Anybody have any experience with these super bright white LEDs?

I want to use them as mini spot lights, but the distance cast will be less than 2 feet.
Thus a wide beam probably will work better than a focused beam.
My understanding is that as the mcd increases (millicandlepower) the angle of beam needs to decrease.

so this one says:
280K mcd at 5 degrees, which is pretty tight.
http://cgi.ebay.com/30p-10mm-Hi-Power-0-5W-MULTIChipS-White-LED-280Kmcd-F-S_W0QQitemZ350086289614QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item350 086289614&_trkparms=72%3A552%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318

this one says: 140k mcd at 12 degrees, which makes sense at half the power of a tight beam.
http://cgi.ebay.com/50-PCS-Mega-Bright-White-LED-10mm-140-000-mcd-F-R_W0QQitemZ230274632898QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item230 274632898&_trkparms=72%3A552%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318

But this one breaks the rules and says:
280k mcd at 40 degrees:
http://cgi.ebay.com/50-PCS-10mm-40-5-Chips-WHITE-LED-100mA-280-000mcd-NEW_W0QQitemZ220261085822QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item2 20261085822&_trkparms=72%3A552%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318


should I trust those specs?
Anybody have experience with these LEDs?
And does anyone have a better source than Hong Kong eBay?

It says they run at 100mA, which sounds really high for 10mm packages. Either they found a way to make them more efficient and/or able to deal with higher temperatures, or they made it up. A higher than normal current will certainly be brighter, but will burn out quickly.

As for aesthetics, close range will be fine if the LEDs are mounted at a sharp angle. What are you going to illuminate?

The illumination from white LEDs tends to look rather cold because they're not really an even mix of color.

What would look a lot better is separate red-green-blue LEDs with adjustable drivers, so you can set the color to what you want.
~

They advertise 5 chips in the package.
Maybe they put 5 x 20 ma together, thus the 100ma .

I want to illuminate paintings .
Too often art shows or homes have really crappy lighting that diminish the power of the artwork.
So I want to control and optimize the light for each painting.
Thus, each painting will carry its own lighting in the frame.
Generally speaking the whole painting should have light cast on it, but I imagine some "hot spots"of the painting would benefit from spot light effects.

I imagine the frame of the painting may be as much as a foot deep (more like a shallow box (shadow box) without its lid, with the leds hidden, like theatre stage lighting.
I hope to not have to make the frame too deep, thus the need for greater angles of light dispersal at short distance.
The largest paintings could be as big as 7 feet by 7 feet), and smaller.

Here's pic of shadow box pulled off internet.
Imagine it being twice (or more) as deep.
And a painting on canvas as the subject.
http://www.designer-jewellery-st-ives.co.uk/p7hg_img_1/fullsize/eastern_goddess_shadow_box.jpg

another fatter shadow box
from the side:
http://www.bustersdesignteam.com/images/products/shadowbox2.jpg

+++++++

Bullwinkle8357:
Interesting concept to mix the 3 primary light sources to create white of the desired warmth.
I wonder how dissociated the fringes would be, though.

Have you thought of using some sort of diffuser over the lights to help give you the coverage & softness you're looking for?

no, I haven't.
but now I will.
thanx