xenon bulbs for print viewing

[Colin Graham]

Is the temp of these good for general color evaluation? The output of my current darkroom halogen fixtures are the color of urine. I'm not looking for a highly critical viewing-station sort of setup, just a neutral bulb that fit a GU10 line voltage base- most options seem to be either under 3000K, or very very dim CFLs. Getting tired of running gum prints outside to check the color balance. Thanks.

[Bruce Watson]

Is the temp of these good for general color evaluation? The output of my current darkroom halogen fixtures are the color of urine. I'm not looking for a highly critical viewing-station sort of setup, just a neutral bulb that fit a GU10 line voltage base- most options seem to be either under 3000K, or very very dim CFLs. Getting tired of running gum prints outside to check the color balance. Thanks.

If a GU10 base holds an MR16 lamp (my quick search leads me to think it does) then what you want is a Solux 4700K bulb (https://www.solux.net/cgi-bin/tlistore/soluxbulbs.html). Else, what you are looking for is something that comes very close one of the standards -- like D50 or D65. At the least, one that has a color temperature in the range of 5000-6500K, and a color rendering index (CRI) in the upper 90s. If you are checking for color balance, that's what it's going to take IMHO.

[Colin Graham]

Yeah, the solux bulbs are nice, but they need a fixture with a low voltage transformer. The gu10 base is in line/120V. I might end up replacing the fixtures if it comes to that.

[IanMazursky]

I have some compact fluorescent bulbs we bought form home depot that are labeled as daylight.
They are equivalent to 100 and 150 watt 120v. Pretty bright and very useful.
I use them for proofing wen i know a client will use something similar to display the prints.

You can also try one of the specialty lamp companies on the net.
Bulbman or Atlanta lightbulbs have a great selection. Ive used both many times.
Atlanta seems to have better prices.

[Drew Wiley]

I don't think xenon is going to be particularly kind to your eyesight! When choosing
bulbs you need to be conscious of three things: luminance level (brightness), color
temperature (degrees Kelvin), and color rendering index (the accuracy with which
various hues are recognizable). The last is particularly important. A true color matching bulb will have a CRI between 90 and 98 (out of 100%). "Daylight" bulbs are way down the list. Go to a real lighting store, or check online sources like Lightbulb Direct.

[Colin Graham]

In case I was vague, I'm looking for actual experience with xenon bulbs, or suggestions a more appropriate bulb that specifically uses the same GU10 base my fixtures require.

[Drew Wiley]

Actual experience? Ask an opthamologist! I wasn't kidding!

[Colin Graham]

I'm not talking about HID xenon headlights, btw, just 50w 5000k xenon bulbs with a GU10 pin base.


Actual experience? Ask an opthamologist! I wasn't kidding!

If you have some sources I'd love to look over them, I've not seen any warnings associated with this sort of light source. Thanks.

[Drew Wiley]

Look at the spectrogram. Xenon is not the kind of thing you choose for viewing accuracy.

[Colin Graham]

Drew, they're light bulbs bro. If you have evidence they'll burn my retinas out I'd love to hear it but I'm not needing anything really fancy. I'm just a part time hobbyist that just needs a neutralish light bulb. Sorry if my question indicated I was looking for anything more. The dry down is pretty extreme with gum printing and I don't evaluate any finished print in the darkroom, I just am tired of the yellow cast of my halogen darkroom fixtures.

Anyway, only $7 for the pair so I'll try a few before changing out the fixtures completely. I know xenon is fairly high up in UV, so these might be fantastically wrong for my application as all of my processes are UV sensitive. They don't happen to say if they are filtered with dope or not; I don't see an enclosure filter like some other halogen bulbs have. Guess I'll find out in a hurry!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5120aRb7ZfL.jpg

[Drew Wiley]

Sorry Colin, I should have been more specific (went to eat dinner). It's been a little
over a year since I spoke directly to a GE representative about these or directly
examined them in light booths. I have more recently checked spectrograms for GE
and Phillips. Most of these bulbs come from a very limited number of mfg sources
in China, despite the retail branding. As far as color rendering (CRI) these are the worst of the worst, typically around 45-50. No mfg I have spoken with expects improvement anytime soon. I have a bad enough time with CFL's, which give me horrible eyestrain and headaches; can't imagine what the wacky spectrum of these things would do. So yes, in direct reply to your question, you could say that I have directly evaluated them, and wouldn't consider of using them in relation to anything photographic.

[Colin Graham]

Thanks very much for the info- that is very useful.
That is quite bad, surprisingly so.

[Drew Wiley]

I don't have much data here, but mostly back at the office. Unfortunately, it's very
hard to get exact data on off-branded bulbs. Look for your correct pin style in a
better brand like Ushio, perhaps a halogen around 4200K with an optional UV filter.
But halogens get rather hot. I prefer actual color-matching fluorescents. A bit
pricey and you have to get them from specialty houses, but worth the effort. There
are also neodymium ordinary screw-in bulbs which provide good color and filter out
the yellowish effect. Avoid GE Reveal if you can - color is fine and you can find them
cheap anywhere, but the longevity/quality is horrible (appropriate for testing however). As I recall, Solux produces a better version.

[Oren Grad]

Colin, I bought a SoLux swiveling fixture with a clamp that lets me attach it to my desk. I use it in my study for evaluating inkjet prints - the ambient light is very warm incandescent. If you've got a spare electrical outlet and a workbench with a free edge to which you can clamp something, it can be a handy solution in the darkroom too, and let you get away without replacing your existing fixtures.

[Colin Graham]

Thanks for the suggestion Oren, but I decided to go ahead and just upgrade the fixtures. The solux lamps look too nice to pass up.

Really sort of ridiculous of me, insisting on finding a 'simple' bulb workaround when in fact changing the fixtures really isn't any more difficult than changing the bulb.