Lambertian Luxeon Star Beamshotz

[ElektroLumens]

I managed to get a few Lambertian Luxeon Star samples. I really like these LED's. I discovered that they do not work well with the older optics, but if you distance the older optics from the LS, the beam is really good, and very bright. I do not have the new optics yet, as I was given the incorrect older optics, which I sent back to be replaced with the newer ones. I did have a few, but I mounted them in a few flashlights which I alread sold.

Here is the link to a web page with a few beam shots:
Lambertian Luxeon Star Beamshots

Wayne www.elektrolumens.com

 

[WayneM]

Beanshots

- now would these be from the new 3 watt gas powered Luxeon Stars???

 

[McGizmo]

Wayne,
Thanks for posting the beam shots. It looks like in the first one, the optics are actually really focused and projecting the die itself on the wall wheras in the second shot you have slightly blurred and mixed the light a bit. Am I reading these wrong?

Thanks again.

 

[Sean]

Is this the 5W or 1W LS? How about a shot of the LED itself?

Maybe it would look better with a
beanshaper.

 

[Lux Luthor]

bean there done that.

 

[ElektroLumens]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by McGizmo:
Wayne,
Thanks for posting the beam shots. It looks like in the first one, the optics are actually really focused and projecting the die itself on the wall wheras in the second shot you have slightly blurred and mixed the light a bit. Am I reading these wrong?

Thanks again.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In the first beamshot, the colors break up. This is because different colors have different focal points. It actually sort of projects the image of the emitter, and the beam is wider than it should be. Actually, it's all mixed up.

In the second photo, I actually was holding the lens in my fingers outside of the optics holder. Difficult to do. The light focuses to a tighter beam, is fairly even in color, and projects a lot farther.

As I have the optics holders separate from the optics and emitter, I can shim up the holder, and create space between the optics and the emitter.

I just wanted to show this, in case some of you have older optics. When the group buy complets for the Lambertian Luxeon Star, some of us might want to experiment with the older optics.

Wayne www.elektrolumens.com


Optics beamshots

 

[ake]

It would be great if we can see the beam shot of the old LS for a comparison. Just wonder if it's brighter than the old one or not.

ake

 

[Gransee]

Just a note, beam shots of the HD with the NX-05 have been posted on this board already. And yes, there are side by side comparisons to the LD and even an X5. (plug)Check the Arc forum(/plug).

Peter

 

[hotfoot]

Excellent info, Wayne! I suddenly now do remember a thread in which PG said that the HDs inherently exhibit the projection of square die in their beam (or was he referring to the 5W? )

Anyway, I'm pretty sure we'll have the same issue with the 5W, which are also HDs and whose doped die is *very* obviously square, even when viewed while the LED is unpowered.

Someone also mentioned (quite correctly) that the existing optics used with the LDs are not optimised for HDs, suggesting instead that we might have to tweak the focal length..etc.. to achieve focus - as you have done.

The 5W HD luxeon demo flashlight I examined had a GIGANTIC custom optic as its lens/reflector assembly, pretty much like the new NX05 optics for the well-known LD, only somewhat flatter and much bigger - its about 2" across! Square die or not, the beam resulting from this combination is pretty much what you'd expect from a good flashlight.

Have you tried McGizmo's idea of using acrylic hemispheres? His results suggest you could get very tight beams with very low-cost alternatives to the standard optics that Lumileds offers (eg. a .65" acrylic sphere only costs a few cents). It may even be possible to reduce the optics footprint, allowing you to pack even MORE luxeons into the head of a mag!

 

[ElektroLumens]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hotfoot:
Excellent info, Wayne! I suddenly now do remember a thread in which PG said that the HDs inherently exhibit the projection of square die in their beam (or was he referring to the 5W? )

Anyway, I'm pretty sure we'll have the same issue with the 5W, which are also HDs and whose doped die is *very* obviously square, even when viewed while the LED is unpowered.

Someone also mentioned (quite correctly) that the existing optics used with the LDs are not optimised for HDs, suggesting instead that we might have to tweak the focal length..etc.. to achieve focus - as you have done.

The 5W HD luxeon demo flashlight I examined had a GIGANTIC custom optic as its lens/reflector assembly, pretty much like the new NX05 optics for the well-known LD, only somewhat flatter and much bigger - its about 2" across! Square die or not, the beam resulting from this combination is pretty much what you'd expect from a good flashlight.

