I'm looking to create as much flood as I can with a Keygos KE5 I just purchased today. What is there in terms of using a diffused lens for something of that size (roughly 45mm outside diameter)? I'd prefer not to remove the reflector but I know that's an option. I've searched all around for a lens I could purchase but no success.
Add LDF?
Add LDF to a lens, bought from here....? http://www.flashlightlens.com/str/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=prodshow&ref=ucl_lens
Do a search for “FASTCAR” diffuser at cpf or Google. Check also “show your Solarforce” thread at cpf. On my mobile now, sorry cant provide eMail for Fastcar…
You can use translucent tape but since you have a larger lens DXFix or something like that is easy. Search for DCFix on here. A member with the last name of nguyen sells it in small quantities.
Just sent him the money. It's a very cheap method to start with. Thanks for the recommendation!
I just bought some for a few headlamps a month or so ago from him. I got them within a couple of days.
You're right it's certainly an inexpensive way to experiment with diffusion. I like the effect much better than just removing a reflector. You lose too much light that way and for many uses it's too floody.
Leaving the reflector in and using diffusion material means no defined hotspot and no sharp cut-off at the outer edge of the spill and yet it throws a bit further than if you removed the reflector and it's more efficient.
Absolutely. I couldn't remove the reflector. It's just not practical.
I'm so grateful for all the flashaholics we have that so graciously offer these useful accessories at such great prices (sometimes at their cost!) :) What an awesome community!
I contacted member “flashmenow” at cpf and he was going to send me some diffuser free of charge. So I very much agree with weiser! i’m eagerly waiting to see what I can get out of my solarforces with diffuser
Can we clarify this?
Does adding a diffuser (however you make it) to the lense actually increase the floody-ness of the beam or does it just meld the hot-spot into the spill?
In other words, can you get a larger lighted area with a diffuser (bigger spill area) or are you just evening out the beam so the hotspot ceases to exist as such? In my mind there is quite a difference, and I think the only type of diffuser to increase total lit area is a wand-type that extends out from the lense. Or go with a shallow reflector (which is why I recommended the S-Mini) to get a wider beam overall.
To a certain extent, strong orangepeel reflectors act as a diffuser, but spill remains about the same.
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
Clearly we need beamshots on this issue. Someone please step up. And thanks.
You can experiment and see for yourself. If you have a small diameter light put a piece of Scotch "Magic" tape over the lens. It will both diffuse the hotspot as well as the spill. It will soften the edges. If the effect isn't enough put on another piece.
I have a headlamp...PT EOS that doesn't really have much of a hotspot (it uses an optic) but it still had that tunnel effect. In other words the beam was pretty even for 40 degrees or so and then just a sharp cut-off from light to dark. So the effect is that you are walking around with a large 40 degree circle of light and then sudden darkness (thus the tunnel effect).
With tape the tunnel diffuses out. On that particular headlamp you need two pieces of tape but at that part the beam angle has widened out quite a bit as well as being diffused.
I just took a couple pieces of translucent Scotch tape and put it over half the lens of my Tk41. Went out in the back yard, this is what my (very) casual observation is
1) Wow, it really KILLS a lot of the light getting out of the lens.
2) No hot spot at all, just more like muted spill on that half of the beam.
3) no increase in spill at all that I could tell. I tried rotating the light in 90 degree increments to see if I would notice more light to the sides or at the bottom near my feet, I could not tell any difference. That makes some sense in that the Scotch tape, while softening the beam, still can't make it reflect around the opaque edges of the flashlight head. The angle of light that you have is still what you have, I don't think you can fight the physics of that.
4) I would not want a diffuser on the TK, it is unimpressive at best.
If you have some translucent tape, it is really easy to try this, so check it out and see if your results differ!
And to the OP who said
"I'm looking to create as much flood as I can with a Keygos KE5" That is like saying "I'm trying to go as slow as I can in my Porsche", or "I'm trying to get the best mileage I can in my Hummer".
Really the wrong tool for that job, just does not make sense. Get a cheap P60 host and an XM-L drop-in, great and bright floody light.
Yes, I understand. I own a L2i with a MF Ultrafire X-ML. However, I think I can operate the Keygos on high much longer than I can the L2i. It's actually for a friend and he says he'd like to be able to use high for long periods of time on a regular basis. I went with the Keygos because it's cheap and should have better heatsinking than a P60. Is there still a problem with that?
Btw, whatever auto I own I'd prefer to get the best mileage I can with it ;)
A diffuser obviously kills some degree of light but some of that is just the difference between throw and flood . i use many houshold items as difusers .A coffee creamer bottle can be used very sucessfully .it's a bit big but throws//floods a lot of diffused light .Almost everything i use causes a much greater amount of spill .my favorite diffusers are still the small styrofoam bowls with a opaque lid .Shot thru the lid onto the foam bowl and reflected back down they look like little lamp shades .Attaching them is still the problem .
I believe a good quality diffuser film eats only about 10% of transmitted light. Naturally, perceived amoun of light is a lot less since hotspot is flooded...
In playing around with my TIR-optic household lights, I cut circles out of a milk jug. The material did a fantastic job of reducing the hotspot and helping to light the room more evenly.