What makes this forum awesome is not the budget, it’s the people 
[/quote]
+1!
Hi there, could you elaborate a bit more on this? Are you referring to the banner advertisements on BLF, or the advertising that vendors post in the Commercial Sellers’ Spot category? I really do try to avoid the ad banners from becoming excessive or annoying.
Stop with the frikkin’ moaning………
Didn’t we just have this thread a few months ago?
Complaining about what someone else lists a product for is kind of silly. They can list a product for whatever they want, this is the beauty of a free economy (well that could lead to another debate but we are not supposed to do that lol). If you do not like the price or product, simply don’t buy it!
A product is only worth what people will pay for it. If people will pay $30 for a C8, then it is worth $30.
If people refuse to pay more then $15 for a C8, then it is only worth $15.
The fact is it is none of our business what the seller lists an item for. As long as the advertising is Honest and Accurate if they can sell a C8 for $50, more power to them.
Now is listing a light that costs $15 for $50 honest in itself? people will have different opinions but the fact is that yes, it is.
Do you have any idea how many items you buy on a daily basis that are marked up by just as high of margins?
Heck most department stores won’t even carry an item unless they are making at LEAST double their money on it. 300-400% profit margins are common place along the aisles of walmart, target and don’t even get me started on the “higher end” stores (aka, they pay almost the same cost but charge twice as much for it).
This is honestly like complaining that a Youtube video is stupid, why the heck are you wasting your time complaining that a video is stupid? If it is so stupid you need to tell them it is stupid, then simply Close. The. Video.
I think this is the essence of the matter. I know there are some of us (myself included) who still appreciate the bottom-of-the-barrel ultra-cheap true “budget” lights. Threads about those lights will never be deleted, and I will personally PM anybody that posts in those threads with an insulting tone. But the number of people on the internet who like those lights enough to post about them is extremely limited. By allowing and welcoming anything that you consider to be “budget”, we open up the prospective audience to the small but huge niche that is “flashlights” in general.
I started this forum (1) because the really cheap lights were scorned on CPF, and (2) because they didn’t allow direct links to items in Chinese stores that I wanted to ask questions about. I thought it was unnecessarily complicated to have to post in code about “SKU 2089 at DX” instead of simply:
http://www.dx.com/p/powerlight-hx-g011-1w-1xaa-led-flashlight-grey-2089
The main reason why I called it “BudgetLightForum.com” is actually due to this thread:
Is there a budget light forum? | Candle Power Flashlight Forum
So many thanks to CPF user “Hoggy” for the great name! :sunglasses:
But let’s not forget our roots. Check out some of my first reviews:
BLF-FTW, is it possible to have a good 18650 light manufactured for less than $5.00 or are you talking AAA sizes? For that price can we expect Convoy or EagleEye quality or would it be fake UF quality with sloppy threads and LB emitters? If a good quality light can be manufactured for that price why don’t you start a GB? A couple of other members and myself have liked the idea of an 18650 tube light with an X5 sized head, if a host could be sold (with “free” shipping) for <$10.00 and a complete light for ~$15.00 I think they would sell like hot cakes.
It would indeed. But therein lies the issue. Quality costs money and most of us are will to pay more for that quality.
Over the years many of us have realized that while you can get an ok light for $5, you can get a great light for $15.
Put simply the price difference between a knock off UF S5 and a convoy S2+ is about 2x the price and IMHO you easily get 2x the quality if not more.
Now then paying 5-10x the price of the convoy for a fenix tube light with maybe 30% more quality, yeah, that is not so smart.
No , is not the banners on BLF , if I had something to say about that I'll say it with no hesitation and pointing it out ...Is about the vendors post , most of the time " inflated" in their technical data . I do think that ALL of us had " taken" at least ONCE , a lemon because we belived that is true , isn't it ?
I know that you are avoiding the banners , and for me , most of the time , its doesn't exist because of the topics !
As I said before , every body is free to express himself , as long as this doesn't hurt someone ...The TRUTH is one and the lies are more...
Wow, you’ve done reviews? 
