For fixtures that use parabolic reflectors (ie, spread the light out with soft edges), LED is very competitive for cost, especially if you use the lights a lot and have to replace lamps. Most companies have already started moving toward LED pars.
For lights that project hard-edged beams, with ellipsoidal reflectors and lenses, the internal optics require that the light be generated from a point source. A panel of LEDs isn't compatible with that paradigm.
One company, ETC, who makes the most-used ellipsoidal light in the world, designed a work-around that uses a precision fly-eye lens to focus each LED cell individually. This works, but the precision manufacturing required makes the fixtures cost a lot more than their conventional equivalents.
Edit: there's a How Its Made segment on LED Source Fours. A very interesting use of 7 minutes.
TLDR: some kinds of lights are hard to make LED versions of.
lordalch4 karma
For fixtures that use parabolic reflectors (ie, spread the light out with soft edges), LED is very competitive for cost, especially if you use the lights a lot and have to replace lamps. Most companies have already started moving toward LED pars.
For lights that project hard-edged beams, with ellipsoidal reflectors and lenses, the internal optics require that the light be generated from a point source. A panel of LEDs isn't compatible with that paradigm.
One company, ETC, who makes the most-used ellipsoidal light in the world, designed a work-around that uses a precision fly-eye lens to focus each LED cell individually. This works, but the precision manufacturing required makes the fixtures cost a lot more than their conventional equivalents.
Edit: there's a How Its Made segment on LED Source Fours. A very interesting use of 7 minutes.
TLDR: some kinds of lights are hard to make LED versions of.
View HistoryShare Link