How I can I tell the difference between a low dome and high dome arc LS? I'm talking about when looking at the lED itself( not turned on of course /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif)
Thanks,
bhds
Thanks,
bhds
How to distinguish low vs high dome arc
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Dave Wright
Enlightened
I don't have a low dome LS, but I do have a high dome LS which I believe uses the NX05 optic and a low dome dat2zip sandwich that also uses the NX05. This should be a similar comparison.
Looking straight into the optic you see a yellow (die image) center, black ring, and surrounding yellow ring. The low dome's black ring is quite narrow. The high dome's black ring is wide.
A sidenote: The high dome/Fraen combination looks very much like the low dome/NX05 combination. Narrow black ring around the yellow center. Huge difference in the beam though!
You may have meant the difference when looking at the LED along - no optic. I haven't disassembled my LS to compare it to my sandwich. No help.
Looking straight into the optic you see a yellow (die image) center, black ring, and surrounding yellow ring. The low dome's black ring is quite narrow. The high dome's black ring is wide.
A sidenote: The high dome/Fraen combination looks very much like the low dome/NX05 combination. Narrow black ring around the yellow center. Huge difference in the beam though!
You may have meant the difference when looking at the LED along - no optic. I haven't disassembled my LS to compare it to my sandwich. No help.
Rothrandir
Flashaholic
any reason you can't just look at the beam?
as you likely know, the highdome will provide a tighter beam with a squarish hotspot, the ld will be more circular and even.
dave described the look from the optics quite well, nothing i can eleborate on there..
if comparing the actually emitters, the hd will be like a bubble, whereas the lowdome is more squared off.
as you likely know, the highdome will provide a tighter beam with a squarish hotspot, the ld will be more circular and even.
dave described the look from the optics quite well, nothing i can eleborate on there..
if comparing the actually emitters, the hd will be like a bubble, whereas the lowdome is more squared off.
The reason I ask is that while the beam color and hot spot pattern is very different between the two, the throw and tightness of the hotspot is undistinguishable by me.
Every thing I have read says that the high dome has a tighter farther throwing beam and the low dome is more of a flood pattern.
I was playing/using both last night and beyond a few feet there was almost no difference between the two beams. (I swapped batts between the two also)
Both led/optics look identical with the light turned off.
As a side note I am contemplating giving one of them to a friend and that is what started my comparisons last night
I may post more about this later /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Every thing I have read says that the high dome has a tighter farther throwing beam and the low dome is more of a flood pattern.
I was playing/using both last night and beyond a few feet there was almost no difference between the two beams. (I swapped batts between the two also)
Both led/optics look identical with the light turned off.
As a side note I am contemplating giving one of them to a friend and that is what started my comparisons last night
I may post more about this later /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
treek13
Flashlight Enthusiast
Here is a post with a nice comparison & excellent beamshot showing the difference.
[ QUOTE ]
Sproing said:
Like Sigman said, the low dome LS is more of a flood with a bigger bright hotspot. I find the low domes better for close range work because the wider beam puts out more useable light up close. The high domes seem to have a more consistent color throughout the beam while some low domes have a slightly off color (like green or blue) usually at the edges of the beam.
I took some beamshots today because I just received a replacement LSH-P in the mail today. The LSH-P has a really nice Q3J luxeon in it. Here is a side-by-side pic of it beside a premium low dome LS with a Q3H luxeon. I prefer the color on the LSH-P.
Low Dome on the left and high dome on the right
[/ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Sproing said:
Like Sigman said, the low dome LS is more of a flood with a bigger bright hotspot. I find the low domes better for close range work because the wider beam puts out more useable light up close. The high domes seem to have a more consistent color throughout the beam while some low domes have a slightly off color (like green or blue) usually at the edges of the beam.
I took some beamshots today because I just received a replacement LSH-P in the mail today. The LSH-P has a really nice Q3J luxeon in it. Here is a side-by-side pic of it beside a premium low dome LS with a Q3H luxeon. I prefer the color on the LSH-P.
Low Dome on the left and high dome on the right
[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks treek13. That beam shot is pretty much the same as my arcs.
I think that a lot people when using the terms "flood","tighter spot", "longer throw" are basing their comments on beam shots or using the light 6"-12" from a bright surface /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I think that a lot people when using the terms "flood","tighter spot", "longer throw" are basing their comments on beam shots or using the light 6"-12" from a bright surface /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Dave Wright
Enlightened
Your low dome may happen to have better lumen output than your high dome. Even if the lumen output was identical I wouldn't characterize the throw difference as major. I have BB400, BB400Q3, MM, and MM+Q3 sandwiches, and can testify that all except the BB400 have much better throw than my LSH-S. All low dome. My LSHF-P, on the other hand, outthrows all of them except the MM+Q3. And that light just barely outnoses the LSHF-P. The MM+Q3 only gets 75 minutes on a pair of AAs but the LSHF-P gets 2 - 3 hours depending on usage. The LSHF-P is an astounding light. IMO the best EDC until the LS4 comes along.
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Dave Wright said:
Your low dome may happen to have better lumen output than your high dome. Even if the lumen output was identical I wouldn't characterize the throw difference as major.
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Most definitely agree. I took both of my arcs into an almost completely dark room, mixed both lights in my hands so that I did not know which one was which and did the "bounce off ceiling test" for brightness 6 out of 6 times I was able to distinguish the low dome standard as brighter than the high dome premium. Took both lights with me walking the dog tonight and flashed just about every tree, sign, car that I could find. Other than the purple hotspot I could not tell any difference in throw.
I should have bought more lsl-s when they were on sale /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Dave Wright said:
Your low dome may happen to have better lumen output than your high dome. Even if the lumen output was identical I wouldn't characterize the throw difference as major.
[/ QUOTE ]
Most definitely agree. I took both of my arcs into an almost completely dark room, mixed both lights in my hands so that I did not know which one was which and did the "bounce off ceiling test" for brightness 6 out of 6 times I was able to distinguish the low dome standard as brighter than the high dome premium. Took both lights with me walking the dog tonight and flashed just about every tree, sign, car that I could find. Other than the purple hotspot I could not tell any difference in throw.
I should have bought more lsl-s when they were on sale /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
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