Favorite L.E.D. color (poll)

Please choose your favorite led color and describe why. Assume everyone likes white already (and I didn't want any white is not a color arguments).

I vote Red, so I can keep my night vision. .

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greenlight said:Please choose your favorite led color and describe why. Assume everyone likes white already (and I didn't want any white is not a color arguments).

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White is not a color - and it's not an argument -
just a simple statement of fact /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

White basically is the most useful - having no color rendition problems.

Colors - for civilians (like me) are really down to personal taste and what we're used to -
with the possible exceptions of:

Red >650nm does preserve true Scotopic Human Night Vision (although most of us in urban environments hardly ever use true scotopic vision)

Green and Blue-Green/cyan/aqua/turquoise - are used for compatibility with night vision EQUIPMENT (and NOT human vision)

UV is for fluoresing special ID markings like on stamps and bank notes.

Personally I like Yellow/Amber LEDs - mainly because keychain lights like the Photon 2 Yellow have advertized battery life of 120 hours (I have corroborated this by the EDC of a Yellow Photon for over 7 years) - I seem to see well under yellow/amber for both contrast and definition - it is kinder to my eyes - so whatever dark adaption I have aquired is affected less - plus it's a color we're used to adapted to so it attracts less attention (very desirable for some) - I really like yellow for close quarters tasks. At one time Yellow was my ONLY EDC light - so I'm kind of biassed.

These threads may be useful:

Human Night Vision Preservation

LED Colors and Vision (pics)

Red cause it doesn't degreade night vision as much. Same as ACM /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Cyan (real cyan). It's the weirdest/spookiest coolest colors I think. Sure Royal Blue isn't very naturall either, but doesn't have that errie alien feel to it. Plus I can make out colors with Cyan light better than any other monochrome light, and contrast is great.

Plus it's so elusive to get a luxeon that is pure cyan.

I voted red. My head said "red is the most useful color because it maintains dark adaptation." But my heart wanted to vote "Violet/UV" because it just looks so friggin' cool, despite the fact that it's totally useless unless you are checking currency or looking for proof of your pet's incontinence! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Don't care, never cared about the red/cyan "night vision argument/facts/opinions"....

I like Cyan period (well of course sticking with the "rules" about the most practical mixture of all colors which produces "white")!!!

The eyes are so much more sensitive to yellow-green/cyan, I'm not in a situation where my life depends on red for night vision and yes, cyan is "eerie" as well!! A real attention getter. I've never liked red!! (but my credit card companies seem to like it that way!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

There's no argument here...I'm done, stick a fork in me...I likes what I likes!

I would say a deep royal blue, closely followed by a nice cyan. I have only found the color I really like once, in 5mm form about 2 years ago. not too green and not too blue.
These (to me) are the oddest colors and attract the most attention.

Jeff

Amber, nice soft color for reading. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Off topic, but what color led would least attract insects?

Whats the opposite of yellow? Im just color stupid, but by my own logics, if bugs (or flies at least) are attracted to yellow, then they are probably least attracted to the opposite.

"if bugs (or flies at least) are attracted to yellow . . ."

I'm not sure, but I don't think they are, in fact I was thinking that yellow was a "bug safe" color. I think their vision is shifted into the UV, which is why "bug lights" are a sort of purplish flourescent bulb.

What about the new Surefire yellow-green? Sounds kind of like a groovy color to me. If anyone has one, how do you like it?

Scott

FWIR yellow is least visiable by insects, hence the yellow bug light, and the opposite of yellow (and best seen by insects) is UV, hence UV in bug zappers.
Jeff

Red (voted for red), the whole night vision thing, closely followed by green. Have to love green for emergency situations in the wilderness (plants and trees are seen in more detail with a green light and more importantly, the human eye is more sensitive to green light and thus, it may be easier to pick up by some one looking for you).

rgc

I kinda like the CLEAR color LEDs myself..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Blue. It's the most attention getter in many environments because bright blue light is completely out of place.

Blue, for the "cool" value, although it's not always the most practical colour. I like the warm whites that are available now, shame warm and cool white weren't included.

I've never had any trouble with insects swarming around LEDs, not even at festivals on warm summer nights, with a stall full of (mainly cool white) LED lights blazing into the darkness. AFAIK it's UV that attracts insects the most.

Where does one get a true cyan led or lux, anyway?

Red /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Doesn't hurt my eyes like the blue and teal leds I've tried. My Red Everled seems to let me see more as well even though it doesn't look as bright as my Teal Everled. Plus it looks cool.

Stripes.

Followed by deep, dark, black.