photolamps

Photolamps are a type of lamp designed to produce light for photographic purposes. They are distinct from general lighting in their spectral output and intensity. Historically, photolamps included devices like flashbulbs, which were single-use expendable bulbs filled with a flammable material like aluminum or zirconium powder, ignited by an electrical current. When the current passed through a filament, it would heat the powder, causing it to combust and produce a bright, brief flash of light. These were widely used in cameras from the early 20th century until the advent of electronic flash units.

Another category of photolamps, still in use today, are continuous light sources. These can range from incandescent bulbs designed for high color temperature to specialized fluorescent and LED lights. Photographic continuous lights are engineered to provide stable, consistent illumination that can be metered accurately by cameras. Their spectral distribution is critical, aiming to render colors faithfully. For professional use, such lamps are often rated for their Color Rendering Index (CRI), a measure of how well the light source reveals the colors of objects compared to a natural light source. The intensity and beam shape can also be modified using accessories like reflectors and diffusers to achieve desired lighting effects in photography and videography.