Florescent Lighting Color Correction


KB02

Well-Known Member
Down in my basement I have taken a 4-bulb Florescent fixture apart and stretched it out along one wall over the tracks. I am planning on building a valance to shape the light a little better, but as I look at it, I might want to change the color of the color just a bit. Has anyone worked on color correction for florescent bulbs? I know several companies make sleeves that can slide of the tubes (Rosco, Lee, Gam), but I'm having a hard time finding a way to guide me in choosing a shade to get. I know I need to cut the "green" a little bit, but how much? Can anyone point me to a goo source of info?
 
Have you tried just "Cool White" florescent lamps? The generally are the most commonly used lamps.

Check the websites of the major lamp produces for the color rendition of their lamps.

Greg
 
Down in my basement I have taken a 4-bulb Florescent fixture apart and stretched it out along one wall over the tracks. I am planning on building a valance to shape the light a little better, but as I look at it, I might want to change the color of the color just a bit. Has anyone worked on color correction for florescent bulbs?
Well, when I first bought the new building for the model railroad I did an experiment by purchasing 4 each of the available 3 colors of bulbs. I installed them end to end in the fixtures. They were daylight, color corrected, normal florescent, and soft white. After looking at them and working under them I decided that the normal florescent was the way to go. They were cheaper too.

But, now I only use LEDs. I find the 38K-42K to be the most pleasing.
 
Up until now I have just had incandescent lights on the layout, so the florescent lights just look so different. Might just be a matter of getting used to them.
 
I used fluorescent lights on my last layout, which I took down around 2010. At that time, you could get several different types or values of lamps, depending on what suited your fancy. I used some 'sunlight' lamps, and such, which were supposed to 'correct' to give the effect of sunlight. I haven't shopped for fluorescent bulbs recently, so I don't know if they are still available today or not, however now you can get LEDs too.
 
Get yourself some 5000 Kelvin tubes. LED preferably. They'll show the correct colors and you'll be able to take photos without that greenish tinge
 
Well, the lights are in place.

Before the lights:


After the lights:


After shaping the lights:


Still a WHOLE LOT BETTER than what I had before. If anything, maybe just a little green.
 
Well, the lights are in place.
Still a WHOLE LOT BETTER than what I had before. If anything, maybe just a little green.
Are you going to leave the background white, or paint it some other color (like maybe sky). That will impact the overall color presented to the eye.
 
Backdrop Color

from another forum....
The sky is all blue again, all traces of the old N scale mountain range are gone.

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brian asked: Did you use a 'stock' blue paint for that sky?

I used this one: https://m.valsparpaint.com/color-detail.php?id=2018&g=1012
 
I would go for LED lighting,...

My shed with those LED lights i bought from amazon.....6 for $39

Its hard to get a good photo of lighting, but these things give off nice lit,....and linkable, and cheap


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Have you tried just "Cool White" florescent lamps? The generally are the most commonly used lamps.

Check the websites of the major lamp produces for the color rendition of their lamps.

Greg

I've always found the "Cool white" to be too blue.
 
Long term us of florescent lights will also discolor your scenery according to my reading
 
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Long term us of florescent lights will also discolor your scenery according to my reading
I agree that the UV light that is given off by florescent tubes will discolor scenery which is why 17 years ago I bought those clear plastic tubes that go over florescent lights that filter out the UV light for a couple of bucks each. However, I recently started a new layout and got rid of the florescent light fixtures because bulbs are now costing a fortune because they are being fazed out and opted for LED shop lights....the ones I bought have a double strip of LED lights covered by plastic frosted tubes, making them look like florescent lights. They are linkable, meaning I could plug one into a ceiling fixture and plug another into the first, a 3rd into the 2nd and a 4th into the 3rd......"daisy chaining them". I bought better LED shop lights and paid $109.00 for 4....still cheaper than better florescent fixtures that had better ballasts. By the way, if you really want to stick with florescent shop lights, stay away from the real cheap ones because their ballasts are cheap and cause the lights to "flicker"....barely noticeable by most people but they will give you a headache. So, either buy expensive shop lights with electronic ballasts, which may cost over $50.00 each or go with LED shop lights. The LED shop lights will produce about 40% more light at a savings in watts used.
 



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