TRS Tech

Lens Swaps: Clearly the Best Choice

The original glass projector lenses that come pre-installed on most OEM projectors can be thought of as any other original part on your car: upgradeable. These "detuned" glass lenses are often either foggy (semi-clear) or Fresnel (with concentric rings molded into the surface) and ultimately prevent the projectors from performing to their full potential. Simply put, upgrading to a 100% optically clear projector lens will enhance the actual lighting performance, and the aesthetic characteristics of your low beam or bi-xenon projector's output.

Benefit one: performance

Compared to a Fresnel or translucent/foggy glass lens, an optically clear lens will simply let more light pass through it. The more light than can pass through the lens, the brighter the beam pattern emitted by the projector will be. Lighting direct in front of you will be enhanced, and intensity off to the sides of the beam pattern will also be marginally brighter - aiding in overall vision.

Benefit two: cutoff sharpness

Compared to a Fresnel or translucent/foggy glass lens, an optically clear lens will not distort or soften the shape of the beam pattern nearly as much. Therefore, the upper light cutoff line that separates the light from the dark area above will be significantly sharper and more aesthetically pleasing. On a wall, the beam pattern will show a perfectly defined center step and left/right side. Comparison picture: TL w/ OEM lens vs. TL with ZKW-R clear lens

Benefit three: color flicker

Compared to a Fresnel or translucent/foggy glass lens, an optically clear lens will add a band of colorful light across the top of the beam's cutoff line. This will ultimately enhance the aesthetic appeal of your output from an onlooker's perspective. Technically known as "color flicker" this exotic effect occurs as this band of colorful light passes in and out of the field of vision of onlookers as you drive down a bumpy road or over the crest of a hill. Using a clear lens and a relatively low Kelvin bulb such as a 4300K or 5000K, you'll get the best of both worlds - great "flashy" looks coupled with maximum luminosity. From a distance, the headlights will flash through the colors appearing in your colorband (ie aqua/blue/purple) but standing next to the car at night, the headlights will appear to have a normal white output. Illustration picture: colorband in beam pattern vs. color flicker shot from a far.

Often times, people think they can achieve the color flicker effect simply by using a high Kelvin bulb such as an 8000K or 10000K, but they're really just changing the color (and reducing the intensity) of the light below the cutoff line and not adjusting the hues in the cutoff line itself. In comparison to the situation above, your headlights will appear ridiculously blue/purple from a distance, and you'll still look like an idiot from close up. There will likely be no actual "flicker" as it's drowned out by the color of the actual light being emitted.

Note that very few cars in the US domestic market come from the factory with clear lenses mounted on the projectors used inside their headlights; European vehicles are spec'd with clear lenses much more often. In fact, when retrofitting headlights started gaining in popularity several years ago, it was usually only possible to obtain clear lenses for a upgrade swap from "ECE" (Euro spec) headlights. (Thanks DOT!) Now, TRS offers a full line of 2.5" and 3" optically clear projector lenses for most projectors on the market. So whether you're looking to enhance the output on the units you'll be retrofitting, or the detuned factory projectors in your higher-end vehicle, we likely have an upgrade for your application.