Infrared power LEDs for night-vision recording

Bertrik

Newly Enlightened
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Aug 3, 2005
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102
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Netherlands
I'm investigating infrared power LEDs for a friend who records bats at night (flying in or out of their roost in a tree for example). Currently he uses a home-built array of 5 mm IR leds to illuminate the bats. I wonder if I can help him create a better IR light.

I noticed that KD and DX now sell infrared power LEDs:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4669
http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=3245
http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=3247

I can imagine that these kind of LEDs are better suited than 5mm IR LEDs because their package allows better cooling (thus higher allowed power) and the possibility to focus the light using reflectors/optics into a brighter and tighter beam.

Does anyone have practical experience with them?
How bright are they compared to the common 5mm IR LEDs?
It looks like the "3W" version has three dies in a package. Any idea if they are in series or parallel?
(the video on the product page suggests parallel because of the 1.5V voltage, but I'm not sure if that's actually the "3W" version being demonstrated).
 
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