Osram H7 65W Off-Road Bulbs Review

[Prakritij]

My Car came with OEM Philips H7 55W bulbs for low beam and high beam. I am satisfied with the lights in city traffic(75% of my Driving).The low beam projectors have a nice cut-off pattern(better than reflectors) and the high beams(reflectors) are narrow but has a very nice reach adequate for the unlit highways. However on the highways, the low beams though better than most cars, are a bit low powered for my liking.
I was contemplating on getting HID system as the projectors are there. After a lot of research found out that there are some differences between halogen and HID projectors. Fitting HID bulbs in the existing halogen projectors would not be much fruitful. Though there will be much more light than halogen bulbs, the oncoming traffic would have to face a lot of glare thanks to the difference in designs of halogen and HID projectors.

Retrofitting with HID projectors will be cumbersome due to lack of skilled persons in my area.

So, decided to upgrade to better bulbs.

The OEM bulbs are Philips H7 55W, made in Germany, with very nice build quality.

Earlier, tried various options like 100w 6000k bulbs, etc but with no desired results.

After spending sometime with the internet reading various reviews, finally decided to get the Osram H7 65W Offroad bulbs. Got them from ebay at ~$19.



Installed the lights and compared before and after shots along with a little Drive(50% city 50% highway).
The results were very good and I am satisfied with the lights.
The throw of the lights are about 30m in front of the vehicle and the spread is better too. There is approx. 40-45% increase in light output.

Side by side comparison of the bulbs.
OEM Philips 55W at the left Osram 65W at the right



Notice the difference in the bulbs and the longer length of the Osram filament.


Output comparison(pics taken at f4.5 1/125th of a sec at ISO 800 about 5-6feet from the wall:
OEM Philips 55W


Osram 65W


Happy with the output now



Drive Safe

 

[bhvm]

Re: Maruti Suzuki Wagon-R Stingray VXi Ownership Review

hello mr p.
nice research you have on those bulbs there. I guess I am a bit late to the party but you did a good job pulling out those blue bulbs. they're hazardous!

about the osram upgrade, yes it's a good option but the downside is such 'overclocked' bulbs last much less. you'll spend big money Every few months changing them.

since you have projectors, ID suggest you get h7 hid in 4300k.

you're Right that halogen and xenon projectors are different but they're very subtle. infact, many manufacturers are using same lens on their halogen vehicles and offer a xenon-'upgrade' on certain models.

the majority of glare you see is due to people using bluish 6000k or 8000k lamps. if you stick to 4300k lamps, rest assured glare won't be a problem.

some great discussion over here!-
http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...periments-leds-xenon-strobes-torches-etc.html

 

[Prakritij]

Re: Maruti Suzuki Wagon-R Stingray VXi Ownership Review

hello mr p.
nice research you have on those bulbs there. I guess I am a bit late to the party but you did a good job pulling out those blue bulbs. they're hazardous!

about the osram upgrade, yes it's a good option but the downside is such 'overclocked' bulbs last much less. you'll spend big money Every few months changing them.

since you have projectors, ID suggest you get h7 hid in 4300k.

you're Right that halogen and xenon projectors are different but they're very subtle. infact, many manufacturers are using same lens on their halogen vehicles and offer a xenon-'upgrade' on certain models.

the majority of glare you see is due to people using bluish 6000k or 8000k lamps. if you stick to 4300k lamps, rest assured glare won't be a problem.

some great discussion over here!-
http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...periments-leds-xenon-strobes-torches-etc.html

I have read in the reviews that the 65W bulbs with longer filaments trade brightness/output for product life. Hope they last for atleast 300 operating hours.

Please shed some light about fitting HIDs in halogen projectors as different forums are providing different opinions.

Thanks

 

[amitpshelke]

I would like to recommend "Philips xTreme Vision H7 55w" bulbs.

According to my experience these are really better as compared to stock one. I have replaced in my Hyundai i20-"Uber cool" [bulb type : H4].
All the black spot in LOW BEAM was removed and more light spread horizontally.

