Any good CFL bulbs?

[madmanchan]

Hi everyone,

Do you know of any good compact fluorescent bulbs? By "good", I mean that the CFL bulb doesn't make colors look all weird, especially prints!

Normally I use a 35-watt SoLux 4700 K bulb or diffused daylight to evaluate prints, but for the rest of the house I would much rather use CFLs to save energy. But the CFLs I've tried all have funky spiky spectrums (nature of the beast?) and my prints all look quite bad in them.

Suggestions?

Thanks,
Eric

[DarkPenguin]

These were suggested once.  (I've no idea where they were suggested.)  I haven't tried them.  Keep meaning to.

http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/compa...cent_32_ctg.htm

[digitaldog]

ALL Fluorescent lights have such spikes. And the bit about full spectrum is more marketing than anything else. If you measure any Fluorescent with a Spectrophotometer and examine the spectrum you'll see spikes of which you refer.

[jjlphoto]

Yeah, but what about viewing booths and light boxes? Those are flourescent tubes.

[madmanchan]

Seems the spikes are unavoidable. But does that also make them unsuitable for print viewing? Has anybody tried a CFL model with good results? Thanks.

[digitaldog]

Yeah, but what about viewing booths and light boxes? Those are flourescent tubes.
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Yup and they still suffer these issues. But I use them since they are an industry standard found in so many print shops. While not ideal, still necessary.

[Panascape]

Osram Biolux...

Availible in 6500k and they are a pleasure to work under, or Osram Lumilux availible in 3000k, 4000k, 5400k, 6500k.

Just make sure you use a light fitting with an high quality electronic flicker free balast.

[rdonson]

I use Ott-Lite desktop and table lamps and I'm satisfied with the viewing experience.  I haven't put a spectro on them though.

Anyway, they're now selling CFLs that are supposed to be "true color".

Link

[digitaldog]

I use Ott-Lite desktop and table lamps and I'm satisfied with the viewing experience.  I haven't put a spectro on them though.

I have and they have spikes and suffer the same issues as other Fluorescent lighting.

[thompsonkirk]

And I believe the Ott Lites are 6300K?

Kirk

[madmanchan]

Hi Andrew, I recognize that all fluorescents, CFLs, etc. are "spiky" ... but presumably prints held under the fluorescent tubes used in viewing booths look pretty good, right? (I don't know myself: never used a viewing booth before.)

The problem I'm running into is that the few CFLs that I've tried at home make many colors have an unwelcome greenish tint, and prints don't look right, either. I guess this must be some fundamental difference between the tubes.

[rdonson]

I have and they have spikes and suffer the same issues as other Fluorescent lighting.
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So.... does that mean Solux is the best solution?

[John Hollenberg]

So.... does that mean Solux is the best solution?
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Best AND fairly cheap if you use the $70 clip-on desk lamp.

--John

[rdonson]

Thanks, John.   That would make a nice stocking stuffer.  My wife always complains she doesn't know what to get me.  

[digitaldog]

Hi Andrew, I recognize that all fluorescents, CFLs, etc. are "spiky" ... but presumably prints held under the fluorescent tubes used in viewing booths look pretty good, right? (I don't know myself: never used a viewing booth before.)

Right. A big step in the right direction.

Papers with lots of funky optical brighteners can produce what appears like a slight magenta cast due to the spikes. You wouldn't see that on a Solux illumination. But then, high OB's in papers are just bad, bad, bad anyway.

[jjlphoto]

And I believe the Ott Lites are 6300K?
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I'd like to see a spectral emission graph from an Ott light. From the way I've seen them illuminate, it would lead me to believe they are notoriously spikey.

[mcmorrison]

Hello,

I have had the same question as Eric. I understand that all fluorescents are spikey. I also have observed some that are much better than others in terms of quality of light. The question I have is, acknowledging that no CFL is as good as a solux, which CFLs are best among CFLs?

Thanks,

Michael Morrison

[digitaldog]

I have had the same question as Eric. I understand that all fluorescents are spikey. I also have observed some that are much better than others in terms of quality of light. The question I have is, acknowledging that no CFL is as good as a solux, which CFLs are best among CFLs?
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Check those sold by GTI (gtilite.com/)

[mcmorrison]

Hello Andrew,

Thanks for the link. I found lots of tubes, but no CFLs at their site—did I miss something?

Best,

Michael Morrison

[digitaldog]

Thanks for the link. I found lots of tubes, but no CFLs at their site—did I miss something?
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You want Fluorescent "daylight" bulbs right?