I believe these diffusers have a high potential for macro photography lighting.

The intended applications were in high efficiency LCD backlights (BLUs) to be used in computer monitors, TVs and cell phones as well as shaped light sources for machine inspection systems. These threads touched a memory of an article I read in a Photonics or SPIE publication, from at least several years ago, about the ongoing development of such materials for mass production (at low cost). So apparently no members have been willing to buy one to test (?). Other trade names include “Engineered Diffusers” or the general name “microlens diffusers” all of which fall under the broader category of “holographic diffusers”.įor reference, here are two earlier threads which refer to this or similar materials:Īlthough the properties of Edmund Scientific's holographic diffusers mentioned in the first thread appear to be the same as microlens diffusers like LSD, they are relatively expensive and small in size. LSD (Light Shaping Diffusers) is one of several trade names for a special class of high-tech diffusion materials that incorporate a unique randomized pattern of microlenses or “microlenslets” (with different focal lengths) formed into the surface of plastic sheet material or coatings on glass. No, this is not a way to create “psychedelic” macro images through ingestion of psychoactive chemicals ( although that also might be an interesting test)!