The photolysis rate (J3) for CF2Cl2 (F-12) in the stratosphere has been computed for three altitudes using measured solar fluxes from a balloon borne spectrometer. The rate is compared with that obtained by computing the attenuated flux using effective cross sections appropriate for the Schumann-Runge bands (J1) [Allen and Frederick, 1982>. The result shows that the error in the F-12 photolysis rate caused by using the Allen and Frederick approximation is about 10% (J13) for altitudes between 32 and 38 km with solar zenith angles less than about 62 degrees. For species other than O2, this implies tha the discrepancy in photolysis rates associated with the Schumann-Runge band approximations are not likely to be important. Within the Schumann-Runge band region the computed errors for F-12 photolysis are about 10.5% at 38.13 km and increase with decreasing altitude. If this error applies to O2 photolysis, there may be the possibility of an incorrect calculation of net odd oxygen production in photochemical models.