Alternative Lighting: Ushio Popstar Blue

[grim]

Hey nano'ers.. I thought I'd put a post up here to offer up some info to anyone interested in alternative lighting techniques. This is a duplicate of a thread I started on reefcentral..

 

I came across a bulb made by Ushio/BLV called the Popstar. It as a low voltage 12v 50w Halogen lamp with a blue dichroic filter and reflector attached. Anyone that knows low voltage lighting will recognize the bulb immediately as an MR15.

 

These bulbs are very interesting in that the spectrum is a narrow band centered around 500nm. The red is in the IR range, so not visible to the human eye.

 

 

While they don't extend as low as I would have hoped, with some actinic supplementation they would certainly cover the most important spectra well. Looking at the loop chart, the color is extremely blue, if you thought 20k and actinics were blue, you have something else coming, here is the modified loop chart showing a comparison between the popstar and average 10 & 20k bulbs.

 

 

Why bother you ask? All the Japanese lighting threads (I'm sure you've seen the pictures) use bulbs that we'd never think of using. Red and Blue halides, halogens, etc, to exagerate parts of the spectrum to highlight certain colors. So, I tried to find blue or red halides that were reasonably priced (PAR style bulbs), but no can do, the only close bulbs are moguls, and they are very expensive to play around with. So, I figured I would throw any semblance of efficiency aside, and look for a good halogen bulb.

 

That is when I came across the popstar. I talked to Ushio and they mailed me the full factory specifications. The bulb looks good aside from the very narrow 12' beam angle, no big problem though. I ordered some bulbs and the necessary transormers. The bulbs are $7 dollars each, the transformer was $30. I used the socket and fixture from an old Ikea desk lamp (by the way, you can just use any desk lamp with a 12v 50w handling capability with this bulb, Ikea and other stores have a few with the telescoping arms that would work pretty cool.

 

So, with that, I thought I would throw it out to the crowd. Sure, it's not great, not ideal, but it looks pretty good based on the specs alone. It has two really nice points, it's blue and with a 12' beam angle, it'll shimmer like a halide on steroids. It's not a replacement, halogen efficiency is terrible, but, like I said, it's an option and maybe a fun project for anyone interested. I have no vested interest in this, but enjoy trying new things out, and I really love when my crazy ideas work. So, I'll be posting some pictures up next week, should be good stuff!

 

jim

[Reefer_Buddha]

got any pics of your setup? From what ive read optimal spectrum for actinic is around 450 nm so thats fairly close but id still hesitate to use halogen based bulbs. Seeing as how actinic in most situations is only for visual effects it not really a big deal on the whole nanometer concerns. Good idea tho.

[Seth]

Tried it already, color doesn't look great

 

It's more like a greenish blue.

[grim]

Seth,

 

Really? There is a sliver of green in the output spectra.. So, I'd think it the light to be kind of a cyan color. Any pictures? You used the popstar? There are some other dichroic blue bulbs on the market as well.. I'm still giving it a try, if only as a supplemental to blue up my Iwasakis..

 

jb

[Seth]

Yes I used the ushio popstars.

 

It does not give good blue supplements in my opinion.

The blue color is pretty funky and I dont see it anyway when my halides are on.

 

But you can try it.

Goodluck!