Newbie here... I have a 2 C cell Mag-Lite that I'd like to upgrade to LED. I've narrowed down my search to an EverLED but can't decide on which would be better for my use, a lambertian or side-emitter LED. The quality of the beam is probably more important to me than the throw, but it would be nice to get some range out of the light. Truthfully, I use the light more as a medium floodlight than a spotlight. I have a LDF lens on the light ('cuz the Mag spot is so ugly) and will probably keep it on with the EverLED. So, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...
Lambertian or Side-Emitter LED - which one?
- Thread starter ottokar
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idleprocess
Flashaholic
Lambertian (high-dome) emitters are known for better throw and focus because they put out a uniform light pattern over their range (full-intensity towards beam center, gradual falloff to 0 at 90 degrees off-axis).
Side-emitters work best with small reflectors since the bulk of their output is in a narrow band at roughly 70-90 degrees off-axis. This lets a light with a small, shallow reflector achieve decent throw ... but nothing like a lambertian emitter with a deep reflector.
I have a UK 4AA eLED, which uses a side-emitter with shallow reflector and the output is a decent compromise flood/spot beam. Much of the light is flood, but there is an intense pencilbeam hotspot that goes relatively far.
Here's a review I did on the EverLED.
Here's a review of a magmod with a lambertian Luxeon III in it.
Not an apples-to-apples comparison, but you can probably tell that the lambertian beam is tighter-focused.
As for what LDF does to a beam, here's a comparison I did.
Side-emitters work best with small reflectors since the bulk of their output is in a narrow band at roughly 70-90 degrees off-axis. This lets a light with a small, shallow reflector achieve decent throw ... but nothing like a lambertian emitter with a deep reflector.
I have a UK 4AA eLED, which uses a side-emitter with shallow reflector and the output is a decent compromise flood/spot beam. Much of the light is flood, but there is an intense pencilbeam hotspot that goes relatively far.
Here's a review I did on the EverLED.
Here's a review of a magmod with a lambertian Luxeon III in it.
Not an apples-to-apples comparison, but you can probably tell that the lambertian beam is tighter-focused.
As for what LDF does to a beam, here's a comparison I did.
