Ott lite versus GE Reveal

Walkernut

After reading recent posts on the great results from using the GE reveal bulb for a photographic light source, I went out today and bought one to compare the results with what I having been using, which is an 18 watt Ott light. The 100 watt Reveal puts a red caste on all my silver coins. Below are three pictures of a beautifully toned walker using the Ott light by itself, in combination with a Reveal light and the Reveal light by itself. Some coins I recently received from Ebay sales arrived without the red richness depicted in their pictures. Now I think I know why. Any comments ?

michael

the 18 watt ott light is the only true natural light that only will give the true colors

ge reveal is a return item for me

BASEagle

Well, that's interesting. My photos of silver coins utilizing reveal bulbs have a red cast, too. My desk is next to a cherry wood cabinet and I had thought maybe the silver coins reflected the red wood. But reveal bulbs work okay for me with copper and gold coins, in the same setup.

Mike

oreville

I am a little confused.

I thought everyone was touting the reveal bulbs just a few months ago as better than the old incandescent bulbs.

Now I hear about the ott bulbs. What in the heck are ott bulbs? Thanks for your help.

cho10

I may be mistaken but I think that Reveal lamps don't have the right Kelvin value (approx. 6000K) to approximate a light similar to daylight.

The yellow color (which I have seen too) seems to be typical of Incandescent bulbs such as the Reveal ones which are great for lighting rooms, gardens etc..

The OTT and similar lamps are much more effective for digital photography which is what I do.

mgoodm3

Reveals do have a red cast. that can be corrected with white balance on many cameras. For me, it doesn't much matter what lights you use as long as you have a good white balance setting on the camera.

cho10

you are right mgoodm3 about White Balance.
I have tried different settings (I use a Nikon D70 that has numerous White Balance settings).
But in addition I just prefer the light I get from the OTT lamps to help make my images better as the combination of OTT lamps and White Balance seems to be more respondant to what my coins look like (I mostly take picures of Morgan dollars).

Russ

<< <i>I thought everyone was touting the reveal bulbs just a few months ago as better than the old incandescent bulbs. >>



They are better than incandescent, and if one's camera white balance doesn't handle it, the red cast is easily removed by reducing saturation.



<< <i>Now I hear about the ott bulbs. What in the heck are ott bulbs? >>



Lighting for rich people.

Russ, NCNE

MikeInFL

<< <i>Reveals do have a red cast. that can be corrected with white balance on many cameras. For me, it doesn't much matter what lights you use as long as you have a good white balance setting on the camera. >>



For those who have questions on this topic, reread mgoodm3's response. He's dead on.

That being said, there are many cameras that don't control white balance well, for those the Ott light may be a better choice...Mike

oreville

Russ: You said ott bulbs are for rich people ("them").

So now I get it. Since I am not one of "them" why would I even have heard of such bulb? I do not even know what they look like or how much they cost since I can't afford one of them.

messydesk

Use the white balance of you camera and you can use a kerosene lamp for lighting if you want, just don't mix lighting types or you will get a noticeable error in the colors in your pictures.

messydesk

Oh, and instead of having to save up for an Ott light, you can get daylight-balanced compact fluorescent bulbs for about $5 at Menard's, Home Despot, Lowe's, or whatever other home improvement center might be in your neck of the woods.

jom

Yes, white balance can help but if you START with the correct lighting you won't have to depend on the camera to do it for you....which in some cases doesn't work well. OTT's are the best lighting. Period.

You'd think if you got a camera that is expensive enough to have a good white balance you can afford an OTT bulb.

jom

Russ

<< <i>You'd think if you got a camera that is expensive enough to have a good white balance you can afford an OTT bulb. >>



My camera cost less than an OTT lamp.

Russ, NCNE

Lakesammman

Lighting for rich people.

nwcs

If your white balance is set correctly, or you have a way to correct the color in a software program, the light source doesn't really matter all that much.

SDCollector

Another vote for manually setting the white balance. If you can't do that, then you better get Ott lights which are way too expensive for me. I use Reveal bulbs, can't remember how much they cost but it wasn't much, and two $10 light stands from Office Depot.

ksteelheader

You can't beat Mother Nature!