I may not have seen it (that's why I posted) as I only have one single AA light and haven't really looked at them too closely.
I do have a Photon Proton Pro that uses a XP-E I think but it's only driven to produce an output of 100 lumens or so. It does have a SMO reflector. That's what I'm comparing whatever responses I get to. Something the size of a Proton Pro that throws somewhat further. It could easily be driven twice as hard. It could be driven twice as hard and use an optic instead and it would throw quite a bit further. I just don't know of anything like that but then again I haven't looked all that hard.
I thought that maybe the 1 AA sub-forum of the Budget Lights Forum might be a good place to start :)
I'm taking about throw not nicely focused hotspots. It will need to be a XR-E or XP-E to have the greatest surface brightness (for the emitter). It will need to be driven as hard as practical (which will also increase the surface brightness) then either SMO reflector or even more efficient (for the hotspot which is all that matters here) would be an aspheric lens. The diameter can't increases beyond a certain point or it's not a "small 1 AA light".
The romisen rc-29 is zoom and has the highest draw of any aa light I own (3A), so presumably it should be about as bright as possible w/ that setup. The MrLite BLF special had a TIR which was very well focused and also has similar throw even on somewhat less draw (~2A).
Let's include flood-to-throw then but I want to make sure there are no fixed aspheric single AA models...is that correct?
So, I've read about the Sipik SK68. That one seems smaller that many of the others especially compared to an old X2000 I had (too bulky).
I know there are many lights in this category but I don't have any experience with them and some of you do. The Sipik looks ugly as far as the bezel. I think there is a C78 that has a smoother bezel and is still slender but I think it has holes punched in the bezel (what is that about)?
Is there a fairly small, slender ONE mode flood-to-throw XR-E that can handle a 14500 and where the sliding mechanism is fairly smooth. Twisting would be even better.
I have no interest in the flood setting. Basically I just want a small light with no spill that throws well for something in that small size and that uses either 1 AA or (1) 14500.
The people who answered your post probably have some of the most lights of anyone here, not someone who just bought one and was impressed with it. Your requirements are basically incompatible. Small head and throw don't go together. High power and primary don't go together. TIR optics are the best you can do, so I have no idea why you rule them out (along with reflector...) even though right at the top you said you wanted a reflector design. If you'd only do a search, you'd find that I rather like the c78, but it's also a big head, so cross that off your list.
The best 1xaa reflector type thrower I know from all the various testing on different sites that I've seen is the R2 version of the ITP SA1. However, it is not very compact for a 1xaa light. It is also at the very high end of the budget category (depending on your definition). They don't make the R2 version anymore so you pretty much just need to find old stock at some dealers. Shiningbeam is one:
I've noticed that in general the people who tell me something can't be done aren't the ones who offer meaningful solutions.
I posted elsewhere that I want to diffuse the edge of a beam but leave some hotspot. The first posts were from those telling me it couldn't be done because the harsh cut-off was from the shape of the head/bezel.
Yet, I managed to find a way to diffuse that sharp cut-off and retain some throw (which was what I was looking for).
In this thread I asked for the best throw in a single AA light. So what responses did it get..."Throw...compared to what?". Compared to the best AA thrower of course.
You are telling me that what I'm looking for are at odds with each other. I'm not looking for ultimate throw or I wouldn't be taking about a single AA in a small body would I? High power and primary don't go together...again we are talking about being driven hard for a single AA.
TIR optics aren't the best I can do if I'm looking for no spill. Aspherics are the best I can do. That is actually what I plan on using. The other comments that I made were just to alleviate some of the negative comments and to try to get more suggestions that I could investigate and keep or eliminate.
I did look into some of the lights suggested and I appreciate those suggestions. Many however had nothing to do with my post.
Your posts are mainly to shut me up and nothing else.
I will find a single AA one mode XR-E light from some source such as DX that is able to be taken apart and I will put a 14500 in it and it will be driven hard "for a single AA sized light". It will be slender and light weight so it can be used for climbing/hiking where weight and size is an issue. It may take awhile but I will find a small aspheric that will fit that light.
If someone else who thinks along these same lines reads this thread/post then I may get some helpful suggestions that speed up the process. Or in the future if someone else is looking to do this after I succeed and report back they may find this thread helpful to them.
In any event I will have a slender (body and head) 1 AA form light with no spill, decent throw for spotting and you'll still be telling me it can't be done.
Thanks. I may look at some of Shingingbeams lights just to see if some can be modified as I described in my post above. At least I could get it quicker than a DX light. If I have to get an aspheric lens from China however I might as well get it all from there including cheap 14500 batteries I guess. I'll check them out though.
The constraints noted above are ones of physics. If you want someone to blame, blame god instead. Frankly it's confusing wth you're looking for because in the OP you wanted throw but looking for reflectors, then aspherics were ok, now they're the only thing you can accept.
I mean, you asked for answers, you received some decent one from people who own dozens of these, and yet you still complain about how BLF is terrible because you're not getting help. I noted this and you complain some more about me. Looks like you're only looking to shut others up, so why should anyone assist you?
you might want to reconsider TIR optics. a plain finish, tight angle TIR does a pretty good job of putting a lot of light in a small spot. some of the really tight ones give you very little spill and over 90% efficiency with an XR-E. plus, if you DIY, it'll probably be easier getting one cheap that can fit a AA flashlight. installation will probably be more complicated though.
Hey Robo, yeah I don't have a problem with the right TIR but unless it's in the right host already it's probably beyond my skills to make it fit.
The rough and dirty plan of the moment (subject to change) is an Ultrafire S10 single mode. It should drive the XR-E R2 hard with a 14500. There are some 22mm aspheric glass lenses on DX. I don't have access to a bench grinder anymore but I should be able to figure out some way to grind one down to 20 mm to fit the S10. There is some indication from a reviewer that the back focal length is approximately 25mm.
I don't know how that works out with the S10. I can try to guess from the photo's before I would actually order. If someone on here has a S10 and can guess that would be helpful as well.
I would also grind the bezel down flat.
Obviously if I can find a better host, better aspherics that don't require any grinding I would rather do that.
Trustfire S-A2 is the best AA thrower I have seen. I don’t own a zoom torch so I can’t compare to those but as far as conventional optics go it is the best I’ve seen.The S-A2 has a small, very focused hotspot. Also the Skyray S-A1is a very good torch. Both of these have multiple modes though. The Trustfire always starts on high with no memory and throws a bit better so it might be a better choice for you.
To follow up with this thread...the answer for me was two-fold. Ultrafire BJO8A (single AA) XR-E using 14500 (brighter) or AA and an aspheric from a Sipik SK68 with an added forward clicky.
I also made a second version with a TIR that I already had in place of the aspheric using the same Ultrafire light and all the other changes.
It's bright, it throws, the head is no bigger than the body, it's small and easy to carry and yet the laws of physics are still intact :)
Dude, all you did was replicate the SK68 and MrLite: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/2887#comment-51787, that and violated your own rule about AA primaries and "but I want to make sure there are no fixed aspheric single AA models..."