9004 to 9007 Conversion Output Photos
01-13-2010, 10:01 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ / Hoboken, NJ
Posts: 1,325
9004 to 9007 Conversion Output Photos
Hi folks,
There is a lot of buzz about the 9007 conversion.
Stock 3rd and 4th gens both use 9004 bulbs. The 9004 is a dual tranverse filament bulb with a 45w low beam and a 65w high beam. It's rated for a 700 lm lowbeam and a 1200 lm highbeam.
The 9007 is a dual axial filament bulb with a 55w low beam and a 65w high beam, rated for 1000 lm and 1350 lm, respectively.
There are plenty of threads with photos of this conversion, including a how-to. I will not attempt to replicate that. It's in the stickies already.
What is lacking is any detailed A/B tests of them. There's probably a hundred down-the-road camera shots showing how "bright" a 9007 is. Automotive lighting is very difficult to photograph, and really can only be accurately represented by a true photometric test. Since I don't have one of those sitting in my closet, this is probably the best that can be done.
My tests are done against a white wall. This removes any artificial coloring from the beam. They are all from the same headlight, a Nissan factory 99 left side headlight. The headlight is exactly 20 feet away from the wall. Ambient light has been minimized, and is consistent from photo to photo. The bulbs are powered off of a regulated 12v power supply, so there is no voltage fluctuations from picture to picture. The camera is at the exact same spot every time, and it is on manual settings at a very low exposure, so the beam is not washed out. All the light will look dimmer in this, but it allows you to see the hotspot more clearly.
Due to the design of my basement, I took two shots of each. One is the light pointed high up, so that you can see the width of the beam and the lower portion. The other is the light pointed level, so you can see the excess light above the hotspot (glare).
I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.
First, a control shot, to show ambient light levels:
9004 low
9004 high
9007 low
9007 high
There is a lot of buzz about the 9007 conversion.
Stock 3rd and 4th gens both use 9004 bulbs. The 9004 is a dual tranverse filament bulb with a 45w low beam and a 65w high beam. It's rated for a 700 lm lowbeam and a 1200 lm highbeam.
The 9007 is a dual axial filament bulb with a 55w low beam and a 65w high beam, rated for 1000 lm and 1350 lm, respectively.
There are plenty of threads with photos of this conversion, including a how-to. I will not attempt to replicate that. It's in the stickies already.
What is lacking is any detailed A/B tests of them. There's probably a hundred down-the-road camera shots showing how "bright" a 9007 is. Automotive lighting is very difficult to photograph, and really can only be accurately represented by a true photometric test. Since I don't have one of those sitting in my closet, this is probably the best that can be done.
My tests are done against a white wall. This removes any artificial coloring from the beam. They are all from the same headlight, a Nissan factory 99 left side headlight. The headlight is exactly 20 feet away from the wall. Ambient light has been minimized, and is consistent from photo to photo. The bulbs are powered off of a regulated 12v power supply, so there is no voltage fluctuations from picture to picture. The camera is at the exact same spot every time, and it is on manual settings at a very low exposure, so the beam is not washed out. All the light will look dimmer in this, but it allows you to see the hotspot more clearly.
Due to the design of my basement, I took two shots of each. One is the light pointed high up, so that you can see the width of the beam and the lower portion. The other is the light pointed level, so you can see the excess light above the hotspot (glare).
I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.
First, a control shot, to show ambient light levels:
9004 low
9004 high
9007 low
9007 high
01-13-2010, 10:12 AM
#3
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ / Hoboken, NJ
Posts: 1,325
I came in skeptical about it, and while it wasn't as bad as I expected, it really depends on your driving habits as to whether or not it is a good idea.
Although it is brighter, there is no longer a real difference between lowbeam and highbeam.
9004 gives a dim lowbeam, but it is distinctly lower than the highbeam, for reduced glare. The headlight is pretty much at the same angle in all shots, so you can see how much higher the 9004 high beam is than its low beam. Our 4th gens actually have a pretty good high beam. 9004 gives a dim lowbeam, but its fine for driving in congested or well-lit areas, and does not glare as much. The high beam is pretty wide and bright on it, so if it is super dark, just use your highbeams.
