Has anyone used GE Reveal light bulbs for indoor photography?
 

Hi all,

I've been wondering about these GE "Reveal" light bulbs. Can they be used
indoors for photography or are they not correctly color balanced? Until now,
I've been using an 81A (blue) filter when taking indoor pictures and
daylight balabced film.

Anyone know what color temp the lightbulbs are?

What happens if you use flash with these bulbs?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Viken Karaguesian
http://home.comcast.net/~vikenk

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 19:27:00 -0500, "Viken Karaguesian"
wrote:

Hi all,

I've been wondering about these GE "Reveal" light bulbs. Can they be used
indoors for photography or are they not correctly color balanced? Until now,
I've been using an 81A (blue) filter when taking indoor pictures and
daylight balabced film.

I tried Reveals in a copystand. They are still considerably redder
than daylight. I recently ordered some full spectrum fluorescent
bulbs from Sunwave. I'll give those a try next.

--
Michael Benveniste --
Spam and UCE professionally evaluated for $419. Use this email
address only to submit mail for evaluation.

Viken Karaguesian wrote:
Hi all,

I've been wondering about these GE "Reveal" light bulbs. Can they be used
indoors for photography or are they not correctly color balanced? Until now,
I've been using an 81A (blue) filter when taking indoor pictures and
daylight balabced film.

Anyone know what color temp the lightbulbs are?

On the ge websites, the bulb has a bluish tint, so some 'warmth' will be
filtered out. They mention neodymium as an element in the glass that provides
filtering.

There is no meniton of the specific color temp. I've posted a question to them
asking the color temp.



What happens if you use flash with these bulbs?

Depends on the ratio of light between the two. A flash shot is a double
exposure where aperture/shutter applies to the ambeint light and aperture/flash
power applies to the flash light. Use an incident/flash meter to measure both,
if the flash light is 2 stops more than the ambient, then the coloration from
the ambient will probably not be perceptible (and the contribution won't be much
either).

Cheers,
Alan


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

Viken Karaguesian wrote:
Hi all,

I've been wondering about these GE "Reveal" light bulbs. Can they be used
indoors for photography or are they not correctly color balanced? Until now,
I've been using an 81A (blue) filter when taking indoor pictures and
daylight balabced film.

Anyone know what color temp the lightbulbs are?

On the ge websites, the bulb has a bluish tint, so some 'warmth' will be
filtered out. They mention neodymium as an element in the glass that provides
filtering.

There is no meniton of the specific color temp. I've posted a question to them
asking the color temp.



What happens if you use flash with these bulbs?

Depends on the ratio of light between the two. A flash shot is a double
exposure where aperture/shutter applies to the ambeint light and aperture/flash
power applies to the flash light. Use an incident/flash meter to measure both,
if the flash light is 2 stops more than the ambient, then the coloration from
the ambient will probably not be perceptible (and the contribution won't be much
either).

Cheers,
Alan


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

Viken Karaguesian wrote:
Hi all,

I've been wondering about these GE "Reveal" light bulbs. Can they be used
indoors for photography or are they not correctly color balanced? Until now,
I've been using an 81A (blue) filter when taking indoor pictures and
daylight balabced film.

Anyone know what color temp the lightbulbs are?

What happens if you use flash with these bulbs?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

From GE (by e-mail):

"Similar to other common household bulbs, Reveal products use
incandescent lamp technology. The quality of the Reveal light
is achieved by adding the element Neodymium to the glass. It
is what gives GE Reveal bulbs their distinctive powder-blue color
when not lit. When lit, the element provides a pure, true light
by filtering out much of the dulling yellow cast common from
ordinary light bulbs. Reveal lamps have a color temperature
of approximately 2850 degrees Kelvin and a CRI of 75."

2850K sounds pretty close to a regular incandescent bulb, so you might not see
much difference at all (or the GE lady replying doesn't know what she's talking
about). The CRI indicates a decent ability to light things in a manner that
'reflects' (PNI) their true color under natural light.
http://www.google.ca/search?num=20&h...endering+index
has many general defs of CRI that are not terribly coherent.

As they say, "go buy a couple and test it" (use a neutral slide film like Sensia
100 or EliteChrome 100).

Cheers,
Alan


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

"... Reveal lamps have a color temperature
of approximately 2850 degrees Kelvin and a CRI of 75."

Does **not** sound good for use with Daylight balanced color film, or
Daylight white balance.

(1) The color temperature is very **low** ... standard photofloods are 3200
/ 3400 degrees Kelvin ... and they require substantial filtering to match
the daylight standard of 5500 degrees Kelvin.

(2) A "CRI" of 75 is very low for any photographic application. You should
be looking at something with a "CRI" in the 90%-plus range.







"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...
Viken Karaguesian wrote:
Hi all,

I've been wondering about these GE "Reveal" light bulbs. Can they be
used
indoors for photography or are they not correctly color balanced? Until
now,
I've been using an 81A (blue) filter when taking indoor pictures and
daylight balabced film.

Anyone know what color temp the lightbulbs are?

What happens if you use flash with these bulbs?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

From GE (by e-mail):

"Similar to other common household bulbs, Reveal products use
incandescent lamp technology. The quality of the Reveal light
is achieved by adding the element Neodymium to the glass. It
is what gives GE Reveal bulbs their distinctive powder-blue color
when not lit. When lit, the element provides a pure, true light
by filtering out much of the dulling yellow cast common from
ordinary light bulbs. Reveal lamps have a color temperature
of approximately 2850 degrees Kelvin and a CRI of 75."

