Photoflood Explained

Photoflood lamps are a type of incandescent light bulb designed for use as a continuous light source for photographic purposes.[1] The filaments of such lamps are operated at much higher temperatures than is the case for standard, general lighting service lamps. The result is a brilliance of light much higher than the lamp's wattage rating would suggest. The trade-off is that the lamp has a very short service life of seldom more than ten hours.

Applications

Past

Photoflood lamps were used by photographers and film makers as a continuous lighting source. However for photographers, such use has been overtaken by the use of high power studio flash units many of which also provide a lower power light for modelling purposes.[2] Film makers have turned to longer lasting tungsten halogen lamps which, in their turn, are being overtaken by light-emitting diode (LED) lamps.[3]

Present

Photoflood lamps are still used in special cases by the motion picture industry. Where an illuminated lamp is required on set as part of the dressing, the light fall from a normal light bulb would not be visible on film as it would be swamped by the bright studio lighting. The ordinary lamp is replaced by a photoflood bulb whose intense light is easily visible on film (and if so required, is bright enough that it can form the sole illumination for the shot).[4]

Lamp characteristics

Photoflood bulbs are available in a number of sizes. The two most common sizes have these characteristics.[5]

120 volt lamps! Type !! Watts !! Lumens !! Lumens per watt !! Colour
temperature (K) !! Avg. Life
(hours) !! ANSI code
100 watt lamp 100 1630 16.3 750[6]
No. 1 photoflood250 6500 26 3200 20[7] ECA
No. 2 photoflood500 17,800 35.6 3400 6[8] EBV
240 volt lamps! Type !! Watts !! Lumens !! Lumens per watt !! Colour
temperature (K) !! Avg. Life
(hours)
100 watt lamp 100 1200 12 2900 1000[9]
No. 1 photoflood275 8500 30 3400 3[10]
No. 2 photoflood500 14,400 28.8 3400 6[11]

Note that in each case an ordinary 100 watt lamp is provided for comparison purposes.

Notes and References

  1. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PhotofloodLighting Photoflood lighting
  2. https://www.ephotozine.com/article/studio-lighting---a-beginners-guide-to-studio-lighting-132 Studio flash
  3. https://www.wexphotovideo.com/blog/features/tungsten-halogen-fluorescent-versus-led-lighting-which-should-you-use/ Later products
  4. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PhotofloodLighting Hollywood photoflood
  5. https://www.eiko.com/en/category/download/678 Specifications
  6. Web site: GE Large Lamp Catalog . www.decadecounter.com . GE . 19 November 2019.
  7. Web site: Traditional Lighting . cdn.brandfolder.io . EiKO . 25 November 2019.
  8. Web site: EBV-LN . www.eiko.com . EiKO . 25 November 2019.
  9. Web site: satco S4079 . www.1000bulbs.com . 30 August 2019.
  10. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Photolux-240v-275w-Photoflood-PF207E/dp/B00ADPR302 275W colour temp
  11. Web site: Dr Fischer Photo Lamp 500W 3400K Edison . www.lightonline.com.au . 19 November 2019.