OK before you flame me - this thread is about LEDs that can be used for flashlights. I know there has been a focus to lower costs for general lighting and to produce new stuff like LED arrays and other stuff. However, is there any sign new LEDs that can be used in flashlights? The CREE XM-L is more or less 2 years old now, and it still seems to be the best choice for power and efficacy. So.. are we totally stuck or did I miss something?
Are LEDs getting any better?
- Thread starter BigRiz
- Start date
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AnAppleSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
XP-G2
XP-E2
SBT-90
Some round chip made by Luminus
XP-E2
SBT-90
Some round chip made by Luminus
Gunner12
Flashaholic
Overall, LEDs are slowly getting more efficient. Newer ones are also rated a higher temperature, so at room temperatures, you'd get more output then rated.
Lobstradomus
Newly Enlightened
Perhaps it is just the tone of this forum, but it seems that there has been a shift towards focusing on creating efficient LED's with higher CRI values and different color temperatures, so while we may not be seeing giant gains in efficiency and output like we did with the release of the XM-L there is definitely still development going on. To add on to AnAppleSnail's list I believe the Nichia 219 only really became available this past year and Philips has just updated their Rebel series as well.
StarHalo
Flashaholic
You've been here two years and you don't see any difference in LED technology?! TO THE FLAMES..
markr6
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 9,258
LOL again for the second time today!!! You must have the same sense of humor as me...got me laughing out loud like an idiot at work, people must think I'm crazy.You've been here two years and you don't see any difference in LED technology?! TO THE FLAMES..
jtr1962
Flashaholic
To be sure the days of LEDs doubling in efficiency every 2 or 3 years are gone. At this point much of the focus has been on improving CRI, tint consistency, tint shift over life, and ability to operate at higher temperatures. We'll still see small increases in efficiency each year, at least until we plateau near theoretical limits. Even after LEDs are technically as good as they can get (and this should happen within a decade, if not sooner), you'll still see continued improvements in terms of price per lumen. In fact, this past year the most dramatic improvement has indeed been on price. Good bin name brand emitters in small quantities have dropped in price from maybe $6 to well under $2.
RoGuE_StreaK
Enlightened
Also note that the Vf's are really dropping, meaning the higher current ranges are accessible for more of a li-ion's life without any boost circuitry. If you compare the XP-G with the XP-G2, you'll see the Vf across the board has well and truly dropped so you could run them at "max" speced current for most of a li-ion's safe range. (they are actually near identical to the XM-L for Vf vs current)
Yoda4561
Flashlight Enthusiast
Cree has announced research lab LED's they've made have hit over 260 lumens per watt, so there's stuff, it's just hard to put into production 
kaichu dento
Flashaholic
I prefer quality (tint-wise) over quantity and am very happy with my hCRI XP-G's and Nichia 119/219 lights. The only place the XM-L is better for my needs is that I love it's fat beam pattern.
To the point of the thread however, I think we'll continually see improvement, but just at a slower rate and primarily what I'd like to see is for the XM-L to get tint continuity across the beam pattern. Still, larger emitter surface does not equate to superior performance and smaller emitters like the XP-E, XP-G and 119/219 are not likely to be bested any time soon for some of us users who are well served at present.