In case if you purchase this bulb, please add your comparison review, which will help other user easy in buying.

Below is link for Philips xTreme Vision H7 55w
http://www.amazon.com/Philips-X-Treme-Vision-H7-Pair/dp/B0062A0Y9E

100 Original Philips Extreme X Treme Vision CAR Headlight Bulbs H7 12V 55W | eBay

 

[bhvm]

I would like to recommend "Philips xTreme Vision H7 55w" bulbs.

According to my experience these are really better as compared to stock one. I have replaced in my Hyundai i20-"Uber cool" [bulb type : H4].
All the black spot in LOW BEAM was removed and more light spread horizontally.

In case if you purchase this bulb, please add your comparison review, which will help other user easy in buying.

Below is link for Philips xTreme Vision H7 55w
Amazon.com: Philips - X-Treme Vision H7 (Pair): Automotive

100 Original Philips Extreme X Treme Vision CAR Headlight Bulbs H7 12V 55W | eBay

I have read in the reviews that the 65W bulbs with longer filaments trade brightness/output for product life. Hope they last for atleast 300 operating hours.

Please shed some light about fitting HIDs in halogen projectors as different forums are providing different opinions.

Thanks

All of these "Exra Bright/ Xtra vision / Extreme Vision/ Diamond vision" thingys sacrifice life for Brightness. In PC world we call this as "Overclocking"

Basically, There is no free lunch in the world and manufacturers have to make compromises (Eg Longer But Thinner filament) to Add brightness while maintaining similar Power Consumption and gas envelope.

Some people have reported these bulbs blowing every 2 months. Which is piss poor life considering 6 bulbs a year.

Prakritij,
I Guess you're Referring to Candlepower Forums which is the ultimate place to learn about Lights and stuff. While the people there are very knowledgeable , Theres a serious case of "analysis paralysis" on that forum and they won't allow you to upgrade at all. There are very sublte Difference in Xenon and Halogen Projectors (tell me if you want to fall into the deepest details of Sqirrel finders, Cutoffs , Foreground limiters and all)
Actually some designs of Xenon projectors are a hazard in India due to VERY limited angle of Light. Think of my XUV projectors. ZERO glare but it also has serious shadow problems upfront near the vehicle.

Many people have stuffed H7 4300K HIDs in those lamps and they're happy now. Esp considering HID is cosing just 3K for chinese lamps which last atleast longer than these expensive and stupid "Xtra vision" stuff.

 

[Prakritij]

I would like to recommend "Philips xTreme Vision H7 55w" bulbs.

According to my experience these are really better as compared to stock one. I have replaced in my Hyundai i20-"Uber cool" [bulb type : H4].
All the black spot in LOW BEAM was removed and more light spread horizontally.

In case if you purchase this bulb, please add your comparison review, which will help other user easy in buying.

Below is link for Philips xTreme Vision H7 55w
Amazon.com: Philips - X-Treme Vision H7 (Pair): Automotive

100 Original Philips Extreme X Treme Vision CAR Headlight Bulbs H7 12V 55W | eBay

Philips Xtreme Vision bulbs are no doubt very much better than any OEM ones as they are "Upgrade" bulbs. I was considering them but they are priced almost as twice than the Osram 65W bulbs and the latter has a 10W advantage over the former and some reviews states the Osrams to be better than the Xtreme Visions. So after a lot of consideration, I went for the Osram bulbs. As rightly said by bvhm sir, these extra bright/wattage bulbs have a lower life than the OEM ones, about 300-400 operational hours, lets see how long my bulbs last. As of now I am fine with the output and may eventually upgrade to HIDs in the Future.

All of these "Exra Bright/ Xtra vision / Extreme Vision/ Diamond vision" thingys sacrifice life for Brightness. In PC world we call this as "Overclocking"

Basically, There is no free lunch in the world and manufacturers have to make compromises (Eg Longer But Thinner filament) to Add brightness while maintaining similar Power Consumption and gas envelope.

