I remember someone telling me that this is possible using led and some resistor. I'm working on a project that will be using 2 led so I am thinking of using this method to keep the size as small as possible. The source will draw I think around 80 mAh. What are the plus and minus of this method?

 

The minus is you need two big leds to handle that much current, and you will not get 5 volts; maybe close, not exact and not steady.

The plus is you can't put your eye out doing this.

Perhaps if you share more details of your project a better solution will be suggested.

 

You could use 5 diodes instead. The diodes will give you about 3.5 V drop and the correct ones will easily handle the current (some can even handle 1 A).

 

I am trying to power a wireless camera transmitter module. It take 5v and connected to a camera that take 9v with 6 original led removed. I have a few 5mm 20ma led that I want to use instead with some resistor and what stock I have (ln4740 10v diode?). This is my last camera to test on, I already fried a camera (cheap 8v was out putting 14v). I am using a standard ni-mh battery to power it.

 

What is the spec of led should I purchase instead? I have a voltage regular on the way but need to get this working in a days or two. I am thinking of using a 33 ohmish resistor and the 2 standard 5mm led (series) in the meantime and hopefully that will be enough to convert 9v battery to power a 5v transimitter.

 

Use a voltage regulator and you will not fry the camera unit. Using LEDs sounds dodgy to me.