Are zoomies dead?

[ezarc]

I never liked them, I had a Sipik 68 clone but them beam while zoomed in and zoomed out both aren’t appealing to me.

[Jalben]

@spaceboy

No mention of the Sipik sk98 in here yet. The 18650 version - everyone should have one! (3 mode)

I honestly avoided it after hearing of the horrible heat sinking issues that caused it to de-solder itself. Is there a close or anything that doesn’t have that problem?
Still, haven’t seen that with a XML2 either. With the XML2 the die projection should look a bit better since you wouldn’t see the bond wires on the surface.

[spaceboy]

@Jalben

@spaceboy

No mention of the Sipik sk98 in here yet. The 18650 version - everyone should have one! (3 mode)

I honestly avoided it after hearing of the horrible heat sinking issues that caused it to de-solder itself. Is there a close or anything that doesn’t have that problem?
Still, haven’t seen that with a XML2 either. With the XML2 the die projection should look a bit better since you wouldn’t see the bond wires on the surface.

I’ve not had heat sinking issues with mine but then I havent used it on high for long periods. The 3 mode is supposed to be better than the 5 mode for heat sinking though.

I also I the 26650 version, the Aleto, and it has a nice big copper pill. It’s a bit bulky though compared to the sk98. The sk98 is a very nice size.

[luminarium_iaculator]

@JohnnyMac

I think that as long as there are newbs getting into flashlights they will always be around. Not to say only newbs like them, as we all know that some really like them no matter what, but I think it’s a safe generalization that they appeal greatly to newbies but that most outgrow them when they realize that they never throw as well as a proper thrower and that most find them to be a novelty. I started out with them too and loved them at first but I found them to be limited and while good at most things, zoomers don’t excel at anything. They passed by the wayside for me as they do most, IMO. YMMV.

Man… You are so terribly wrong

Aspherics are only true dedicated LED throwers.

Did you ever tried premium aspherics like Dereelight, Crelant, Tiablo, Wolf Eyes, Ahorton’s lenses?

Each of them will out throw any same size reflector light…

And not only same size reflector flashlights… Mostly they will out throw 2-3 times bigger reflector lights…

I will give you some numbers - 2,8A 105C drivers, XP-E2 emitters, but you can put XP-G2 inside - you will have 10% of KCD loss, and with XM-L2 you will have 35% of KCD loss, and that rule can apply to all aspherics/zoomies.

Dereelight Nightmaster = 240KCD
Tiablo A9 =220KCD
Dereelight Xsearcher = 380KCD
Crelant aspheric =360KCD

So when you “reflector guys” will made reflector light in same size as Nightmaster flashlight for example, with same or even better throw I will give up and admit that I am total noob with totally wrong perception about flashlights.

Until that happens aspheric will stay in my collection as true and ultimate throwers.

@Rockspider

A question for the zoomies lovers: are all of them inherently not water or dust proof?

Of all the cheap zoomies I’ve taken in my hands, the zoom mechanism was not waterproof at all. Both the ones that slide in-out and the ones that have a ring.

I’ve been asked from friends (they said driving a boat at night you don’t want a light with spill scattering back on the waves) some sort of asph zoomie light that is waterproof, but have found nothing at the moment.

Sure a Dereelight NM is waterproof, but it’s a fixed aspheric thrower, not a zoomie.

I don’t like cheap zoomies to much but for $ they really offer nice throw and flood… If you will go to Sahara or Pacific there are better choices than cheap zoomies of course.

I think there’s got to be adequate equipment for certain activities so things should not always be on budget side of story.

Who said that Nightmaster is fixed aspherical thrower??? It is not… Nightmaster V2 is flood to throw light or zoomie with rotary head… If you think on NMV1 even first edition has adjustable focus by rotating head not so good as V2 but it works.

You mention one more good thing about using aspherics:
Sea, boating:
“Driving a boat at night you don’t want a light with spill scattering back on the waves”, and you could also add easily perception of buoys and other objects at sea…

People should know that there is great difference between KCD numbers and what you can really see in night.

So if you want to see further in the night without ruining your night perception/vision aspheric are only way to go. They are true and most dedicated LED throwers in a world.

[Jalben]

I just came across the Aleto and Ubehebe’s mod and by extension the Keygos M12 . I may have to add a few stock zoomies to my collection before deciding on which one to mod.

[Bergtjie]

I’ll always have LedLensers in my collection purely for their concentrated throw and the flood is useful for work related tasks and whilst camping, I always pack my LL MT7 for camping, my other fav is the LL H7 head lamp with variable lumens on flood, and obviously the zooming capability, useful as a reading light too.
I have also used my MT7 for trail riding , I can adjust the beam to flood ratio just nicely to project a spot on the trail and a little flood for the sides, it also doesn’t blind oncoming riders and cars.
The three LL I own all have a nice round hot spot on max throw, the cheaper LL have a poorer lens quality I’ve noticed.

[DBSAR]

I have a ton of “modified” SK68 lights in my collection, an use them regularly. I do have one with an XM-L mod too, along with various XPG2, XR-E Warm white, multimodes, multi cell tubes, and still mod them when ever i think of a new idea to mod them with