Home Made Light Tent

[firsty]

I have moved the server that the photos were on, but you can find the complete instructions on my web site
http://mcgoffs.net/home-made-light-tent


after finding links on how to make a light tent around the net
I went to hardware to get the bits for a frame last week
2x 3m lengths 15mm PVC tube
8x "right angle" connectors
6x "T" connectors
this was going to be about $52.00 and I thought this was a bit to much

So I went looking further and ended up at bigW where I found this
laundry sorter for only $19.85 and it has all the bits you need with some to spare

there are
9x 695mm tubes
4x 585mm tubes
4x 285mm tubes
8x corner fittings
2x "T" fittings
plus wheels, curved tubes and a bag

this is what it looks like quickly assembled with the spare parts

this is to big at this size but you can trim the tubes to suit

after trimming down I ended up with this setup (it is still a little large)

I added white plastic garbage bags as the diffuser material, so the total cost of the light tent was under $21.00
the lamps were $12.95 each @ bunnings and they are using Phillips long life energy saver bulbs 23watt cool daylight 6500k (125watt equivalent output) the bulbs have twisted elements if you are looking for them
these bulbs stay very cool, they were actually touching the plastic bin liners for over 2 hours last night and the plastic showed no signs of damage. they are a little big for the lamp's reflector so a lot of light spills out the side I will fix this by extending the reflector using some of those foil drip dishes you can buy to put under your stove elements

anyway here are 2 test shots I did last night

[cyanide]

I am really impressed with this - well done.

I have been looking around for a hardware shop here to see if I could find the bits to do something similar; no joy yet, but this has made me put home stores on my list of places to look as well...

Great idea!!

[admajic]

Wow! Im impressed!! Very professional shots from that setup. Ill have to go thru the same deal at some stage, just no space here for anything like that atm

[Alpha_7]

Sheer Brilliance, much cheaper then those on the net, perhaps a little less portable but for around the home and at that price! And the results speak for themselves, they are top notch!

[sirhc55]

Very innovative

[Matt. K]

Keith
Thanks for going to the trouble to put this together for the forum. Brilliant work!

[Alpha_7]

If there was a Tip of the Week Keith, you'd have my vote, definitely a nice little project.

Would three lights be enough, or is 4 necessary ? Just trying to calculate the final price. $21 for the tent, and $56 for the lights (or more as you you have to included globes as well).

[ozczecho]

Keith, Thanks heaps for sharing. Looks like something that even I could put together...awesome

[firsty]

the shots posted only use 3 lamps as that is all the stock the store had
the last shot was f8 1/15s ISO100 so there is a real need for the tripod and a remote release (also used the mirror up function)
when I add the extra to the reflectors it should make a big difference as there is probably a 40% + spill out the sides
also note that I have the same bulbs in the room lights in the kitchen so all the light is the same temperature (6500k) to make fixing any color cast White balance problems very easy
the bulbs are about $7.00 each (but they are long life )

[DJXtreme]

love it. looks easy to build and the results are impressive. i'll just have to hope I can find a laundry sorter like that, what a bargain.

[Alpha_7]

It strikes me that the unused bits, well they have a fairly nice curve to them, perhaps they can be modified to form a frame for a "ifinity curve" background, just a late night idea.

[birddog114]

Keith,
Nice innovation and great works.

Give it a mass production and put it on the "For Sale" or "Bargain Section".

[LostDingo]

you could re-package and sell on ebay

Well done and the reults are great Such creativity

[huynhie]

Very industrious Keith.

[MATT]

wELL I'm impressed, Those lights also seem a good idea.

What I realy like is that you can clamp the lights to the frame. This is something I cant do with the bought one I have. I have yet to make a frame for the 4 fluro fittings I am going to use for light.

Good results

MATT

[ABG]

Looks like a great set-up Keith. Thanks for sharing

[MHD]

Brilliant!

[gunn parker]

Great setup, it's what I have been looking for, but what is the section inside the light tent that your phone is resting on, what is it made from and how is it held in place?

thanks Andrew

[Manta]

A great demonstration of necessity being the mother of invention. Terrific idea Keith and a very comprehensive and clear explanation - "Light Tents for Dummies" - for the rest of us mugs.

Big W are probably going to wonder what all the fuss is about when these things start walking out the door.

[greencardigan]

Very impressive.

Is it easy to pull down and setup? I'd like to be able to pack it all up when not in use.

[blacknstormy]

Bloody brilliant !!!!!
And light enough to take into the field to fit around small beasties like ladybirds and frogs

and dare I say it...........................................................
EGGS !!!!!!!!

Smart smart man (thank you for sharing)
Hugs
Rel

[drifter]

Great stuff Keith . Thanks for sharing .

