Choosing a Light Source
If you presently have loupes, but do not use a light source, you will be amazed at the difference coaxial illumination will provide. You not only will be able to see finer detail and clarity than what you now see with loupes, but you will realize truer color rendition as well. The coaxial illumination (along your line of sight) eliminates shadows common with operatory lights. Once your use a portable light, you will wonder how you ever worked without one before!
When shopping for portable lights the following are important features to look for:
LED vs. Filament bulbs. Most portable lights on the market today use Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs. In contrast to filament bulbs, LEDs are semiconductor chips and have no parts to burn out or replace and will last 50,000 hours or more.
Illuminance. Foot-candles and lux are common terms for "brightness" which are measurements of the density (or concentration) of the light falling on a surface It is important to note that foot-candles and lux are dependent upon the distance between the light and object illuminated. A light that measures 8.000 foot-candles at 12 inches may only be 5,000 Fc at 14 inches. Stating foot-candles or lux without the distance at which it is measured is meaningless!
Color Temperature. Color temperature describes the color of the light emitted by the LED. Choose a color temperature between 5500 and 6500 deg, K. Lower color temperatures will have a "yellowish" light while higher temperatures will cast a "bluer" light. 5500 deg. K is equivalent to natural sunlight in color.
Battery Types. Lithium ion (Li Ion) is the most advanced battery technology available today. Li Ion batteries have a high charge density meaning they are smaller, lighter and will last longer than Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) or Nickel Cadmium (NiCd).
Battery Life. All rechargeable batteries have a useful life expectancy of about 1 to 2 years. As your battery ages, it begins to hold less of a charge –reducing the running time on a full charge. Once the running time decreases to an unacceptable level, it is time to replace the battery.
Power Pack. Most light source batteries are contained within the power pack. Most manufacturers require you to replace the complete power pack when the battery is worn out. However, these power packs are expensive to replace. PeriOptix has designed a unique power pack in which the Li Ion battery is attached externally. Therefore, when your battery needs replacing, you don't replace the expensive power pack—only the battery. And, extra batteries can be purchased for only about $60.
Replaceable Lamphead Cord. One of the most common service problems of portable lights is the cord that can and will fail after repeated bending and stretching. The Solaris is the only portable LED on the market that has a completely user serviceable cord. Should the cord fail at any time, you can simply remove two small screws and replace it.
Intensity Control. Make sure your battery pack has an intensity control that will allow you to control the intensity of the light.
Mounting Clips. Most lights have mounts that can be attached to all loupes or optional headbands.
Other Accessories. If you work with composites or resins, be aware that all lights will prematurely cure them. You can turn your light down or off, or use an optional amber filter. The PeriOptix composite filter will not cure composites and it transmits 70% more "safe" light than any other filter on the market.
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