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High CRI LED Light for Video and Photography

I want to buy high-CRI lights for photography and video. I don’t know what exactly I need, and if you sell ready-to-use lights. If you can please give me some recommendations and prices that would be great. 

We're happy to confirm that we sell both lighting fixtures and light products such as A19 bulbs and LED strip lights on our storefront website.

If you would like to let us know a little bit more about the ideal light fixtures for your studio space, I would be more than happy to provide some product recommendations.

In the interim, the first products that come to mind are our FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free A19 LED Bulbs, which are available in 3000K and 5600K for cinema and video applications.

If you would rather utilize LED strip lighting in your studio space, we might alternatively recommend our FilmGrade™ WHITE LED Strip Lights, which are available in multiple color temperatures while offering the same high CRI of 95 as the above A19 product.

Vapor Proof Casing for Filming Activities

I'm looking to outfit the work areas of our ship (the EV NAUTILUS) to better accommodate filming activities that occur over the year. I was considering the Centric Daylight bulbs (~48) but can you recommend a ballast-free vapor-proof housing to accompany it? At least IP65 is a deal. 

Our CENTRIC DAYLIGHT T8 LED lamps sound like a great fit for filming purposes!

​While we completely understand the need for a vapor-proof fixture that is pre-configured without a fluorescent ballast, unfortunately, we are unaware of any specific manufacturers or suppliers who may have such a product.

We do know that many of our customers who are looking for standard indoor lighting fixtures can find compatible fixtures by searching for "LED ready" fixtures - the "LED ready" marketing term typically suggests that the fixtures are pre-wired without a ballast inside.

We're not sure about the commercial availability of "LED-ready vapor proof fixtures," however, that would be my suggestion for where to start.

Alternatively, if you do have any existing fluorescent vapor-proof fixtures, from an electrical standpoint there should not be any issues removing or bypassing the ballast to ensure they are compatible with our lamps.

Centric Daylight vs Northlux

Which 95 CRI T8 LED Tube light is better? We are filming videos. Our other studio lights are 5500K but I am thinking the 5000K can work. They would be replacing the current ceiling lights which are quite warm. I was interested in the flicker-free Centric but the Northlux is advertised as studio lighting. Are there potential flicker issues with the Northlux? 

Our NorthLux T8 LED tube lights should work quite well for your needs! They are also flicker-free but not listed as such, since flicker is generally not a concern for most of our visual arts studio customers.

​On the other hand, we completely understand the concerns you have concerning flicker and on-camera use. As such, as an additional layer of assurance of flicker-free performance, we would recommend installing these lamps in a ballast-bypass configuration so that any flicker or other interference from electronic ballasts is not introduced into the light output stream.

We also do find that many TV/cinematography lighting systems are calibrated to 5500K / 5600K, however, the NorthLux 5000K should be a similar match, and the 95 CRI color accuracy should be a great fit for the film.

Full Spectrum LED Lights for Home Gym and Film Studio

I am converting a barn into a home gym that will also be used as a film studio to create content. I've been told that full-spectrum LED lights would be ideal. Hoping you can guide me to determine if your products are right, and which ones to choose. 

Based on the details that were provided for your gym and studio space, there are a few products that we might recommend. We would be more than happy to provide further details and advice about each product mentioned upon request, as well.

For example, we sell the NorthLux™ 95 CRI LED Shop Light Fixture, which is a great option for installations where non-permanent lighting options are preferred, as it can be easily re-arranged and mounted using the included hanging chains and hooks. This integrated product requires no accessories and can be daisy-chained with other units, but it is unfortunately not compatible with dimmers.

If you would prefer to utilize new T8 tube light fixtures in your space to have the benefit of easily swappable lighting, we might recommend the NorthLux™ 95 CRI T8 LED Tube for Art & Studio products.

Further, we also offer our LED strip light products. As an overview, these products are sold in reels and are compatible with in-wall power connections and wall dimmers. These strip lights can be configured in multiple ways and can be mounted using products such as our aluminum channels. These lights are also compatible with third-party lighting systems such as Lutron Caseta.

For more information regarding our LED strip lights, we have attached an article from our website below.

