Lens for Lights

Hello I am a newbie here!

I was trying get a lens for my single white LED flash-light which I really got confused /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif when I started to learn there are so many type of lens available. Will there be someone who can enlighten me the diff between lens A-G? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

or can someone point me some "idiot guide for optical lens" kind of URL? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif

I THINK the vast majority of us don't care much for "optical" or focusing lenses.

What are you trying to accomplish???

Is it a blueish 5mm LED, or a Luxeon LED?

And this will probably be moved to the LED forum before long!


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Welcome to CPF!!!!

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Hide your wallet! Burn your credit cards! Hurry before it's too late!!!

Thanks!
It's for my 5mm LED flashlight, a gift from someone who self-made it for me recently.
the "side-spill" for this small flash-light is pretty weak and rather useless, rather I will like it to be a focus-beam flashlight. So I intend to add a cone-reflector & a lens in front of it, but hoping will not get a wrong lens focusing the beam into too small a tiny spot. BTW I used it for night fishing...

Greetings DIY. I don't know if it's worth it to use a lens. It may focus the LED a smidgen but will also decrease total light output. If it was my choice I'd use that light for closer tasks and get a sharply focused SECOND light for fishing. IMHO I just don't think your 5mm LED has enough light to work with.

I have used choice F and it worked fine for me
using a single 5mm Led, you have got to get the focal lenth
between the Led and the lens right. Gives out a bright spot with no side spill (fixed focus). If you want an adjustable beam just use a reflector only.

Thanks for your inputs!

This single 5mm LED is rated over 20000mcd, brightness is good enough for me as a handy light for tying baits & do some simple tasks... Don't really need a high power flashlight when my activity is just within a small area.

"using a single 5mm Led, you have got to get the focal length"
>>> yes I have just learnt this, some lens can give a wider angle focus beam, some give a narrower spot, that's the problem I faced trying to choose a correct type of lens!

in order to get a wider angle focus beam :
Should the lens be much bigger in diameter, say 2x or 3x the 5mm LED's diameter, and should it come with a gentle convex curve (degree of optical magnifying)?