HALOGEN, the ONLY way to go.

mgoodm3

All this Ott light Kool-aid is making my stomach churn. Ott lights may be the greatest light ever invented for looking at fabric colors. The intent of Ott lights is to make colors appear similar to those color seen in sunlight. But as we all know sunlight varies in color temperature depending upon the viewing conditions - anywhere from 5000 - 9000k. That's all fine and dandy but your camera doesn't have the same problems. It can automatically adjust for white balance and make color appear appropriate for most light sources.

Why do I prefer halogen (most incandescents fall into this category also)? (edited for inadvertant smily placement)

1) More light: More light means faster shutter speed and motion/vibration is less of a problem. With a 75W PAR30 bulb I was getting 1/250s shutter. WIth a 13W Ott I get around 1/20s. So, you say to just get a higher wattage Ott light? Fast shutter speed and Ott lights are not a good combo. Since the ballast in most Fluorescents uses a 60hz frequency the color of Ott lights change cyclically during that time. For shutter speeds slower than 1/120s it's not a problem in that you catch most of a cycle. Above that and you start to get color changes on your images, which can be seen as bands (mainly SLR's by the way that their shutters work).
2) Halogens have just as good color rendition as Ott lights and actually have a smoother spectrum of light. The whole white balance is based upon the color outputs of balck body radiators. Halogen is a black body radiator. Ott light is not. Ott lights have a more complex spectrum that is a little harder to get the white balance equalized on.
3) no warm-up time: Ott lights take a while to get warmed up until the color temperature stabilizes.

Advantages of Ott lights (The points below can be useful with small cameras that need to be fairly close to the coin and lightsource).

1) cooler running.
2) you need a diffused light source.

SHow me some halogen (incandescent) pics.

ChrisRx

POW

p8nt

keets

the Voice of Reason..........................finally!!!!!

i have discovered that the best techniques for me are the simplest set-ups with the least light sources at a comfortable distance away from the coin being photographed. this usually means a single bulb about 2-3 feet above and in front of the coin or nothing at all, just ambient sunlight with 12-3 PM being the best time where i take pictures at. as far as the Halogen mentioned by the VOR, it is far and away the best light source i have found for grading, very "hard light" that penetrates even the most minute marks

Swampboy

IGWT

Of course I use a couple of cheap halogens . . . I read mgoodm3's article.

coinman420

1 60W incandescent.

stev32k

Swampboy

HALOGEN VS. OTT LITE SMACKDOWN.

See it here on these Boards

Coming in 2008

Winners will take the coins posted!!!!!!!!

dizzyfoxx

Mark, you are "The Man" IMO when it comes to outstanding coin imaging so I will always listen to what you have to say regarding the various aspects of imaging coins. But, I must respectfully disagree, especially when simply viewing coins. Ott Lite, the ONLY way to go.

JRocco

I like a single halogen bulb for grading, but OTT lights for coin pics.

LeeG

I prefer the OTT-LITE though.

Fairlaneman

I guess the light out here in Oregon does not care for Otts.




Ken

speety

I don't post these pics too often...

stev32k

My only complaint about halogen lights is the amount of heat they put out. If you leave the lights (especially the spots) on for too long they can cause a plastic slab to bubble up. That's happened to me twice. The coin was not damaged, but the slab was. That's the main reason I switched to the screw in fluorescents.