Lens-based lights: overview

UPD, Nov 2016: "Far" below is from older setup, when it was used as Far light. Now it is used upside-down as High-beam light.


Optics

Optics I used: both LEDs Cree XML (on stars). Both lens Carclo. Far 10755 (30mm, circular beam) + holder 10962. Diffused with an elliptic diffuser. Near 10198 (20mm, oval) + universal holder 10654.

Lens are shifted relative to LEDs - to make the beam vertically asymmetric. At the top there will be sharper cutoff, at the bottom - smoother fade-off. Lens of the Far light is lifted away from the LED's star plane - to make the beam more concentrated - at the price of some power losses.

Simulations from ceiling beamshots, processed in octave. Angular distribution, road projection, 3D-view, all in log scale. Several types of beams.

In a couple of years lens manufacturers should finally start producing lenses specifically for road ahead illumination. I will definitely upgrade once such lenses appear in wide selections (and if the certain Russian czar doesn't nuke the world by that time).


Housing

External buttons are enhanced a little, SMD-info-LEDs and connectors are soldered to cut pieces of old PCBs.
More on external buttons etc.