Some people have reported these bulbs blowing every 2 months. Which is piss poor life considering 6 bulbs a year.

Prakritij,
I Guess you're Referring to Candlepower Forums which is the ultimate place to learn about Lights and stuff. While the people there are very knowledgeable , Theres a serious case of "analysis paralysis" on that forum and they won't allow you to upgrade at all. There are very sublte Difference in Xenon and Halogen Projectors (tell me if you want to fall into the deepest details of Sqirrel finders, Cutoffs , Foreground limiters and all)
Actually some designs of Xenon projectors are a hazard in India due to VERY limited angle of Light. Think of my XUV projectors. ZERO glare but it also has serious shadow problems upfront near the vehicle.

Many people have stuffed H7 4300K HIDs in those lamps and they're happy now. Esp considering HID is cosing just 3K for chinese lamps which last atleast longer than these expensive and stupid "Xtra vision" stuff.

Sir, using halogens I find the angle of light to be good enough and there is no shadow zone. The concentration of light just in front of the vehicle(upto 2m) is a bit less but can be compensated by using the fog lights.
Have you tried plonking HID bulbs in your XUV projectors?
One member of this forum has HIDs in his Stingray and is happy with them.
What I fear is if there is some amount of glare after plonking HIDs, the whole point of upgrading will become null & void as I do not want my headlights causing glare to the traffic.

 

[bhvm]

Philips Xtreme Vision bulbs are no doubt very much better than any OEM ones as they are "Upgrade" bulbs. I was considering them but they are priced almost as twice than the Osram 65W bulbs and the latter has a 10W advantage over the former and some reviews states the Osrams to be better than the Xtreme Visions. So after a lot of consideration, I went for the Osram bulbs. As rightly said by bvhm sir, these extra bright/wattage bulbs have a lower life than the OEM ones, about 300-400 operational hours, lets see how long my bulbs last. As of now I am fine with the output and may eventually upgrade to HIDs in the Future.



Sir, using halogens I find the angle of light to be good enough and there is no shadow zone. The concentration of light just in front of the vehicle(upto 2m) is a bit less but can be compensated by using the fog lights.
Have you tried plonking HID bulbs in your XUV projectors?
One member of this forum has HIDs in his Stingray and is happy with them.
What I fear is if there is some amount of glare after plonking HIDs, the whole point of upgrading will become null & void as I do not want my headlights causing glare to the traffic.

1) Yes I see how Osrams are much better than stock lamps.
The filament is actually off-center on the stock. But osrams are very well made. The Filament pylons, Glass envelope etc is very good.

However I generally hate any premium or any other Halogen Bulbs. why? We are using the same Pre-indiepndence era stupid tech thats more of a room heater and generates some light by mistake. They probably cost about Rs 20~25 to make and they're sold at huge profits beyond 1000!

they're only 15~20 Lm/w. An HID is about 80~90 LM/w. LED is 110~140 (even 200+) LM/w. But LEDs are a little far from Automotive mass market.

2) Which car you own? I guess you're driving mostly in City and well lit areas. The age old stock 1100 LM standard is very poor for highway speed driving generally.

3) No I have not yet. I am looking for really high quality Canbus compatiable AC 4300K HIDs. The market is flooded with cheap, Ricey 6000k (Blue ) HIDs. However, Stingray91 has in his Sting low beams.
Kinshuk arya has 50W HIDs in XUV Low Beam. Both are happy.

4) I guess you're simply worrying much. By law, even altering a bolt in your car is illegal. As you have upgraded from 55w to 65w, Your lamps are already illegal. Anyhow, thats not how world works.

We enthusiasts want better illumination without being ricey or too troubling to others. And you're already blessed with a projector.
There are people who have stuffed Blue HIDs in their reflector H4s (which We oppose ) and Called it a day. And there are morons who Highbeam everyone even at 10 KMPH city drives.

http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...dlamps-discussions-queries-75.html#post429765

 

[Prakritij]

1) Yes I see how Osrams are much better than stock lamps.
The filament is actually off-center on the stock. But osrams are very well made. The Filament pylons, Glass envelope etc is very good.

