Okay this is about flash light not flashlight.
I see there are AAA lights offered that don’t even offer 50 lumens like Streamlight ultra compact.
For most purposes around home, they don’t offer anything more to phone’s flash except easier to hold.
I have a Motorola G6 and the flash is similar as Ultratac A7’s low mode (50 lumens).
Of course, the phone’s flash light doesn’t have any throw compared to the A7’s so A7’s low mode is much brighter in the center.
Has anyone done lumen measurements?
No measurement device so just a guess.
We always carry phone so if any brand or model has usable lumen, no need to carry small lights that have similar output.
I work in medicine and there are times when I need to look at skin/wounds that are not within reach of the wall mounted handheld scope lights. If I pulled out my phone, I would look like an unprofessional fool and still be unable to judge color correctly due to poor color rendering (low CRI). Having a high CRI dedicated flashlight is not only convenient, but also serves many other purposes. In the last power outage, my flashlight became the nightlight for my kids without worrying about running down my phone battery. When it ran low, I swapped the battery out. Last time I checked, most mobile phones these days have no swappable batteries.
Haha of course.
You guys will wear flashlights like scouts badge if possible.
I’m new and still have over a dozen flashlights and two of them are AAA.
I’m not saying my phone’s flash is good or bad.
I just compared the light and guessed the output.
Of course pen lights have their usage in checking ear and mouth etc… but my comment was in general around home, nothing specific.
My bedroom light has a twisty so I just turn on and off from the wall instead of the bed.
At night, when I go to bathroom or need to go downstairs, I just use the phone’s flash and it lights up the room without waking up anyone in other rooms.
When I was small, like 30 years ago, I used to walk hours at night with a double D flashlight that I thought was really bright that time but I guess it was not even 20 lumens.
Compared to that, these mobile phones may have better light.
Of course, even at same output, flashlight is better to hold and has its own battery so useful.
I guess what I’m thinking is that current phones’ flash output is comparable to a low output flashlight.
Here is a pic of my two AAA flashlights that I hang with car keys.
The bottom one is $2 cool white EnjoyDeal single mode that throws pretty good for its size.
Top one is Aidier/Ultratac A7 three mode. It has warmer tint probably around 4500K .
So one question is still unanswered.
Is there a lumen rating for phones’ flash somewhere?
The advantage of the phone flashlight is most people usually are already carrying the phone. Most other points of comparison land in favor of a dedicated flashlight, in my opinion, although obviously the comparison depends on the model.
- Ergonomics
- Throw
- Accessible control
- Max output
- Min output
- Ability to use phone for other tasks at the same time
- Availability of color temperature and CRI options
- Efficiency (keeping a phone awake to use the light hurts battery life disproportionately)
- Battery swapping
Durability
When I’m 10 feet up on a piece of equipment inspecting something, not only do I generally need a tighter beam than a phone offers to see into dark recesses, and something easier to hold and aim with my fingers, but I also don’t want to have to explain to the boss how I dropped and broke a company phone that cost hundreds of dollars. If I drop my light, it’s very likely going to survive, and if not, it was $12 (Sofirn C01s).
40-50 lumens for iPhone 7. This was the built in constant output “flashlight” feature of iPhone 7 in its brightest setting in an integrating sphere. The tint didn’t look nice though.
The flashlight built into the phone makes the phone the ultimate EDC device. If they could somehow jam a Leatherman Wave in there , that would be incredible,
