8ft Tube

Overview

On set, the "8ft Tube" refers to the 8-foot fluorescent tube (approximately 2.44 m in length) – the longest standard size in the Kino Flo lighting system. It is used in long Kino Flo banks to create large, evenly illuminated soft light surfaces, for example, for walls, backgrounds, cycloramas, or wide eye-level fill lights.

Kino Flo offers the tubes in the True Match series. These lamps are specifically tuned to the spectral sensitivity of film and digital sensors, allowing them to be mixed on set with Tungsten and HMI units without correction gels. The characteristic feature is the very soft, almost shadow-free light produced by the long tubes.

Technical Data

The 8ft Tube is available in two color temperature variants:

• Length: 8 feet (approx. 2.44 m) – longest standard tube in the Kino Flo program (Range: 9 inches to 8 feet)
• Construction: T12 fluorescent tube with G13 Bi-Pin socket (Medium Bi-Pin)
• Operation: 800 mA High Output via Kino Flo ballast
• Color Rendering: CRI approx. 95 (True Match)
• Version: Safety-Coated (SFC) – shatter-resistant coating; supplied from the factory in packs of 12

On-Set Use

The 8ft Tube provides a soft, wide-beam light and remains comparatively cool during operation. Typical applications include broad illumination of backgrounds and walls, long fill light banks on ceilings, or even lighting of cycloramas.

Important for logistics: The 8-foot length is bulky for transport and fragile to handle. Therefore, the Safety-Coated version (SFC) is often used, as its coating retains glass shards in case of breakage. When replacing, ensure the correct color temperature variant (KF55 vs. KF32) is used so that it matches the rest of the lighting mix on set.

Note: Colloquially, "8ft Tube" can occasionally refer to generic 8-foot tubes (fluorescent or LED retrofit). However, in a film context, it almost always means the Kino Flo True Match tube, as this is the de facto standard for tube-based soft lighting.