Observations of a high dome w/NX05 on a MadMax+

[shankus]

Today, I received my R2H high dome from the Sandwich Shoppe. Earlier this evening, I soldered it onto a MadMax+ sandwich, with some heatsink grease underneath. All went well. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

First, the color. The R2H is so very white. It is on par with my Lambda Megaclops SE (5 watt side emitter, driven @ 10 watts).

The combination of the high dome & NX05 is very focusable. The beam in mine, changes like this:
In the tightest spot, the spot is about the size of the spot with a low dome & NX05, except, it doesn’t blend into the corona so gradually, it is more defined. Around that spot, is a squarish, slightly star-like artifact, that has a very light blue tint (from what I understand, this is an image of the die). Around this, is a large, dimmer, white corona, about twice the size of the normal low dome & NX05 corona, but darker towards the middle, sort of a white, ringish corona.

As I defocus, the spot grows larger, while at the same time, the corona becomes smaller & brighter. The squarish artifact disappears.
This happens until the two kind of equalize. The flood ends up being about the size of the corona with a low dome & NX05, it is not artifact free, but is fairly regular, and definitely better that that of a Mag-Lite flood. It's negligible irregularities are only apparent on a white wall, not in normal use. It's is very serviceable. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif


Now, in comparison to my other MadMax.

The two lights:
1. MadMax+ Q3L low dome w/NX05 (white w/violet tint).
2. MadMax+ R2H high dome w/NX05 (stark white).

Shining both combinations at the ceiling, and checking the amount of ambient light, seems to show that the high dome combination is not as bright as the low dome combination.
Also, when shined at a white wall, the high dome combo seems dimmer than the low dome. I think a light meter would confirm this.

I don't know what to think of this/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif, because in any other use, the high dome combo seems brighter.
Outside, I shined the low dome combo in the yard. Then when I turn on the high dome combo with the spot, it makes the low dome appear dim in comparison. I can move the high dome spot all around in the light of the low dome, and the high dome spot overwhelms it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
As I change to a flood, the flood beam of the high dome is as bright as both the spot & flood of the low dome. I even tried this with my one cell Mini-Mag, and vs. the two cell low dome, the flood of the high dome is brighter.
It seems the same when I shine both in the treetops, or out into the desert. Could it be that it seems brighter only due to the color?

I don't think the NX05 gets the most out of the high dome, and again, I think a light meter would confirm this, but I do like this set-up a lot. I like the stark whiteness of the luxeon, the definition of the hotspot, and the focusability.

All of this playing was with fresh NiMH in each light.

I don't know if this high dome MadMax+ will stay with the NX05, or go with the McFlood I just ordered (hasn't come yet). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

More on that when I get it.

 

[Rothrandir]

i told you it was white! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[shankus]

Rothrandir, do you think that it is actually dimmer w/NX05 than a low dome?

Do you have the same good focusing ability?

Are you running yours in the MMM?

 

[Rothrandir]

dimmer? no...

it just colminates the light differently. it puts omre light into the hotspot.

i do have good focusability /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif back it off a little bit, and you get a nice round tight beam /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

yes...i am using it in a mmm /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif (and it's brighter than my brinkmann 3aa 1w dd mod!!! (which has a pretty crappy ld emitter /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif ))

i would suggest you take the heads off your ld and hd mags, and see which puts out more uncolminated light. my bets would be the r2h /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif (also, remember using it in a mmm will result in a little less brightness than a mm)

 

[tvodrd]

It seems that with the optic about .050" off the emitter is the point where the square corona dissapears. It is interesting to look at the phosphor through the lens as the as the optic spacing is varied. (Remove the batteries first! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

Larry

 

[Rothrandir]

although backing off the optic results in less photons actually getting out the front end /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[obeck]

Re: Observations of a high dome w/NX05 on a MadMax

[ QUOTE ]
shankus said:
The two lights:
1. MadMax+ Q3L low dome w/NX05 (white w/violet tint).
2. MadMax+ R2H high dome w/NX05 (stark white).

Shining both combinations at the ceiling, and checking the amount of ambient light, seems to show that the high dome combination is not as bright as the low dome combination.
Also, when shined at a white wall, the high dome combo seems dimmer than the low dome. I think a light meter would confirm this.

I don?t know what to think of this/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif, because in any other use, the high dome combo seems brighter.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you go back and read some of the Arc LSH-P to Low dome comparisons, you will find out that other people have noticed this phenomenon. I think even Peter made some kind of comment on it. In fact, I made some comments to the fact that, when shined on a wall, the low dome seemed dimmer. However, when viewing the light (shining light near face but not in face), the high dome is clearly brighter, even to a 9 year old.

 

[shankus]

Re: Observations of a high dome w/NX05 on a MadMax

I said that the high dome seemed dimmer. Shined at the ceiling, or at the wall, it doesn't seem to be brighter than the low dome combination.

But when I go into the yard and start looking at trees and into the desert, it dominates the low dome.

Something that it complicating the comparison right now, is the phase of the Moon. It is gibbous right now.

