Is mixing light really a problem?

[ulrichsd]

I've heard people say that this is an absolute no-no. Because I have a couple older professional studio lights (probably 1000W) that are tungsten (borrowing from my church) and some smaller halogen lights.

What is the result? Will the tungsten light just give a red tone with a UV filter, and the halogen give a blue tone without a filter?

Thanks,
Scott

[MovieStuff]

I mix lights all the time and I never see a shift. The household bulbs (around 2800K) are a bit on the warm side, but the quartz/tungsten stuff should all be around 3100-3400K. If in doubt, call a local "Lightbulbs-R-Us" type store and ask them to look up the Kelvin rating. Every bulb listed in any catalog has its Kelvin rating in a separate column. Anything between 3000-3400 I wouldn't worry about too much. In fact, even if you are using weaker 2800K bulbs here and there, the ambient light from the brighter 3200K bulbs will probably homogenize everything a bit. I wouldn't sweat it.

Roger

[ulrichsd]

Thanks a lot Roger!

I love this board, I got an answer to my question in less than a minute!!!

Scott

[This message has been edited by ulrichsd (edited August 05, 2001).]

[Alex]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Courier, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ulrichsd:
Thanks a lot Roger!

I love this board, I got an answer to my question in less than a minute!!!

Scott

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Too bad it wasn't the right answer....just kidding....whew, I'm sure glad you didn't ask Roger if you should shoot 16mm or Super-8....

One trick you can use if you think your lights are different color temp....use the light that has the most complementary skin tone as your front light or face light....any light that may not be balanced to your front lights may make an excellent rim type of back-light, and because it is a different color temperature, it may emit a color-rim around your subjects that contrasts nicely, and looks stylized!

So when showing up with mismatched color temperature lights for a shoot, remember what Pee Wee Herman said after falling off of his bike in front of a group of kids....."I meant to do that!"

-Alex

[MovieStuff]

Alex speaks truthwords. Also, mismatched color temperatures will show up more in reversal than in negative. I use tungsten lights for shooting 4x5 a lot and I noticed a definate difference between the E6 stuff I was shooting and color neg of the very same set up.

Roger

[Matt Pacini]

It's just a matter of what look you want, and what stock you're using also.
I like mixing lights, but I must admit, I don't much like the look of the warmer lights, unless for a specific effect. I'm talking about shop lights & stuff, where they're like 2800 or something.
But I love to do this:
I have to home-made light boxes, that have 4ft fluorescene tubes, that are daylight color (5,000) with flicker free ballasts (important!).
I like to crosslight (one on each side) the scene with those, then use tungsten for everything else.
This, with setting the camera in it's tungten position (85 filter not in position).
It looks great, and really adds depth to the scene.

Matt Pacini

[jocko]

Matt,
I've been looking to build my own Kino-Flo set up,in place of renting...where did you find the flicker free ballast units at?

Neil
JOCKO FILMS

[Matt Pacini]

I got them at a local place here in Sacramento called Light Bulbs Plus.
They're Osram ballasts, and they work great with these 5K tubes. Really, really awesome light, and it's very efficient; you get way more light per watt than incandescents (you probably know this).
If you can't find a light bulb place like this in your town, you could probably have the one here in Sacramento ship to you.
They're on Auburn & Greenback in Sac. It's 916 area code.
If you need part numbers & stuff, I can get that for you. (I'm not where my lights are at the moment).
Let me know, it's really worth it, and a fraction of the cost of Kini-Flo's.
Yoy can email me directly if you want.
[email protected]

You can get a Matthews TVMP adapter, and mount the whole rig on a 5/8 pin (which most light stands use...).
I used them in Lost Tribes, and no flicker at all!
I'm very excited, because I'm adding ballasts, and more tubes. These boxes are like 49.5 x 24, and I'm jamming them full of tubes, so when I turn these two babies on, it's going to be like God stepped into the room. (Remember, I shoot only on K-40, so I need this!)
Matt Pacini

[Alex]

I don't want to go off point, however,

Matt, what are your experiences with K-40 developing, who have you chosen to develop you Kodachrome-40....

....and how is the service in terms of quality and turnaround time?

Thanks In Advice.

-Alex

[jocko]

thanks Matt,
sounds like a nice rig...

Neil
JOCKO FILMS