High definition reading lights

Jan 16, 2009 16 Replies

We received a brochure about 'high definition reading lights' recently At first sight it seemed interesting because both my wife and I do a lot of reading and could well use some stronger illumination. But I was amazed on checking out their web page

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see the £400 price for a standing lamp.



Can anyone muster any justification for this sort of cost please? Anyone with any experience of these or similar lamps? Or any alternative suggested products?


Probably the cost of the oxygen-free mains lead they have to use to get the high definition light.

Sure - con artists charge what they want.

What are you using at the moment? I have a 100 watt halogen lamp in the anglepoise over my workbench - and that provides plenty of quality light for even my old eyes.

The top one on this page:-

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Look at their little more reasonably priced replacement bulbs on the website. Unusual? or bog standard?

Even so, you could probably buy their replacement bulb and a compatible lamp standard from a place like Ikea.

The price you are paying on that websites relates to the smart looking design of their lights, the profit margin and the ethos of the guy running the website taking rich pickings from 'comfortable' retired folk that may not know that there are plenty of alternatives.

Looking at the rest of the site, I see that it's protected with medical advice and a list of recommending opticians (happy to do business). It's also got this in the T&C's

"It is not permitted to create any link to this web site without our prior written consent."

Hmmmm....

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do work well. I have some. I certainly wouldn't buy 100W GLS lamps after using one of the halogena. I don't think GLS lamps are quite there yet.

Spare bulbs @ £299.99, I expect.

£12.99 IIRC. They look like 35W gui bulbs in the picture. I would have expect HID for that price of the original.

The dodgy Dr Ott strikes again. High colour temp fluro at a higher price.Tyhe originator of the whole "full spectrum" scam.

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is a good choice if your fitting will take the heat, personally use 20W LV halogen desk lamps near task.

Solux make some nice products but the lamps are better value on import from U.S.

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Good grief! That floor lamp is never worth £387.00 without a bulb!

It's amazing what people will pay for a reading lamp, if indeed anyone does pay £399.99 for this.

You can buy aftermarket car HID conversion kits for under 100 quid these days on Ebay. And an SMPS to drive those from mains wouldn't be that expensive. They do a big range of colour temperature too - although I don't know how good the spectrum is.

Car ones are usually 35 watts - and that seems to equate roughly to a good

12 volt 100 watt halogen.

Keep shopping they are sold for 1/20th the price. Its the ad that costs alot.

Check out the lamps sold through the RNIB or Optima low vision. They seem to go for really nice white lights. Is this a gold plated lamp for that price? Must be hand built or something. Brian

Terry Pinnell wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

lights' recently

wife and I do a

illumination. But I

cost please?

any

I have bought two lights from these people. The £100 floor standing lamp looks nice but does not give me enough light to read and replacement bulbs only seem to be avail from Serious Readers. The second was a £200 brass-finish double over-the-bed light. When I unpacked it, it turned out to have a sprayed

-on imitation bronze finish. Yuk! Sent it straight back.

DAvy

Thanks all, appreciate those helpful replies. I won't be becoming a new customer.

Sounds like daylight robbery, if you'll excuse the pun ;-)

You need one of these

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;-)

They look like bog standard LV halogen lamps. (which will give a nice bright white light)

I bought a floor standing unit with a flexible bit at the top to use as a bedside light many years ago (about £45 in waitrose IIRC). It has two brightness levels and runs a LV halogen capsule bulb (which last for years and years). It works very well as a reading light since you can [place it very accurately without too much overspill. Mine uses 50W capsules - but I find the lower light setting is the one I almost always use.

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