Lighting apparatus with adjustable lenses or filters

Abstract

A lighting apparatus comprises a light panel having a panel frame, and a plurality of LEDs or other light elements secured to the panel frame. Lenses and/or filters are adjusted in distance from the light elements, by for example moving the lenses/filters into different slot positions of the frame, to alter characteristics of the emitted light. Focal lenses, diffusion lenses, and color filters may be used individually or in combination. A compound lens includes lens elements having different characteristics arranged in a pattern. Through groupwise control of the intensity of the light elements, the different characteristics are emphasized or de-emphasized. The light panel may have an integrated battery, and may be mounted on a stand. The panel may be modular, allowing larger panels to be constructed from smaller panels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An illumination system, comprising:
 a light panel comprising a panel frame;   a plurality of semiconductor light elements disposed on the panel frame; and   an adjustable lens positioned so as to alter a characteristic of the light emitted by the semiconductor light elements.