A bit disapointed in the MCE optics

[trout]

Hi folks I have been planning a triple MCE bike light since they were announced and now it is done I am just a bit disapointed in it performance
the beam shots are here
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=209991

now I have read on here that the multi chip devices are hard to get a good optic .

I was thinking that the MCE would be the holy grail for the bike lights but I think the optic people have not yet got to grips with this rapidly moving development.

so I have had a play with some XRE optics on a MCE and here are the pics

Following on from earlier I have gathered all the optics hanging around in my garage.
and tried to do a comparison .
I set up an MCE on a block of ali so I could stand the optics on it and set it on the floor pointing up at the ceiling so distance light to ceiling is 9 feet
The black tapes are 1 foot long and 1 foot apart to give a scale.
And yes my wife thinks I am mad as a shoe.
I have underexposed to see the beam better I hope this is OK
first 4 are carclo 20 mm optics sadly they all look the same but they are - frosted tight / 2 frosted narrow / 1 frosted wide . I have no idea which is which.
these ore out of the stemlight and I am going to try the Ledil XRE optics in it next.when I trim the square cotners off

The next 3 are Ledil XRE optics in order = real spot / smooth spot / eliptical .

next is a carclo mce 25.5 mm tight spot

dealextreme aspherical 26 mm out of focus and nearly focused

and last an optic from a tesco cree torch

Comments welcome

 

[Hack On Wheels]

A couple of those aren't bad... but the ones with dim centres are kind of sad, really. I just want to see someone using the boomerang reflectors, the beamshots in the datasheet for them look pretty good, and they are nice and compact!

 

[StevelKnievel]

I hope the boomerang reflectors are good!!! The best solution I've found so far is to mod either the IMS20 or the IMS27 reflectors by enlarging the hole in the bottom and sputtering the reflector surface. The IMS20 takes a bit less work than the IMS27, but the IMS27 gives a much brighter spot. I'm sure the range of McRxx reflectors would be good too...

 

[LukeA]

Those pictures are too big. The forum limit is 800px in width.

 

[Gryloc]

trout,

Thanks for the beamshots. I am concerned that the MC-Es that I ordered will not be fully enjoyed because of my limited collection of optics and reflectors. I ordered one of carlcos 26mm optics and the boomerang reflector from Cutter along with the MC-Es. I hope they perform well!

Out of all of the optics that you tried with the MC-E, which is your favorite? The pictures are great, but you would be a better judge after seeing them first hand. I was hoping to find an optic or reflector that would produce a tight, but smooth beam. Anything that is very usable, but not too floody, would be great. Oh, and I never became a fan of beams with donuts. To me, they are distracting, even when using them outdoors while working.

Steve,

It is nice hearing that the IMS20 and IMS27 work decently. I am glad to hear that IMS reflectors are still produced. I always loved the beams from them, and I remember using them for the original luxeon back in the day. I still have and use them today. I wonder if IMS still designs new reflectors these days. If they could only make different versions of their reflectors for the latest LEDs available today... Care to post any beamshots with your modded reflectors? Thanks.


-Tony

 

[trout]

Those pictures are too big. The forum limit is 800px in width.

Sorry I will try and resize them when I workout how

 

[trout]

I know this has become an obssesion or call it the british bulldog spirit
and I am sorry for taking up your time on here .
This is the follow up to the indoor shots from the lenses

I am sorry that some pics are a bit wonky but it was windy and I was trying to hold the optic to the MCE with one hand and press the shutter button and they stay still for 6 seconds
and the distances are 100 mtrs to the van the and 10 metres to the hat

This was the set up

the 4 * 20 mm carclo optics frosted / 1 tight -2 narrow-1 med I dont know now which is which .

Then LEDIL - real spot - smooth spot - eliptical XRE optics

Carclo 26 mm tight optic

That tesco torch optic

the DX aspherical

I am going to trim the corners off 2 ledil smooth spot and 1 real spot and install them into the stem light for now. to try and tighten the beam up a little.
Ok that is another 2 hours of darkness used up

 

[jirik_cz]

Thanks for the beamshots. They are very helpful. The Ledil real spot looks pretty good.

