More keychain lights...

If you're willing to do some surgery, you can pull out the IR filter from cheap web/digital cameras and get this effect. You can also pick them up complete with a few IR illumination diodes at the usual places (DX, ebay, etc)

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/usb-pc-webcam-300k-pixel-with-6-led-13

Probably the most innocent use of that line on the entire internet...

I hesitated as I used that abbreviation but I didn't I didn't want to have to write out Battery Junction yet again in that thread At least the predictable occurred and now I can forget about my poor choice in deciding to abbreviate :)

Don't worry bryan, you're not the only one that thinks you're slightly insane. :)

I got a microlight. Had a few of them actually. They were TITS back in 2004. It has a clickie and it can ramp up or down which is pretty cool for a button light (although what's the point of having less than "not enough light" lol) Some hidden flash mode I can't remember how to activate (or care to figure out). I also have a Swiss Army Knife button light. Looks really cool with a white cross and red background. It's in my drawer right next to my Photon.

Haha...yes, guilty as charged. I got a little carried away. Actually, I'm glad I ordered the red and UV one but I don't really need the IR one and I have no idea why I ordered the cyan one!

I don't have any interest in the more popular items of today...large XM-L lights so I was attracted by the gadget factor :) I know they've been out a while but they are still somewhat unusual :)

Being able to dim a dim light is a bit funny however I had astronomy in mind for the red and cyan ones so there was some method to the madness :)

I should have looked for a 1 AAA version of the UV one also but I was on a roll!

Problem with cheap UV is they are usually 390 nm and above meaning there is far to much light in the visible spectrum an almost nothing at 365 nm were you really want the output to be.

Most of the light for these is supposed to be outside the visible range (370nm) according to Photon. There purple lights are just inside that range and can be used for some similar purposes.

We will see when I get it. Should be this Friday.

led-dna sells 2 leds for 4.20$ - http://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-5mm-365nm-Ultra-Violet-UV-LED-Lamp-/390294985638 , or one complete keychain light for ~4$ (including shipment) at lck-led - http://www.lck-led.com/p845/Mini-KeyChain-Flashlight-w/-5mm-365nm-UV-Led/product_info.html.

I think I may have lucked out. I received a message from the company today saying that they hadn't charged my account and were holding the order to wait for the IR model to arrive. So I changed my order to just the UV and Red model.

I don't know if they will get my email in time since the IR model was supposed to arrive today or tomorrow but hopefully they will and I will just get the UV and Red model which were the only practical things I ordered :)

Wow you should have got our order by now. I usually get my stuff in 3 days tops. I guess you really lucked out if you weren't sure about your purchase. I was really looking forward to hearing about those little monsters. I have been to cheap to buy one but very interested to find out if they were really worth the price. Keep us updated.

I ordered them Friday night but they aren't open on the weekend (hard to believe) so I just got the email from them at noon today but didn't see it until after 3pm (PST) so when I responded they were closed.

So, if they see my email tomorrow before they fill the order I'm getting red and UV. If they fill the order first...I guess I'll be getting them all!

Either way I should have them by Saturday. I think if they are decent I'll be happier paying that much just for the red and UV.

I know I can find cheaper stuff in China but I'm not willing to wait that long.

Stay tuned... :)

Order shipped today and I was able to cancel the cyan and IR light!

E1320 an update for you.

I received the Photon Freedom Micros today. I got the red LED and the UV LED.

Yesterday I got the cheaper $3 versions of both of these lights so I have something to compare them to.

The UV is clearly better in the Photon. It has only enough visible light so that you know it's on (if it's on bright and you aren't standing outside). The cheap UV light is mainly purple (visible spectrum) with a little in the UV range.

I tested both UV's using diffraction grating and as a practical test I used them to find the anti counterfeit strip in a $20 bill. Both work but the effect is much better with the Freedom.

The Freedom with the red LED is much brighter and the beam is much better than the cheaper version. You can use the Freedom as a blinking beacon if you wish as well and it's dimmable. Both Freedoms are easier to turn on and off.

If you want a neat clip-on holder with a rotating head you get an adapter with the Freedoms for that. It might be useful with the UV. The holder also has small magnets on the back so it can be attached to metal as well.

If I were just looking for a white button style keychain light I probably would just go for something like the free lights that you get at GoingGear for orders over $20. They are fine for my uses.

For something like an UV or red LED it's worth the extra money for the Freedom. However if money is tight and you just need a red or UV light momentarily the cheap ones are OK as well.

I'll use the red one in conjunction with headlamps that don't have red or for astronomy and it's worth the few extra dollars for something that works a little better and that is brighter.

I don't have a real need for UV at the moment so if all I cared about was looking out for counterfeit money :) I could use the cheaper version.

The Freedoms do come with several innovative ways to carry/hold/use them but I don't need most of those.

I'm glad I canceled the cyan version and the IR version since I really had no use for those and I am glad that I did get these red and UV Freedoms.

Thanks for the mini review :)

Thanks for the review.

Seems like money still buys quality sometimes. :)

What free lights at GG?

I've ordered from them over 20$ three times in the last six months (three iTP A3 :) ) and never got a free light...

I used a bad example. Battery Junction provides a free light for orders over $20. I do have a free GoingGear light as well but I don't know what their policy is either as I ordered two Zebralights several weeks apart and I didn't get a free light either time.

I think maybe their policy is to send one only the first time you order with them or maybe they just did it for a while? I don't know. I just know that I have one but no more.

Maybe the reason that you get a free light at Battery Junction is just that they charge too much for shipping (which is the case) and therefore they throw in a free light (with their logo on it for advertising purposes).

Ah, ok, I thought I missed some button. :)

I know. After I spent $60 on a light from them my first thought as well was “Where’s my free button light” :slight_smile:

I remember getting a light from Goinggear for two of my orders from there...

In case anyone searches for info on Photon Freedom and finds this thread there was one other item that came with the lights that turns out to be nice. It's hard to describe but it's a fastener. I kept one on the red light and used the one from the UV light on an ITP A3 that I already had.

This fastener functions like a non-locking caribeaner would but it's circular in shape and is only about the size of the end of my finger. It has a stiff gate closing mechanism. It also has a hole in edge of the ring so it can be attached to the light via the ring already in the tail of the light.

This just gives it a quick disconnect from a key chain so you can use the light without having to have the entire set of keys in your hand.