How do CFL and incandescent bulbs differ for skin tones and softbox lighting?
Asked 5/28/2013
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I have two softbox kits: one uses incandescent bulbs around 3200K, and the other uses CFL bulbs rated around 5500K. I often hear that fluorescent lighting makes skin look harsher and emphasizes blemishes, while incandescent light looks more flattering. Is that mainly because of the bulb type, or just because fluorescent bulbs are usually a cooler color temperature?
If two different bulb types were matched to the same color temperature, would they produce the same-looking light, or do they still differ in quality? I’ve also heard that some fluorescent bulbs have gaps in their spectrum and can give skin a green cast or lack certain colors. How does that affect portraits and product photography in practice, especially when both are used in softboxes?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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There are two things at play. One is the spectrum and the other is the shape of the light-source.
If you place both types of light in a soft-box, you will be wipe out the difference in shape which will make the harsh look and appearance of imperfections, bumps, wrinkles match more closely.
The spectrum of an incandescent bulb is more more uniform and evenly distributed than that of a fluorescent. This means that all colors are present and so a subject can reflect its true colors. However, the color-temperature adds a bias which you can shift by correcting for white-balance. This happens since an incandescent bulb produces more light which we consider warm. Different tints painted on the bulb often shift this towards cooler color to produce cool-white or daylight bulbs.
The spectrum of a fluorescent bulb is highly irregular and some colors are indeed missing or very low, depending on the exact type of fluorescent. When it happens, the missing colors cannot be reflected back by the subject and no amount of white-balance correction can compensate.
Since fluorescent are more and more used, there are now many types of lights which offer improved coverage of the color-spectrum. You can even buy full-spectrum lights that output colors covering a very similar spectrum as the sun, including UV.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
13y ago
0
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It’s both, but mostly bulb type/spectrum rather than just color temperature.
Color temperature only describes the overall warm/cool bias. If white balance is corrected, two lights with different Kelvin ratings can be made to look closer in color. But they still may not render colors the same.
The bigger difference is spectral output. Incandescent bulbs have a smoother, more continuous spectrum, so colors—especially skin tones—tend to render more naturally. Many fluorescent/CFL bulbs have uneven spectra with gaps, often weak in reds, which can make skin look unhealthy or slightly green. That’s why typical office fluorescents are often unflattering.
Light shape matters too. Bare fluorescent fixtures are often large overhead sources in bad positions, which can look unpleasant for faces. If both bulb types are placed in similar softboxes, the softness and shadow quality become more similar, reducing the “harsh” look.
So: matching Kelvin does not guarantee matching light quality. Better-quality daylight CFLs can work well, but fluorescents generally vary more in color rendering and may flicker; with mains-powered fluorescents, slower shutter speeds such as 1/125s or slower are often safer.
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