and has a cokin 80A filter, the results so far have been
really good, although slightly too blue so he needs a slightly less blue
filter.

Charlie.

> What's the advantage in using a ?150 photographic halogen lighting unit over
> a ?15 halogen garden light from B & Q?
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> Thanks, Alex

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