Re: [photo-3d] Cheap flourescent lamp

[Paul Talbot <list_post@xxxxxxxxx>]

Jim Harp wrote:

> > I'd like more details on this fluorescent lamp you found.  What department
> > of Home Depot did you find this in?  What size and how many batteries does
> > it take?
> 
> I'm referring to a Chinese made 6 inch long flourescent lamp that's usually
> found with all the other flourescent lighting at Home Depot.

Not all Home Depots carry this light fixture.

> Be warned that the light output
> isn't always even across the length of the lamp, and that this can vary from
> lamp to lamp.  At times I've put paper in front of one side of the lamp to
> even out the lighting for stereo use.  (Sorry for being so high-tech...)
> The lamps can also burn out or become more uneven after a few months of use.
> It's not difficult to replace the flourescent tube in these cases.

The light fixture comes with a low quality bulb.  You might as well
just immediately toss the bulb that comes with the unit.  Buy a higher
quality bulb from Phillips or GE.  The GE is probably the best.  It
retails for about $6.

> I've found that most average folks aren't used to looking at
> slides,  and don't seem to "get"  the idea of holding a non-lighted
> viewer up to a bright light.

This is one of the really frustrating aspects of using STL viewers to
show stereo slides to newbies.  For really good illumination the
viewer needs to be about an inch or two from a light with output
equivalent to 75-100 watts.  I've had people insist they had enough
light when pointing the viewer at a very dim light 4-5 feet away in
a dim room at night.  It's unlikely they could see anything at all.

> For some reason these same people will immediately hold a print
> stereoscope up to a bright light, casting the view in shadows....

More frustration!!!

Paul Talbot