What is the difference between having a lens and not having a lens?
3 Answers
The differences between having a lens and not having a lens are: 1. Difference in light brightness: A lens can focus the light, allowing the car to achieve excellent lighting effects; lights without a lens tend to scatter, producing a more glaring light that can easily affect other drivers' vision and road safety. 2. Difference in field of view: A lens can provide the driver with a wider field of view and also enhance the car's aesthetics; without a lens, the driver's field of view is narrower. There are two types of lenses: single-beam lenses and dual-beam lenses. A single-beam lens can only control one bulb, with separate low and high beams; a dual-beam lens uses an internal shutter to control both light sources—high and low beams—allowing for seamless switching between them.
I just replaced my halogen headlights with an LED light set featuring projectors, and the difference is night and day. The old non-projector lights were like flashlights scattering light everywhere, illuminating the road messily without clear visibility at distance. Now with projectors, it's like looking through a telescope - the beam is focused into a neat trapezoidal pattern, shining far and clear without dazzling oncoming drivers. Most importantly, the wet weather penetration is vastly improved. Driving in rain with non-projector lights used to feel like staring into a white haze. Although it costs a few hundred yuan more, the safety upgrade is significant. I highly recommend the projector retrofit kit for those who frequently drive at night. You can keep the stock halogen bulbs as backups.
After ten years in auto repair, I've seen all kinds of headlights. The key to projector lenses lies in their light-focusing principle. Non-projector headlights rely on reflectors to bounce light, resulting in scattered beams and light leakage. Projector headlights use physical convex lenses to refract light, precisely controlling illumination within the lane boundaries. That's why you'll notice sharp cutoff lines with projector beams - they won't blind oncoming drivers. There's another hidden danger: upgrading bulbs in reflector housings to high-intensity units creates road hazards, as the scattered glare becomes unbearable. When modifying headlights, either leave them stock or replace the entire projector assembly. Some owners try cutting corners by installing HID bulbs alone, only to fail annual inspections - and they totally deserve it.
