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Bright, dimmable, daylight fluorescents?
  • sam_sticklandsam_stickland

    Has anyone been able to find any good dimmable fluorescent bulbs? Or is this just wishful thinking? Ideally I'm after a daylight temperature (perfer 5k - 6.5k), 85w or so with a good CRI.

  • 11 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Hmm. I think you want too much. Why you need them to be dimmable? May be better just use bigger light with more tubes and switch banks?

    http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw=&item=221106616037&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&_osacat=0&hash=item337afb36e5&_ssn=steven.studio&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1311&_nkw=fluorescent&_sacat=0

  • stoneystoney

    Usually cheap dimmable light source changes color temperature as lighting power changes.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @stonebat

    I think he talks about fluos. I think that only top Kino-Flo are dimmable. And even here I am not sure.

  • stoneystoney

    Ah. There's a lighting kit to control multiple tubes by switching on/off individually. e.g. 5 tubes bank would give 5 discrete strength lighting source.

  • DouglasHornDouglasHorn

    Many Kino-Flos are dimmable. It's the ballast that dims the unit.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    If you carefully look at my provided links you'll find Kino-Flo ballasts exact copies from same seller :-)

  • vicharrisvicharris

    I have 3 of the 2ft, 4 bank ones and I love em. They are sold under many names but they all look the same. Turning off a bank and throwing up some ND or diffusion on them works just as well as the full priced Kino versions. The only downside is that you don't get a cool carrying case so you're left with a way to haul em around without destroying them. I even had a PA set one up and not sandbag it. Well of course it took a 7ft fall flat on the floor and it fired right back up so they seem to be pretty durable too!

  • andyharrisandyharris

    I'm aware through various routes that flous are perfectly dimmable in the range 7-100%, the ballasts need to be the HF dimmable type which are about £25.

    I've been doing some product videos for an LED lighting manufacturer. They are producing plug in replacements for the T8 and T5 sizes fluo lamps. What's really caught my eye is that they are doing products for replacing the ceiling tray lights that are common to just about every office in the world. The newer range of products are getting the CRI above 80 and that good for video work. I couple of these on a stand mount might be very useful.

  • ronmenronmen

    The most reliable dimmable flo in that wattage range would probably be the KinoFlo Diva 200 (110w). These are good reliable instruments that are quick to deploy, but even these, with the true match lamps (CRI 95), tend to go magenta the more you dim them. It's usually not a problem for most work but some guys prefer using ND rather than dimming flos. I'm all for spending less money when I can, but reliability, durability, and functionality are a high priority when you are doing paid work. The Kino's offer good value in that respect.

  • sam_sticklandsam_stickland

    Thanks all, plenty of options here.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @Ronmen I've had no problem with my knockoffs at all. I use the same bulbs the kino brand uses, only under a different name. Kino buys the bulbs and slaps their name on them. I also use ND to knock them down and have put them side by side with a Diva kit and saw no difference at all. I believe in reliability, durability and function too and put my money where it should be as well. Never chimp on sound capturing items, NEVER!! hahaha. Anyways, besides being dimmable, I can't think of one reason I would ever purchase Kino products with my own money. Oh, wait, the avenger type mounting brackets are pretty damn cool on the kinos but I'm sure I could modify these if I wasn't so damn lazy!

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