Well, I got educated about some of the newer home light fixtures recently. I’m still using a stockpile of the older globe-type bulbs so I didn’t know the following about the newer lights. Apparently the newer energy efficient coiled bulbs for home use have to literally warm up before reaching their full color temperature intensity, unlike the older instant-on type that I’m familiar with.
I was shooting some interior shots near a big sliding glass door with fading late afternoon daylight but still plenty to use as a primary flood source. I asked someone to flip on an array of fixtures right above the table where the subjects were and immediately said lose that because it was closer to the subjects, too warm and would have conflicted with the daylight spilling in. As I said, the daylight was fading & it was darker than I would have liked but that was my key because it was a flood & was better than the warmer overhead lights, so I thought.
Shortly after we were done, someone flipped on those overheads again and after about 30 seconds they had reached their full intensity. I noticed how much whiter and cleaner they were and looked very close to 3200K. The daylight was good but the overheads would have been the better choice to light the area I was shooting. It was just irritating knowing the lighting could have been better on the faces but I’d never seen consumer bulbs that had to warm up. I looked at the bulbs’ specifications and they were just under 3200K at 2700K. So, it may have just been that specific brand but if you encounter these types of bulbs and they initially look too warm, let them stay on for at least 20-30 seconds to see if they get any brighter. If anybody has any further info or experience with these newer fixtures, let’s hear it. Thanks