More From My Home Made Light Box...

More From My Home Made Light Box... · 07:44 PM

K100D Super & SMC Pentax-FA 28-80mm Lens!

Kaimarx · 11-29-2007, 03:30 AM

Teehee! i had the same setup for my assignments at uni (broke student) and it worked a treat. If you can try tracing paper ( white vellum not the transparent grey stuff) or something similar like baking paper works much better at diffusing the lights. And yeah, this setup was good enough to get me through varsity lol Way cool

J.Scott · 11-29-2007, 04:07 AM

I really wanted a light box but buying a commercially made item at nearly $100 seemed ridiculous, so I also made one. I got the idea from a website and it is fairly simple. It is just an 18" cube made of 1/2" plastic water pipe, elbows and T's. I drape a couple yards of thin white cloth over it all, place different coloured sheets of bristol board inside (if necessary), aim several bright desk lamps at it and take pictures of things inside.

Although more costly than a cardboard box it has the advantage of being partly disassembled and folded flat for storage. Like Mike Cash suggested it can be placed over the top of large or taller items. I haven't used it in a while; I think you have inspired me to drag it out this weekend have some fun.

JCSullivan · 11-29-2007, 05:21 AM

At the $-store they have mattress and pillow covers made of linen type material.

You could, if you have time (or not, depends the way you look at it), play around with those folding laundry baskets, you know, the cheap ones.

marrngtn · 12-01-2007, 09:30 AM

Cool light box. I've got to try and build my own.

Thanks for sharing

PentaxFan · 12-01-2007, 01:59 PM

Thanks for the kind feedback and other interesting variation of the light box! They all sound neat and worthwhile! Perhaps I should make a few styles and see which one I like the best ;-)

bdavis · 12-01-2007, 06:06 PM

Originally posted by Buschmaster

I think what I'll do is pick up some light bulbs and get a couple incandescent and a couple fluorescent.

I think fluorescent might make the subjects colors a little more true. But I'm not sure, so I have to test it out and see!

You can buy daylight balanced bulbs. Try a hardware store for cheap-ish ones.

PentaxFan · 12-01-2007, 06:23 PM

Originally posted by bdavis

You can buy daylight balanced bulbs. Try a hardware store for cheap-ish ones.

Thanks for the tip Beth ;-)

magnum1 · 12-01-2007, 07:08 PM

Awsome!!!

Thanks so much for the project idea. Now I'll have something to do rather than stare at the snow flying outside this winter.

magnum1 · 12-07-2007, 04:11 PM

Originally posted by PentaxFan

Thanks folks ;-)

Ok..This is a rather cheesy photo and set up, but it gets the job done!

1 Box

3 squares cut out of it (1 on top, 2 on sides)

Squares covered with tissue paper (1 sheet thickness)

White Gloss Bristol Board for the inside....long enough and strong enough to take a gentle curve from top to bottom.

2 Cheap Desk Lamps ($10.00 Each) w/60 watt bulbs (Now changed to 100 watt bulbs for much better & brighter light!

Often... I bring the lamps to the front and shine them directly into the box! It makes for a much whiter result on the bristol board! I also set my white balance on the camera to Tungsten!

Hey PF,

I hope you see this thread again. I was wondering why you make a "opening" on the top.

Thanks,
Tom

**distorted_vision** · 12-07-2007, 04:16 PM

^^ wouldnt it be just to let in more soft light in from the top? or perhaps you can use a lamp on the top section for different light/shadows??

thomasjmpark · 12-08-2007, 07:36 PM

Well Ive managed to nail a box and cut the sides out, have got the lamps but we dont have an art shop here in Keswick. It meens I need to travel 50 miles to get tracing paper! Will do it on my next excersion, maybe toilet roll might work in the meantime, we have lots of that

Nice shots by the way

Karl Inge S · 12-09-2007, 11:38 AM

Great! Thanks for the inspiration!

Dont think I`ve ever seen one of these for sale her in Norway.

PentaxFan · 12-09-2007, 06:05 PM

Originally posted by magnum1

Hey PF,

I hope you see this thread again. I was wondering why you make a "opening" on the top.

Thanks,
Tom

Tom...Just an extra "opening" to help keep the top of objects lit up a little more ;-) Sometimes I shine the lights down through the opening too!

Originally posted by distorted_vision

^^ wouldn't it be just to let in more soft light in from the top? or perhaps you can use a lamp on the top section for different light/shadows??

Yes...see above ;-)

Originally posted by thomasjmpark

Well Ive managed to nail a box and cut the sides out, have got the lamps but we don't have an art shop here in Keswick. It meens I need to travel 50 miles to get tracing paper! Will do it on my next excersion, maybe toilet roll might work in the meantime, we have lots of that

Nice shots by the way

Thanks....you can probably get away with just regular printer paper for now! The light will make it through, however more diffused than you might desire!

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12-09-2007, 11:38 AM	#27
Karl Inge S Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Norway Posts: 104	Great! Thanks for the inspiration! Dont think I`ve ever seen one of these for sale her in Norway. Last edited by Karl Inge S; 12-09-2007 at 12:01 PM.

