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Retrofit labs projector comparison video

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Old Feb 15th, 2019, 13:38   #11
rxtian
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Understood, I'm just looking for a bit of scatter/diffusion above the cut off to catch on reflective surfaces. The lenses appear to have a pattern etched into the back which I hope will achieve this.
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Old Feb 15th, 2019, 14:01   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by T5R90210 View Post
Don't be surprised if the frosted lens doesn't make much difference.

The OEM cutoff pattern is quite different to the ones on the retrofit labs..
But 2009 C30 has non-frosted lenses, no? I think pre FL cars had fresnel lenses and from 2008 and FL lights you can observe the lens is clear. No clue how diffused it is though but still I think result may be interesting. Its highly possible the beam pattern will be wider.

On my 2005 projectors you could take the lens out just by bending the prongs, no other disassembly required, but I dont know about 2009 ones.
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Old Feb 15th, 2019, 14:10   #13
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There is a pattern in the lens, it looks like a fine grid of squares, with a step in the lens on one side.

The 2009 headlights look the same as earlier ones externally to me but I’ve never looked closely. It’s not a facelift with the completely different front end.
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Old Feb 15th, 2019, 16:36   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rxtian View Post
There is a pattern in the lens, it looks like a fine grid of squares, with a step in the lens on one side.

The 2009 headlights look the same as earlier ones externally to me but I’ve never looked closely. It’s not a facelift with the completely different front end.
Just to be clear, by "fresnel" pre FL lens I mean this:
(see the fine grid of circles that you can see on it, also you wont see anything looking directly trough it)



Comparing it to RFL lens its clear what "frosted" and "clear" lens is



but I do believe FL OEM lenses are somehow inbetween - not frosted as fresnel type but also not 100% clear and all those "squares", dimples or other pattern often seen on OEM lenses are exactly for that scattered light purpose.
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Old Feb 15th, 2019, 20:52   #15
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Hi everyone.

Curiosity got the better of me and I ripped the headlights out as soon as I got home

Very easy job - would have been even easier if I had done it when I had the projectors out to swap! Only bit that required any thought was how to get the lens out of the Volvo projector after releasing the tabs, it is still stuck between the reflector and its mount. I decided deforming its mount by pressing down on the top until it was oval enough for the lens to fit through was quickest, easiest, and most reverse-able. Conveniently the retrofit projectors have screws so you can separate the lens mount easily.

I do have different lenses to Lizard, mine are 90% clear with little squares (retrofit clear on the left, Volvo on the right - before cleaning):


I took some pictures before and after on the wall (sorry about the posters in the way!)

Here's the clear retrofit lens:


Here's the Volvo lens:

That little splash of light on the edge of the poster looks encouraging!

I did the second light and went for a test drive, here are a couple of comparison frames:

Notice how the light is higher on the verge? That's the Volvo lens.



Again, the frame with the lifted edges is the Volvo lens.

It's a hard effect to catch on camera, but it is much easier to drive with the Volvo lenses. They give a wider beam, the diffused cut off gives you additional visibility/less eye strain, and the "eyebrow" throws up a little bit of light (seen on the poster) which catches reflective surfaces at a greater distance. The feeling of driving from a floodlit area into pitch black is gone - still with greatly improved beam compared to the faded Volvo reflectors.

If you're going to replace the reflectors, stay with halogen, and you have the lenses with squares, I 100% recommend moving the Volvo lenses across.

I'm well happy!
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Old Feb 18th, 2019, 12:18   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rxtian View Post
....

I took some pictures before and after on the wall (sorry about the posters in the way!)

...
Ah c'mon, nothing wrong with BF4 poster and some Razer accesories in the frame as a bonus :P

But in seriousness - many thanks for your research, it only confirm what I suspected before - FL OEM lenses are better than RFL ones. Light spread looks much better and especially on 2nd gif its clear how much wider they are. Just wondering now if those are not too dazzling for oncoming traffic (that light leak on tom may be an issue with HID lights).
also makes me wonder - if lenses are so good, how about the whole OEM FL unit? Assuming you dont care for bixenon option and your reflector is 100% fine, would light pattern on those with H7 HID be better than RFL's ?

Guess If I see a cheap FL lamp or just projector for sale I may get it.
...for science :P
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Old Feb 18th, 2019, 12:59   #17
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May try this with HIDs once I get my ballast fixed.

Good job, I was skeptical of this!
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Old Feb 18th, 2019, 13:02   #18
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Staggering difference in the video, I've just ordered a set form Ali Express (D2S) and intend on using D2S fitment LED bulbs.

I've seen they have a shutter for highbeam which is obviously pointless when it's a different bulb, maybe you can either wire them in as a live constant or physically remove the shutter so your cut off won't be as sharp?
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Old Feb 18th, 2019, 16:47   #19
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Staggering difference in the video, I've just ordered a set form Ali Express (D2S) and intend on using D2S fitment LED bulbs.

I've seen they have a shutter for highbeam which is obviously pointless when it's a different bulb, maybe you can either wire them in as a live constant or physically remove the shutter so your cut off won't be as sharp?
Wait, whaa?
What to you mean by that? Shutter will work regardless of bulb source type. Only think shutter does is cut 50% of beam and realease it fully when activated. You wire it to high beam bulbs and you ultimately have dual high beam application.

also - I have to ask - why D2S version if you decided to do with odd aftermarket D2S LEDs anyway? Whole point of using D2S of projectors is to use good branded D2s bulbs, like Osram Xenarc etc, otherwise you can use H7 version as bulbs are aftermarket/crappier anyway and you can swap to halogen in no time. Not really following the logic here, please elaborate!
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Old Feb 18th, 2019, 18:23   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom View Post
Wait, whaa?
What to you mean by that? Shutter will work regardless of bulb source type. Only think shutter does is cut 50% of beam and realease it fully when activated. You wire it to high beam bulbs and you ultimately have dual high beam application.

also - I have to ask - why D2S version if you decided to do with odd aftermarket D2S LEDs anyway? Whole point of using D2S of projectors is to use good branded D2s bulbs, like Osram Xenarc etc, otherwise you can use H7 version as bulbs are aftermarket/crappier anyway and you can swap to halogen in no time. Not really following the logic here, please elaborate!
HAHA! Okay so "logic" as follows...

rtxian remarked about not having enough diffusion/scatter above the cut off, so hence I though well just wire it in to the sidelights perhaps then the shutter will always be down and he'll get the diffusion.
Also I find that my high beam is quite possibly TOO bright when approaching signs haha...
My rationale for getting the D2S fitment projectors was really just based on not having another choice on Ali Express! But they were about £45 after discounts so I though well I might as well just get some LED bulbs while I'm at it as I don't want the possible problems associated with aftermarket Xenon WM/CEM failures.
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Last edited by Yobbo; Feb 18th, 2019 at 18:29.
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