Anyone have a lightbox for treating SAD?

[jamiewakeham]

...and if so, could you do me a small (if slightly oddball) favour?

I'm trying to work out whether the DIY system I've built to alleviate my partner's seasonal affective disorder is bright enough, or whether I need to build in more full-spectrum bulbs.

Could someone with one of these boxes give me a meter reading (in terms of f-stop, shutter and ISO) from, say, a meter away, and tell me what lux the box delivers at this distance? Then I can calculate what mine is giving out!

On the same subject, any suggestions for a material to make a diffuser screen for the front of the box? It's a bit painful to look directly at 100w equivalent bulbs from a metre away. I'm thinking frosted perspex or similar; doesn't seem to really matter about optical neutrality, so long as I'm still getting sufficient lux out

Thanks ever so,
Jamie

 

[Nick R.]

Milky white Polyethylene sheet, maybe 1/8" thick. It's on my slide-viewing box. Would also make a good softbox for B&W shots.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I bought my lightbox from a small store/studio and the guy there said they used them as fill in lights for portraits.

It's in my other premises now and I won't be there for a while. But when I do visit I'll meter the output and tell you.

Why home make one of these? They are dead cheap. Mine is Jessops brand about 60cm side to side and 30cm front to back, not sure about the bulb(s), all metal construction with glass screen and removable rods to stop the slides sliding down. I recall I paid about GBP20 or so ten years ago.

 

[Frank Granovski]

SAD is quite common in Northern Winters. I wrote an article about it several years ago. From what I recall, going for a January holiday down south like to Cuba is one good solution. Regarding "boxes," google will find you all sorts of good recommendations.

 

[jamiewakeham]

Jon - I'm not trying to home-build a lightbox for viewing slides. It's *way* too bright for that - in fact I'd be scared that the slides would melt!

It's a full spectrum light source to try to alleviate the lack of daylight encountered in the winter, which causes SAD in some people, including my partner.

The cheapest I've found them for in the UK is £130; I've built this one for about £35. But like I said, I don't know how bright it should actually be!

Anyone got one of these?

Cheers
Jamie

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

How much does yours give out compared to a similarly-sized window? That may be a starting point.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

This may help.

This afternoon at 3PM in southern Portugal the street scene out of my studio window is 1/250 to 1/500 at f5.6 and 100ASA.

 

[jamiewakeham]

That's not a bad idea at all, Jon. I'll try when I get home.

Cheers,
Jamie