What type of light would you like the next BLF Special Edition to be? As in developed by us over a year or so from scratch.... like it used to be

I would also like something like this but with 6 or 8 LEDs. Yh I know it’s overkill but why not? :smiley:

Great idea, the two reflectors/TIRs or similar could be replaced with 2x triples or quads for 6 or 8 emitters. Or you could have 3-4 on one side and a more throwy single LED on the other.

a NON zoomie pocket thrower that at the click of a button becomes a flood.
could be as overly complex as some kind of fancy reflector/lens combo or as cough simple as well double ended, flood head on one end and a thrower on the other end catdog type thing

Voting for a headtorch. I could use one, and with BLF’s name on it, it would be a done deal almost out the door.

A glass cover for the mule would be nice. I’d love to pay the extra Dollar. The remaining Dollars would be a problem tho.

LEP thrower under $100 USD, can it be done? Probably like a C8 size would be awesome.

Me too! I could see this taking off if made.

Yeh, the EC4GT has some killer throw for a compact light, and handles heat very well.

But it’s a one-piece cast body, not milled, so good luck getting a mfr to make ’em.

Yes, I agree, in addition to reflectors, TIR optics with many emitters and even a mule option will be interesting.

+1

Just something small and practical, with lots of attention paid to the little details for quality-of-life purposes.

Also +1

Things happen because someone cares enough to make it happen.

Why not have the UI totally expressed with hardware? For instance, why not have a physical mode switch with either discretely marked modes (L, M, H, etc.) or a variable dial? Have the on/off tail switch separate for the ultimate in “memory”. No confusing software, pushing a single button ten times, remembering how you left it, etc. No worry about parasitic drain from electronic switches. Just put the switch on the mode you want and that’s where it’ll be!

I know it’s so “last century” but I’d love to see something like that implemented with modern technology, a really pretty emitter (with a warm option), and no visible PWM. Make it nice enough that the tech-savvy kids will love it but their grandpas can still use it.

Speaking of last century, I have always wanted a tin Eveready flashlight with all the modern trimmings. My grandfather had one that used 2 D batteries and I think they had the 3 or 4 cell one’s too. Lol I remember always replacing the bulb every time someone dropped it on the ground and you could hardly see past 30 feet. Remaking some of the old timer lights from the past would be cool.

check out the nitecore p36 which i have. it has a rotary switch with a separate on/off switch. i have ten lumen levels (2-2000) with the rotary switch.it also a push switch for more functions. sized like a 2 d cell flashlight, it's the best light i have.

Interesting thread on the matter.

The fact is lights did evolve quite a bit over the last years - compared to the SRK, S2, SK68 era. Most everything desirable through modification is now available stock. High power, high CRI, ramping, lighted switch, aux leds, usb charging… all available in different sizes (and colors for some). And i tend to believe the BLF community played an active role in this evolution. So what’s left to do?

I’d vote for a general purpose light that anybody can understand, safely use and recharge.

I’m not comfortable gifting complicated lights where one switch can do too many things and where it can go south with a wrong click. No e-switch + tail switch please. Those are really confusing to use in my experience.

How about revisiting the A6 with USB charging and a control ring or slider that just goes off/ramping to high for instance?

PS: now for funny ideas… i’d like to see a microwave rechargeable light. When dead put it one minute in the MW oven and it’s ready to go again…? :smiling_imp:

I didn’t figure that idea would get any traction. I would be stuck building it myself I think. :slight_smile:

I like Narsil for ramping though. TomE are you listening? We need Narsil 2.0. :smiley:

Sunwayman V11R.

There’s also the Jetbeam RRT01, which I like more. It has only a control ring, no tail switch. So, no need to flip it around during use to access two different controls.

The Nitecore SRT series may be of interest too. Or the HDS Rotary.


Lights with a single e-switch are popular because they’re relatively easy to make, facilitate full-featured interfaces, and can run existing firmware.

Having a more-physical interface is nice, but significantly harder and more expensive to make, and usually have fewer features.

There’s a similar dichotomy for musical synthesizers. The most powerful ones also tend to have the lowest price, because they are basically just fancy software running on a computer. However, these are not very playable as an instrument, because half the point of an instrument is that it has a physical form. So people buy synthesizers which are more expensive and less powerful, because they have the benefit of being hands-on. The most popular (and most expensive) ones tend to be “knob per function” designs where every parameter has its own physical control. These often have only a small fraction as many features, but every feature is fully exposed in hardware… which is a huge benefit for anyone actually performing music on it. No menus, no modes, just grab a knob or slider and adjust it.

Neither style is bad… it’s just a matter of tradeoffs.

Would a BLF rotary be possible?

Of course it’s possible. Depending on what exactly you mean, it could even be easy. CRX made a rotary flashlight by hand from scratch.

Something with an interface like the Jetbeam RRT-01 (and other related flashlights) would be pretty difficult. Do I think it’s beyond the collective ability of BLF’s members? Absolutely not. Would it happen? It’s unlikely. It’s a pretty challenging task, especially to do well. And to be worth doing, it would have to be better than RRT-01. More power? Smaller? Better heat handling? Something. And we’d have to try to maintain water resistance and hope there’s no patents we’re unaware of.

Yes, smaller. We have currently a lot of votes for a small light and a head lamp. I know the CRX magic, have one of his lights. Not sure this can be done in mass-production. The V11R head is already very small, so this is a proof it can be done.

Yes, an updated A6, with USB charging, decent heat sinking (unlike the FW series), range of tints, and user interface with momentary, last mode memory (and preferably variable strobe frequency) would make me happy.