Pro lab light box recommendation (viewing film with loupe)

[sperera]

...whats the pro lab choice these days for a light box to put film over to view with a loupe? thanks in advance.....what would someone like Richard Photo Lab In L.A. use for example......need to buy one...thanks in advance

 

[Trail Images]

I've had a Hall Production unit for over 20 years now. It has the original lights and I use it weekly for MF & LF image viewing. The unit I have is very large. Made more for lots of 35mm at one time I suspect. I bought it new and it was a bit pricey, but they now have a 12" & 18" models. My unit is 40" long. They're still making them to this day as near as I can tell.
http://www.hallpro.com/

 

[sperera]

will have a look thanks for the comment

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Professional labs involved with critical print reproduction would (and do) use profiled and colour-/temperature corrected LED lightboxes/tables. Some cost a few thousand, while others look like they've been in use for decades. And the good old hobbyist make-do of an old shoebox with a single white lamp inside can still be found popping up occasionally at kerbside clean-outs!

For many years I used a tiny A4 sized LED light-table originally intended for art and craft use (Gepe made it I think). It became very blue over time and was disposed of in 2009. The studio light table now is a heavy, red-cancelling (~therefore, images with red/pink appear paler), flat panel LIGHTPAD 940 (940 lumens — more than enough to light up the entire studio and tan my dial to boot!) made by Art-O-Graph. My brother built an angled wooden table with a rubber top, upon which the light-table sits so I don't have to hover directly above, but assume a comfortable seated viewing position. The light-table is teamed up with a Cabin 8x 6x6 / 6x7 wide-field asph. loupé (plastic loupés are definitely not recommended for critical assessment). It's possible to make your own LED lightbox using LED strips if you have a creative electronic mind.

You can also use an iPad/Android tablet with a lightbox app installed. This is extremely handy for on-the-fly assessment when you're travelling. I use such an app on both my Galaxy tablet and LG phone. Brilliant!

 

[MattKing]

I'm not sure this meets the requirement for pro lab performance, but this is what I use, and it is incredibly functional:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00J0UUHPO/ref=pe_386430_126088100_TE_item

 

[spijker]

I have the same thing as Mattking and I also find very useful. I store it upright beside the enlarger in my darkroom so it hardly uses any space. It's large enough for a print-file sheet with negatives. Also inspecting the glass negative carrier with the negative for dust is easy on this "light box".

 

[MattKing]

I have the same thing as Mattking and I also find very useful. I store it upright beside the enlarger in my darkroom so it hardly uses any space. It's large enough for a print-file sheet with negatives. Also inspecting the glass negative carrier with the negative for dust is easy on this "light box".

I just wish they made one with red only LEDs for the darkroom

 

[AgX]

Two german manufacturers of professional light boxes

www.rex-leuchtplatten.de
(Though they do not give the CRI for their slim boxes.)

www.just-normlicht.com


Meanwhile Kaiser make such boxes too.
For instance a LED version with CRI of 95

 

[AgX]

Characteristics to look for:

-) light evenness
-) light temperature (depending on your very use)
-) spectral continuity (CRI)
-) size, thickness, weight, power source

In the past high-grade TL-tubes were the standard, First in deep boxes, then slim versions with optics appeared, meanwhile LED versions came up.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I have one of these. I love it.
http://www.jerrysartarama.com/acurit-light-tablets

It stays cool.
low power consumption.
Pretty good CRI.
Dimmable.
Thin.

 

[AgX]

Dimming is a rather new feature. I guess it makes sense with a very bright box and varying viewing situations as in strong lit rooms/outdoors vs. darkroom work.

 

[ic-racer]

Don't 'pro labs' use monitors? I thought they all got rid of their light tables. I got mine for free.

 

[sperera]

thanks for all the suggestions much appreciated