Not All LED Fixtures Are Created Equal: Why Binning Matters

What Is LED Binning and Why Should You Care?

If you’re shopping for LED theatrical lighting fixtures, the single most important thing to understand is binning. No two LEDs are exactly the same. They are tested and sorted for color, lumen output, and other characteristics in a process called binning. The tighter the bin, the more accurate the color and the more closely matched the output.

This matters because when you buy a batch of LED fixtures for your theater or venue, you need them to look identical on stage. If the manufacturer uses loosely binned LEDs, the fixtures in your batch may not match each other in color or brightness. Worse, a fixture you buy next year or three years from now may not match the ones you bought today.

“Where are all of those loosely binned LEDs going? They’re going into inexpensive video walls and lighting fixtures. That’s why they’re cheap.”

Questions to Ask Before Purchasing LED Fixtures

If the quality of light is important for your application, ask yourself these questions before spending money on LED theatrical lighting:

Can the fixture produce good quality white light?

Mixing 5 or more emitters (such as amber, lime green, cyan, or violet along with standard red, green, and blue) renders skin tones and other colors much more accurately than mixing a few narrow-band LED emitters. RGB-only fixtures struggle significantly with white light and natural color rendering. ETC’s ColorSource fixtures utilize 4 colors for better mixing than standard RGB.

How does a 10-second dimming curve look?

Does it simulate incandescent light as it fades, or is it steppy? Does it snap off at the very low end of the dimming curve? A smooth, natural-looking fade is essential for theatrical applications where the audience can see the transition.

Will it work with video cameras?

This is increasingly important as more venues stream or record their productions. Use your smartphone to capture a 5-second video of the light source and play it back. If you see flicker or banding, that fixture will cause problems on camera. Professional LED fixtures with proper pulse-width modulation don’t have this issue.

How long is the warranty?

If the manufacturer isn’t confident enough in their product to offer a minimum two-year warranty, do you want those fixtures in your facility? ETC offers a full 5-year warranty on LED luminaires, plus an additional 5 years on the LED emitter array.