mudman cj
Flashlight Enthusiast
Hi folks,
I just finished my latest mod, one of the new high CRI Seoul emitters (4000K CCT) in a KL1 head, and I decided to post beamshots of different types of LEDs and an incandescent light source illuminating objects of various colors. I almost have what I would consider a good cross section of LEDs to choose from: I just wish I had a light that uses one of the newer neutral to warm Crees such as a 5A tint bin. Anyway, on to the beamshots.
The camera was set to sunlight color balance and the light sources were placed 8 feet from the target (with the exception of one of the shots using the Nichia 083)
First up is an incandescent light using a 3.7V lamp assembly that is very white for an incandescent. It is a Wolf Eyes Sniper putting out about 100 bulb lumens.
The second pic used the high CRI Seoul LED (4000K CCT) in the KL1 head.
Next up is a high CRI Nichia 083 as used in McGizmo's Sundrop. This is more of a flood light, so the scene is not lit as intensely as in the other cases.
This pic also used the Nichia 083, but this time the light source was only about 4 feet from the wall in order to more brightly illuminate the objects for a better idea of how it renders color (I hope).
This pic used the Osram Golden Dragon in my Lunasol 20.
And last is a Rebel 100 in my Arcmania Extreme III:
Note: pics 2 and 3 have been switched since the original posting to allow better comparison between the incan and high CRI Seoul light sources by request.
Overall, these beamshots are pretty representative of the way these light sources render colorful scenes. The Nichia 083 seems dim in these shots, but in reality provides plenty of light that is very easy on the eyes. Nevertheless, it is best suited for illuminating nearby objects. But, having compared all of these light sources in person, I understand why Don chose the Nichia 083 to use in his high CRI light, the Sundrop. It really is spectacular IMO, but Don's opinion probably carries a lot more weight than mine.
What these pictures do not show well is the way greens are rendered by these lights, and maybe I will have to take more beamshots sometime to show that. Also, these pictures do not give any indication of the ease with which my eyes can judge depth using these light sources. And even if I took pics of trees and such that show these differences in person, I doubt they would be present in photographs. There are qualities of the high CRI LEDs that are difficult to describe, and to complicate matters more, different people are effected to different degrees by the differences between these light sources. I find that I greatly prefer high CRI when I can get it without sacrificing form or function.
There are finally LEDs that can give some incandescent lights a run for their money, even outdoors. I was after an LED version of an E2E, with similar throw, good color rendition, longer runtime, and the reliability of a well built LED light. I think I have it with my KL1 mod. This light runs for about 3 hours (have not actually tested - this assumes 85% converter efficiency) instead of 75 minutes for the incandescent E2E and it gives me the option of using 17670 rechargeable cells for about 2.5 hours at slightly lower output (560mA vs. 750mA on primaries). Still, I wonder how a Cree Q2 5A in a KX2 or maybe an E2L or E2DL would compare? :devil:
I just finished my latest mod, one of the new high CRI Seoul emitters (4000K CCT) in a KL1 head, and I decided to post beamshots of different types of LEDs and an incandescent light source illuminating objects of various colors. I almost have what I would consider a good cross section of LEDs to choose from: I just wish I had a light that uses one of the newer neutral to warm Crees such as a 5A tint bin. Anyway, on to the beamshots.
The camera was set to sunlight color balance and the light sources were placed 8 feet from the target (with the exception of one of the shots using the Nichia 083)
First up is an incandescent light using a 3.7V lamp assembly that is very white for an incandescent. It is a Wolf Eyes Sniper putting out about 100 bulb lumens.
The second pic used the high CRI Seoul LED (4000K CCT) in the KL1 head.
Next up is a high CRI Nichia 083 as used in McGizmo's Sundrop. This is more of a flood light, so the scene is not lit as intensely as in the other cases.
This pic also used the Nichia 083, but this time the light source was only about 4 feet from the wall in order to more brightly illuminate the objects for a better idea of how it renders color (I hope).
This pic used the Osram Golden Dragon in my Lunasol 20.
And last is a Rebel 100 in my Arcmania Extreme III:
Note: pics 2 and 3 have been switched since the original posting to allow better comparison between the incan and high CRI Seoul light sources by request.
Overall, these beamshots are pretty representative of the way these light sources render colorful scenes. The Nichia 083 seems dim in these shots, but in reality provides plenty of light that is very easy on the eyes. Nevertheless, it is best suited for illuminating nearby objects. But, having compared all of these light sources in person, I understand why Don chose the Nichia 083 to use in his high CRI light, the Sundrop. It really is spectacular IMO, but Don's opinion probably carries a lot more weight than mine.
What these pictures do not show well is the way greens are rendered by these lights, and maybe I will have to take more beamshots sometime to show that. Also, these pictures do not give any indication of the ease with which my eyes can judge depth using these light sources. And even if I took pics of trees and such that show these differences in person, I doubt they would be present in photographs. There are qualities of the high CRI LEDs that are difficult to describe, and to complicate matters more, different people are effected to different degrees by the differences between these light sources. I find that I greatly prefer high CRI when I can get it without sacrificing form or function.
There are finally LEDs that can give some incandescent lights a run for their money, even outdoors. I was after an LED version of an E2E, with similar throw, good color rendition, longer runtime, and the reliability of a well built LED light. I think I have it with my KL1 mod. This light runs for about 3 hours (have not actually tested - this assumes 85% converter efficiency) instead of 75 minutes for the incandescent E2E and it gives me the option of using 17670 rechargeable cells for about 2.5 hours at slightly lower output (560mA vs. 750mA on primaries). Still, I wonder how a Cree Q2 5A in a KX2 or maybe an E2L or E2DL would compare? :devil:
Last edited:
