Opalec Newbeam output????

[MSaxatilus]

I was concidering an Opalec Newbeam for my minimag but was wondering what the output would be like. Since its running three LEDs I assume its more powerful than an Arc AAA?

I'm guessing somewhere around the output of Streamlight Trident with three LEDs burning?

Anybody help?

 

[medix]

I have an opalec and have never regreted it. The output is brighter than my arc AAA. Very similar to my eternalight x-ray with almost new batteries. I don't have any experience with the trident but can tell you that the opalec stays bright for around ten hours of continuous use without dimming. Only after the low battery red led kicks on can you notice it getting dimmer, not to boot you have many hours of reserve power at dimming levels. Hope that helps.

 

[Brock]

You can check out my site to see where the Opalec brightness falls, it is one of my favorite lights this year. I really like regulation (constant output), you can't beat it.

 

[INRETECH]

Since the Opalec uses the T1-3/4 (5mm) LEDs, its output is limited to approx 21 candella

The InReTECH adapter puts out approx 250 candella

 

[RAH]

I'd say that the Newbeam is about 50% brighter than the ArcAAA - i.e. not twice as bright, but half again as bright. The beam shape is very similar - wide and smooth. Very similar to an Ultra too, but again, about 50% brighter.

 

[INRETECH]

The ArcAAA uses a single T1-3/4 (5mm) LED; so if they both used the same LED technology, The Opalec should be 3x brighter

A lightmeter would be more accurate

If you are looking for brightness, checkout our adapters

 

[jtivat]

You can't go wrong with the NewBeam it is a very nice product.

 

[Lurker]

I just got mine a few days ago and am very happy with it. I had been running my Minimag with a NexStar lamp, NiMH batteries and WriteRight film on the lens. That was a pretty good set-up, but I would say subjectively that my NewBeam is a bit brighter than that (or a stock MiniMag) and a lot brighter than an Arc AAA. It's brightness is also on par with my 2 D cell Rayovac Industrial with Krypton bulb and alkaline batteries. The beam quality and color is great with the NewBeam. The brightness will not blow you away if you are into really bright lights, but I find it very adequately bright for what I use a flashlight for. I wouldn't really want it brighter, and then there's the run time and reliability that is well known. Also, by the way, it seemed to install in my old-style (c. 1994) MiniMag perfectly-- I don't see any reason to buy a new MiniMag if you already have an old-style.

I considered a few of the luxeon star upgrades and they are great options, but I am really happy with the NewBeam.

 

[RAH]

Originally posted by INRETECH:
The ArcAAA uses a single T1-3/4 (5mm) LED; so if they both used the same LED technology, The Opalec should be 3x brighter

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Perhaps, but using that idea, an Infinity Ultra and a regular Infinity should be the same brightness. So, it seems to me that you cannot just multiply the number of similar leds and know how bright one light is versus another, especially when dealing with 2 different manufacturers.

 

[McGizmo]

Rah,

You mean that just because the Inretech adapter and Mr. Bulk's LGI use the same Luxeon technology, they won't be the same brightness??

Seriously, it would be informative to know how much current is going through the Arc AAA LED as well as the New Beam LED's.

- Don

 

[Moat]

The Opalec Newbeam is a great light! I agree, not "three times" as bright as an Arc AAA, I'd say about "twice". But, from what I recall hearing/reading, that's because the Arc is slightly overdriven (w/ fresh batts), whereas the Newbeam is NOT. Color/tint is the best of the 8 or so LED lamps I own (including my Arc AAA LE) as it's the purest white, with only a hint of violet in the center of the spot, and a hint of yellow in the corona. Spot is larger, as well, with smooth transition to the spill - easy on the eyes! Again, a great light!!

Bob

 

[Al]

FWIW (for what it's worth),
here's a few previous threads on CPF re: Opalec -

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=003550#000003
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=003572#000000

 

[Quickbeam]

Here, I'll put the debate at least partially to rest:

Arc AAA LE: 20 LUX
Opalec: 41 LUX
Trident w/3 Leds on: 52 LUX
Inretech (just for you, Mike

): 65 LUX

All measurements taken at 1 Meter, brightest part of beam (center).

 

[BuddTX]

I have the Opalec Newbeam and the InReTECH 2aa Luxeon Star drop in replacement.

They are both favorites of mine. The InReTECH is MUCH brighter, and with a "denser" light than the Opalec Newbeam. (edit)

The Opalec is nice because from minute 1 until whenever the red LED light comes on, you have the exact same amount of brightness.

However, the InReTECH starts off much brighter than the Opalec, and it takes a long time (I don't know the exact number, but maybe 20-30 hours) until it would reach the brightness of the olapec.