However I generally hate any premium or any other Halogen Bulbs. why? We are using the same Pre-indiepndence era stupid tech thats more of a room heater and generates some light by mistake. They probably cost about Rs 20~25 to make and they're sold at huge profits beyond 1000!

they're only 15~20 Lm/w. An HID is about 80~90 LM/w. LED is 110~140 (even 200+) LM/w. But LEDs are a little far from Automotive mass market.

2) Which car you own? I guess you're driving mostly in City and well lit areas. The age old stock 1100 LM standard is very poor for highway speed driving generally.

3) No I have not yet. I am looking for really high quality Canbus compatiable AC 4300K HIDs. The market is flooded with cheap, Ricey 6000k (Blue ) HIDs. However, Stingray91 has in his Sting low beams.
Kinshuk arya has 50W HIDs in XUV Low Beam. Both are happy.

4) I guess you're simply worrying much. By law, even altering a bolt in your car is illegal. As you have upgraded from 55w to 65w, Your lamps are already illegal. Anyhow, thats not how world works.

We enthusiasts want better illumination without being ricey or too troubling to others. And you're already blessed with a projector.
There are people who have stuffed Blue HIDs in their reflector H4s (which We oppose ) and Called it a day. And there are morons who Highbeam everyone even at 10 KMPH city drives.

http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...dlamps-discussions-queries-75.html#post429765

I own a Stingray so lowbeam projectors are there.
I have seen many vehicles, esp. motorcycles fitted with HIDs in reflector housings. All they do is blind the on coming traffic with hardly any useful light.
IMO 6000k lights will not be of much use in rain or fog. please correct me if wrong.
4300 will be my choice if I convert to HIDs.

Here in my area, many people do drive with hi beams in city traffic. Some dip when flashed after realizing their mistake, others do not even bother.

One of my friends who owns a Figo(very low light output, guess the optics is not right) does his 90% of night driving with hi beams on in city traffic blaming his underpowered headlights. I feel scared sometimes travelling with him.

 

[amitpshelke]

According to my experience, Philips xtreme vision 55w h4 bulbs are there from almost a year in my Hyundai i20.

This might be a general usage report that such bulbs do not long last. But there are exceptional cases.

Most of the bulb get fused due to
1. Overheating : this might be due low quality bulb holders.
2. Vibration
3. Improper power supply.

 

[anshuman_v]

I can vouch for the fact that the Philips Xtreme vision bulbs last for about 2 years. I have changed a pair so far in my Polo, in last 5 years.

The Osram Nighbreaker Unlimited series of bulbs are the latest in this trend. I have them fitted in my Pajero Sport low beam projectors. They dont cause any additional glare for oncoming traffic and are way better than the stock. Have been using them for last six months including some Blr-Hyd night time highway drives. Quite satisfied so far.

 

[Prakritij]

According to my experience, Philips xtreme vision 55w h4 bulbs are there from almost a year in my Hyundai i20.

This might be a general usage report that such bulbs do not long last. But there are exceptional cases.

Most of the bulb get fused due to
1. Overheating : this might be due low quality bulb holders.
2. Vibration
3. Improper power supply.

I can vouch for the fact that the Philips Xtreme vision bulbs last for about 2 years. I have changed a pair so far in my Polo, in last 5 years.

The Osram Nighbreaker Unlimited series of bulbs are the latest in this trend. I have them fitted in my Pajero Sport low beam projectors. They dont cause any additional glare for oncoming traffic and are way better than the stock. Have been using them for last six months including some Blr-Hyd night time highway drives. Quite satisfied so far.

Good to know that these bulbs are lasting long. In many online forums though people are complaining about the life of the lights. For their price if they last about 2 yrs, it is well and good.