 

[steve6690]

Cheers for posting the beamshots trout. TBH these pics prove to me that white wall shots are almost irrelevant in the "real world". I am thinking of sliding three of these MC-E's (or even 5 maybe) into a dive light and the carclo 26mm tight optic looks to be just the job.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

Thanks for the beamshots. The Carclo 26mm tight optic looks really exciting.
I think I know a really good use for one. :naughty:

 

[Essexman]

Thanks for all the beam shots, it must have taken you ages!

I stumbbled across this company the other day, they have some nice looking reflectors and optics,.

That tesco torch optic

I went to Tescos this morning, sold out of those 2C torches. Now I know where they all went !

 

[trout]

Thanks for the beamshots. They are very helpful. The Ledil real spot looks pretty good.

Jirik
I dont know if you have seen my bike light beamshots
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=209991
This is where it all started and I am in the process of putting 3 of the ledil smooth spot in my triple MCE bike light


steve
Yes I agree I was really unhappy with the carclo 26 mm optic shining it on the wall but out on the trail it shows what it can do nicely


phantom

go on tell us what

 

[jirik_cz]

Jirik
I dont know if you have seen my bike light beamshots
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=209991
This is where it all started and I am in the process of putting 3 of the ledil smooth spot in my triple MCE bike light

Yes I've seen them. Very good job :thumbsup:
Btw. do you have any optics that are designed specifically for MC-E ?

 

[trout]

Yes I've seen them. Very good job :thumbsup:
Btw. do you have any optics that are designed specifically for MC-E ?

Yes all the Carclo ones are MCE spec

the others I was just testing to see

 

[steve6690]

Thanks for all the beam shots, it must have taken you ages!

I stumbbled across this company the other day, they have some nice looking reflectors and optics,.

I went to Tescos this morning, sold out of those 2C torches. Now I know where they all went !

Yep, on paper their optics seem really good, and cheap. Polymer Optics Ltd are a pain in the arse to buy from in the UK though. You have to buy £50 + vat per order but the sales chap did put me in touch with their dealer for small quantities. I phoned them and guess what.....£50 minimum order. At £1.25 each that's a lot of optics I'll never use. I could be tempted to run a Group Buy though if anyone's interested...

 

[yellow]

When You search for the best beam, why not try the best "normal" focusing device for an XR-E, when the MC-E is similar sized?

And that is the Sandwich Shoppe 19 mm reflector, nothing else
(and for sure no optic)

 

[steve6690]

When You search for the best beam, why not try the best "normal" focusing device for an XR-E, when the MC-E is similar sized?

And that is the Sandwich Shoppe 19 mm reflector, nothing else
(and for sure no optic)

Too expensive for multi-emitter lights. My current project would need 7 reflectors

 

[Gryloc]

When You search for the best beam, why not try the best "normal" focusing device for an XR-E, when the MC-E is similar sized?

And that is the Sandwich Shoppe 19 mm reflector, nothing else
(and for sure no optic)

Hmmm. I do not think that because an XR-E works behind one reflector, than the MC-E will also, just because they are the same size. Do not forget that the apparent image size of the MC-E is much larger than that of the XR-E, so you would still get a wider beam. There is a possibility of having a donut as well. The McR-19 may not produce as many artifacts due to the orange peel, but no-one can make that judgement until you try it.

What one thinks is a "normal" focusing device may not be true. Sure McGizmo provides very fine, high quality reflectors in his McR line, but they are not always the best in every situation! Do not forget that there are a few well-designed optics out there for the XR-E that produces a nice beam pattern. Also, I understand that after purchasing 7 MC-Es, $119 extra for reflectors is painful.

 

[HumanLumen]

Has anyone obtained any figures using a M*g reflector? I know that using a P7 you can get 25lux/lumen, and with a useful spill to boot (compare this with Polymer Optics Ltd of 7lux/lumen). I am aware that the m*g refl is bigger.
Justa thought - sorry if it was a little 'off-topic'

HL

 

[Isthereanybodyoutthere]

Where do you get the 26 mm Carclo ones that are MCE spec??:thinking:
I am in Europa

Thanks