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Ott Lite alternative-Full spectrum light bulbs

There is wide praise for the full spectrum Ott lites, but even on sale, they are too much for me to spend just to take photos.

I saw these full spectrum Honeywell brand compact fluorescent bulbs on sale, $3 for two, and figured they were worth a shot. For those who live near a Big Lots store, that's where I found them.

The light is white and a bit harsh, and not so good for reading or general use. The lights are much better than regular bulbs, however, they do seem to highlight flaws. All of these pics are with two of the Honeywell bulbs in regular clip lamps ($7 to $9 at Target or Walmart). So if you don't have the coin for the Ott lites, and there is a Big Lots store near by, for $3 for two bulbs, it is a bargain.

Here are a few shots (new purchases from Feb Long Beach):

A toner, coin is well represented.
image

Circ silver, shows flaws much more than the naked eye can see. The scratches are barely noticeable, but in the photo it looks wose than in hand.
image

Circ copper, again the full spectrum light seems to highlights the verdigris more than eye normally sees.
image

Comments

  • The camera is a three year old Kodak 3.1 megapixel, 3x optical, 3x digital zoom. It has macro mode, but it is not so great.

    I also saw some incandescent bulbs advertised as natural light or similar. I can't remember the exact name or brand right now, but I saw them at Target, about $6 for eight 60 watt bulbs. Again, for someone who wants to try something different, but not spend $70 on a pair of Ott Lites, these light bulbs do give a different result than halogens or regular bulbs.
  • drwstr123drwstr123 Posts: 7,049 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This is OTT light, Pentax ist. Don't know iff it justifies the price.
    image
    image
  • Whenever possible, I use the original natural light!

    Sunlight!


    imageimage
  • drwstr123drwstr123 Posts: 7,049 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Don't get enough of it. Need to take pics more than a couple hours a week. Ott seems the least worse right now.
    image


  • << <i>Don't get enough of it. Need to take pics more than a couple hours a week. Ott seems the least worse right now. >>



    7:39am ST
    Sun 2/12/2006
    Sunrise: 6:54am
    Sunset: 5:25pm


    11 hours and 31 minutes of sunlight today where I live!!



    That's 80.61 hours per week.
  • drwstr123drwstr123 Posts: 7,049 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Do you work? -40, commute -10, food shop, clean, home repairs, ect.
  • nwcsnwcs Posts: 13,386 ✭✭✭
    Well, with the right diffuser the type of light isn't that important but the angle and quantity of the light is important. As for full spectrum lights, I get mine from fullspectrumsolutions.com.
  • drwstr123drwstr123 Posts: 7,049 ✭✭✭✭✭
    NWCS, nice site and products. Mike
  • carlcarl Posts: 2,054
    I agree with using the great outdoors for lighting of coins. I get great diffused lighting from the smog, fog, airborn dirt and bounced lighting from houses, factories and warehouses. In the evening I get further added lighting from all the houses where people turn on their outdoor lights to see what I am doing on the hood of my car with a trouble light. Then there is the well lite basement laundry room for knight photos where there are several overhead fluorescent lights. Very important for sorting out similar white socks.
    Carl
  • right diffuser = coffee filters & rubberbands


  • << <i>Do you work? -40, commute -10, food shop, clean, home repairs, ect. >>



    Who don't??
  • I have tried natural sunlight, but I could not find a good spot without going outside. I am not going to take my coins outside to take pictures of them. I have also tried flash and that worked better than some other light bulbs.

    The full spectrum bulbs that I bought are much better than other light bulbs that I have and better than sunlight available to me indoors.

    I have wanted some Ott lights, but can not justify the cost. It is a lot of money to take some pictures for fun (I rarely sell coins). So for other collectors on a budget, keep an eye out. My photos have improved a great deal with the new lighting, so I thought I would share my Big Lots find (two full spectrum light bulbs for $3).


  • << <i>I have tried natural sunlight, but I could not find a good spot without going outside. I am not going to take my coins outside to take pictures of them. >>



    I don't go outside, but I do have windows in my house!!image

    Seriously, you want indirect natural light.

    I also use all the other types of light in the house, but do know how to adjust my camera for each type. Anyone that thinks a few pictures taken with a certain recommended light is going to have great results is a fool. I took literally a few thousand pictures before even starting to get a feel for my camera. But, 20+++ years of 35mm experience also helped.

    In other words, you need to practice, practice, practice!!!
  • I wish I had a room with good natural lighting for photography--I don't. I wish I had a more advanced camera--I don't and won't buy one to photograph coins, I'd rather buy more coins image. I did buy a tripod for $10, and that helps a lot, but that is not as big a ticket. I wish I had Ott Lites and I found something similar for $3. Yay.

    A couple more practice shots, these two are of the same coin.

    image

    The purplish color is not present. The first photo accents the hit in the right field. The second photo is more accurate on the frost level and the hits in the field.

    image

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