↓ Advertise on Defender2 ↓

Home > General & Technical (L663) > Headlights - Comparison
Post Reply  Down to end
Page 1 of 1
Print this entire topic · 
XplusYplusZ



Member Since: 16 Aug 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 396

Headlights - Comparison
Does anyone have a light comparison picture or vid?

I'm trying to decide if the 'premium LED' are necessary for decent night visibility, or if they're primarily for the pretty DRLs.

Am I also correct in saying there are 3 options in the UK? basic 'LED', 'premium LED' and 'matrix'? Or are premium and matrix the same thing?

I really don't care about the circular DRLs, but I definitely don't want crappy yellow bulbs for headlights.. are the regular lights good enough?
Post #938010 16th Jan 2022 11:38pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
haymeister



Member Since: 24 May 2021
Location: Saitama
Posts: 238

Japan 
I found this one a while back from a guy in Sweden.
He says he doesn't have the Matrix one, so it's either the "Base LED" or 'Premium LED with signature DRL".

I upgraded to Premium LEDs. Matrix were not an option I could tick.
They are decent on dipped but on high beam they are poor IMHO. The spread was good, but the actual intensity was poor. Poorer than my old 2015 BMW 2GT which had the LEDs.

Don't have the actual spec but visually the main lamp in the "Base" headlights look different to the Premium LEDs.

 22MY Defender 110 D300 S in Pangea Green and Contrast White Roof
IG defender_japan "Hulk san"
Post #938013 17th Jan 2022 1:29am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Tim in Scotland



Member Since: 23 May 2007
Location: The Land that time forgot
Posts: 3748

 
I’ve seen several YouTube channels and on the FB groups that owners with Premium LED’s don’t think that they that great. I have the Matrix LED’s on the First Edition and also on my Mini and they are really good. Seems odd to be driving on full beam even with oncoming traffic heading at you but you can see the beams changing as the cars go past and the elements change Pangea Green D250 90 HSE with Air Suspension, Off-road Pack, Towing Pack, Black Contrast roof , rear recovery eyes, Front bash plate, Classic flaps all round, extended wheel arch kit and a few bits from PowerfulUK Expel Clear Gloss PPF to come
2020 D240 1st Edition in Pangea Green with Acorn interior. Now gone - old faithful, no mechanical issues whatsoever ever but the leaks and rattles all over the place won’t be missed!
Post #938031 17th Jan 2022 10:11am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
XplusYplusZ



Member Since: 16 Aug 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 396

Thanks guys.

The matrix lights I used were awesome - it made a very long drive through the very dark highlands incredibly easy. Agreeing with Tim - it feels so strange leaving them on full beam, but the blanking seems to be accurate doesn't dazzle other vehicles.

My main question though is more whether I can get away with the basic LEDs (which look like standard bulbs and reflectors in the configurator!?), OR if I really should upgrade to premium LEDs for decent visibility. I have a BMW 4 series at the moment and am perfectly happy with the bog standard lights on that, but I'm unsure if the LR tech is as good as a 4 year old BMW..

Off topic now, but I have a friend who works in the car industry and was talking to one of the leading lighting manufacturers. They were telling him that the next generation of pixelated light systems are running thousands of pixels, potentially hundreds of thousands - meaning you can get resolutions good enough to project films through them. I'm not sure how practical that would be, but I'm sure James Bond could find a use for it.
Post #938036 17th Jan 2022 10:51am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
J77



Member Since: 04 Nov 2019
Location: Fife
Posts: 3223

Scotland 
I went for the premium lights, only £500-600 option. But then I was coming from a Velar with matrix lights. To be honest though, if the adaptive driving beam is switched off, matrix lights are no better than standard LEDs. 23.5MY 90 D250 X-Dynamic SE, Pangea Green
Gone - 23MY 110 D250 XS Edition, Hakuba Silver
Gone - 21MY 90 D200 S, Tasman Blue, Fuji White roof.
Post #938057 17th Jan 2022 2:00pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16809

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
I had someone following me for miles and miles along the A35 last Saturday night, I don't know what the vehicle was (certainly not a new Defender) but I wonder if it had matrix or adaptive headlights fitted. All the time the vehicle was behind me the effect to my rear was that the driver was randomly flashing his main beams on and off, constantly. It was one of the most irritating experiences I have had for a long time, and made me start to have series and evil thoughts long the lines of the movie "Duel".

The following car was on the whole a fair way behind (100 to 200 yards), and it was definitely not simply a sharply cut-off dip beam bouncing up and down.