LED Strip Lights: Everything you need to know before you buy: https://www.waveformlighting.com/led-strip-lights

By using our lumen estimation calculator tool, we estimate that the space described would be fully illuminated by 18,821 lumens. As each product emits a different amount of light, we might recommend either 5 LED shop light fixtures (at 4200 lumens emitted per fixture), 11 T8 LED tube lights (at 1800 lumens emitted per light), or 42 feet of LED strip lights (which emit 450 lumens per foot) for your space as options.

Is your T5 LED Linear Light Fixture dimmable?

NorthLux™ 95 CRI T5 LED Linear Light Fixture 4026.2F.50 Are these dimmable? If not, do you sell any that are?

Unfortunately, our linear light fixture products are not compatible with dimmers.

However, we're happy to confirm that our LED strip light products are compatible with dimmers if they are a viable alternative for your installation.

LED Strip Lights for Copying Film with DSLR Camera

I'm planning on replacing the fluorescent tubes in the 24"x36" light table I use for copying film negatives and positives with a DSLR camera. High CRI is important and I want to stay in the D50 or 5600k color temperature range. Do you have any recommendations or know of customer experiences for this kind of application? I'd like to do some tests with the FilmGrade and Absolute series, but I don't see a sample kit for the Absolute D50 lights.

Our D50 and 5600K light sources with 95/99 CRI sound like a great fit for your needs. While we do not have any specific case studies that we could point you towards, I'm confident that these specifications will optimize for color fidelity and accuracy in image capture.

You mention that the dimensions of the light table are 24" x 36" - in which case, it may not be feasible to fit our 4-ft T8 LED tube lights in the fixtures unless your light fixtures happen to be 48".

As you mention, our LED strip lights may be a great alternative option. While some additional assembly and wiring will be required, our ABSOLUTE SERIES D50 LED strip lights, or our FilmGrade 5600K LED strip lights could be installed into your current fixture and provide you with a nice improvement in color quality.

We unfortunately do not offer a sample kit for the ABSOLUTE SERIES LED strip lights. We do offer a free returns policy, however, so you may want to take advantage of that to test and compare the two products. All we ask is that you keep the LED strips in tact, including keeping the adhesive liner in place.

When evaluating the options for the Absolute LED series the linear modules 5 pack made the most sense for my application, both from a cost stand point and installation in the light table. The listing for the Absolute module 5 pack says they are individually packaged, but they are all on one board. There’s no way to properly compare the FilmGrade strip and the Absolute modules in the light table without separating the modules. Also there’s no information about how to separate the modules.

What should I do? I feel the Absolute linear module listing on the web site is misleading. From the listing I expected to get 5 separate Absolute modules. That would be easy to compare to the FilmGrade by putting two Absolute modules on each side within the light table and running the FilmGrade strip around the perimeter inside the light table. With the 5 modules on a single board it will be very difficult to get even lighting to compare to the FilmGrade strip.

The 5-pack of the ABSOLUTE SERIES are joined together along the long-edge, and can be separated by bending the modules along the score-line. They can be a bit difficult to separate, and may require a bit of force before they begin to loosen a bit.

The 5-pack modules are eligible for return even after they are separated into individual modules, so please feel free to proceed with the installation for testing. Should there be any need to return the modules, we would be more than happy to accept your return.

Connectors and Wires Required for Absolute 6500K LED Strip

I am interested in getting set up with a set of Absolute 6500K LED strip lighting. I need help with the type of connectors and wires required. I plan to purchase the 5m roll of strip lighting because it’s the best deal. I will be photographing my artwork with these lights. The plan is to set up two sets of lights 6 feet on either side of the painting when photographing. 

We currently offer two types of ABSOLUTE SERIES products - one in a rigid module format, and another in a flexible LED strip format.

It sounds like you're after the flexible LED strip as you mention needing the 5-meter reel. In this case, the installation accessories will be quite straightforward, as the LED strip lights include a plug on both ends of the reel that is pre-installed.

To power the flexible LED strip, all that you need is our 12-volt power supply, which I have linked to below:

The LED strip lights can be cut to length based on your needs. If you need to re-connect any sections together, we would recommend our PN 3071 connectors.

Unfortunately, we don't have an exact layout map for this product, but you may want to reference an electrically similar product for some ideas. Below, I've linked to our FilmGrade LED strip light product using a similar layout, which may be of interest:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/3002_3D

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/3002_3E

High CRI 95+ 6500K E26 Color Grading room for editing, coloring matching, and finishing videos and still projects.

