Fluorescent
From Nikonians Wiki
Fluorescent light is produced when the passage of a current through a suitable substance, typically an inert gas, causes it to fluoresce, which is to glow at a specific frequency or group of frequencies.
Fluorescent light is substantially cheaper than tungsten light, and is found in most commercial premises as well as in homes in the guise of strip lighting and energy saving light bulbs.
Fluorescent tubes or bulbs are usually coated on the inside in a way which diffuses the light and also balances it to appear white. However, most fluorescent light has a green tinge. Selecting fluorescent as the white balance will solve the problem in most cases. However, when using a flashgun it is essential to fit the relevant gel, otherwise the area of the image illuminated by the flashgun will appear bluish-red, if white balance is set to fluorescent, or the bulk of the image will appear green, if white balance is set to flash.
Where lighting is a mixture of tungsten, fluorescent and either strobe or natural light, it is generally best to switch off the fluorescent light.
high colour rendering fluorescent light is now available, and is often used for photo floods, which are a kind of cool continuous lighting. Although the output is low compared to studio strobes, the absence of heat means that these lights are substantially better than hot lights for photography.
- This page was last modified on 9 January 2009, at 01:12.
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