Would like to propose a practical fix to the min lumens controversy; geared to hopefully satisfy everyone; and I mean everyone.
On/Off plus Momentary On/ Momentary Off; via tactile push switch.
Twist-ring brightness control with 4 or more detent steps.
PCB has grid of marked pads to set jumper option(s).
Light ships in its stock configuration with brightness levels and range which are those deemed as best suited for the needs or abilities of original target audience.
BLF Nuts so disposed can open and mod to their preferred pro-configuration easily by soldering in a well-defined marked jumper link. Thus access sub-lumen/lumen moon and/or enhanced high lumens range.
The above scheme has the advantages that:
Versatility generates extra interest/buzz around the light.
Markets it to a wider population.
Good for BLF as it serves as a very gentle intro into modding.
Personally; I’d like to have levels spanning between eicca’s stated 1 lumen or less —-> blast grandma into orbit /what’s safe thermally. Two or more in-between steps such as low and high with all modes spaced on log basis.
I have a nitecore hc60 (I think that’s the model) with a slider for it’s only control. Works wonderfully, but it has 2 problems:
high parasitic drain which means you have to manually lock it out by loosening the tailcap any time its unsupervised in a bag or pocket because:
it is very easy to move it from off to on and I always find it in some position other than off. It has a detent, but no lock. It needs a feature that requires you to push down to move from off.
It’d probably be more cost effective to load it with a scaled-down Anduril UI if it were to be built with a config switching system. Twist the ring off to on five times or something to toggle between 10-300ish range and 0.1-9,000 range or whatever.
I understand the objection to a sub-lumen moonlight where there are a small number of fixed modes, even though it’s a feature I like to see on most lights (I do not care about it on dedicated throwers or large multicell lights). If, on the other hand it’s possible to have continuous dimming then I favor going as low as the hardware can do reliably. If it’s not bright enough, just twist the ring farther.
Is there a reason why it might be cheaper? I confess not to know about these types of firmware. Seems to go against the original OP ruling on not having hidden modes… Murphy’s law means at some point in the field modes get scrambled inadvertently. Let’s say by bored fidgeting play or grandma handing it to occupy a highly energetic grandchild as a plaything… Plus I rather like the idea of getting out a soldering iron smelling the flux to do something a little creative. Too much of our world is software driven with hidden menus and software driven software buttons that change. It slowly sends people mad. I hope this light to become a welcome antidote to this madness.
From a manufacturing standpoint though, it’s usually more cost-effective to use an existing system than design something new. Anduril is already out there and software is easy to test and tweak.
I could be wrong though. Sounds like it’s a moot point anyway.
Brainstorming ideas of where to locate usb port for seniors. Rubber flap might be hard to peel off by old folks. I also don’t like hiding it in the threads because thread grease will get all over grandma’s hands. Here are some ideas of where to put the USB-C port for reference.
I once saw a flashlight with exposed USB-c port that claims it doesn’t need to be sealed to be water proofed. I guess it uses the same approach as seen in cell phones.
The existing DV-S9 is a rather beautiful indigo color (the plain blue in the pic doesn’t do it justice), and the red ring is a retainer to keep the slider from falling out, but also gives it a nice accent.
As for ring-lights, the WW SD02/WK20 would be a good starting point. Just remove the detentes and make it continuously-variable instead of discrete steps.
?? It’s perfectly waterproof. The slider has a small magnet embedded in it, and the Hall-effect sensor is inside the light. There’s no opening whatsoever, and to clean the slot, just unscrew the retaining ring, slide out the slider, and clean it underwater, etc., then reverse the process.
Also, the DV-S9 has triple O-rings in the tailcap, so with that, no opening for the switch/slider, and if the front glass is properly secured, it’s about as waterproof as you’re gonna get.
Lots of discussion going on, it is even a bit of a challenge to filter out the list-requests
We are currently at 151 units on the BLF list, plus 67 on the TLF list, which makes 208 total.
Although the imagination can go wild on how to make maximal use of the magnetic ring, and the extra tailswitch comes up as well sometimes, I will indeed stick to my guns with just a ring that works as an oldschool radio power/volume knob: dented in when off, rotate for low to high (with either dents with discrete modes, or a ramp), rotate back for high to low and click off.
Once (if) this light exists we could try to convince Sofirn to make a flashoholics version, more output, fancier user interface, maybe add a tailswitch. It is not what I personally find interesting though, such flashlights exist already, what can only be added to those is a BLF-approved user interface and of course a BLF-friendly price.
I mentioned tail switch above but I think tail switch is only beneficial if Sofirn can’t figure out a way to completely stop standby current. Otherwise, I see no point of having a tail switch to complicate things.
Flashaholic version with quad emitters would be pretty sweet
Personally i would love to see the driver become available separately (as Sofirn drivers often are), at least, if it’s a PWM-less, true Constant Current driver.
In fact, i think a nice driver is mainly what needs to be developed for this light.
Interested in 2. Could use some grandma lights to give away to parents. The SC31 was great in this regard and I’ve given away a couple of them as gifts.
+1 to sub lumen mode. You never know you need it until you’ve used it. After that, it’s a must have.
