Flashlight Features I prioritize for my home based EDC

I created a spreadsheet to organize some of my use case priorities… here are the resulting scores for some of my favorite lights:

there are other criteria I did not list, such as weight, battery size, beam type, use case scenario, dual fuel capability… etc

atm, my Emisar D2 w DeDomed 4500K 519a and Red 660nm, both with floody optics, is really working well, for my needs.

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And yet you are such a TS10 supported/proselytizer/fan? Or are they out-n-about lights for you? Or do they score poorly in your rubrik yet outperform in the real world? It is fascinating to learn how people use and conceptualize their lights.

What is your thinking on PWM? I’m new to these newfangled LED lights. Is that what I am seeing at lower lumen levels as I ramp down on my TS10s when I have ramp speed set as slow as possible? Reading is one of my high priorities for indoors, not my biggest use, but one that gives me great pleasure. Is that something where a non-PWM light would make the experience even better? Sorry if this is too many questions.

this is true
some of the criteria dont have the same priority for me, for example, a magnet is low priority, so the lack of one does not discredit the TS10 for me.

What is your thinking on PWM?

PWM is hard to avoid, there are many lights that use it, and few that dont. The TS10 uses it.

PWM is not what you see when ramping down (which is the granularity of the underlying 150 steps in the Anduril ramp)…

To see one indication of PWM, go to the lowest output on your TS10 (the floor in Advanced Smooth ramping has the lowest default), and wave the light quickly up and down in a dark room while looking from the side, so the main beam is not directly aimed at your face… you will see dots similar to this:

that tells us the LED is turning on and off, in this example at about 600Hz which is in the “slow” range for PWM.

at higher output levels, the PWM speeds up beyond what is Consciously Visible.

for example, at about 5 lumens output, that you might use for reading, the PWM speed is over 15,000 Hz… completely invisible, and believed by most, to have no biological effects (which some say begin at speeds below 3,000 Hz)

some people are sensitive to slow PWM and can get migraines when they are exposed to it for long periods, of hours, such as for office lighting.

There is a commercially used Flicker Index which is a calculation that combines how fast the flicker is occurring, and also the difference between fully on and off, which is technically true PWM, and other partial dimming to various degrees less than 100% on and off.

Here is the Flicker Index and raw data for the TS10 at about 5 Lumens:


starting on the far left, here is what the numbers mean
0.7820 is a relatively high Flicker Index, then we see modulation depth of almost 100%, then we see the frequency, which is so fast that the Risk Assessment is “No Risk”:.

The right hand shows that the LED is On at almost 30,000 Lux, and then dims down to 29 lux, and then goes back up to 28,969 lux. It also shows the Average Lux, which incorporates a calculation for the durations of the high and low outputs, resulting in an Average Lux of 3411. Thats a pretty Dim output, on Average.

for reference, in contrast, here is the D2 at about 5 lumens:

That is somewhat explanatory for why our brain thinks that a light that is flashing on and off at 30,000 lux maximum, “looks” much dimmer to our brain, based on its ability (or lack thereof) to perceive very fast Light Pulses.

PWM is essentially a way to create a perception of Dim light, by flashing bright light on and off, really fast.

Reading is one of my high priorities for indoors, not my biggest use, but one that gives me great pleasure. Is that something where a non-PWM light would make the experience even better?

Maybe yes. It depends on where your opinion falls, on the continuum of PWM biological effects.

some will take the position that what you cant see, cant hurt you. At the other pole of opinion, some will say that they get migraines from using lights with PWM, particularly when used for long periods.

You may want to develop your own impressions from further reading… both online, and from your own personal experience actually using your TS10.

warning… this is a Rabbit Hole… the longer you hang around, the more lights you will buy :wink:

Ive been actively making excuses to buy more lights for close to 10 years. Im not a collector, my interests just move me in certain directions, and at this point I buy lights based on what lay people would consider irrelevant minutiae… lol

So, IF I was going to use a light for long periods, such as your reading application, that would be a perfect excuse to buy myself a light with NoPWM… :wink:

Price be damned… lol

To be fair, the TS10 is a great little light. I use mine often. Im very fond of the form factor, light weight, small size, floody beam, the Aux makes it easy to spot on a nightstand, and I really like having a light with an easy to find tailswitch.

otoh, though the D2 is considerably longer, it has NoPWM… which for me, is a good enough reason to buy in… plus I really like having the Red Beam… I use it for physical therapy on sore muscles. I tend to get sore leg muscles after a half day of Snowboarding ;-).

