Camera Phone LEDs?

[bhvm]

Every new Cellphone today comes with a camera. And except a lucky handful of Xenons, they all have an LED flash.

Any expert comments on this?
What type of LEDs do they use? regular 1W and 3W stuff we play with?

I see they are strobe optimized. Some manufacturers like Sony allows the LEDs to be used for Video light source or As a torch.

I wonder how they meet the thermal requirements within that small package...if they are really 1W LEDs...

 

[csshih]

camera phone LEDs?

they can take high current, but only for short periods of time.. built specifically for short flashes.

 

[R@ndom]

camera phone LEDs?

they can take high current, but only for short periods of time.. built specifically for short flashes.

But some phones can have their LED's on constantly for video light function.

I think some use a cree chip...

Quote cree XThin® LEDs chip description

"Applications
...
Mobile device camera flashes
..."

 

[bhvm]

I had a closer look at my Nokia N73....

It actually has 4 Dies powered at 70mA each! (3.3 Vf)
That totals up to 1 Watt....
I wonder how they managed the heatsinking?


Nokia however, does not allow video light or Torch functions.

Sony's Torch is sooo handy!
Oh wow... people, i have a $500 torch in my hands, wah!

 

[bhvm]

yeah one thing...

Nokia is using warm white LEDs to compensate for the blue tint.

 

[electromage]

I have a Blackberry 8330, and it looks a lot like a Cree die. It's got an optic that produces a smooth oval-shaped beam, and it can run continuously as a video light.

 

[bhvm]

Unfortunately,
None of the N series Nokia phones allow torch.

They've got to be dumb.

 

[Trashman]

My old Nokia 5140 had a built in flashlight. It was on the top of the phone. Not terribly bright, but bright enough to navigate in the dark or even read a map by. Some of the newer N series phones, as well as the Nokia 5800, have dual LED flashes, which work quite well, despite bad reviews of them. My phone is a Nokia 6120 Classic, which is the smallest of the S60 based phones (it's almost like an N-Series in a tiny "regular" series package), and it's single LED flash is quite poor, compared to my wife's 5800.

 

[bhvm]

However,
Nokia has not provided a 'Torch' Function in menu or software.
They're not using the hardware to its full potential...damm

Anyways, i am a Sony E guy now...
Those Dual LEDs are eager to beat the hell outta any nokias out there...

 

[bstrickler]

In my Samsung Omnia I910, there's a really bright warm-white LED in there. It out-shines my 3-LED Mini-Mag LED light, IIRC. I would say 10-15 lumens, easy. I just wish I could set the Flashlight mode to run longer than 5 minutes (After it shuts off, I can turn it back on right away). What would be nice is to be able to get those LED's for other things (Solitaire mod anyone?)

~Brian

 

[bhvm]

In my Samsung Omnia I910, there's a really bright warm-white LED in there. It out-shines my 3-LED Mini-Mag LED light, IIRC. I would say 10-15 lumens, easy. I just wish I could set the Flashlight mode to run longer than 5 minutes (After it shuts off, I can turn it back on right away). What would be nice is to be able to get those LED's for other things (Solitaire mod anyone?)

~Brian

10~15 lumens would be **** poor for the already small camera-phone sensors.

Have you missed a Zero there?
My n73 still puts over 100 lumen (strobed).

That 5 min thing is for the heat i think. Very annoying.
They sould've reduced the mA and allowed it to run for long!

my SE W series has dual LEDs... they allow unlimited torch use with a very slightly reduced mA (so clever of Sony!)

 

[bstrickler]

10~15 lumens would be **** poor for the already small camera-phone sensors.

Have you missed a Zero there?
My n73 still puts over 100 lumen (strobed).

That 5 min thing is for the heat i think. Very annoying.
They sould've reduced the mA and allowed it to run for long!

my SE W series has dual LEDs... they allow unlimited torch use with a very slightly reduced mA (so clever of Sony!)

