So, I haven't done much with this build, but today I did a test of 4 lenses. I ended up reordering the KD lens, because of defects and I went ahead and ordered some Edmund/Anchor Optics lenses. Condenser lenses. Grade 1 and grade 2. Here's the four lenses:
Here's the info on the four lenses:
Kaidomain Lens
- Outer diameter: 108mm
- Inner diameter: 101mm
- Height: 22.2mm
- Epitaxial thickness: 2mm
- Focal length: 190mm
Edmund AX42448 Grade 2
- LENS COND PCX 113MM DIA X 212MM FL
- 20mm thick and 3mm at the rim
Edmund AX32345 Grade 1
- LENS PCX 95MM DIA X 166MM FL
- 16mm thick and 3mm at the rim
Edmund AX99668 Grade 1
- LENS COND PCX 94.5MM DIA X 125MM FL
The worst lens of the bunch, as far as clarity and condition is the KD lens. The next worse is the grade 2 Edmunds lens. The best one is the AX32345 Grade 1 Edmunds lens. It's really clean, clear and the coating is great.
An XM-L2 on my aluminum heat sink.
I will be trying to get the highest lux at one meter, with all four lenses.
Here's the results:
Edmunds AX42448 105,700 - also the smallest diameter spot, no shock there.
Edmunds AX32345 104,800
KD 108mm 104,300
Edmunds AX99668 104,200 - although the lux is close, the spot was noticeably bigger.
If Edmunds can get me another AX42448 in better condition, I will use it. If not, then I will be using the AX32345 and that will change everything, as it's a smaller diameter lens, so the PVC pipe idea goes out the window. Probably I will have to form a metal head, but I really don't want to have to try that.
I really like the AX32345 due to the fact that it's flawless and has a great coating on the lens. It's the best of the bunch for clarity and the lux is so close, who really cares?
What did I prove out? The lens with the longest focal length, gives the smallest spot and the highest lux. I just wanted to see how big a difference between a shorter focal length lens and a longer one. It's not much difference, but there is some.
The other interesting thing to me, was the fact that the lux did not change at all with or without a head around the lens. The lux read the same when the lenses were held in open air, over the led and inside the PVC head, so no head is really necessary, since the lens is only going to catch the light straight off the led and any stray light has no affect on the center spot. Maybe I should just use a wire cage and leave it at that.
That's it for now, back to the drawing board and waiting for more parts to come in.