It's a twisty for $1.88, and looks like a new variation of the MXDL "3W" we were discussing at the other place - except this one's even cheaper (vs. $2.37). I have the original twisties (got them from http://ledshoppe.com, who also has a store on Ebay) and I think they are some of the best super-budget lights I've found. This new version looks almost identical, except for the more generous knurling on the head and crenellated ends (I guess that's what makes it "Police"... )
Hi boomhauer, thanks for the tip! I have also been running across several really nice looking ultra-cheap 1xAAA lights on eBay recently. Here's my watch list:
I suspect the Lanshi, MXDL and the one I posted are all the same, except for small cosmetic differences. Thanks for those links - the first one (clicky w/lanyard) looks especially interesting.
Btw, I really appreciate the ability to converse freely here. I came over after the original debate over the proposed budget forum over the other place, and although I've checked in here from time to time, I have not actively participated. I plan to do more of that in the future.
The focalprice unit looks exactly like a Tank007 E08, except for the generic led instead of a Cree, and is $10 cheaper. Since Tanks are generally one of the better quality budget lights, perhaps this cheapie is a goodie. Good find.
That post should be the switch itself, which actually might not be the best design for a pocket keychain light if it is easily activated. The cheaper version might be a good test unit in this regard.
The fun thing about these lights is it doesn't cost much to find out. Much more fun than finding out that your multi-hundred dollar light does things in a strange way.
Just ordered one to find out. didn't create an account just in case they happen to be reading here. The anticipation is half the fun...
It may use some totally weird way of doing things after all. I spent a chunk of the late 70's early 80's selling used cameras and new ones if I absolutely had to. Most of the trade was in Leicas which were 10-40 years older than I was, but we traded in all sorts of incredibly expensive oddities. Most of the things were bought and sold in auction houses for 5 figure prices. I have a strange fondness for Arca cameras. They were unbelievably expensive (They were hand built in Switzerland after all) and did things in their own way. Most notably the film wind went from front to back unlike any other camera I've ever come across. They were also tough enough to knock in nails with though not may people were prepared to do that with multi-thousand pound (multiply by 2.5x for US dollars - and this was 1980, make that >$10,000 at today's prices) cameras.
Hasselblad cameras had a similar effect but they were just stupid. But cost even more.
I'm trying to order LF336B, LF591B, and LF592B, but PayPal is stupid and doesn't work very well with my shipping address country. So I'm waiting for FP to send me a manual invoice. They're fairly obliging in these cases at least, especially when a sale is involved.
Which is quite impressive given the cash amount involved. My organisation reckons that a manual invoice costs around $15 to generate. The labour costs here are a bit higher. At today's exchange rate the legal minimum wage is $9.25/hr. Anyone generating invoices earns at least double that.
Yes, it is incredibly easy and affordable to check out these budget lights. Sometimes, though, I drift back into "cheapskate" mode with these lights, and start debating to myself the relative merits of a $2.00 light before I eventually snap out of it and just buy the darned thing!
I have a fondness for the budget quest, as in my interest with wine. Years ago, I climbed the mountain and looked from the summit of my wine interests and, aside from some frugality imposed by current real life, what really satisfies me is that rare gem in a $10 bottle. Finding such a bargain makes it taste even better. I get a similar satisfaction with some of my budget lights, knowing that I got, say, 90% of the performance for 20% of the cost of an expensive flashlight.