Optics shootout!

[TORCH_BOY]

I also prefer the Fraen 6 degree optics.

 

[S4MadMan]

Nice review Evan! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Fraen for me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[springnr]

Klause, I've been using some fiber washers I picked from the hardware store to space a couple of Fraen LPs. They are ~.065 thick with a hole that just clears the led lense. I sand them down to the desired thickness. Gotta luv centering LSs.

I did not sand the washer on the ARC LS TWOK set to 2watts that I use at work though. The beam perfectly matches a McFlood in size but is smooth throughout with a nice little hotspot.

 

[evan9162]

Here are a series of shots for both NX01 and NX05, showing the effects of defocusing.

Each beam shot is the result of defocusing by 1/8 of a turn vs. the previous. Since the brinkmann head moves 1mm per turn, then each frame represents 0.125mm, or about 0.005"

NX01:
original (non-intensity map) here: http://myweb.cableone.net/evan9162/defocus01s.png
intensity map:

NX05:
original (non-intensity map) here: http://myweb.cableone.net/evan9162/defocus05s.png
intensity map:

 

[Doug S]

Darin, is the upper leftmost beam in each case with the optic hard against the black plastic ring on the emitter?
Great stuff!!

 

[evan9162]

Yep - top left being the optic closest to the LED (resting against the emitter)

 

[Doug S]

I have copied below a post by Dan C earlier today. I am not sure what conclusions to draw but there seems to be some difference between Dan's results and yours at the .010" and .060" spacings. Dan doesn't say whether his camera was in manual mode with identical settings which I assume your camera was. Hopefully Dan with drop by and clarify this. If the apparent differences are real, I wonder what is the source of the variation. I do note that Dan is using a Lux III vs your 1W but I always thought the geometries of the two emitters were identical. Dan also says the NX-05 was "cut down". Perhaps more detail here would be illuminating. Cut down how?

[ QUOTE ]
Dan C said:
Thought you might find this interesting. The light is a modded X1 running a MadMax Lite and an 'S' rank Lux III on a single lithium AA. Optic is a cut down NX05.

This shot is with the LED .010" from the optic.

This time a .060" spacer has been placed in front of the sandwich, moving it back from the optic.

Dan C


[/ QUOTE ]

 

[tvodrd]

Dan C's shots are what I get also. I try and polish the conical cavity surrounding the -05, and extend it as far as possible over the LS dome. I think this helps bounce a few more photons into the optic and out the front, maybe more as side spill. The options are limited for those of us making 3/4" diameter and smaller lights. I still fear the dark and blotchy (reflector) side. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Larry

 

[Dan C]

From those beamshots it appears that it is the hotspot that is primarily visible in evan9162's pics, not much of the 'spill'. So the 'tight' standing NX05 would have smaller hot spot and a larger spill, while standing it off enlarges the hotspot and nearly eliminates any side spill, much like a Fraen only slightly larger. My pics were taken about 2 minutes apart, but my camera will not do full manual. The pictures look accurate however.

My 'cut down' NX05 is full length, but turned down to a .570" flange that's .100" thick, and turned down behind that to a diameter of .475". I haven't done the same routine with a full size optic. The change is pretty drastic with the reduced NX05's...

Dan C

 

[IsaacHayes]

Minimag refecltor vs NX05, don't these both provide close to the same beam? Hotspot w/side spill? With the mini-mag being brighter and or more effecient?

 

[tvodrd]

Dan C,

Just speculating here, but I wonder if not shortening turned optics reduces the spill? When I turn an optic, I first turn it to the "flange" diameter I want and then take a ~.015" deeper cut just up to the turned dia. I then shorten them from the front to leave about a .020" thick flange.

These 2 have .630" and .590" diameter "flanges" and aperatures of .565" and .525" dia. (L-R) The total spill angle approaches 180 deg and is more than bright enough to keep me from stepping in anything when the lights are held horizontal at waist height.