2850K sounds pretty close to a regular incandescent bulb, so you might
not see
much difference at all (or the GE lady replying doesn't know what she's
talking
about). The CRI indicates a decent ability to light things in a manner
that
'reflects' (PNI) their true color under natural light.

http://www.google.ca/search?num=20&h...q=define :col
or+rendering+index
has many general defs of CRI that are not terribly coherent.

As they say, "go buy a couple and test it" (use a neutral slide film like
Sensia
100 or EliteChrome 100).

Cheers,
Alan


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

RSD99 wrote:

"... Reveal lamps have a color temperature
of approximately 2850 degrees Kelvin and a CRI of 75."

Does **not** sound good for use with Daylight balanced color film, or
Daylight white balance.

(1) The color temperature is very **low** ... standard photofloods are 3200
/ 3400 degrees Kelvin ... and they require substantial filtering to match
the daylight standard of 5500 degrees Kelvin.

(2) A "CRI" of 75 is very low for any photographic application. You should
be looking at something with a "CRI" in the 90%-plus range.

1) Don't top post.
2) Read the thread ... I was answering somebody else.

A: It's hard to read
Q: Why?
A: No
Q: Should I top post?











"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...

Viken Karaguesian wrote:

Hi all,

I've been wondering about these GE "Reveal" light bulbs. Can they be

used

indoors for photography or are they not correctly color balanced? Until

now,

I've been using an 81A (blue) filter when taking indoor pictures and
daylight balabced film.

Anyone know what color temp the lightbulbs are?

What happens if you use flash with these bulbs?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

From GE (by e-mail):

"Similar to other common household bulbs, Reveal products use
incandescent lamp technology. The quality of the Reveal light
is achieved by adding the element Neodymium to the glass. It
is what gives GE Reveal bulbs their distinctive powder-blue color
when not lit. When lit, the element provides a pure, true light
by filtering out much of the dulling yellow cast common from
ordinary light bulbs. Reveal lamps have a color temperature
of approximately 2850 degrees Kelvin and a CRI of 75."

2850K sounds pretty close to a regular incandescent bulb, so you might

not see

much difference at all (or the GE lady replying doesn't know what she's

talking

about). The CRI indicates a decent ability to light things in a manner

that

'reflects' (PNI) their true color under natural light.


http://www.google.ca/search?num=20&h...q=define :col
or+rendering+index

has many general defs of CRI that are not terribly coherent.

As they say, "go buy a couple and test it" (use a neutral slide film like

Sensia

100 or EliteChrome 100).

Cheers,
Alan


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.





--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

RSD99 wrote:

"... Reveal lamps have a color temperature
of approximately 2850 degrees Kelvin and a CRI of 75."

Does **not** sound good for use with Daylight balanced color film, or
Daylight white balance.

(1) The color temperature is very **low** ... standard photofloods are 3200
/ 3400 degrees Kelvin ... and they require substantial filtering to match
the daylight standard of 5500 degrees Kelvin.

(2) A "CRI" of 75 is very low for any photographic application. You should
be looking at something with a "CRI" in the 90%-plus range.

1) Don't top post.
2) Read the thread ... I was answering somebody else.

A: It's hard to read
Q: Why?
A: No
Q: Should I top post?











"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...

Viken Karaguesian wrote:

Hi all,

I've been wondering about these GE "Reveal" light bulbs. Can they be

used

indoors for photography or are they not correctly color balanced? Until

now,

I've been using an 81A (blue) filter when taking indoor pictures and
daylight balabced film.

Anyone know what color temp the lightbulbs are?

What happens if you use flash with these bulbs?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

From GE (by e-mail):

"Similar to other common household bulbs, Reveal products use
incandescent lamp technology. The quality of the Reveal light
is achieved by adding the element Neodymium to the glass. It
is what gives GE Reveal bulbs their distinctive powder-blue color
when not lit. When lit, the element provides a pure, true light
by filtering out much of the dulling yellow cast common from
ordinary light bulbs. Reveal lamps have a color temperature
of approximately 2850 degrees Kelvin and a CRI of 75."

2850K sounds pretty close to a regular incandescent bulb, so you might

not see

much difference at all (or the GE lady replying doesn't know what she's

talking

about). The CRI indicates a decent ability to light things in a manner

that

'reflects' (PNI) their true color under natural light.


http://www.google.ca/search?num=20&h...q=define :col
or+rendering+index

has many general defs of CRI that are not terribly coherent.

As they say, "go buy a couple and test it" (use a neutral slide film like

Sensia

100 or EliteChrome 100).

Cheers,
Alan


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.





--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

"Alan Browne" posted:
"...
1) Don't top post.
2) Read the thread ... I was answering somebody else.
...."

Regarding your item (1):
Screw You.

Regarding your item (2):
I did "read the thread" ... and you left it incomplete.

You provided information without any form of analysis ... I provided the
missing information and the analysis of the light bulb's (non)suitability
for the task at hand.

Oh ... and if you insist on that stupid archaic "bottom posting" ... learn
how to **trim** your posts.

"Alan Browne" posted:
"...
1) Don't top post.
2) Read the thread ... I was answering somebody else.
...."

Regarding your item (1):
Screw You.

Regarding your item (2):
I did "read the thread" ... and you left it incomplete.

You provided information without any form of analysis ... I provided the
missing information and the analysis of the light bulb's (non)suitability
for the task at hand.

Oh ... and if you insist on that stupid archaic "bottom posting" ... learn
how to **trim** your posts.