Re: best light for light box?

[Judy Seigel <jseigel@panix.com>]

On Sat, 11 Aug 2001, Shannon Stoney wrote:

> Nick wrote:
>
> Can anyone tell me what type of flourescent lights
> > put out the highest UV energy? There is a decent selection at the local
> > hardware store, including 'sunshine' full-spectrum, plant lights, aquarium
> > /'wide spectrum', and blacklights, and they all seem to put out some UV, but
> > don't specify how much in what wavelengths.
>
> I use the black light bulbs called BLB.  There are also apparently ones
> called BL, but I never see them for sale in hardware stores. I think you
> have to order them.  The BLB ones seem to work fine.  My exposures take
> about eight minutes usually.

Those are two different bulbs -- the BLB is same phosphor as the BL but
has a special (usually expensive) glass to cut out all other wavelengths,
so (usually) costs quite a bit more & gives less light... Regular BL bulbs
for instance expose cyano in from 3 to 5 minutes (absent other variables
of course).

Post-Factory gives this info in the Sources & Services section each issue,
also lists several online places to order the bulbs (about $11 for the
2-foot BLs, plus shipping of course, so probably cheaper to buy over the
counter if you can).

I haven't bought online, but list includes www.topbulb.com,
atlantalightbulbs.com, bulbdirect.com, and championlighting.com --
recommended by readers.

Judy

| Judy Seigel, Editor                           >
| World Journal of Post-Factory Photography     > "HOW-TO and WHY"
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