Every beamshot i've seen of a red 5mm looks kind of crappy, reminding me of a mag-beam with the hole in the center, etc. Is that just how red (and all non-white?) 5mm LEDs are? Does the phosphor in whites smooth the beam out?
Red LEDs
- Thread starter Archangel
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I have a few red nightblaster cliplights with 3 red LEDs in them that have more interesting beams to them but mostly the 5mm single red LED beams are rather uninspiring. I would venture to say a red lens over a white LED may be more pretty so to speak than single red ones. Perhaps someone with a dual red LED headlamp would chime in to discuss what pattern/quality they have. I have an energizer headbeam with 2white/1red LED in it the red is funky donut shaped of sorts, and I also have 4 nightblaster 2white/1red/1incan headlamps with funky red donutty shaped beam leds in them.
You may try sanding some red LEDs to see if diffusion would pretty the pattern up some.
You may try sanding some red LEDs to see if diffusion would pretty the pattern up some.
Atomic_Chicken
Enlightened
Greetings!
I have an old style (hexagonal head) Surefire L1 with a red emitter, and it has a very nice beamshot - quite similar to the white model. Maybe just a bit more radial striations than the white, but no donut-hole or other obvious flaws.
Best wishes,
Bawko
I have an old style (hexagonal head) Surefire L1 with a red emitter, and it has a very nice beamshot - quite similar to the white model. Maybe just a bit more radial striations than the white, but no donut-hole or other obvious flaws.
Best wishes,
Bawko
greenlight
Flashlight Enthusiast
The beam might not look perfect on a wall, but in use they are great. You get a very long running light that is useful at night.
VidPro
Flashlight Enthusiast
depends on the degrees from some of the stuff i tested.
all the very tight ones were kinda diamond spots with hole and spillover. the 20* and over were nowehre near as bad.
when looking for a high MCD speced one remember that MCD stuff is only a rating at the SPOT. a good 20* with less wizz bang spec ratings might give you the type of light your looking for, and as much LIGHT, but less MCD on the spot. aka less cute ratings, more usable light.
all the very tight ones were kinda diamond spots with hole and spillover. the 20* and over were nowehre near as bad.
when looking for a high MCD speced one remember that MCD stuff is only a rating at the SPOT. a good 20* with less wizz bang spec ratings might give you the type of light your looking for, and as much LIGHT, but less MCD on the spot. aka less cute ratings, more usable light.
Sub_Umbra
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have Nightcutter Chartlight with 3 red LEDs. I think that the multi LED heads make the ringyness less troublesome but I have read posts by some with the same model as mine who really hated the beam. I don't know it theirs was actually worse than mine or whether it just doesn't bother me as much.
As greenlight said the runtime is really great. My Chartlight is the last stop before death for all of my 123 cells -- it's like the Energizer bunny.
As greenlight said the runtime is really great. My Chartlight is the last stop before death for all of my 123 cells -- it's like the Energizer bunny.
Thanks for the info, guys. I'm thinking of modifying some Derringers to make them more night-friendly. I'll put a Nicha CS in the center and two reds on the outside - as much to smooth out the beam as to increase output. I realize that white-wall hunting shows artifacts real life doesn't, but i'd consider the reds i've seen almost embarrassing.
BTW, does it make sense to compare the MCD of a red to that of a white, or do meters read them differently? (And if someone wants to PM me on where i could get good reds for a good price, feel free, though i may just cannibalize other Derringers and turn them into tri-white models.)
BTW, does it make sense to compare the MCD of a red to that of a white, or do meters read them differently? (And if someone wants to PM me on where i could get good reds for a good price, feel free, though i may just cannibalize other Derringers and turn them into tri-white models.)
Luxman
Enlightened
I really like the Dual Beam red/white LED light.
Its marketed under different names but the same light.
Runs on 9 V, is slide switch selectable btwn red and white (2 LEDs each) and continuously variable intensity. Very smooth flood. Especially nice when you want to keep your night vision. I have a number of lights but when the power is out I reach for this one. Although I may now give the Ultimate 60 a try the next time the power goes out.
http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=110&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=6&iSubCat=30&iProductID=110
Sorry about the link; I went and re-read the rules/faq and it was too late - I had already started the "quick reply".
I need to find where it says "UBB Code".
Do I click "reply"?
Its marketed under different names but the same light.
Runs on 9 V, is slide switch selectable btwn red and white (2 LEDs each) and continuously variable intensity. Very smooth flood. Especially nice when you want to keep your night vision. I have a number of lights but when the power is out I reach for this one. Although I may now give the Ultimate 60 a try the next time the power goes out.
http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=110&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=6&iSubCat=30&iProductID=110
Sorry about the link; I went and re-read the rules/faq and it was too late - I had already started the "quick reply".
I need to find where it says "UBB Code".
Do I click "reply"?
Luxman
Enlightened
Thanks Lynx_Arc
Oh...I see it now with this reply...
Thanks again
Oh...I see it now with this reply...
Thanks again
Sub_Umbra
Flashlight Enthusiast
[ QUOTE ]
archangel said:
...BTW, does it make sense to compare the MCD of a red to that of a white, or do meters read them differently?
(And if someone wants to PM me on where i could get good reds for a good price, feel free, though i may just
cannibalize other Derringers and turn them into tri-white models.)
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure if the meters read the different colors differently, but I would imagine that there would
at least be some difference. I think that the biggest difference would be in your eye's abilitiy to utilize
the different colors. Even if the MCD of a red and a white LED were identical, the white one would
be percieved as being much brighter since the human eye is not really very sensitive to colors in the
red range.
While the color sensitivity chart that I've linked to below does not list values for white, you can see
that red light is not utilized very well by our eyes, when compared to other colors.
(20k)
BTW if anyone knows where there is a sensitivity chart that does directly compare white light
to the other colors please post it's location.
archangel said:
...BTW, does it make sense to compare the MCD of a red to that of a white, or do meters read them differently?
(And if someone wants to PM me on where i could get good reds for a good price, feel free, though i may just
cannibalize other Derringers and turn them into tri-white models.)
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure if the meters read the different colors differently, but I would imagine that there would
at least be some difference. I think that the biggest difference would be in your eye's abilitiy to utilize
the different colors. Even if the MCD of a red and a white LED were identical, the white one would
be percieved as being much brighter since the human eye is not really very sensitive to colors in the
red range.
While the color sensitivity chart that I've linked to below does not list values for white, you can see
that red light is not utilized very well by our eyes, when compared to other colors.
(20k)
BTW if anyone knows where there is a sensitivity chart that does directly compare white light
to the other colors please post it's location.
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