Strange Optics in new LedLenser LS(?)-light

[Kiessling]

Hi folks !

I'd like to show you the new LedLenser V2 Power Chip. It is a 3 x N-Cell light made by Zweibrueder.

For more details about those lights see this thread:
The Complete Guide to LedLenser

The interesting thing about this specific light is the optic it uses. It is made of massiv plastik, no lens or so, and has a weird whole in the middle. At the bottom of the whole sits the LED, and I think it is an LS, but I am not sure about this; seems to be smaller than my other LSs (maybe the effects of the optics?).

The beam is made of 3 circles of different brightness without black wholes and a rather sharp cut-off, and then after a huge black circle a tiny white ring again. I'd consider it a quite acceptable beam.
The output is comparable to an Arc LS1rev2 I have with a more cream-like color temp.

In these crappy pics the 3 inner zones of diminishing brightness do not show very well, but they are there, believe me...

So guys, ...
is this an LS?
what is that optics and what do you think of it?
as I do not have any equipment to measure output - how about performance of an LS with 3 N-cells?

thanx

bernhard

 

[Mr Ted Bear]

Bernard

Saw that at Shot 2003. I sure looked to me that they used a standard NX05 optic. When I compared it to a SF KL-1, it appeared much greenerm maybe N1 or N2 bin.


Wondering what you paid... they were $22 at the show

 

[Kiessling]

oh ... the price here is 50 EUR, that means about $50. gulp.
well, and if you say this is an NX05, so be it. I have absolutely no clue about optics /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

thanx Jeff !

bernhard

 

[ab]

That's definitely not an NX-05 with that hole down the middle of it. It's reminiscent of the Fraen optic with the hole in the centre. Possibly this is a custom unit made by Zweibruder themselves?

A.

 

[Slick]

The optic is made by Fraen. It appears to be of the 6 degree variety. In my tests, this optic FAR out-performed the NX05..

 

[Kiessling]

hm ... ok ... if you say so.
at least I like the beam except this outer ring ...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
bernhard

 

[Flow]

Erm. Does someone have a link for these optics?
I try to search google and I come up with college classes and such /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I know what a lens is, but I don't think they're quite the same thing, and I'm confused.

 

[treek13]

Flow,

On the OddOne's White LED Information page, there is a REVIEW: Fraen Optical Collimators for Luxeon LEDs . In this review, he gives this url: http://www.fraen.com/.

Pat

 

[OddOne]

Yeah, I thought that looked like a Fraen optic too. Fraen's optics are almost 30mm wide, whereas an NX05 is quite a bit smaller. And the Fraen optic has that characteristic hole in the center, which does serve a purpose: it helps pass light coming straight up from the LED die with a minimum of "optical resistance" as it were.

That ring effect is probably related to the head construction of the flashlight, in particular where the optic is secured into place. If the head inside is reflective it'll add a corona to the beam from the slight amount of light that escapes the optic, which would then be reflected back into it at an odd angle.


Fraen is selling them directly, and the prices I got were for 100+ units. ($5.00 per optic, including a plastic holder, in 100 qty.) They are hooking up with Future Electronics for distribution, so you'll be able to order them from there when that goes into effect.

oO

 

[The_LED_Museum]

If that's really a hole, wouldn't it rather quickly fill up with lint and garbage, totally negating the purpose of it?

 

[hotfoot]

I've got some of those Fraen 6-deg lenses and I've done some experiments with them too. For one, I wouldn't worry at all about anything getting into that hole and blocking the light transmission - practically no light goes thru it! I stuffed a wad of blu-tack into the cavity and it had no significant effect on the beam. I believe its there to allow for a change of refractive index (ie. PMMA->air), allowing for total internal reflection - which is the *real* collimation method used here IMHO - to take place. Filling up that hole with epoxy or stuff of similar refractive index as the PMMA itself is likely to destroy the collimator's ability to function, or at least severely impair it.

 

[Kiessling]

yes Craig, it is a big hole in the middle. and it is large in diameter, about 27 mm.
and just in case ... you could alway use a lens in front of it ...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
bernhard

 

[OddOne]

Not if the light still has its bezel in it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

oO