Using TFT backlight as soft light like an led panel

[pjotr]

Hi,

unfortunately I wrecked my old Quato 24" TFT today by trying to change it's panel.
However the TFT is easily separated from the backlight which contains fluorescent bulbs. It produces very even and also very bright light.
So what if I use this as a soft light in the studio? I guess the light is polarized, but what does that mean unless I don't use a ploarizing filter in front of the lens? (I don't have one here handy to try).
Other than the possible issue of polarized light and the unknown color temperature(I guess around 6500K, this could be measured), what do you think about it?
This light is brighter and more even than my small Kinoflo banks.
I just discovered this possibility today and wanted to ask for other's experiences before ordering a VESA adaptor to mount it on a lightstand. (I completely removed the TFT, only the backlight is inside the monitor's housing now).

Thank you,
pjotr

[pjotr]

Measured with an iphone app it says about 5200 kelvin. That's not too bad.

[Neal Chaves]

I have been using a Fresnel Spot/Flood converted to flash with a polarizer and a back light/ hair light with a polarizer inside the grid, both oriented in the same direction. The quality of the light is improved even without a polar on the camera, but with one on the camera, hot spots are reduced and skin tones improved.
Here is Wendy from our photo MeetUp, straight out of the camera with full polarization.
204099

[pjotr]

So you would say polarized light is of advantage in general? I know it’s been used to reproduce oil paintings with polarized light gels on lamps and filter on the lens to reduce the glare.

[pjotr]

Ok it seems the polarizing foil is not part of the backlight, it’s part of the liquid crystal layer in front. That one I have removed. I wonder why people don’t use this things more often for lighting.