Small Studio Lighting for Light Tents

Ok,

I bought a small light tent for product Photography. I've seen the Do it Yourself Tutorials for light tents. I was wondering if there was anything like that for lighting. Yes, I know you can just buy 2x Builders Worklights.
But I understand they are not daylight bulbs. If I buy 2x daylight bulbs (30W 3200K each) Can I buy the fittings seperate and make my own lights? Anyone know of a Cheaper way of doing it, or even better an online tutorial to make them?

thanks!

Unless you're shooting film, the color temperature of the light source shouldn't be an issue. A custom white balance or quick fix with a RAW converter will make the colors accurate.

If you are taking images of things that do not move. Almost any sort of lighting that has a full range of frequencies will be fine (even if some frequencies are pronounced). The lights do not even have to be very high Wattage. You certainly will not need two 500 Watt "Builders Lights" (for images of things that do not move).

But, you will need a good tripod and possibly a cable release to use the needed very slow shutter speeds.

Color balance as Curtis indicates.

Photographing things that do not move, cuts you a lot of slack as far as oppressive lighting gear requirements.

Enjoy! Lon

I bought a couple of those builders lights at Wal-mart. I saw someone else use them in a lightbox here on POTN. Those 500W lights are incredible. Just try not to look directly at them when you fire them up. They are hot as hell too, so they can double as heaters in a pinch.

I paid $9.00 apiece for mine at Wal-mart last week. They even come with an extra halogen bulb.

Get em. I guarantee you'll find a use for them at some point.

lhoney2 wrote in post #2816809
They are hot as hell too, so they can double as heaters in a pinch.

They don't have to double as heaters, that is actually what they are.

The Watt rating is actually not a light intensity rating but an energy provided rating (per unit time). A Watt is a joule per second or energy per second or in this case heat per second.

Those two 500 Watt light put out 2/3 as much heat as the ever popular 1500 Watt electric space heaters. Add a third one and you have a space heater.

Enjoy! Lon

lhoney2 wrote in post #2816809
They are hot as hell too, so they can double as heaters in a pinch.

Actually, they are heaters. The light they produce is sort of a side-effect. Get them too close to a heat-sensitive subject (like candles, perhaps) and things will get interesting.

For light tent work, two or three of those cheap work lights with spring clamps and aluminium reflectors will usually fit the bill quite well. Use compact fluorescent bulbs in them and you'll get less heat.

There is also a free light source about 93 million miles away that can illuminate a light tent nicely. Setup your tent in front of a big window and start shooting.

LOL. You guys couldn't wait to pounce on that one! I guess "doubling as a heater" wasn't close enough to "being a heater". I'll have to be more careful around the lighting forum.

In a few more months they will also be doubling me up again. Once in the electric bill for 500W, then again for whatever my AC unit has to do to compensate.

Thanks guys.

So just to be sure, I can shoot long exposures in RAW format and then correct the light balance in PS CS2?

I have a 350D by the way, and I'm shooting small gemstones with 60mm Macro. I don't have a shutter release cable, but I've been using the self-timer with mirror lock up enabled.

Satyen

To handle RAW files and adjust the white balance in them, you'll need RAW conversion software such as Canon's Digital Photo Professional (which comes with your camera), or Adobe Camera Raw (which I believe is a free plug-in for CS2), or any one of a number of other programs that come at some cost.

Alternatively, shooting in JPEG format and following the procedure in your camera's instruction manual for setting a custom white balance will work just as well in terms of white balance. If you go this route, you need to set the custom WB before you start shooting.

Curtis N wrote in post #2816883
Actually, they are heaters. The light they produce is sort of a side-effect.

Hey, I beat you on this one.

Enjoy! Lon

Thats great guys, thanks a lot! I am learning slowly but surely...



Lol, just realised I said 'light balance' instead of 'white balance'

One thing about not having enough light, be careful of noise.

a couple of plain old light bulbs will be enough.

if you have a flash you can get the camera inside the door of the tent, then fire the flash at the inside top of the tent works ok too.

Bob