I'm looking for a lighting solution for a color grading room for editing, coloring matching, and finishing videos and still projects. In looking through your catalog, there appear to be several matches however they are not specifically listed under the color-matching category. Can you list every product that meets the above specs including non-E26 models?

Currently, the only E26 bulb that explicitly meets the D65 ISO color metric is the NorthLux 6500K A19 bulb. Please see below for the product link:

For non-E26, you may also be interested in our shop light and integrated fixture products, which are shown below:

Flicker-Free LED Vanity with Dimmer for 60fps Video

If I purchase and install 18 FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free A19 LED Bulb with a FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free LED Dimmer, will I have a Flicker-Free video filming experience? Can I use my existing bulbs and just replace the existing cheap dimmer I installed with your Flicker-Free LED Dimmer for any semblance of success, or do I need to buy the bulbs as well?

Our FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free LED Dimmer product is only designed to be used with low-voltage LED lighting, such as our LED light strips.

As such, we do not recommend using it with products such as the FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free A19 LED bulbs.

Further, the FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free A19 LED Bulb is not dimmable. Therefore, we discourage using this item with any dimmer products.

That being said, our LED light strip products could be an alternative for your space. These products, such as our FilmGrade™ WHITE LED Strip Lights, are dimmable, pair with the FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free LED Dimmer, and are available in many different color temperatures.

Are the NorthLux™ 95 CRI T8 LED Tube and FilmGrade™ White LED Strip Lights flicker-free for shooting video?

I’m wondering if two of your products are flicker-free for shooting video:NorthLux™ 95 CRI T8 LED Tube for Art & Studio flicker-free for shooting on video? & FilmGrade™ WHITE LED Strip Lights

We can confirm that both our FilmGrade™ WHITE LED Strip Lights and the NorthLux™ 95 CRI T8 LED Tube for Art & Studio product mentioned is flicker-free.

If a light isn’t mounted in a ballast, is there another solution in which I’d be able to operate a bank of lights of a switch in a similar way to a typical shop-light setup?

For installing our T8 LED tube lights into fixtures, such as ‘shop light’ style fixtures, we generally recommend that the fluorescent ballast is removed. Alternatively, these bulbs can be installed using the ballast-bypass method.

The instructions for both installation options can be found in the link below.

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_4020-4000.pdf

Alternatively, the FilmGrade™ WHITE LED Strip Lights can also be mounted within lengths of our flat Aluminum Channel for LED Flex Strip products.

Do you have LED panel lighting for a television show?

We need lighting for a television show and will require a lot of LED panels in the ceiling.

Our FilmGrade product line sounds like a great fit for your upcoming TV production.

https://www.waveformlighting.com/film-photography

Can we control them on a professional dimmer, and what do we need in between the lights and the dimmer? How many can we loop together to limit cables all over?

The LED panel can certainly be controlled via a professional dimmer, and we do not need any additional components between the lights and the dimmer. You will of course, require a power source at 24V to ensure we are able to power the entire system.

How many panels can we use a 24V source power ?

We would recommend using no more than two panels per 24V power supply.

Best color temperature for skin tone rendering on video?

I am looking for daylight color temperature bulbs for use with video production. Which color temperature option among 5000K, 5600K and 6500K will produce the best and most natural skin tone?

When it comes to skin tones, the most important factor is the color rendering index (CRI) and R9 value of the light source. As long as the color rendering values are sufficiently high, color temperature is actually of relatively little importance.

Natural daylight can shift significantly in color temperature depending on the weather, time of day, season and other factors. Therefore, camera systems have been developed around this expected variability and you should not see any significant differences in skin tone color rendering, as long as you are using a high CRI light source.

Video cameras and post-production software are both able to perform color temperature calibrations very well, without any loss of color accuracy. You will most likely see this calibration setting called "white balance," with options such as incandescent, direct sunshine, overcast daylight, etc.

Keep in mind that unlike color temperature, there is no way to calibrate or compensate for a low CRI light source, especially for images with rich color such as skin tones. Color temperature adjustment is called white balance, because it is quite accurately the process of balancing relative amounts white light. Specifically, white balance adjustment involves modifying the relative amounts of yellows and blues that make up an image's composition.

Low color rendering, on the other hand, indicates a complete deficiency in certain wavelength bands (such as deep reds). As a result, no amount of calibration can make up for a fundamental lack of certain wavelengths in the light source.

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