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11-29-2007, 03:30 AM	#16
Kaimarx Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Auckland Photos: Gallery Posts: 452	Teehee! i had the same setup for my assignments at uni (broke student) and it worked a treat. If you can try tracing paper ( white vellum not the transparent grey stuff) or something similar like baking paper works much better at diffusing the lights. And yeah, this setup was good enough to get me through varsity lol Way cool

11-29-2007, 04:07 AM	#17
J.Scott Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,675	I really wanted a light box but buying a commercially made item at nearly $100 seemed ridiculous, so I also made one. I got the idea from a website and it is fairly simple. It is just an 18" cube made of 1/2" plastic water pipe, elbows and T's. I drape a couple yards of thin white cloth over it all, place different coloured sheets of bristol board inside (if necessary), aim several bright desk lamps at it and take pictures of things inside. Although more costly than a cardboard box it has the advantage of being partly disassembled and folded flat for storage. Like Mike Cash suggested it can be placed over the top of large or taller items. I haven't used it in a while; I think you have inspired me to drag it out this weekend have some fun.

11-29-2007, 05:21 AM	#18
JCSullivan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Windsor, Canada Posts: 3,056	At the $-store they have mattress and pillow covers made of linen type material. You could, if you have time (or not, depends the way you look at it), play around with those folding laundry baskets, you know, the cheap ones.

12-01-2007, 09:30 AM	#19
marrngtn New Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wash/Balt Metro Photos: Gallery Posts: 16	Cool light box. I've got to try and build my own. Thanks for sharing

12-01-2007, 01:59 PM	#20
PentaxFan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 257 Original Poster	Thanks for the kind feedback and other interesting variation of the light box! They all sound neat and worthwhile! Perhaps I should make a few styles and see which one I like the best ;-)

12-01-2007, 06:06 PM	#21
bdavis Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: 'Burque, NM Posts: 309	Originally posted by Buschmaster I think what I'll do is pick up some light bulbs and get a couple incandescent and a couple fluorescent. I think fluorescent might make the subjects colors a little more true. But I'm not sure, so I have to test it out and see! You can buy daylight balanced bulbs. Try a hardware store for cheap-ish ones.

12-01-2007, 06:23 PM	#22
PentaxFan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 257 Original Poster	Originally posted by bdavis You can buy daylight balanced bulbs. Try a hardware store for cheap-ish ones. Thanks for the tip Beth ;-)

12-01-2007, 07:08 PM	#23
magnum1 Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Niagara, Wisconsin U.S. of Ay. Posts: 394	Awsome!!! Thanks so much for the project idea. Now I'll have something to do rather than stare at the snow flying outside this winter.

12-07-2007, 04:11 PM	#24
magnum1 Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Niagara, Wisconsin U.S. of Ay. Posts: 394	Originally posted by PentaxFan Thanks folks ;-) Ok..This is a rather cheesy photo and set up, but it gets the job done! 1 Box 3 squares cut out of it (1 on top, 2 on sides) Squares covered with tissue paper (1 sheet thickness) White Gloss Bristol Board for the inside....long enough and strong enough to take a gentle curve from top to bottom. 2 Cheap Desk Lamps ($10.00 Each) w/60 watt bulbs (Now changed to 100 watt bulbs for much better & brighter light! Often... I bring the lamps to the front and shine them directly into the box! It makes for a much whiter result on the bristol board! I also set my white balance on the camera to Tungsten! Hey PF, I hope you see this thread again. I was wondering why you make a "opening" on the top. Thanks, Tom

12-07-2007, 04:16 PM	#25
distorted_vision Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Moving around Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,308	^^ wouldnt it be just to let in more soft light in from the top? or perhaps you can use a lamp on the top section for different light/shadows??

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12-08-2007, 07:36 PM	#26
thomasjmpark Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Keswick, England Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,134	Well Ive managed to nail a box and cut the sides out, have got the lamps but we dont have an art shop here in Keswick. It meens I need to travel 50 miles to get tracing paper! Will do it on my next excersion, maybe toilet roll might work in the meantime, we have lots of that Nice shots by the way

12-09-2007, 06:05 PM	#28
PentaxFan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 257 Original Poster	Originally posted by magnum1 Hey PF, I hope you see this thread again. I was wondering why you make a "opening" on the top. Thanks, Tom Tom...Just an extra "opening" to help keep the top of objects lit up a little more ;-) Sometimes I shine the lights down through the opening too! Originally posted by distorted_vision ^^ wouldn't it be just to let in more soft light in from the top? or perhaps you can use a lamp on the top section for different light/shadows?? Yes...see above ;-) Originally posted by thomasjmpark Well Ive managed to nail a box and cut the sides out, have got the lamps but we don't have an art shop here in Keswick. It meens I need to travel 50 miles to get tracing paper! Will do it on my next excersion, maybe toilet roll might work in the meantime, we have lots of that Nice shots by the way Thanks....you can probably get away with just regular printer paper for now! The light will make it through, however more diffused than you might desire!