How about something with some kind of remote control. Wireless preferably. Bluetooth maybe? The internet of things (IOT) seems to be a popular subject. That could spill into a whole new realm of possible uses.
For instance; Have you ever been working on something and set your light down turned off and then spent 10 minutes trying to find it? If you didnt do the same thing with your keys then a keychain remote to send a signal for a blink or two would be nice.
If you’re chasing millimeters, you should note than the PL47 is larger but trigger619 asked for a “right angle headlamp like the size of the fw3a” which for me implicitly means 18650, not 21700.
But anyway, 4500 lumens is way too powerful for a headlamp of the size of the PL47/FW3A in my book. I’m so tired of the “pocket rocket” recent trend, with more an more people taking the turbo output as some sort of reference. For me both headlamps are not 4500 lumens headlamps. Expecting more lumens from a headlamp of that size…really ?
But forget it, it’s just my opinion and I’m not here to decide what people should want.
As a few others have mentioned a well designed, slim & rugged AA/14500 light focused on EDC would be wonderful. A light where the clip & ergos get as much attention as the emitter.
I would also like to see a modern take on the emergency beacon/signal light. Something that fall into roughly the same form factor as the lowly chemlight. Multiple colored emitters, possibly including IR. Indestructible (ish).
I’d like to see a 5A single AA (Eneloop only, no 14500 Li-ion support) flashlight, aluminum host, black ano., diamond knurling, tailstanding forward tail clicky with rubber boot, 1-inch diameter female head with plain bezel (no crenellations or scallops), 3 modes, 5Lm, 50Lm, 500Lm, polarity protected current regulated constant current driver with low voltage protection (constant brightness, no PWM, no step down, cuts out at 1.05V), copper bonded high CRI 3500K emitter below the BBL with no cast of any kind (sandy), borosilicate glass lens, aluminum silvered reflector, potted electronics, screwed on deep carry clip, waterproof, and a bag of Cheetoh’s.
What about designing and fabricating the longest sustainable running flashlight on the market. We have the thrower category and the flooder and the highest lumen torches. The longest running torch I own is the original GT, it seems to run all night long when the family’s out playing at night. It gets warm but holds turbo like nothing else I own. I am no engineer but don’t think it would be that difficult to achieve. What about adding twice the mass to the FT03 for example and limiting it to 1.5K lumens. Poor example I’m sure but something along those lines. I love my FW21 Pro, NSX3A and other hotrod torches but getting a bit tired of the super duper lights not being able to even run on high for long periods of time. What does everyone else think? Am I just dreaming or is the technology still not there.
I fear we may have hit a wall in terms of emitter and lighting technology. I honestly do not see anything on the horizon, which actually has me excited about it. Until companies can come out with the next breakthrough in emitter tech, I really do not think there is much to build interest on upon. But, if I had a choice I would try and make an attempt at making a 10 million plus candela light. If possible, maybe a sustain 100,000 thousand lumen? Of course, it would have to be a thrower. Just throwing ideas out there.