Whereas the 9007 is definitely a brighter lowbeam, it loses highbeam functionality. Going from highbeams to lowbeams there is no fundamental change in the beam pattern, just a minor change in brightness.
This means that if your lights are aimed properly for 9004, and you drop in 9007, you will be driving around with highbeams on all of the time (which is why people claim it is brighter - of course it is, you're using highbeams).
If you put in 9007s and properly aim them, then you will lose your highbeam, since they will have to be pointed more downwards. However, your lowbeam is brighter.
If you live in an area where you rarely use highbeams, then I would reccomend the 9007 conversion, provided that you aim the headlights a few degrees lower. It will definitely be a brighter lowbeam, as long as it is aimed to the correct lowbeam specifications. However, clicking your highbeams will not move the light higher, it will just make it brighter.
If you live in a very dark area, keep the 9004s. Your eyes can adjust to the dimmer light, and if you aim the lowbeam correctly, your highbeam will work correctly too, giving a very high and bright light.
If you need more light, and high-beam functionality, I recommend a HID projector retrofit.
Although it is brighter, there is no longer a real difference between lowbeam and highbeam.
9004 gives a dim lowbeam, but it is distinctly lower than the highbeam, for reduced glare. The headlight is pretty much at the same angle in all shots, so you can see how much higher the 9004 high beam is than its low beam. Our 4th gens actually have a pretty good high beam. 9004 gives a dim lowbeam, but its fine for driving in congested or well-lit areas, and does not glare as much. The high beam is pretty wide and bright on it, so if it is super dark, just use your highbeams.
Whereas the 9007 is definitely a brighter lowbeam, it loses highbeam functionality. Going from highbeams to lowbeams there is no fundamental change in the beam pattern, just a minor change in brightness.
This means that if your lights are aimed properly for 9004, and you drop in 9007, you will be driving around with highbeams on all of the time (which is why people claim it is brighter - of course it is, you're using highbeams).
If you put in 9007s and properly aim them, then you will lose your highbeam, since they will have to be pointed more downwards. However, your lowbeam is brighter.
If you live in an area where you rarely use highbeams, then I would reccomend the 9007 conversion, provided that you aim the headlights a few degrees lower. It will definitely be a brighter lowbeam, as long as it is aimed to the correct lowbeam specifications. However, clicking your highbeams will not move the light higher, it will just make it brighter.
If you live in a very dark area, keep the 9004s. Your eyes can adjust to the dimmer light, and if you aim the lowbeam correctly, your highbeam will work correctly too, giving a very high and bright light.
If you need more light, and high-beam functionality, I recommend a HID projector retrofit.
01-13-2010, 12:14 PM
#4
Member who somehow became The President of The SE-L Club
iTrader: (19)
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,033
Nice thread! Glad somebody finally make that clear on here. The 9007 conversion does little if nothing at all in improving the lighting on our 4th gens. It actually makes it worse for driving as most will use high beams A LOT on the dark county roads. (myself included)
You can buy 80-100W 9004 clear bulbs at JC Whitney or just about any other performance shop. That's the best way to get your 9004 lights brighter. An upgraded harness is recommended.
Sylvania Xtravision 9004 bulbs (standard wattage) are the biggest improvement you can make while maintaining a completely stock setup.
You can buy 80-100W 9004 clear bulbs at JC Whitney or just about any other performance shop. That's the best way to get your 9004 lights brighter. An upgraded harness is recommended.
Sylvania Xtravision 9004 bulbs (standard wattage) are the biggest improvement you can make while maintaining a completely stock setup.
01-13-2010, 11:08 PM
#7
Nice thread! Glad somebody finally make that clear on here. The 9007 conversion does little if nothing at all in improving the lighting on our 4th gens. It actually makes it worse for driving as most will use high beams A LOT on the dark county roads. (myself included)
You can buy 80-100W 9004 clear bulbs at JC Whitney or just about any other performance shop. That's the best way to get your 9004 lights brighter. An upgraded harness is recommended.
Sylvania Xtravision 9004 bulbs (standard wattage) are the biggest improvement you can make while maintaining a completely stock setup.
You can buy 80-100W 9004 clear bulbs at JC Whitney or just about any other performance shop. That's the best way to get your 9004 lights brighter. An upgraded harness is recommended.
