Desk Lamp Recommendations?

I'd like to hear your recommendations for a new desk lamp for my stamp desk.

Here are a few points of consideration:

• LIGHT: My general preference for all reading is "natural" or "daylight" lamps. I don't like yellow/warm glow.


• BASE: I like tall lamps -- I want the light on the subject, not tanning my face. I prefer a lamp with a base as opposed to those that clamp on the desk, but if I could find an otherwise "perfect" lamp, I would compromise on the clamp/base issue.


• MAGNIFIER: I consider this the least important of these criteria, but a built-in magnifier would be a nice addition.

Am I missing an important factor or consideration?

Can anyone give me a specific recommendation based on their own experiences?

Help!

KirkS

P.S. I'm certain we've discussed this before, but after searching for "lamp" and reviewing 16 pages of results, I still didn't find a thread with an answer.

I use a simple, portable Ott-Lite. They are available in a number of configurations, even as floor lamps (I think). Just don't buy the first one you see, as prices can be all over the place and it's relatively easy to pick one up at a sizable discount using coupons from craft stores and office supply stores, etc., that readily market them.

Although mine isn't as fancy as these newer models, here's the website for the craft/task lights made by Ott-Lite:

http://www.ottlite.com/category.asp...=craft--task

I use two light sources a yellow light and a OTT light as WT1 posted about

Kirk! You can read my mind
my lamp died last week, been looking myself.
Look forward to reading replies.

I think the hand held magnifier to be more useful,
otherwise I would imagine on a desk lamp to be a bit
awkward continually adjusting.

Full Spectrum lighting is the only way to go. Nothing can reproduce natural light but Full spectrum is the closest thing and is affordable.
You want a light bulb (or whatever fits your fixture) with a color temperature around 5000 Kelvin. The color Rendering Index or CRI has a rating from 0 to 100 and the closer to 100 a light is rated the more accurately colours are represented.

Followup question about OTT Lights...

I've never owned an OTT and the one in floortrader's looks like a nice floor lamp. Not to disparage OTT, but the ones I've seen at Staples, Office Depot, etc., seem to be the "cheaper" line. I worry about the quality of the flexible arm, the plastic base, etc.

Hopefully I'm wrong and floortrader or someone else can give us some insight into OTT reliability and quality issues.

KirkS

Yes, Stallzer. That's sort of what got me started on this track. I happened across a link to this lamp:
http://www.androv-medical.com/produ...-lamp-nickel

Also, Amazon.com has many options for "full spectrum" lamps.

KirkS

I have an OTT floor lamp at my drafting table where I often do a lot of my stamp work, especially when I have to spread out. I originally got it to do graphics and illustration because of the full spectrum lighting, as stallzer pointed out. I've also installed daylight bulbs in my florescent fixtures in the ceiling, for the same reason.
I've found the OTT (purchased at Staples) quite reliable. There's none of the eye strain I found with regular incandescent bulbs and colours are true, which is very important to me.

I would avoid buying the Bulbs / Lamps from OTT, they do not give CRI ratings for their Bulbs & Lamps. If you purchase an OTT fixture it will probably come with a lamp / Bulb (Or it might not) I'd remove it and go here for a Bulb / Lamp. This example is a 5500 Kelvin, 93+ CRI. Full Spectrum lighting always has been viewed as a marketing ploy, that is why it is essential to choose the right Color Temperature and CRI when purchasing.

http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.co...685_prd1.htm

I use a magnifying lamp similar to the one in this ebay listing.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5X-Diopter-...em5ae65858bd

The advantage is that you can swing it over the stamps you're working on then quickly move it out of the way without disturbing anything on your desk. Most of these types of lamps have a 5x magnifier which is good enough to inspect most stamps for varieties. The drawback (in my lamp, anyways) is that it uses fluorescent bulbs and you get a constant buzz from the ballast.

Brian

The problem with the magnifying lamp with the circular fluorescent light is the magnifying glass is too heavey for the arm,so as you move it around over a year or two the joints of the elbow weaken and after you retighten it a few times it looses its ability to stay up .
To answer the question about the floor OTT LIGHT,I rarely flex it around so it stays,once you start moveing any light fixture ,it weaken in the arm joint.

Another follow-up question...

I'm looking at the BlueMax Full-Spectrum Desk Lamps
http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.co...k_18_ctg.htm

There is a substantial ($70) price difference in the 70-watt and 42-watt versions of the same lamp.

Is the 70-watt worth the difference? Opinions?

KirkS

I've had mine for a few years and have never had this issue. Like everything else, you get what you paid for. Buy the cheapest lamp, I'm sure this will happen. I expect that mine will last my lifetime ...

Tough call. They both have very good specs with a Color Temp of 5900 Kelvin and high CRI ratings (96). I would think the 45 watt would be sufficient for a desk lamp, but 70 watts might be a bit much for a desk lamp ?

I use an Anglepoise lamp with Philips artists daylight bulbs. When my stock of these runs out I'll have to use the nearest equivalent energy saving/halogen type. None of the new energy saving bulbs I've tried so far comes anywhere close to the white light quality of the old Philips artists daylight bulbs. Progress, eh?

Terrry

Or if you really want to swing for the Home Run, OLED (Organic LED) lighting would be kind of cool.

http://panasonic.co.jp/es/pesiol/en...n/index.html

Another couple of years and incandescent, Halogen, & Fluorescent lighting could be gone.