[Leica] Making studio lighting?

[dorysrus at mindspring.com (Don Dory)]

Kyle,
Kino Flo is probably best known for fluorescent studio and location
lighting:

http://www.kinoflo.com/site_map/sales_cat.html

Prices can be found at B&H.

You can make your own out of four foot or eight foot lamps especially if
you get the lamps with correct color output:

http://www.truesun.com/main/life-lite.htm

Within limits you can adjust output by moving the lamp in or out,
especially if you use the eight foot lamps.  I would use Rosco Tuff Spun
or equivalent to soften even more.  For more creative solutions look
here:

http://www.cinematography.net/OddDiffusionMaterial.htm

The reason the Kino Flo systems are so pricey is that they use
electronic ballasts that allow full control of light output without
flicker.  If you check with your local electrical supply house I bet you
could find similar boxes for your project.  For a discussion of
electronic ballasts see:

http://www.advancedbuildings.org/main_t_lighting_e_dimmable_ballasts.htm

As to making a box for the lights, I would try metal studs and some 16
to twenty gauge metal sheeting.  You can screw it together and add a
mount that will allow use of normal light stands.  Surprisingly, the
metal studs will make a much lighter package than wood.  In any case, I
would use no less than a bank of four lights and preferably eight.  You
can always flag off part of the light but it is hard to add more without
another fixture.

I think that for the home studio that wants a really soft light, then
you are on the correct track.

Don
dorysrus@mindspring.com

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf
Of Kyle Cassidy
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 1:30 PM
To: 'lug@leica-users.org'
Subject: [Leica] Making studio lighting?

I've heard that some studios use a bank of flourescent lights to provide
a
softbox sort of illumination. Has anybody here done anything like this?
Have
examples you could post from both subject and consctruction angles? I'm
working now on making my studio more permanent and actually building
some
lights in there is sounding like a good idea to me at the moment....
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