Sylvania Xtravision 9004 bulbs (standard wattage) are the biggest improvement you can make while maintaining a completely stock setup.
!!!
03-04-2012, 08:55 PM
#9
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 1
9004 and 9007 Bulbs
What are the differences? They look interchangeable—
but they’re not.
The 9004 (HB1) bulb, introduced in 1983, was the first halogen replaceable headlight bulb available for use in North America. It uses 12 Volts, has a 45 Watt low beam filament producing 700 lumens, and a 65 Watt high beam filament producing 1200 lumens. These filaments are transverse—if you hold the bulb upright, they run across the bulb from side to side.
The 9007 (HB5) bulb, introduced in 1992, uses 12 Volts, has a 55 Watt low beam filament producing 1000 lumens, and a 65 Watt high beam filament producing 1350 lumens. These filaments are axial—if you hold the bulb upright, they run along the bulb from top to bottom.
9004 and 9007 bulbs are keyed differently, so they can’t be interchanged, but the higher light output of the 9007 tempts some people to try making 9007 bulbs fit in headlamps designed for 9004 bulbs.
This is not an upgrade, and it’s unsafe.
It’s important to use the specified bulb.
Each headlamp is designed to use only one type of headlamp bulb. It may be a 9004, a 9007, or some other type. Headlamps are optical instruments, and they depend on the filament being very precisely oriented and placed exactly how and where it’s supposed to be, in order to form a beam pattern with the right amounts of light in the right places.
If the filament is improperly oriented or placed because the wrong kind of bulb is used, the headlamp’s optics won’t see what they’re expecting to see, and they won’t be able to do their job. The result will be a damaged beam pattern that won’t provide safe seeing light for the driver, and will cause blinding glare for other road users.
__________________________________________________ ________
hid kit | car cover
What are the differences? They look interchangeable—
but they’re not.
The 9004 (HB1) bulb, introduced in 1983, was the first halogen replaceable headlight bulb available for use in North America. It uses 12 Volts, has a 45 Watt low beam filament producing 700 lumens, and a 65 Watt high beam filament producing 1200 lumens. These filaments are transverse—if you hold the bulb upright, they run across the bulb from side to side.
The 9007 (HB5) bulb, introduced in 1992, uses 12 Volts, has a 55 Watt low beam filament producing 1000 lumens, and a 65 Watt high beam filament producing 1350 lumens. These filaments are axial—if you hold the bulb upright, they run along the bulb from top to bottom.
9004 and 9007 bulbs are keyed differently, so they can’t be interchanged, but the higher light output of the 9007 tempts some people to try making 9007 bulbs fit in headlamps designed for 9004 bulbs.
This is not an upgrade, and it’s unsafe.
It’s important to use the specified bulb.
Each headlamp is designed to use only one type of headlamp bulb. It may be a 9004, a 9007, or some other type. Headlamps are optical instruments, and they depend on the filament being very precisely oriented and placed exactly how and where it’s supposed to be, in order to form a beam pattern with the right amounts of light in the right places.
If the filament is improperly oriented or placed because the wrong kind of bulb is used, the headlamp’s optics won’t see what they’re expecting to see, and they won’t be able to do their job. The result will be a damaged beam pattern that won’t provide safe seeing light for the driver, and will cause blinding glare for other road users.
__________________________________________________ ________
hid kit | car cover
03-05-2012, 08:16 AM
#14
Nice thread! Glad somebody finally make that clear on here. The 9007 conversion does little if nothing at all in improving the lighting on our 4th gens. It actually makes it worse for driving as most will use high beams A LOT on the dark county roads. (myself included)
You can buy 80-100W 9004 clear bulbs at JC Whitney or just about any other performance shop. That's the best way to get your 9004 lights brighter. An upgraded harness is recommended.
Sylvania Xtravision 9004 bulbs (standard wattage) are the biggest improvement you can make while maintaining a completely stock setup.
You can buy 80-100W 9004 clear bulbs at JC Whitney or just about any other performance shop. That's the best way to get your 9004 lights brighter. An upgraded harness is recommended.
Sylvania Xtravision 9004 bulbs (standard wattage) are the biggest improvement you can make while maintaining a completely stock setup.
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