[glamy]

Very ingenious, thanks for sharing.
Gerard

[DJXtreme]

just knocked one of these together tonight. very very simple to put together. someone was wondering about the portability of the unit - it's a very real possibility that you could build one that you could knock down and carry around with you as the tubes fit by sliding into connectors. you'd just need to make the diffuser material in such a way that you could slide it on and off of your grame which shouldn't be too hard. it was my intention to do mine this way but... laziness got the better of me

[LostDingo]

I have to say again...this is really creative and great idea

Well done Keith....take it to the beach next visit

[birddog114]

Well done Keith....take it to the beach next visit

And a full esky of cold beer

[LostDingo]

Well done Keith....take it to the beach next visit

And a full esky of cold beer

Makes for happy photogs!!!

[glamy]

This time of year, at this time of the day we need a hot mix of Cognac/water/sugar .
Gerard

[christiand]

WOW, I'm impressed

I'm off to BigW to get a "Deluxe Laundry Sorter",
then I need to go to Bunnings

Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

Cheers,
CD

[birddog114]

WOW, I'm impressed

I'm off to BigW to get a "Deluxe Laundry Sorter",
then I need to go to Bunnings

Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

Cheers,
CD

CD,
Don't make your missus look at you with her suspicious eyes

[smac]

Keith, great idea.....love the simplicity of it...Just make sure no-one tells the folks at Big W or the price will go up 400%

Stuart

[Grev]

You are awesome.

[stormygirl]

Absolutely brilliant! I am now the proud owner of a $19.85 light tent frame! I will go to Bunnings for the rest tomorrow and have a little experiment. I've been meaning to build one for quite some time and this is the greatest solution.

Thanks Firsty

[robster]

it looks fantastic

Can I ask what the little black and orange clips are used for? Is it just keeping the wiring from the lamps out of the way or is there some other, more mysterious purpose?!?!?!



Rob

[Yi-P]

Very impressive and cost effective setup!!

What material is the surface which you put the objects on?

[jethro]

Very Clever innovation!
Jethro

[waspo]

WOW, this is great! I was actually going to make one similar to this





until I saw yours.
So now I'll be going to Big W tomorrow first thing to get started on one!

Thanks for sharing with us. You're a legend!

[firsty]

Rob,
the clips are just some I picked up (8 for $2.00) and I was going to use them to hold the white cloth onto the frame and to hold the curved paper that I use for the background in to place, but I ended up just taping the garbage bin liners to the frame. At the moment they just hold the cords out of the way

Yi-P,
the background/base that the phone etc. are on is just an A2 sheet of white cardboard from office works, I also have gold, black and neutral Gray sheets

[robster]

I really like the idea, I'll have to add it to my home made list . We're about to undertake a whole new product line at our hair salon and are in need of some hero shots. I think this will be perfect. I'll be sure to post our version on the site when it eventually gets done.

Rob

[christiand]

Hi Keith,

I got enspired to make a replica of your light tent and here
are some sample photos:

click on image to see larger one.
C&C are most welcome.





Cheers,
CD

[michael_]

picked up one of these laundry sorters today, damn its a big mother i just need to go to bunnings and sort out some lights

[bwhinnen]

picked up one of these laundry sorters today, damn its a big mother i just need to go to bunnings and sort out some lights

Big W should have all the lights you need Saved me a trip elsewhere. I need to get my light tent back out and have some more fun

[michael_]

i had a look around and they didnt really have anything that would work and the ones they did were $45 each

[christiand]

Hi Michael,

I bought my lights from Bunnings:
~$12 for the clip on light - ~$8 for the Phillips 23W cool daylight energy saving globe.

HTH,
CD

[bwhinnen]

Hi Michael,

I bought my lights from Bunnings:
~$12 for the clip on light - ~$8 for the Phillips 23W cool daylight energy saving globe.

HTH,
CD

That's what I paid at Big W... Pretty much the same as yours if I recall correctly

[michael_]

cheers guys, weird i saw no clip-ons at BW they only had desktops, ill check out bunnings tomorrow.

[michael_]

ok bought the lights today "ozzie" clamp lamps #99700 x 4 @ $13.48 each and 4 x 18W phillips warm white globes @ $4.46 each, i just need to find some plastic bags now.

with this damn weather i think ill be inside for a while so i can spend a bit of time experimenting.

so all up so far

Laundry Sort $19.87
White piece of cardboard $1.18
Lamps x 4 $53.92
Globes x 4 $17.84

Total = $92.81

[bwhinnen]

I ended up get some ripstop nylon from spotlight instead of the garbage bags. Works pretty well, I just need to work on the securing method, I've got some adhesive velcro dots...

[michael_]

hmm thats the place i knew there was somewhere else i needed to go, ohh well maybe ill go visit spotlight later when its not so damn wet.

[michael_]

here is the setup atm without the diffuser and all lights (2 arent working), i used CWB off the piece of carboard, not the best but its a good place to start.

The Setup:



The result