Re: I want to import LED lights
Posted: Mon 21 Jan 2008, 20:14:19
I bought one as a test - It was a 'GU10' fitting, so a direct replacement for mains-voltage dichroic halogens.
It was a 1 W, compared to 35 W for the halogens - it was also about 3 times the price.
In short, it's dire. I mean, it's a complete and total waste of money.
The light output is miniscule - yes, it uses 3% of the energy, but it produces about 4% of the light. Instead of producing a nice 'flood' of light like the halogen, it produces a 'pencil' beam which projects a tiny bright spot of light (like a flashlight).
The color is terrible. They are a vile ice blue. Colors of food, skin, flowers, clothes, decorations, etc. are hideously distorted, with skin taking on a ghastly greenish hue. Food looks awful, although I suppose they might be quite useful as a way to lose weight!
They flicker - badly. Worse than old-style fluorescent striplights.
I suppose they might be useful for task lighting - e.g. desk lamps. But even then, you couldn't use them for visual arts because they make colors look so distorted.
Compact fluorescents are light-years ahead. CFLs don't flicker at all (unless you get cheap junk), and produce a reasonably warmish light similar to normal incandescent. CFL colors are inaccurate compared to halogen, but are miles better than LED - CFL light tends to mute reds, wheras LED tends to enhance turquoises and blues making things look very unnatural.
It was a 1 W, compared to 35 W for the halogens - it was also about 3 times the price.
In short, it's dire. I mean, it's a complete and total waste of money.
The light output is miniscule - yes, it uses 3% of the energy, but it produces about 4% of the light. Instead of producing a nice 'flood' of light like the halogen, it produces a 'pencil' beam which projects a tiny bright spot of light (like a flashlight).
The color is terrible. They are a vile ice blue. Colors of food, skin, flowers, clothes, decorations, etc. are hideously distorted, with skin taking on a ghastly greenish hue. Food looks awful, although I suppose they might be quite useful as a way to lose weight!
They flicker - badly. Worse than old-style fluorescent striplights.
I suppose they might be useful for task lighting - e.g. desk lamps. But even then, you couldn't use them for visual arts because they make colors look so distorted.
Compact fluorescents are light-years ahead. CFLs don't flicker at all (unless you get cheap junk), and produce a reasonably warmish light similar to normal incandescent. CFL colors are inaccurate compared to halogen, but are miles better than LED - CFL light tends to mute reds, wheras LED tends to enhance turquoises and blues making things look very unnatural.