 

[Beretta1526]

Re: Observations of a high dome w/NX05 on a MadMax

One thing to remember here is that the phosphor coating on the LED die on an R2H is most likely more even and possibly thicker than on the Q3L you are comparing it to. This could account for a slightly lower output of light.

I've found that most of the LS's I've had, the whiter they are the dimmer they can be. Of course, there's exceptions to this.

I've also found that comparing a LD to a HD can be tricky since the optics of the LS disperse the light so differently. When using a low dome LS with NX-05 optics, you really aren't using the optic to its full potential. The NX-01 optics seem better suited for the LD, but you will almost always get the inevitable big "E" on the wall from the LED die. The NX-01 seems to magnify the output, where the NX-05 collimate and diffuse the LD output. But put a HD into the NX-05, and as long as you've put the optics of the LS far enough in, the NX-05 acts as a prism-type reflector as well.

Anyway, that's my 2¢...

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: Observations of a high dome w/NX05 on a MadMax

Beretta, that might explain why the brightness of my Blaster 1R did not seem to increase when I switched out the N3H for the R2H, though I expected more from the R.

Bill

 

[shankus]

Re: Observations of a high dome w/NX05 on a MadMax

Beretta, I've heard of the NX01, but I don't know anything about it.
You're saying that the NX01 is better suited to the low dome?

All I think I'm sure of, is that the NX05 is better suited to the low dome that the high dome.

This is the strangest thing, that the high dome looks brighter for every application, except, when shined at the ceiling or the wall. It seems a contradiction, until I compare them again, then I'm left scratching my head. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
I tried them again last night, with the same results.

I got my McFlood today, and I'm going to put it on the R2H, and see what I think of that. Right now, I think the R2H will stay with the NX05, but tonight may change my mind.

 

[Beretta1526]

Re: Observations of a high dome w/NX05 on a MadMax

I wish I had the chance to mess with a high dome and the NX-01. I have one that I've swapped out on my royal blue MM module, but I'm not brave enough to attempt taking apart my Arc LSH.

It seems to me that the NX-01 optics magnify the beam rather than collimate it, and since the low dome doesn't make it up into the cavity of the optic very far, it seems to do a better job. The biggest problem is that with anything but white (and sometimes with white as well) is that it will magnify the die pattern on the target. If you get a white LS low dome that has a thin phosphor coating, you end up with a big "E" on the target (or M or W depending on how it's turned).

 

[tvodrd]

Re: Observations of a high dome w/NX05 on a MadMax

I did my comparison with 2 lights and 2 modules. The .050 spaced one won. (for me) Whichever module (both were BB500/R2H) was in the spaced-optic head, it won for me. (Of course, then I broke a lead loose on one of them and fried a BB /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif )(And, all I had to replace it was a BB750 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Larry

 

[shankus]

Re: Observations of MadMax+ w/high dome & McFlood

O.K., I'v had a chance to play with myMcFlood tonight.

I wish I had access to a camera for beamshots, but I don't.

The low dome & McFlood casts a very wide, even flood of light. It reminds me of the Inretech Super6, in the way that the light is very uniform.

The high dome & McFlood casts a spot, not as bright as an NX05, but a spot nonetheless. The spot and corona is roughly the size of the spot and corona from a low dome & NX05, just not as bright, and lots of spill light.

The McFlood isn't my cup of tea. If I were going to use it, I would prefer a high dome with it, to a low dome.

My R2H high dome is going to live in a Mini-Mag w/NX05. I just like having the focusability back, and the hotspot is tight & white. This is the light that will get my brass collar & button, and will be an EDC for work (When I get work).

My pocket EDC still will be my M³ with MadMax+ Q3L.
Now, the high dome R2H should go into the Mini-Mini-Mag w/NX05.
Why?
I think the combination of the low forward voltage luxeon & the one cell light would coax the most light out of the M³ (with one lithium) that could come from it.

But, I'm a sucker for how bright it is on two cells.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: Observations of MadMax+ w/high dome & McFlood

I have my R2H in my Blaster 1R and it does not really shine. Not much diff from the N2H. It was suggested I try it in the Blaster II+.

Bill

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: Observations of MadMax+ w/high dome & McFlood

My error, N3R.
Bill

 

[shankus]

Re: Observations of MadMax+ w/high dome & McFlood

Is this Blaster 1R using a NX05?

Also, it seems like it would be difficult to distinguish between the two with out a side-by-side comparison.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: Observations of MadMax+ w/high dome & McFlood

Shankus, no, using 30mm optic.

Bill

 

[shankus]

Re: Observations of MadMax+ w/high dome & McFlood

Oh, I have never seen one of those.

Perhaps someone who knows better could answer...

 

[shankus]

Re: Observations of MadMax+ w/high dome & McFlood

And now, a success story.

We were checking the swamp cooler pads tonight, I with my Mini-Mini-Mag/MadMax+ Q3L & MadMax+ R2H, a unenlightened friend (fiend?) w/2 D cell Mag.

I was able to de-focus my high dome MadMax+, as the task called for a flood.
The 2 D Mag was a yellow abomination. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif(yellow Mag)

I loaned the MMM to him, and the task was completed in a bath of white light, from my lights...Groovy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Group hug anyone? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banned2.gif