Bulbs for China Balls

Drew Dawson · March 15, 2010

Hello Guys!

I am new to the site and look forward to reading what you guys have to say! I love doing DP work and really want to sink my teeth into new projects this year. Can't wait to read more of your guys advice and tips!

Now to the question. I am looking at getting into a China Ball set-up for a cheap option for soft light for HD video.

I am looking at the China Balls from FilmTools.com (here) but I am a bit lost when it comes to bulb choice.

My DP friend uses 250w Quartz bulbs with an adapter to household fixtures for his China Balls, but I have seen these bulbs that are 250w and fit right into a household fixture.

What is the best way to go, and what bulbs give the best results?

Thanks guys!

Tebbe Schoeningh · March 15, 2010

Hello Guys!

I am new to the site and look forward to reading what you guys have to say! I love doing DP work and really want to sink my teeth into new projects this year. Can't wait to read more of your guys advice and tips!

Now to the question. I am looking at getting into a China Ball set-up for a cheap option for soft light for HD video.

I am looking at the China Balls from FilmTools.com (here) but I am a bit lost when it comes to bulb choice.

My DP friend uses 250w Quartz bulbs with an adapter to household fixtures for his China Balls, but I have seen these bulbs that are 250w and fit right into a household fixture.

What is the best way to go, and what bulbs give the best results?

Thanks guys!

You can try Osram HWL 250W Mercury Lamps too. They´re supposed to be Daylight Balanced, but I noticed a color shift to green, might be necessary to correct them.

Another issue is the heat. USE PROPER CHINA BALLS WITH SUFFICIENT DIAMETER.

David Mullen ASC · March 15, 2010

Hello Guys!

I am new to the site and look forward to reading what you guys have to say! I love doing DP work and really want to sink my teeth into new projects this year. Can't wait to read more of your guys advice and tips!

Now to the question. I am looking at getting into a China Ball set-up for a cheap option for soft light for HD video.

I am looking at the China Balls from FilmTools.com (here) but I am a bit lost when it comes to bulb choice.

My DP friend uses 250w Quartz bulbs with an adapter to household fixtures for his China Balls, but I have seen these bulbs that are 250w and fit right into a household fixture.

What is the best way to go, and what bulbs give the best results?

Thanks guys!

Honestly, it doesn't matter much what type of 250w globe you use, the frosted ones would be a bit softer, that's all. Some are closer to a 3200K match, some are a bit warmer, some are even a bit cooler.

I would, however, go to a hardware store and assemble a proper porcelain socket and avoid any plastic sockets typically sold with Chinese Lanterns, like at IKEA. I guess the metal one listed in the Film Tools page would be fine too.

I've used all those types of bulbs and honestly, once they go through diffusion, the subtleties are a bit lost, you basically are looking at things like output vs. wattage more than anything else, though some would also place longevity very high, though if a more expensive bulb lasts longer than a cheap bulb, you wonder when it doesn't really matter in terms of overall savings. Some bulbs are warmer than others, but considering most people put these on dimmers and bring them down to match surrounding household fixtures in terms of color, a bit of warmth is not a bad thing.

You really need to commit to the notion that you need a collection of bulbs for Chinese Lanterns -- a couple of spares of the same bulb, and a couple of different wattages. Because in some set-ups, you need a large lantern with a 500w bulb, and others you need a 100w bulb, etc.