Sorry if this has been covered before...

Has anyone compared the LED vs HID headlamps on the IS? I'm wondering if it's worth the LED as an upgrade, or if it's more or less the same.

Thanks!

 

I dont' know how the HID's look... but compared to my old car which had HID's, I love the LED's a lot more

Here's a pic of the LED

 

coming from a 2012 IS to a 2014 IS, I can definitely tell the difference. I just wish there was a more crisp cutoff (both 2nd gen and 3rd gen).

 

Someone once told me that Lexus LED headlight has about 1500 lumens each side, and HID has 3000 lumens...

However,I think LED looks better, though mine is HID....

 

a side by side comparison would be great.

but base on my understanding.

HIDs are still brighter at 3000 lumens
LEDs are at around 2200 lumens
Halogens are 1500 lumens (high performance types)

 

Technology is moving at all times... old LEDs were not as bring as HIDs but new GS LEDs were pretty good.

 

HIDs are much brighter than LEDs

 

But LEDs last much longer. HID life gets shortened if you have auto on/off at short intervals.

 

I've been wondering about that. Individual LEDs last a long, long time -- certainly.

But the actual LED lamp units throw off a LOT of heat. I'm concerned with the longevity of actual units, not the bulbs themselves. And you can bet those are pricey to replace.

 

The IS350 comes with LED DRL check mark lights right? and HID at the night lights?

 

yea, the standard setup is LED DRL check marks and Xenon main beam.

But, there is an option available for both to be LEDs.

 

I'm a flashlight specialist.
I presently own about 15 different types of flashlights.
My most powerful is my Nitecore TM11 Triple XM-L T6 with 2000 lumens.

LED emitters are more energy efficient, and therefore run relatively cooler than HID's.
LED emitters also have greater longevity, at some 50,000 hours for flashlights.
LED's can switch on instantly, so can be used as a high beam indicator, whereas HID's must have a companion conventional halogen high beam flasher.

However, life is never perfect, and there is a downside to LED's - LED's cannot emit enough volume of light.
Thus, most LED lights used in homes and cars etc, have "multiple" LED emitters, to try to increase the volume of light emitted in lumens.
You will never find LED's being used to illuminate tennis courts, football stadiums, and Olympic stadiums...

 

The colour of xenon beam is white at night time right? Whats so good about LED night time lights?

 

This is correct, In the past, multiple emitters are needed to increase the volume of light but technology is improving, fewer emitters are used.

The headlights used in LS600h was the 1st generation product from Koito - the OEM partner who makes all the light assembly as well as light bulbs for Toyota and Lexus. However, in IS, the LED headlights are the 4th generation and Koito claims the power consumption of this 4th gen LED headlight in IS to be half of the 1st gen headlights in LS. And yet each unit has 1400 lumens in IS - 3.5 times of brightness produced in LS600h (400 lumens).


The following article is in Japanese (use Google Translate) and the chart is particularly interesting. It shows a overall comparison of each generation of LED headlamps used in all Toyota and Lexus vehicles so far.

Honestly I am confused with the terminologies used in the article. I think one unit refers to one "projector" in each headlamp. So for IS, there is 2 units in each headlamp. Then each headlight produces 1400x2 = 2800 lumens -- therefore it exceeds the luminosity of a typical D4S 4xxx K HID.

Any expert here, please clarify it....

http://monoist.atmarkit.co.jp/mn/spv...4/news035.html

I found the link some time ago through a post from the MinKara web site.

 

Light beams have differing "tints".
The tint can be warm, ie yellowish white.
Or cool, ie bluish white.
Neutral is something in between.

Warm tints are good at illuminating red meats etc.
Cool tints are good at illuminating blue and green objects etc.
Neutral tints are good for illuminationg something in between.

When cool tints are used to illuminate red meats, the red meat may look abit purple.

Light beam tints are measured in degrees Kelvin temperature.
The lower the Kelvin temperature, the warmer [nee yellower] the tint.
The higher the Kelvin degree temperature, the cooler [nee bluer] the tint.

Neither cooler nor warmer is superior.
It depends on preferences, and horses for courses...