key difference, other than light output, is that a red LED will consume dramatically less power than white. The color isn't a matter of "lens color" but of how the light is being generated. Blue LEDs are somewhere between red and white in terms of power consumption and light output, but I have no idea if they are closer to white than red. I have a light with red blue and white LEDs and generally use RED for everything except for total night walking, and then only when the terrain required better visibility. I would never buy a headlight that only offeres white LEDs until they come up with white LEDs that are just as efficient as red.
Well, actually, they are already more efficient than red, when you just look at "lumens per watt" - but you have to realize that that ratio goes along with a huge difference in lumens output. Over time, the white LEDs will put out massively more lumens than a red one, but there's no "dimmer" in your headlight that would let you dial back the white LED light output so that it will use less power than a red one while still maintaining usable light output. They are either really bright and burn through your battery faster than red, or they are off. The gap between the colors is shrinking, though, since there is a huge push forward to make more and more white light with less power for home lighting. Those LED advances do have a clear impact on how well our outdoor lights perform, too. There is no major development to make red LEDs more efficient.
Last edited by Fishmonger; 03/04/10 10:00 AM.