Have you tried McGizmo's idea of using acrylic hemispheres? His results suggest you could get very tight beams with very low-cost alternatives to the standard optics that Lumileds offers (eg. a .65" acrylic sphere only costs a few cents). It may even be possible to reduce the optics footprint, allowing you to pack even MORE luxeons into the head of a mag!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Hi Hotfoot,

Regarding optics, I am an extreme novice. I've only tinkered with optics a little. I purchased a 50mm lens, and use a first lens of about 30mm to focus to the second lens, and that was how I managed the variable beam I did earlier. I also tried several different lens combinations, with the type McGizmo used, and a few other types.

It is interesting Lumileds was usign a 2" lens. It seems to take a lens of about that size to maximize capturing all the emitted light from the emitter. However, I only know a little in this field of optics, which is a field of study all of it's own.

I am sorry to be so short on the end of doing beam shots. I cannot really do a fair side by side beam snot comparison between the low dome and high dome, until I get the newer optics in.

McGizmo's ideas are great!

Wayne www.elektrolumens.com

 

[dat2zip]

I traded some of my converters for a sample HD.

I installed it on my MADMAX1674 (w/o trim pot) and it measured in at 300 CD with a fresh set of Kirkland Batteries. Compared to the badboy Legend and my baseline red minimag with an older rev5 which both put out about 280CD.

Here is a picture of the emitter on the board.

Here is the comparison beam shot.

LEFT-MADMAX1674 (Wide open) with Electrolumens HD sample in a Silver Maglight Minimag 2AA flashlight with a AM2A666 tailcap switch.

RIGHT - BADBOY 500mA constant current driver with older LD standard 1W Luxeon in a Brinkmann Legend 2AA flashlight.

Photo taken -2 FSTOPS to show beam image.

 

[ElektroLumens]

Thanks dat2zip,

Now I don't have to do the beamshots, or do a close up of the Lambertian emitter.

Wayne www.elektrolumens.com

 

[startravel]

Hi dat2zip,

Can you report any observations and or beam shots of 1w HD vs. LD without optics at 1 to 2 feet away? How does evenness of light compare? As you know I am interested in using them for a reading application.

Lambertian (see http://www.cs.unc.edu/~majumder/survey/node13.html) should "reflect light with equal intensity in all directions, and hence appear equally bright from all directions". Do you think HD lambertian makes a superior reading light then the LD batwing?

Thanks,
Tim

 

[dat2zip]

Either tonight or tomorrow night I'll do a setup and report my observations.


-WayneY

Peter has some pics of the HD in the ARC section at:
LED sneek peek

 

[ElektroLumens]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JollyRoger:
I think I'll try to take some pictures of the HD using the older optics. Wayne(s), you guys are right, in that the the newer optics give a very "spot" like beam...but I'll have to see how the older optics works...

I'll take your advice Wayne J and back it off the emitter a bit.

But the color of the HD is EXCELLENT. It's a very white (just slightly blue) light. Looks very "pure."

I wonder what will happen to all the suppliers' stocks of low domes now...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Hey Roger,

I think you'll find the light pretty impressive, using the older optics, if you refocus them by spacing them out a bit. Might even be more light than with the new optics.

Wayne www.elektrolumens.com

 

[MrAl]

Thanks for the beamshots.

In one of my LS's i moved the lens out
about 1/32 of an inch and glued it with
hot glue

--Al

 

[JollyRoger]

I think I'll try to take some pictures of the HD using the older optics. Wayne(s), you guys are right, in that the the newer optics give a very "spot" like beam...but I'll have to see how the older optics works...

I'll take your advice Wayne J and back it off the emitter a bit.

But the color of the HD is EXCELLENT. It's a very white (just slightly blue) light. Looks very "pure."

I wonder what will happen to all the suppliers' stocks of low domes now...

 

[startravel]

ElektroLumens,

What's the status on Lambertian Luxeon Star LXHL-MW1D group buy?

 

[ElektroLumens]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by startravel:
ElektroLumens,

What's the status on Lambertian Luxeon Star LXHL-MW1D group buy?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I just sent an email to Future Electronics regarding the orders I placed with them, asking for an ETA date. I'll let you know. I think I should probably start a new thread on it, so it doesn't get lost in here. I can also send an email to those who placed orders, to let them know what's up?

Wayne www.elektrolumens.com