I Have some JDM HID lights ready to fit. Tested them and they all work fine. The bulbs that came with them don't appear to be all that special:

Narva D2S - can't find anything about the Kelvin rating

Sylvania HB3 4300K

Both very budget.

I'm aware that 4300K is OE and the closest to "daylight", so I would like to run with these. However, should both the dip and full beam be the same (4300K) or is it better to run a different combination and if so, what?

 

Won't matter too much as long as you don't go silly K with one and not the other.

Bear in mind that 4300K is daylight, 5000K id reasonable, 6000K is a bit blue and anything above 6000K is giving less usable light than a decent halogen.

 

How does the light compare going lower down the Kelvin range? Is 4300K optimal and everything either side a deterioration?

 

I think Lower like 3000k which is yellow will give you less glare in rain and fog.

But will appear dimmer then the 4300k and probably less useable light.

 

As above, more yellow, like a halogen.

LOL........as a young man, I went mad converting stuff to halogen for the white light!

I had a pair of Lucas LR700 7" long range lights, clear glass lens, little metal nipple in the middle for the bulb shield. They were pretty good with 48W BPF bulbs. Imagine the light with a pair of 100W halogen BPF's? Like a pair of searchlights

Trouble was, the light was TOO focused, so gave a tunnel effect, and was not much use except on straight roads. I sold them and bought a pair of Cibie driving lights.

 

Daylight is 6.5k~ not 4.3k

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature

xenons are used because they are the closest to "daylight" we use the same in projection for accurate colour reproduction.

 

Bought OSRAM Nightbreakers in both D2S & HB3 flavour. Will try to get some before and after picks when they arrive.

 

Strictly speaking for film applications, yes, but for vehicle lighting, OE is always 4300K as the brightest and closest to normal daylight.

See here: http://www.theretrofitsource.com/kno.../#kelvin-guide