ive been looking into the new LED moonflower dj range of lights but im unsure of how bright they actually are, so has anyone demo'd or seen any in action ?

Saw one at PLASA...with similar anticipation and concerns.

Result....dim and slightly off focus (from source).

Shame really. Still, who knows what LED technology may be able to do in a year or two...

If theres an LED version of the 24volt, 250watt bulbever launched for £50...I'd buy it.

LED techonology will be in lights about 2-3 years time. As you said theres a few products out there with LED techonology but LEDs still need to be worked on for brighter lights. Martin lighting are in the process of making LED fixtures.

Currently LED's are only really effective in large numbers for use as colourchangers or flood type effects...such as replacing the old Reflector Bulbs and low voltage halogen lighting.

The difficulty at the moment to recreate high powered halogen bulbs in effects, such as the ELC lamp is of course light output, and colour temperature.

Leds can be very intense, however the drawback is that light from LEDS is on a narrow viewing angle. Meaning that the wider the viewing angle becomes, the less intense the led output is. For instance you could have an LED offering 1000mcd on a 15 degree beam....but that would be reduced to 300mcd if the angle was increased to 45 degrees.

Since most effects require quite a wide focus the LED output drops accordingly. In addition White LEDS are vey expensive and more of a bluey white similar to discharge lamps rather than a crisp white halogen light.

Yes, I believe LED technology will be used in lighting effects, although I would put this at closer to 5 years than 2 or 3 since the LED manufacturers have to be convinced of the application and improve LED technology first. After all it took 14 years for blue and white LEDS to appear on the market - after the more conventional red, amber, green ones appeared