Full spectrum LED illuminator

An apparatus for providing a light output to an optical guide for illumination of an object to be imaged, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of solid state light-emitting sources each of which are independently powered and independently controlled, each light-emitting source emitting light at a wavelength that is different from a wavelength emitted by the other light-emitting sources;
• a heat sink configured to thermally couple the plurality of solid state light-emitting sources and provide conduction of heat generated by the plurality of solid state light-emitting sources;
• and
• optical elements configured to collect, collimate, and combine the emissions from the plurality of solid state light-emitting sources into a combined beam of light to be optically coupled to a light guide at an output of the apparatus,
• wherein light emitted from each of the light-emitting sources travels an optical path length from the respective light-emitting source to the output, the optical path lengths from the light-emitting sources to the output increasing as the wavelength of the light emitted from the respective light-emitting source decreases from a nearest one of the light-emitting sources relative to the output to a farthest one of the light-emitting sources relative to the output.