Why is it so difficult to make an Led that has the Cri of a Nichia 519a 4000-4500k 98 cri while still being able to handle the amount of current of the Sbt90.2 and still have 95-98 cri at 5000 lumens?
Can any one of you explain that to me? As far as phospor breaking down at higher currents and what not.
Thanks
These LEDs do exist, though mainly in COB form–think high power film/video lights. Fireflies also has FFL707A, which is capable of over 3000lm at 519A levels of CRI. Luminus also has the CFT90, which has the same die size as SBT90.2 but in 93+ CRI.
High CRI LEDs in general are not intended for the purpose of extreme throw (hard to tell difference between 70 and 95 CRI from 1km away) or extreme output from a single emitter. For the purpose of a generally useful floody beam, an array of low-power emitters (triples, quads, septuples) is as good as a single high-power emitter.
Plus there is the issue of cost. Manufacturing cost scales faster-than-linear with emitter die size (look at the SBT90.2 or CFT90 price compared to 3 SFT40’s), so there is little incentive to get these over a cheaper array.
I’m not talking about 1 km away I’m talking about 50-100 yards away.
I like high cri cause I can clearly tell the difference between a red car and a maroon car, or a dark green and lime green, whereas with low cri LEDs esp high 5000k or higher, all cars look about the same.
I don’t care about a very narrow beam like w1 emitters produce, I really like more of a wide but bright beam like armytek has in their predator and viking lights, but I wish they also had more throw like the sbt 90.2.
I don’t like laser like beams that have a very dim spill.
SBT90.2 lights throw well because of the emitter has high intensity, of course, but an equally important reason is that those lights are designed with large reflectors as all throwers must. If you are ok with the size of an SBT90.2 light, something like the Sofirn SP36 modded with dedomed 519A/SFT40 would indeed give you a wide but throwy high CRI beam, equivalent to what you’d get in a hypothetical high CRI SBT90.2.
I think it’s both a technology and market issue.
On the technology, red phosphors may indeed be more afraid of high temperatures, just like the official max current of 3000K SFT-40 is only half of 5000K.
On the market, most throw or high lumen LEDs, primarily for sheer output, the CRI controlled at 65-70. As most people do, either observe the color close up, either observe the object far away, few people want to observe the colors in the distance in detail.
Some custom LED enthusiasts have similar ideas, like this post.
Because this LED is not for photography, So CRI is not important and we want extreme efficacy for high performance that’s why we choose 70CRI.
I’d wager there’s a certain amount of supply and demand going on - if you’re building high ampage, big LEDs, you’re likely doing it for high output and/or high intensity customers. The whole “point” of these big LEDs is output, and cool, low CRI is higher output than warm and HiCRI.
Not saying it’s correct, but it helps my wallet, I’d absolutely love a 4000K SBT90 light, or a 4000K LEP with nice tint, but they don’t exist because there’s not enough of a market for them to be built.
Edit to add before someone mentions it:
When you’re driving these warm LEDs hard, some make it down to halogen levels of efficacy! So if you want high output and high intensity, with warmish colour beamz and high CRI, the sensible option is HID.