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How to optimize life of photoflood bulbs



 
 
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  #22  
Old November 26th 04, 01:07 AM
secheese
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On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 12:33:39 GMT, Beemer wrote:

Do not use a variable frequency dimmer as you will shorten the life significantly
through filament vibration especially at low output.


I disagree completely; see my response to the original poster. Using
a dimmer (solid state type) to slowly bring the bulb to full power is
a great way to extend the filament life.


  #23  
Old November 26th 04, 01:07 AM
secheese
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On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 12:33:39 GMT, Beemer wrote:

Do not use a variable frequency dimmer as you will shorten the life significantly
through filament vibration especially at low output.


I disagree completely; see my response to the original poster. Using
a dimmer (solid state type) to slowly bring the bulb to full power is
a great way to extend the filament life.


  #24  
Old November 26th 04, 06:20 AM
Jer
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secheese wrote:


You probably have noticed that most incandescent bulbs fail during
power up. This is because the filament flexes violently, and breaks,
during the rapid transition from cold to hot.


And all this time I thought incandescent bulbs died because a leak
during the previous cool down caused the vacuum inside to fill with air.


[....]


--
jer email reply - I am not a 'ten'
  #25  
Old November 26th 04, 08:25 AM
none
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On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 23:52:13 -0800, Bob Williams
wrote:



aristotle wrote:
I need to take 2500-3000 digital photographs of antiques using 250
watt blue BCA photoflood lights. Is there anyway to extend the life
of these bulbs beyond the 3 hour life expectancy. Will it help to use
a dimmer to reduce power between changing art objects or turn off the
bulbs between object changes.


Using a dimmer instead of turning the lights on and off may give you a
slight (10-15%) increase in lifetime but hardly worth the trouble.
As Crownfield indicated, your camera's White Balance may work with
regular incandescent lights just fine.
However, I use special 26 Watt" Full Spectrum" compact fluorescent
lights that have a color temperature of 5500K and a CRI of 93. They cost
about $15 but they have a lifetime of 15,000 hours. Also they run very Cool.
The color is very close to daylight and doesn't even require a special
WB setting. Check Google (Full Spectrum Fluorescent Bulbs) for vendors.
Bob Williams


If you want daylight flourescent just go buy plant grow tubes, they'll
have a daylight balance and cost much less.(though on all of my
cameras the balance has a flourescent setting to allow shooting under
regular tubes as well.)
Gotta ask why you don't use a strobe instead?
  #26  
Old November 26th 04, 08:25 AM
none
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On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 23:52:13 -0800, Bob Williams
wrote:



aristotle wrote:
I need to take 2500-3000 digital photographs of antiques using 250
watt blue BCA photoflood lights. Is there anyway to extend the life
of these bulbs beyond the 3 hour life expectancy. Will it help to use
a dimmer to reduce power between changing art objects or turn off the
bulbs between object changes.


Using a dimmer instead of turning the lights on and off may give you a
slight (10-15%) increase in lifetime but hardly worth the trouble.
As Crownfield indicated, your camera's White Balance may work with
regular incandescent lights just fine.
However, I use special 26 Watt" Full Spectrum" compact fluorescent
lights that have a color temperature of 5500K and a CRI of 93. They cost
about $15 but they have a lifetime of 15,000 hours. Also they run very Cool.
The color is very close to daylight and doesn't even require a special
WB setting. Check Google (Full Spectrum Fluorescent Bulbs) for vendors.
Bob Williams


If you want daylight flourescent just go buy plant grow tubes, they'll
have a daylight balance and cost much less.(though on all of my
cameras the balance has a flourescent setting to allow shooting under
regular tubes as well.)
Gotta ask why you don't use a strobe instead?
  #27  
Old November 26th 04, 08:25 AM
none
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Posts: n/a
Default

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 23:52:13 -0800, Bob Williams
wrote:



aristotle wrote:
I need to take 2500-3000 digital photographs of antiques using 250
watt blue BCA photoflood lights. Is there anyway to extend the life
of these bulbs beyond the 3 hour life expectancy. Will it help to use
a dimmer to reduce power between changing art objects or turn off the
bulbs between object changes.


Using a dimmer instead of turning the lights on and off may give you a
slight (10-15%) increase in lifetime but hardly worth the trouble.
As Crownfield indicated, your camera's White Balance may work with
regular incandescent lights just fine.
However, I use special 26 Watt" Full Spectrum" compact fluorescent
lights that have a color temperature of 5500K and a CRI of 93. They cost
about $15 but they have a lifetime of 15,000 hours. Also they run very Cool.
The color is very close to daylight and doesn't even require a special
WB setting. Check Google (Full Spectrum Fluorescent Bulbs) for vendors.
Bob Williams


If you want daylight flourescent just go buy plant grow tubes, they'll
have a daylight balance and cost much less.(though on all of my
cameras the balance has a flourescent setting to allow shooting under
regular tubes as well.)
Gotta ask why you don't use a strobe instead?
 




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