I really hope that it was a random electrical fault not matrix lights, because if this is what we have to look forwards in the future, it will be very, very unpleasant.
Post #938063 17th Jan 2022 2:40pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
J77



Member Since: 04 Nov 2019
Location: Fife
Posts: 3223

Scotland 
Sounds more like high beam assist, which I find hopeless. It’s switched off on mine. The matrix adaptive driving beam is more subtle when it changes as it only blanks out the oncoming vehicle. 23.5MY 90 D250 X-Dynamic SE, Pangea Green
Gone - 23MY 110 D250 XS Edition, Hakuba Silver
Gone - 21MY 90 D200 S, Tasman Blue, Fuji White roof.
Post #938067 17th Jan 2022 3:12pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Farmerben



Member Since: 16 Jan 2017
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 604

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Keswick Green
blackwolf wrote:
I had someone following me for miles and miles along the A35 last Saturday night, I don't know what the vehicle was (certainly not a new Defender) but I wonder if it had matrix or adaptive headlights fitted. All the time the vehicle was behind me the effect to my rear was that the driver was randomly flashing his main beams on and off, constantly. It was one of the most irritating experiences I have had for a long time, and made me start to have series and evil thoughts long the lines of the movie "Duel".

The following car was on the whole a fair way behind (100 to 200 yards), and it was definitely not simply a sharply cut-off dip beam bouncing up and down.

I really hope that it was a random electrical fault not matrix lights, because if this is what we have to look forwards in the future, it will be very, very unpleasant.


My Disco matrix lights were doing that when I was following a lorry the other night so I turned them back to manual but don't think it has happened since. https://instagram.com/bentheoandrews
Post #938068 17th Jan 2022 3:20pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Supacat



Member Since: 16 Oct 2012
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 11018

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS DCPU Keswick Green
Harry had something to say about the lights on his loaner:

Post #938072 17th Jan 2022 5:19pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
mmbanf



Member Since: 16 Mar 2021
Location: Milano
Posts: 124

Italy 
Hello
I am happy owner of a 90 base, with base led headlights.
the lights illuminate very well on the road, before i had a vw touareg xenon, in my opinion they are at least the same or better (LR).
watching the video, they look the same to me.
only thing that's not good, in the tight hairpin bends in the mountains in total darkness the lights do not illuminate the corner ...... completely black!
for this reason I was forced to mount after the fog lights which improve the situation enough.
Post #938080 17th Jan 2022 5:49pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
TomekW



Member Since: 21 Feb 2015
Location: Warsaw
Posts: 192

Poland 2003 Defender 110 Td5 SW Bonatti Grey
Re: Headlights - Comparison
XplusYplusZ wrote:
Does anyone have a light comparison picture or vid?

I'm trying to decide if the 'premium LED' are necessary for decent night visibility, or if they're primarily for the pretty DRLs.

Am I also correct in saying there are 3 options in the UK? basic 'LED', 'premium LED' and 'matrix'? Or are premium and matrix the same thing?

I really don't care about the circular DRLs, but I definitely don't want crappy yellow bulbs for headlights.. are the regular lights good enough?

Hi,
all options are LED lights, which provide nice, white light, no yellow crap.
- basic LED - I saw one new defender with those lights yesterday; I am not able to say how they actually perform but when you look at the car, they look something like on the old defender with trucklite led lamps; you can clearly see the cut-off line


Click image to enlarge


- premium led adds circular DRLs and do look different when you look at the car; you do not see the horizontal cut-off line

- matrix led - as premium + intelligent matrix feature

I went with premium leds which works very well in my opinion 2021 Defender 90 D250
1998 TUL
1997 TUM FFR
2003 Defender 110SW Td5
1985 ExMOD 110 ST 3.9 V8
1971 Series IIa Lightweight
Post #938108 17th Jan 2022 8:54pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Tim in Scotland



Member Since: 23 May 2007
Location: The Land that time forgot
Posts: 3748

 
XplusYplusZ wrote:
Thanks guys.Off topic now, but I have a friend who works in the car industry and was talking to one of the leading lighting manufacturers. They were telling him that the next generation of pixelated light systems are running thousands of pixels, potentially hundreds of thousands - meaning you can get resolutions good enough to project films through them. I'm not sure how practical that would be, but I'm sure James Bond could find a use for it.


The new Mercedes EQS has those thousand pixel headlights - not sure if they are standard fit or a very expensive option though! The car has been test driven in Norway by Bjorn Nyland on his EV channel,on YouTube


Edit
Sorry I should have posted this one which is purely about the lights…. The interesting bit starts around 9 minutes in.
 Pangea Green D250 90 HSE with Air Suspension, Off-road Pack, Towing Pack, Black Contrast roof , rear recovery eyes, Front bash plate, Classic flaps all round, extended wheel arch kit and a few bits from PowerfulUK Expel Clear Gloss PPF to come
2020 D240 1st Edition in Pangea Green with Acorn interior. Now gone - old faithful, no mechanical issues whatsoever ever but the leaks and rattles all over the place won’t be missed!
Post #938341 19th Jan 2022 2:51pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
XplusYplusZ



Member Since: 16 Aug 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 396

For those who might be interested, I found this vid has quite a lot of exterior headlight footage from the Namibia Press Launch. Interestingly, I don’t see any models with the signature DRLs. It looks like all had the basic light units.

Post #941174 5th Feb 2022 7:50pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Post Reply
Post Reply  Back to top
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT

Jump to  
Previous Topic | Next Topic >
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
DEFENDER2.NET RSS Feed - All Forums