It's possible, but I'm not good with estimating lumens (I don't have any light-measuring devices other than my eyes). I'll have to take beamshots for it. It's hard to really be able to compare against anything, since the other LED things I have are all cool-white LED's, or the warm-whites are 80+ claimed lumens (Mini-Mag & Mag D upgrade). I know that its bright enough that I can see 20+ feet away with it, in pitch black (my eyes are really light sensitive, except to red, ****-poor there, though, so others may not be able to see it that far.)

~Brian

 

[Jay611j]

In my Samsung Omnia I910, there's a really bright warm-white LED in there. It out-shines my 3-LED Mini-Mag LED light, IIRC. I would say 10-15 lumens, easy. I just wish I could set the Flashlight mode to run longer than 5 minutes (After it shuts off, I can turn it back on right away). What would be nice is to be able to get those LED's for other things (Solitaire mod anyone?)

~Brian

I have the Omnia as well, and I agree that the 5min limit IS annoying. It actually has two brightness modes. Flashlight mode and video mode are the same, but when you take a picture it gets whats seems almost twice as bright for a second. I wish there was a way to set flashlight mode to this brightness setting! Of course for momentary use.

 

[supes]

My Nokia E63 has a LED flash(behind a filter/lens/diffuser), and it also seconds as a flashlight thanks to the factory software programming.

When the phone is not on standby, I can press the spacebar(shows flashlight symbol) and the LED flash turns on for a constant on, emitting nice floody and warm-tinted light. Press again for off, or when I switch to a program/go away from home screen.

When the phone is on standby and the screen is off and locked, I can still activate the light, but pressing and holding onto the spacebar for momentary function. This is a genius function, because usually in the standby, intermittent usage is needed, and also prevents the light from coming on and staying on in the pocket or when carrying in a purse.

I guessimate output at 35-50 lumens, floody and not as warm Cree Q3-5A bin, which I like better. I kinda of afraid of leaving it on for long periods of time, because I don't think there is a heatsink.

 

[bhvm]

Nice one.

 

[Art]

My HTC the led has 2 modes , flash and less light for use as a torch and video light.

None of my other phones have a light.

 

[CGD08]

comment removed

 

[DarkFang]

Hey guys, new to the forum and just spotted this post.

The N series phones by default cannot be used as a torch HOWEVER with aftermarket software can. i have the N97 which has a dual LED flash which is insanely bright, and with an application called 'phonetorch' which can be found on the net (this particular application is for the 5800 and N97) i can use it as an allways on torch. or even to strobe out messages in morse, iv run the torch for extended periods of time and allso never had issues with heat. it does tend to warm up a little however :laughing:

 

[bhvm]

Hey guys, new to the forum and just spotted this post.

The N series phones by default cannot be used as a torch HOWEVER with aftermarket software can. i have the N97 which has a dual LED flash which is insanely bright, and with an application called 'phonetorch' which can be found on the net (this particular application is for the 5800 and N97) i can use it as an allways on torch. or even to strobe out messages in morse, iv run the torch for extended periods of time and allso never had issues with heat. it does tend to warm up a little however :laughing:

Hello and welcome to the forum!

What I'm mad at is, Nokia has not used the hardware at its full potential. Only 2 Phones till now (S60 5th ed) can use LED as torch, that too by some external software.:tired:

Well coming back to the discussion,
Just saw a macro shot of N97 Dual LED flash module on one of the review sites, and guess what! They look like luxeon REBEL TFCC!

Will post the pic if found.

 

[bhvm]

See here and Zoom on the LED dies-

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://symbianworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/04102008203.jpg&imgrefurl=http://symbianworld.org/970-nokia-n96-partymonster-or-boring-multimedia-computer-video-picture-samples-in-the-nightlife/&usg=__42nQnNYRd5f8LE1FbnnNIu97s88=&h=1944&w=2592&sz=869&hl=en&start=7&um=1&tbnid=BacH0efFoetFWM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dn96%2Bflash%2BLED%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dopera%26rls%3Den%26um%3D1

[colossal picture removed - please read Rule 3. - DM51]