Most Powerful & Uniform IR illumination under 4lbs: HID w/ 850nm filter vs multi-LEDs

[Calibu]

Most Powerful & Uniform IR illumination under 4lbs: HID w/ 850nm filter vs multi-LEDs

Edit: I should have said under 7lbs including batteries, instead of under 4lbs without batteries. Should have batteries for at least an hour at full intensity.

Edit 2: This is about flood not spot. Say 10˚. I should have the title changed.

What do you guys think would be the winner?

For example if you fix a distance, say 60m/200'. What gives off the most IR illumination at that distance, a maxabeam with 850nm filter and zoomed @ 10° or a 10° surveillance IR illumination panel (Bosch, axton, Iluminar)

Iluminar IR919-A10-24 10˚ 919'/280m 3.9lb (12-32)VDC 52W
versus
Maxa Beam Searchlight 1°-40° beam, 3.3lbs, 12 000 000 CandlePower, Visible Range 3500m, Infrared Range 1400m w/ 850nm IR Filter
versus
Your Favourite

 

[Walterk]

Re: Most Powerful & Uniform IR illumination under 4lbs: HID w/ 850nm filter vs multi-

I have the Raymax 50 or 100, using 20 x Osram Dragon 850nm leds with clip-on TIR reflectors. Its range is pathetic.
So unless you know they are Osram Black with reflector the specs are very much overrated by all manufacturers.

Maxa Beam is XSA, not HID. Compare the colour spectrum of Halogen, HID and XSA bulb and see why XSA is very effective when using IR-filter.

Try before you buy. Anyone in the region of Calibu with a IR light?

 

[FRITZHID]

Re: Most Powerful & Uniform IR illumination under 4lbs: HID w/ 850nm filter vs multi-

From what I've seen, read, and experimented with, the maxabeam IR will out throw any ir led, not only because of the fact that MB is designed just for that, but any time you can combine the actual heat produced by xsa with the natural nir light, all focused with precision, you're going to crush a near cold (in comparison) led. The heat given off at 3' on tight focus alone with the mb is impressive. I believe even just a standard hid will beat an led in the ir application.

 

[Calibu]

Re: Most Powerful & Uniform IR illumination under 4lbs: HID w/ 850nm filter vs multi-

I was searching xenon short arc portable lights that


1) have variable focus ranging at least 3° to 9°
2) no distortion or darkened areas within the beam pattern (i.e. no "black hole") over the entire range of beam spreads
3) are able to power on/off at a user-determined angle with a (wired or wireless) remote control.
4) have IR filter available


So far I only found Maxabeam and NightHunter 1 and 3. Do you guys know of others? I've read about maxabeam copycats without the (super long range / ultranarrow beam) but with even more lumens than maxabeam - perhaps this would be perfect for filming.


The Nighthunter 3 is a top of the line 25W xenon short arc and in flood mode (10°) produces very little light. At 85 yards you get almost no white light let alone IR. Would 65-85W be so much better? Those XSA produce impressively low lumens for their weight.


wikipedia says "the region from 850–900 nm. This spectral region can contain about 10% of the total emitted light" for XSA. Is it the same for xenon Long Arc (for example Polarion CSWL)? Looks like Tungsten-halogen peaks above 800nm, maybe this would be better. Also it looks like a 815nm filter for XSA would be much better than 850nm and while being almost as covert. Maxabeam's 715nm filter must be too visible and 850nm loosing a big peak at 830nm.


For those who used the maxabeam anyone tried the MBA-3015 Collimating Lens under the IR filter? This lens uses plano convex lens technology to collimate the Maxa Beam's beam of light and redirect the spill light back into the beam. This results in an even field of view free from any dark spots. Or the MBA-CC1/2 Half Color Correction Filter (converts 5600° K to 3800° K), MBA-CC1/4 Quarter Color Correction Filter (converts 5600° K to 4500° K) for filming with neutral white light?

 

[Calibu]

Re: Most Powerful & Uniform IR illumination under 4lbs: HID w/ 850nm filter vs multi-

the maxabeam IR will out throw any ir led

I guess you mean in spot focus. Also the case for flood focus?

 

[Calibu]

Re: Most Powerful & Uniform IR illumination under 4lbs: HID w/ 850nm filter vs multi-

I have the Raymax 50 or 100, using 20 x Osram Dragon 850nm leds with clip-on TIR reflectors.

I think Axton also uses Osram Dragon 850nm leds, but they claim a much better range. You have the 10-20˚ or a wider model? I believe these are 3W, have you considered swapping them for Oslon SFH 4715S ?

 

[FRITZHID]

Re: Most Powerful & Uniform IR illumination under 4lbs: HID w/ 850nm filter vs multi-

Ok, well for only 10', (depending the total area you want to light) led would then be better, but even better than that, a 500w halogen floodlight with a dinner/ir filter would do even more so, I use one in my back yard for my nvg and you can barely see the filament glowing with naked eye but through the nvg, it's daylight.
What exactly are you trying to do? Film in ir? Does this need to be totally portable or is there a power supply available? I'm guessing you're using a NIR camera, in which case you want the lowest nm ir you can find for the best effective shot, and if you are using full motion, be cautious of some led illuminators, some use pwm control and this can cause some issues with ir cameras.

 

[Walterk]

Re: Most Powerful & Uniform IR illumination under 4lbs: HID w/ 850nm filter vs multi-

I think Axton also uses Osram Dragon 850nm leds, but they claim a much better range. You have the 10-20˚ or a wider model? I believe these are 3W, have you considered swapping them for Oslon SFH 4715S ?

The beam is 10-20degrees. Changing it to Oslon Black is to much hassle since I have the Maxa Beam filters.
I have tried fresnel lens, aspheric lens and an opaque polarizing filter. Polarizing filter works pretty well but I haven't made it in glass yet, and plastic/perspex melts in a few minutes.

Do you have a link to the camera you will be using?
And what lens will you be using?