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... this weekend (April 28th and 29th).  So if you're picking up your first OTT-LITE (like me) or just want another it would be worth your time to stop in and take a look.

what is it and what's it for?

Perhaps this will, ahem, shed a little light on the subject?

http://www.ottlite.com/crafting.asp

.

http://www.joann.com/catalog.jhtml?CATID=113710&start=1

That's crazy expensive for a lamp. I understand paying for good equipment, but $100-$200 for a lamp...

wow, my mom, my sister and my grandmother all use those lamps for cross-stich/quilting/needlepoint. I mean they're nice but wow that's an expensive light, ... er .. lite.

"That's crazy expensive for a lamp. I understand paying for good equipment, but $100-$200 for a lamp..."

aw c'mon now. some do come with free bulbs!

And here I've been using daylight bulbs like a chump!

From people who've actually used the OTT Lite technology, is it markedly better than using a daylight bulb?

The OTT-LITE compares to other craft lights like Windsor & Newton Series 7 compares to other brushes.

Is that good?

    Yes, and at 50% off it's worth considering... Like the stuff from Pegasus games, spendy but worth it.

Thx for the link OP.

--Chris
www.chrisvalera.com

Soooooo, whats the difference between an OTT lite fixture and its special configuration ($35 on sale) and a simple 5500K Natural Light Full Spectrum flourescent bulb for $17?

Example: http://www.rewci.com/vercomfluorb.html

Not to knock the product, but it seems like they are reaming you on their one-of-a-kind configuration when you could just as easily buy the $17 bulb and put it in any desklamp.

we can use lights?!?!?!?! and here I've been painting in the dark all this time...

Posted by blue loki on 04/25/2006 3:54 PM
Soooooo, whats the difference between an OTT lite fixture and its special configuration ($35 on sale) and a simple 5500K Natural Light Full Spectrum flourescent bulb for $17?

What's the difference between a Rolls Royce and a Honda Civic?

Posted By Ghaz on 04/25/2006 11:17 PM

Posted by blue loki on 04/25/2006 3:54 PM
Soooooo, whats the difference between an OTT lite fixture and its special configuration ($35 on sale) and a simple 5500K Natural Light Full Spectrum flourescent bulb for $17?

What's the difference between a Rolls Royce and a Honda Civic?

Energy Efficiency?

Seriously, a little more explanation on what you use the "lite" for and your experiences with it would go a lot better than a sarcastic answer and maybe cut down on the amount of stupid questions you are wading through.

Seriously,

Lets do a comparison:

26 Watt Full Spectrum Compact Flourescent Bulb
Efficiency -- 75% more than standard bulbs
Color Rendering Index -- 91+ (out of 100)
Color Temperature -- 5500 Kelvin
Lumen Output -- 70 Lumens per Watt = ~ 1800 Lumens
Lifetime -- 10,000 Hours
Fixture -- Will fit any standard 100-120 Watt Incandescent bulb fixture
COST -- $17


OTT Lite
Efficiency -- 'Energy Efficient' (no numbers listed)
Color Rendering Index -- 'True color rendering' (no numbers listed)
Color Temperature -- 'The Science of Natural Daylight' (no numbers listed)
Lumen Output -- Unlisted
Lifetime -- 10,000 Hours
Fixture -- Company specific fixtures only, with the exception of one bulb
COST -- $32.50 (sale price) for the stand alone bulb, $16 (sale price) for the cheapest fixture specific bulb


I guarantee you that the $17 5500K bulb will provide the same natural light that the OTT bulb does, and without the need for a special fixture.

5500K is the color temperature of the bulb. This defines what wavelengths of light emanate from the bulb. 5500K is natural daylight. This of course does not include the higher UV spectrum (10,000+K). An additional bulb and high tech ballasts are required to run a UV system. OTT bulbs do not include this, they would be required to declare so if they did.
5500K bulbs are what Aquarists use to simulate natural daylight for Salt Water Reef Aquariums.

Yes OTT lights are far superior to standard incandescent bulbs (2800K), but they provide no better lighting than any other 5500K bulb.
I'm sure that they are great lamps, and they probably have neat features like additional reflectors and magnifiers, but the fact is that you can get the same effect elsewhere for less $$$.

Still don't believe me? Do a search on 'Color Rendering Index', 'Color Temperature', and 'Sunlight'.

Question: Will you be playing/displaying your OTT models under OTT light?

No. So what's the difference? If the OTT light is the only thing that brings out its colors, what's the point if most games are played under incandescent and/or flourescent bulbs?

As a person who owns an OTT Lite and works in a pet shop that deals with various spectrum bulbs for either reptile or aquarium use, I will say that there is absolutley no difference if you choose the right natural daylight bulb. There are even better specialized bulbs on the market than OTT lites and cost a fraction of that.

Though, if you use compact flourescent fixtures already, then a OTT bulb could be a good way to go (when they are on sale that is), without buying the expensive fixture they want you to buy. 8 watts and 13 watts I believe.

Dont use incandescent if you can help it though, as flourescent lighting is cooler, so it makes the paint flow better while painting. Less energy too. Corallife sells a nice "50/50" actinic blue/5500 or 10000 daylight bulb that gives outstanding radiance.

Trust Blue Loki. He has the key words you need for your research. I will back him on that.

Though he does need one correction. As an avid reef aquarist, 10,000k is more the likely standard. But thats just me being a pedantic salt water snob.

Posted By ancientsociety on 04/26/2006 3:01 PM
Question: Will you be playing/displaying your OTT models under OTT light?

No. So what's the difference? If the OTT light is the only thing that brings out its colors, what's the point if most games are played under incandescent and/or flourescent bulbs?

OTT doesn't "bring out the colors" as you suggest.  Rather it allows you to paint your miniature correctly.  Incandescent bulbs tend to illuminate in an orange color while flourescents tend to illuminate green.  Normally you don't perceive this as your brain compensates and you go on your merry way.  However, the "color temperature" of the light source does affect your color perception.  Let's look at photography as an example.  Have you ever seen phots that look like they've been dipped in orange or blue-green wash?  This is because the camera is expecting a certain kind of light and getting a different kind.  Most cameras have a setting for "indoor" and "outdoor" which is designed to help bring the color temperature to the proper levels.  The problem is that the camera doesn't always compensate correctly.  Professional photographers use expensive bulbs that are basically OTT spec to obtain the proper color without having to make the camera compensate.

What this ultimately means is that when you mix paint under a tinted light it won't look the same as if you mixed it outside in daylight.  Think about all the people who enter figures into painting competitions.  If you're going to put all that effort into a figure, you might as well use the correct light so the color balance of your paint is correct.  This way it wont matter what light your figure is shown in as your colors are blended correctly and look normal to people looking at the figures.  Of course if you dont care, you can always just spraypaint your figures black, paint a red strip down one leg and a green stripe down the other and declair, "Three colors ftw!" and be done with it.

From what I've seen however there are differences between a dedicated task lamp like the OTT-LITE and a regular lamp with a daylight bulb. The OTT-LITEs I've seen give you a proper amount of light to work by without being too harsh or too dim. I have a little table lamp with a daylight bulb that I don't use anymore because the light is too harsh and is focussed in one small area.

Another key factor with the OTT-LITE Task Lamp is portability. The OTT-LITE folds for ease of travel. If you don't have a dedicated place to paint (like me) or you like to go to your friend's house or to the FLGS or to the in-laws and paint then it would be worth the money, even at twice the price.