is cree q5 the best?

I need some help ordering leds.
I have some of these
Cree XR-E Q5 Emitter on Premium Star (228LM at 1A)

and want somthing with a smaller base.
are these the same led
Cree Q5-WC LED Emitter with 14mm Base ?

and what dose the WC ?

thanks
Brian

That is the same LED.

WC is a tint bin. WC is the center of the chart for cool white, meaning that it is the most neutral tinted cool-white emitter that Cree makes. I have one DX Q5 star and it's purplish, probably WM/WK bin. WC is better.

thanks

If you are looking for the latest and greatest, you should check out the Cree R2 at Dealextreme. Its not all that much more output, but its going to be the highest output of any Cree so far.

But then we can all keep chasing that......

Seriously...the reason I want to build my own lights and use removable heat sink adhesives is that this stuff happens.

I do have to admit that the creators of these beasts are highly likely to change the characteristics so much that all of my reflectors and lenses are no good anyway......

The R2 is a more spot beam than the Q5 for the usual reflectors AFAICS. http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=371973

So you get more of a beam but less spill. Depends onh your needs.

But then we can all keep chasing that......

Nick

allburger said:

If you are looking for the latest and greatest, you should check out the Cree R2 at Dealextreme. Its not all that much more output, but its going to be the highest output of any Cree so far.

Click to expand...

OldNick said:

But then we can all keep chasing that......

Seriously...the reason I want to build my own lights and use removable heat sink adhesives is that this stuff happens.

I do have to admit that the creators of these beasts are highly likely to change the characteristics so much that all of my reflectors and lenses are no good anyway......

The R2 is a more spot beam than the Q5 for the usual reflectors AFAICS. http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=371973

So you get more of a beam but less spill. Depends onh your needs.

But then we can all keep chasing that......

Nick

Click to expand...

It doesn't have more of a spot beam, it's just very slightly brighter.

LukeA said:

It doesn't have more of a spot beam, it's just very slightly brighter.

Click to expand...

hmm....the pictures of the shed door and side walls do not show that. The door is brighter with the R2, but the walls are dimmer.

Nick

allburger said:

If you are looking for the latest and greatest, you should check out the Cree R2 at Dealextreme. Its not all that much more output, but its going to be the highest output of any Cree so far.

Click to expand...

Have not seen it available @ DX in a bare emitter nor star yet, only drop-in modules. Seems like the higher bin emitters are first distributed to flashlight manufacturers and thereafter it is available as bare emitters. With much effort you may find it, but between Q5 and R2 it is not worth the effort.

OldNick said:

hmm....the pictures of the shed door and side walls do not show that. The door is brighter with the R2, but the walls are dimmer.

Nick

Click to expand...

Yes they do. In the first set the walls are brighter with the R2 and in the second set the light is pointed at a different spot on the far wall (red thing v. garage door) so less spill is hitting the right wall. The door is brighter than in the Q5 photo because the light is pointed directly at it, not off to the side. The left wall in the second set is brighter in the R2 photo as well, and largely because of the change of angle of the light hitting it.

I've got identical lights with R2s and Q5s and there is no difference in beam shape between the two. The R2s are marginally brighter, but not enough that I can tell a functional difference.

Here is the tint chart for the cool white Cree XRE

Yep. Fair comment. All of which illustrates the need for extreme care and standards when preparing beam shots: distance, direction, camera settings etc.

Nick

LukeA said:

Yes they do. In the first set the walls are brighter with the R2 and in the second set the light is pointed at a different spot on the far wall (red thing v. garage door) so less spill is hitting the right wall. The door is brighter than in the Q5 photo because the light is pointed directly at it, not off to the side. The left wall in the second set is brighter in the R2 photo as well, and largely because of the change of angle of the light hitting it.

Click to expand...