I’ve always wondered where those 5,444 posts come from because I don’t really see you post often. I’ve also kind of wondered if you were really into flashlights much or if you just created this forum and lost touch with them after a while but kept it going because of the amount of people that use it. Plus, I’ve just recently learned how to use the thread/post search function and I’ve been here for over a year…kind of sad. :person_facepalming: You’ve created an awesome place filled with awesome folks!
Yep, I’m still into flashlights, believe it or not. 
I’ve also wondered where my 5,000+ posts came from. I guess there are about 500 flashlight related, and the rest of them are along the lines of: “Please stop fighting.” “Thread closed.” “Sorry for the downtime.” 
Without touching other areas being raised I believe this post sums a great deal of how “budget” a host is being chosen for use. Even without factoring a cost for the time involved in the mod (after all for most of us it is just a hobby, no?) in a nutshell -> generally a good deal of time & cost of parts is put into a mod where a low cost host/light doesn’t really make much sense.
as an aside I had stepped away from the light scene (100%) for a few years and I for one am very impressed with how drivers are being modded & developed by blf users. Most impressive…
Here’s one from sb56637 I just looked at today;
I needed info and he gave it to me in spades.
Good review!
Later,
Keith
It has been very interesting to watch the forum change . The number of current members here is amazing and as membership has grown , so has the pool of knowledge .
We are indeed accomplishing things here that very few public forums can or do
When the new stuff appears it seems strange
We must old with the new now exchange
And we all seem to know
As we follow the flow
That there’s nothing more constant than change
I am still under the impression that budget rules this website. My most used lights are my own made C8 and the BLF A6 i will add the Nitecore HC30 because it has a lot of hours on it. Also the HC30 brings up another point i use to hate headlamps until i got the Nitecore HC30 and realized how good they are. Before that all my headlamps where cheapo ones and they sucked and made me hate headlamps. Then i bought the HC30 for about 40 USD i think with the BLF group buy and that changed my mind on headlamps if i would of only stayed with cheap headlamps id probably still hate them. I did like the Nitecore HC50 but not as much as the HC30. I actually bought 2 HC30s with link from BLF… Its great having extra headlamps so if drag my Girl friend fishing she has a headlamp also.
It’s more Olight Lights Forum right now
Sorry for any confusion SB, I suppose this ” :cry: ” was just my way of responding to the op without a rant of my own or escalating. Really, I’m not sanguine on the need to go incognito unless it was to lose inhibitions and let fly. That alone should be a clue that maybe the post is a bit overboard. If you don’t feel comfortable saying something in your own persona then maybe it shouldn’t be said or toned down some.
There are plenty of lights out there at all different price points. Maybe the emphasis has trended towards those in the $20-$30 range because Simon et al have found a sweet spot and are exploiting it for all it’s worth. Lights that cost more either have more emitters, more mass, or more complicated cell/driver/switch arrangements and ones that cost less generally aren’t up to snuff. Manufacturers are finding out what is and isn’t acceptable and are having to deal with the consequences.
I’m a member of both of the big two forums, but my post count will tell you that I don’t contribute much here! Can I take this opportunity to thank the members here for your contribution to the wider flashlight community. I log in most days and enjoy it here.
It has been well stated that this forum is very much a “grass roots” community. From modding to building your own branded lights from the bottom up, this forum is unique. Part of that is the cheap lights, and this needs to be preserved. The group buys have probably changed that a bit. Is it fair to say that the vast majority of members are not capable of making the $5 cheapy anything like the $20 light without spending the money that is the difference in price. You might as well start with a better host and make a better light. Your starting point is where the concept of budget comes in, right?
What I have observed is that there is some hostility over there on the budget end ( I don’t see much but it is there ) and some hostility here on the high end. I guess that’s why they both exist. Personally I don’t get it as it’s pretty unnecessary, and hostility between the two forums is probably just being parochial. Like your football team is always the best.
I’m not sure if that has resolved anything, but I feel better. Thanks!
Good points hangar, I think the main distinction on budget is between lights that are value priced and lights that are brand name priced which for many caused them to break away from the other forum.