Again, they are both nice lights. I would say that, while not as bright, the Opalec would be more consistent with the "color" of the light, giving off a white/blue light, whereas my sample of the InReTECH 2AA is more of a natural or sunlight color light. The Luxeon Star seems to have varied color output, and has nothing to do with the flashlight producer.

The Opalec gets to eat all of my used batteries, and it sucks the last bit of energy out of them, but I get the same amount of light, until that red led comes on. The Opalec is my favorite "stumbling around in the dark in the house in the middle of the night" light, but recently I have been using the CMG Ultra.

I like a "less bright" light in these instances.

If you want less bright, very constant light, go with the Opalec.

If you want a good combination of brightness and runtime, go with the InReTECH.

If you want Ultrabright, for a short time, go with a dat2zip or Mr. Bulk mod.

Please don't read into my statements that one is better than the other. They are both good drop in replacements for the mini-mag bulb.

 

[Bikecop]

Mike,

I know this is off the topic, but in another thread, someone complained about his two inretech adapters having very green light output. Is this just a freak occurrence due to a run of off color LED's? I would like to buy one of your adapters, but I don't want the greenish tint to the light.

Thanks.

Larry

 

[INRETECH]

There seems to be a lot of discussion about this

As you know, the WHITE LED is actually a Blue LED exciting a Phosphor, since its impossible to make a "true white LED"

I see this green tint mostly, when I shine the modules againest a very close wall; that is not a fair test since you are not sure about the pigments in the paint

As the company makes the LEDs, each "batch" has a slightly different characteristic of its ability to make "white light" some do have too much green in them, but this doesn't seem to be a problem for people that use their flashlights for something other than just pointing at walls

I randomly take adapters from production and use them as my "carry light" and don't seem to be that bothered by the amount of green - it really seems to go away when used farther than just 1 ft

We have no control over what we get from our supplier, and sometimes the green tint is brighter than others; I will always replace or refund anyone that is not happy with their adapter.

 

[ikendu]

One BIG advantage of the Nicha based lights like the Opalec (at least at the moment) is consistency of the light color. There are LOTS of posts on the forum of how the Luxeons vary all over the map for color (and brightness for that matter) ranging from nicely white to sickly, pukey green.

For myself, I've decided to wait on the luxeons until the manufacturer makes a more consistent product. Also, there are some really nice Nicha based lights out there at reasonable prices like the Opalec, SL 4AA 7 LED and PT Attitude (my favorite!).

 

[James Van Artsdalen]

There is no comparison in brightness between the Nicha and 1W Luxeon. If you do a side-by-side test of the two nobody is going to choose the Nicha except for run-time.

5W Luxeon is another leap in brightness and lambda rightly calls it an incandescent killer. The problem, as I understand it, is that the 5W LED generates far more heat than it can withstand. It may generate less heat than the bulb it replaces but it is so much more sensitive to its own heat that lots of work has to go into dissipation. I doubt we'll see a 5W in small light for this reason (unless Luxeon substantially increases the efficiency of the LED).

The Opalec is a very nice unit, well-designed and well-built. I haven't used mine since I got my first 1W Luxeon.

 

[ikendu]

Originally posted by James Van Artsdalen:
If you do a side-by-side test of the two nobody is going to choose the Nicha except for run-time.

The Opalec is a very nice unit, well-designed and well-built. I haven't used mine since I got my first 1W Luxeon.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">It might be that you "got lucky" with your luxeon. I've seen so many posts where peope were bitterly disappointed with their luxeons.

For the time being, I carry two lights when I go for my nightly walks; a PT Attitude and either a PT Rage or a UK 4AA AS2. The Attitude is plenty bright to see where I'm going on a country road. If I need to see where my dog has run off to on the side...I light up the spot from my UK 4AA. It throws a tight spot 100-150 feet. I don't want it on all the time and it seems unlikely that a 1w luxeon will throw that far anyway. So...I carry two lights. The cost for the lights is about $36 total (Attitude $20 + UK 4AA $16). They both run on inexpensive NiMHs so just about no incremental cost for batteries.

For the moment, my needs are met. Although, if I thought I could get a 1w luxeon at a reasonable price, with a good probability of good color and output...I'd probably order one. I've never wanted to be on the bleeding edge...I usually wait for the first service pack before adopting a new operating system

.

For me, I figure the manufacturers will sort out the consistency situation and then I'll be shopping for my luxeon.

 

[INRETECH]

Your statement

They are both favorites of mine. The InReTECH is MUCH brighter, and with a "denser" light than the InReTECH

Is a little confusing