LIGHT & MOTION TEST DATA

Super bright LEDs are quite new – they’ve changed the game by delivering significantly more light, using less power. Gone are the days of breakable bulbs and watt-rated brightness.

LEDs are more sophisticated and require more precise measurement. The test results on these pages show the light our products deliver to the trail compared with the light delivered by some of our competitors’ products, who claim more than they actually deliver. A testing laboratory took these measurements using calibrated instruments. These tests were performed on 2009 Light and Motion light systems, and must be within 10% of the claimed output to pass our stringent standards.

The tool required for measuring light output to an NIST standard is called an integrating sphere. This instrument captures all the light produced by a product, measuring every wavelength - from the reds you can barely see to the almost imperceptible blues. The computer attached to the integrating sphere calculates how many lumens your light is actually producing. When reading our charts, look at the area under the curve to see how bright the light is. More area, more light.

The truth in testing comes from the NIST “Standard”. This Standard is an incredibly precise and expensive light bulb that is certified and documented at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Using this fancy light bulb as a reference means the test is objective and accurate.

Using a lumen measurement gives us the true measure of ALL the light coming out of a light head. Some lighting manufacturers still talk about lux or candlepower, which only tell you how bright a light is at a certain point. Light & Motion systems would look very good if we reported our measurements in candlepower. Our proprietary reflectors have the farthest throw on the market (equating to the brightest center point). However, it wouldn’t be accurate, since candlepower tells you nothing about the TOTAL amount of light emitted.

Kelvin is used to describe the tint of white light. A low Kelvin number (3,500) has a very yellow color, while a high kelvin number (10,000) has a very blue color. We aim for the sun and target a balanced 5,500 degrees Kelvin – about the color you’d find in mid-day light. This is important because our eyes have developed to see things bathed in sunlight, and we want to give you the clearest view of the trail. In a 6 LED emitter light head like our Seca we specify tight color control so that all 6 LEDs deliver consistent color temperature for a clean, distraction-free beam.