Great photos Lux! While its taller than some super compact lanterns, its still a lot smaller & lighter than the full-size LT1.
Since the head is wider than the base, a circular plate could be unscrewed from the top of the head and screwed on the bottom of the battery tube. Narrow for packing but a wide base when needed. Adds a part you can lose through.
I agree with the LT1 team, I’d much prefer a 26650 version for the extra stability and battery flexibility.
Nothing worse than having a lantern which just constantly tips over when resting on any remotely uneven surface or from the smallest of forces.
I like this change, but feel like the stability issue is just inherent to the design being a lantern head on the end of a flashlight, instead of a lantern designed from the ground up as a lantern. Maybe in a future project we could see a design without a separate body at all, with a single cell in the center of the head surrounded by the emitters? I’m picturing something like a BLF-ified Fenix CL26R. I get that there are costs and manufacturing issues and all that associated with building a new design from scratch, and I’m definitely not complaining about the LT1M, but maybe that’s an idea someone much more qualified than I am could tinker with eventually.
That appears to be a very nice light mod, djozz. It fulfills the “mini” idea.
It’s just a prototype now. The body size can be changed but different people have different opinions. How about a poll?
It’s not easy to wait such a long time for the LT1-mini, I hope most people like it.
If there is a poll then I’d argue for a short one. Say a week at most?
One of the things I’m concerned about is a never ending serious of comments on what changes should be made to the design. If you recall on the LT project the final design was held up for months because various people were arguing for things they just had to have (USB C springs to mind).
My preference is that we accept a design and go-forward with it, and if people are happy with it then they’ll buy it.
Excellence is the enemy of good enough.
Could there be multiple sized bodies available, chosen at time of purchase?
That’s certainly up to Sofirn but I think that would needlessly complicate things for them as well as their supply chain. But that’s up to them of course.
Looks good! Will there be springs at both ends for flat top cells? What about low Voltage cut off and reverse polarity protection?
Thanks for all of your efforts on these lanterns!
Yes, make a poll. I’d vote for a 21700 body. I have a number of aa lights that I have bought for emergency purposes, but I just don’t use them after all. To be honest I always have extra 18650 cells and a suoer compact charger with me wherever I go, so the idea of being able to find aa batteries anywhere is a moot point. I’ll gladly buy some 21700 cells to go with this light, and possibly a 21700 pocket flashlight too.
Even though i have a few 26650 cells too, i wouldnt neccesarily want my mini lantern to use those. Too heavy and large in diameter.
I think the idea of the base that screws off of the head to be able to reinstall on the base is a GREAT idea. I also thought of 3 thin legs that fold down from the handle to form a tripod of sorts.
The 26650 is not a problem for me, in fact I like it. But if it is skinnied up, that is fine too. Either way I want this lantern!
One of the things that I really like about the IF25 is the symmetry of the design, The wide, flared tailcap balances the wide head on the narrower tube.
Making the battery tube wider does not enhance a light’s tail standing stability. Making the tailcap wider is what enhances the tail standing stability. Just flare the tailcap out wider and make it a bit thicker so you can install a magnet strong enough to really hold the light against ferrous surfaces so it doesn’t slide down, or fall off.
Sounds very sensible. Having that 3xAAA battery carrier option is a terrific fall-back, so you can have at least some light if somehow your primary lithium cell became damaged or lost. AAA is so ubiquitous! Will a good 21700 to 18650 adapter tube be available for purchase with it? It’s a real pain having to track down ones from other companies and most are junk. Fireflies came up with a good one with a removable contact button for protected cell support.
I expected the tube to be a 18650 so that it’s easy to carry. More like the sofirn Pro. The LT1 uses 18650 batteries. I thought the mini would use the same battery type. I find it easier to maintain 18650 batteries. Plus it’s easier to gift. The idea of a mini is that its smaller. An adapter is wasting space.
Any chance we can see the mini prototype next to the LT1?
For me the width of the prototype looks OK. What surprises me is more the length. It looks very long and having a smaller diameter with cells smaller than 26650 should make it more unstable. An alternative short tube for a 26350 cell would make it looks more like the little brother of LT1.
Just make 2 bodies increase the price by $5.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. It will never meet absolutely everyone’s requirements and will just draw out an already 2 year old project.
I agree. Amazing all the nitpicking. An 18650 tube would be way too narrow. Heck if someone wants a single 18650 lantern, just get a frigging diffuser to put over the head of a tail standing 18650 flashlight with the head diameter of choice.
This is a mini. LT1 compared to the LT1M shows a huge drop in diameter. Camping means out in the rough, with limited options. So having a light that can take 21700, 18650, 26650 or a 3x AAA carrier… is terrific.
Question is, if 3xAAA cell presence is detected by the charging firmware will it know not to charge?