I've been experimenting with Luminit's holographic diffusion material cut and installed in several different Malkoff heads. The 5-degree pattern works really well to smooth the sharp edged rings and artifacts prevalent in the current heads using TIR lenses. Compared to improvised diffusion material such as window frosting film, the Luminit holographic material has a high VLT (visual transmission rate) of 90 percent.
Case Study: Wildcat
The current version of the Wildcat comes with a 10-degree diffuser, giving this head the flood pattern. Some have removed the diffuser to discover that the WC head actually has high candela, it's the diffuser which changes the beam pattern into flood. Without the diffuser, the WC head has all the rings and artifacts that are seen in the current Hound Dog head.
Replacing the 10-degree diffuser with a 5-degree pattern strikes a nice balance. I measure the candela with the 5-degree diffuser at about 20,000 making it comparable to the M91T head, but with a broader, smoother hot spot and brighter spill due to the WC's higher lumen output. I really like this combination.
Case Study: Hound Dog Super
I've always considered the HD Super as a specialty light. Though it has an incredibly wide beam pattern, the vast majority of the luminous flux is concentrated in the center of the beam.
The diffusion lens is installed under the front protective lens with the textured side facing down towards the light source.
With a 5-degree diffusion lens installed, the luminous flux is spread out into a hot spot that is about twice as wide, with a smooth transition into its magnificent spill. Throw is cut approximately in half, but the "wall of light" the HD Super produces with the diffusion lens is impressive.
Case Study: E2XTD
I have a specialty light set up using the now-extinct E2XTD (650 lumen/70,000 cd), which produces a very narrow but extremely intense beam. I cut a lens to fit this head and the results were as expected: the cd was cut in half but the beam is wider and smoother with zero rings or artifacts. The head still produces about the same candela as the E2 Hyper Throw, but with a hot spot that is twice as wide, with a smoother transition to spill.
Conclusion
Adding a 5-degree diffusion filter to a high-candela head will cut the throw in about half but approximately double the width the hot spot, smooth the transition to the spill and greatly improve the overall beam quality to near White Wall Hunting standards. If you're looking to take a "thrower" and tame the intense hot spot into something more useful, a diffusion lens could be the ticket.
Additional information on these diffusion lenses can be found here.
Case Study: Wildcat
The current version of the Wildcat comes with a 10-degree diffuser, giving this head the flood pattern. Some have removed the diffuser to discover that the WC head actually has high candela, it's the diffuser which changes the beam pattern into flood. Without the diffuser, the WC head has all the rings and artifacts that are seen in the current Hound Dog head.
Replacing the 10-degree diffuser with a 5-degree pattern strikes a nice balance. I measure the candela with the 5-degree diffuser at about 20,000 making it comparable to the M91T head, but with a broader, smoother hot spot and brighter spill due to the WC's higher lumen output. I really like this combination.
Case Study: Hound Dog Super
I've always considered the HD Super as a specialty light. Though it has an incredibly wide beam pattern, the vast majority of the luminous flux is concentrated in the center of the beam.
The diffusion lens is installed under the front protective lens with the textured side facing down towards the light source.
With a 5-degree diffusion lens installed, the luminous flux is spread out into a hot spot that is about twice as wide, with a smooth transition into its magnificent spill. Throw is cut approximately in half, but the "wall of light" the HD Super produces with the diffusion lens is impressive.
Case Study: E2XTD
I have a specialty light set up using the now-extinct E2XTD (650 lumen/70,000 cd), which produces a very narrow but extremely intense beam. I cut a lens to fit this head and the results were as expected: the cd was cut in half but the beam is wider and smoother with zero rings or artifacts. The head still produces about the same candela as the E2 Hyper Throw, but with a hot spot that is twice as wide, with a smoother transition to spill.
Conclusion
Adding a 5-degree diffusion filter to a high-candela head will cut the throw in about half but approximately double the width the hot spot, smooth the transition to the spill and greatly improve the overall beam quality to near White Wall Hunting standards. If you're looking to take a "thrower" and tame the intense hot spot into something more useful, a diffusion lens could be the ticket.
Additional information on these diffusion lenses can be found here.
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