Larry

 

[tvodrd]

BTT- my first, I think, in the year or so I've been hanging here. evan9162's and Dan C's beamshots add a great deal to the knowledge base for those of us working on making better lights with the "goodies" available. Optics is to me a very complex to almost "black magic" science in which individual experimenters have a great deal to contribute. Maybe we overestimate the talents of the Optical Engineers at Lumileds/Fraen? (Or maybe their compromises are different from ours?)

Larry

 

[Doug S]

Lumileds now offers a LD made with the same EOS phosphor application used in the HD. Their datasheets claim that this new version [part No. LXHL-BW02 for emitter] provides double the peak candela when used with optic compared to the older gooped phosphor style LD where each emits the same total lumens. I would love to see someone do similar testing to that in this thread using one of the new process LD emitters.

 

[darkzero]

[ QUOTE ]
Doug S said:
Lumileds now offers a LD made with the same EOS phosphor application used in the HD. Their datasheets claim that this new version [part No. LXHL-BW02 for emitter] provides double the peak candela when used with optic compared to the older gooped phosphor style LD where each emits the same total lumens. I would love to see someone do similar testing to that in this thread using one of the new process LD emitters.

[/ QUOTE ]

awsome, I can't wait either. Any word on availabilty dates?

Thx

 

[Doug S]

[ QUOTE ]
darkzero said:
[ QUOTE ]
Doug S said:
Lumileds now offers a LD made with the same EOS phosphor application used in the HD. Their datasheets claim that this new version [part No. LXHL-BW02 for emitter] provides double the peak candela when used with optic compared to the older gooped phosphor style LD where each emits the same total lumens. I would love to see someone do similar testing to that in this thread using one of the new process LD emitters.

[/ QUOTE ]

awsome, I can't wait either. Any word on availabilty dates?

Thx

[/ QUOTE ]
Last I checked, they are in stock at Future. BTW, the Star version PN is LXHL-MWEC

 

[IsaacHayes]

Doug S, does this new LD affect other colors? Like isn't the red & red/o different from HD/LD in shape of the die? Would there be an updated version of the LD using the new shape and thus making more lumens but yet with the LD lens so you could use it in a McFlood for a nice beam?

 

[Doug S]

[ QUOTE ]
IsaacHayes said:
Doug S, does this new LD affect other colors? Like isn't the red & red/o different from HD/LD in shape of the die? Would there be an updated version of the LD using the new shape and thus making more lumens but yet with the LD lens so you could use it in a McFlood for a nice beam?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, there are new LD versions of the red, red-orange, and amber.

 

[bhds]

[ QUOTE ]
darkzero said:


The Fraen-LP however is 6 deg. and also comes in 30 deg. Most of us are used to the 6 deg.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm confused. Looking at the data sheet for the fraen lp lenses I cant find anything that says 6 deg. The narrow beam FLP-HNB3-LL01 is listed as 12 deg with white and 10 deg with amber/red. I am assuming that this is the one that is used by almost everyone including the arc lshf-p. What am I missing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

 

[evan9162]

It might be a simple matter of mislabling by sellers/users/whatnot.

The large fraen optic I tested was sold as a "6-degree" optic. I had no part number to reference it by to know that the 6-degree rating was only for color Luxeons, and that it's a 10-degree optic for white Luxeons - so don't take my lablings of the optics as definite truth /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[bhds]

Its hard to tell from the pictures but it appears that the nx01 is similar to the fraen lp? Is the beam narrower or wider? Is the beam concentrated in the hotspot with little side spill like the fraen? Who sells the nx01? Sorry for all the questions but I am a big fan of the fraen lp narrow beam. To me it is the most usefull beam I have seen.

All 3 of my arc ls's(where does the apostrophe go/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif) have fraen lp optics installed. Have 3 more on the way and they will all get fraens unless I find something even better.

Thanks,
bhds