I am an engineer who has been completely disgusted with the home lighting situation. There are no standards and many misstatements and counterdictions at the stores. I own a Minolta flash meter which accurately measures a lights color temperature. I've tried the bulb technology at Walmart, Sams Club Home Depot and Lowes. The most glaring examples:
1) yellow light is called soft white (2700)
2) very blue light is called daylight 6000-6500)
3) 12W LED lights go for as much as $90!
4) Some bulbs are advertised as white but the chart on the back shows its yellow. Complete incompetence.
Here is not what to avoid: all (harsh washed-out blue) daylight, and (yellow) soft white. While GE Reveal offers somewhat better clarity its still overpriced and quite yellow.
Full spectrum (5000-5500) bulbs are a step-up but stores offer a very limited selection, like one! The Home Depot full 100w spectrum's beats the Lowe's Ott-Lite. The best compromise are the PAR38 indoor 23-27w 3500K reflector lights (which actually measure 4100K), especially for recessed kitchen spot lighting.
On the LED front Sam's Club carries a 520 lumen, 4100K, 9 LED PAR38 reflector which has a easily noticeable smoother light spectrum. Interesting for the one light on in the kitchen in the evening. The equivalent $70 LED lights at the hardware store are hardly a bargain, as the Sam's is $20! However its Color Retention index (CRI)is only 74.
The best of all are lights are these 5500K Alzo's. I've installed a 45w in the kitchen pantry and the color of the food boxes really pop. Food looks like it does in the magazines. The clarity is first rate (however 27w should be sufficient). They are the reference to which others are to be compared. My wife has not complained even when they are on at night-time. This is a first.
Skin tones in the bathroom look very natural. A first again.
Color temperature alone is not the sole basis to buy a bulb as a high CRI is also required. The Alzo's come in at 92, which is very high. Most manufactures do not even list this measurable figure (assume because its too low).
Well gotta go as my wife wants one in her closet now, as shes hates the other fluorescent lights which cause eye-strain. Should I install a 45w and blow her away? ALZO Digital Full Spectrum Light Bulb - ALZO 45W Photo CFL 5500K 91 CRI, Daylight balanced, pure white light, 2800 Lumens, Case of 4
After having used these bulbs on several photographic applications, I have one word for them...FABULOUS!
I have photographed real estate interiors, pets at a local animal shelter, and now food for a Pittsburgh area restaurant. The ALZO 45 watt has performed exactly "as advertised".
The 5500K provides daylight color light that can be mixed with fill-flash and natural daylight, and one white balance setting does the job. Regarding white balance; you will have to experiment with the WB to find the right setting for your camera. Don't use the auto if you want the best results. On my Nikon D-40, I use the "cloudy +3" white balance for accurate color of my subject.
The brightness of these bulbs, is as advertised, approximately equivalent to a 150 watt incandescent. I use two bulbs with reflectors and they are great for rooms up to about 20', but I may consider a pair of the higher watt ALZOs for larger rooms.
Great product guys!
Incredible light and awesome brightness. Replaced this in the living room and the room looks so fresh and anew.
(Update April 2nd 2009): Sorry. One of the bulbs is already gone. Thought this would last much longer than 3 months. I have to check into the hassle of replacing under warranty. It was used for about 4-5 hrs per day for 3 months.
Used this Alzo bulb to replace CFLs in the house that were not true white. I've tried several brands from supermarkets and Home Depot but was disappointed to find that anything labeled "soft white", "warm white" or "cool white" is not white but yellow (are the manufacturers color blind?). Thanks to Alzo for giving people a better alternative. It just puzzles me why it is so difficult to find bulbs like these in the usual stores (or maybe I'm looking at the wrong place). True white light is so much better than yellow light for many tasks (reading, cooking, dressing up, wearing makeup, painting, tasks where color perception is very important). In other countries, true white bulbs are the norm, are made by big manufacturers like GE, Toshiba and Philips and are easy to find in supermarkets and hardware stores, why not in the US? So far the only place I found the bulbs commonly used are in Hilton hotels (they use the brand TopStar from GE). My only issue with Alzo bulbs are the size (not as compact as they should be), otherwise I highly recommended them. As for the buzzing hum, I only noticed it the first time I turned on the light. After that I forgot it was there. The hum is typical for fluorescent lights. I like the fact that there is no delay in getting the maximum light from these bulbs unlike other CFLs. Forty five watts is very bright. Get the 26/27 watts if you need it for lamps or small rooms. Just remember that they sell out very fast on the Alzo website esp in the winter.
These bulbs do a great lighting job and I'm still using them -- but in places where I don't have to be near the bulb (like in ceiling fan lights). I initially tried these in the bathroom but the buzzing was intense. I thought it might be the socket (although it never had problems before) so I tried other fixtures (admittedly only tested two of the four bulbs so far). Every one of them emits a terrible humming that, if it is in your ear's "line of sight" (like in a desk lamp or a vanity) then it will drive you mad.
Unbelievably clear, clean BRIGHT light!!! This is my first try at full spectrum.
The light is so clean off these bulbs its unbelievable. If you are looking for a clean white full spectrum light look no further. Be warned however, one of these bulbs will light an entire bedroom. I placed one in a small lamp in my home office and my wife thought I was nuts. It poured out the hallway and looked as if a UFO landed in the other room. 45 watts is very powerful so if your looking to add these to a ceiling fan or multi-bulb fixture these will be way too powerful and most likely too large in size. All you would need is a quarter or less watts when using more then one.
Also these are large bulbs. Very large. If you need a bulb to go into a table lamp be sure to check the dimensions as it requires a lot of space opposed to a standard CFL or incandescent.
I plan on using this in my home shop now and maybe try them on some seedlings this winter. Will be looking to replace my other CLFs with these over time as long as I can get a smaller wattage.
A++++ - Daylight - Bulb - Economic - Full-spectrum Bulbs'
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