And although the Skilhunt is also a great little light with NoPWM… Im particularly fond of Anduril UI, which gives my Emisar D2 the advantage.

otoh, I keep the Skilhunt H150 in my car, because it is not solely dependent on LiIon… It also works w Alkaline AA, Lithium AA, and Eneloop AA. So if summer heat discharges the LiIon battery, I have backup options that are more heat tolerant.

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Sweet Fancy Moses, thank you, Jon!

Read through one time, avidly, but I’m gonna have to read it again tomorrow when my brain is fresh and I can follow up on your leads and gain the whole picture and expanded canvas you’re painting on.

Thank you thank you.

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To me, it also makes a huge difference in the frequency of the PWM. Many years ago, one of my first headlamps (I forget the name) had a low frequency compared to better lights available today. One day in the workshop, I noticed that the fan on a compressor I was working with did not seem to be spinning very fast. I almost stuck my finger into the blade path before my memory clicked it and said “wait a sec…” The PWM strobe effect made the blades seem to move slowly. Sort of like wagon wheels in old western movies could appear to be turning backward because of the film frame rate.

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All day long I’ve been thinking about PWM for creating the illusion of dimmer light. It’s just too mindblowing. Akin to movies actually being still images. And not many frames per second, especially compared to what you’re saying about contemporary PWM frequencies. Fascinating stuff, our gray matter.

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I don’t think calling an illusion is totally correct. A light meter measures lower. But the light is not dimmed in the same manner as old dimmers for incandescent lamps. PWM also works for slowing DC fan motors. It is interesting though how different people are or are not affected my PWM controlled lights.

It looks like, according to your rubric, the SC21 Mini would win 2 points on noPWM and regulated output, but lose two over the Pro on sublumen Moonlight and unilluminated switch.

yes, the SC21 Mini does have a regulated driver with longer runtime than the SC21 Pro

For me, the illuminated button of the SC21 Pro has a higher priority, than the driver efficiency of the SC21 Mini.

The button light on the Pro is very useful to me, for nightstand use. It also makes it much easier to locate the small switch button in the dark, instead of having to roll the light around feeling for the button of the Mini.

My other reservation about the SC21 Mini. is PWM. (also true of the Pro)

Although the output of the Mini IS regulated, it uses PWM, according to my Opple, at outputs between 5 and 20 lumens:

fwiw, the SC21 Pro also has regulated output, at levels below 100 lumens.

I decided to buy the Emisar D2, whose driver is as efficient as the SC21 Mini, because

The D2 uses no PWM, has regulated output, a lighted button, lower moonlight, and Anduril. Plus a much wider choice of LEDs including DeDomed 519a.

The D2 Can Do!

otoh, the D2 does not have built in charging, and as a dual channel Anduril light, is not suitable as a gift to an inexperienced operator.

For someone new to flashlights but willing to learn some basic UI commands, I recommend a Skilhunt H150 or M150, for the built in LiIon charging, ability to use AA batteries, regulated output, no PWM, lower moonlight than the Mini, and available w 519a.

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Which modes use PWM and which don’t? I figured from the ZeroAir Review that PWM is only detectable in High mode? Is that true?

the low mode of 10 lumens, second from left: (or when using the smooth ramp, between 5 and 20 lumens.)
photo thanks to the zeroair review


But its not really anything to worry about, the PWM is very fast. Over 14,000Hz, and completely invisible, with no likely biological effects.

Did you end up buying yourself an SC21, and how do you like it? :wink:

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:⁠-⁠) Not yet, but thanks to BLF I discovered Sofirn and much more (I had no idea). So far, I decided to buy SC21, IF19, and SF16. All available and relatively easy to buy, but I live in Thailand yet I’ve been in Poland for a bit longer than I thought I would and I’m postponing the thing.

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I hope you are having a great trip :wink:

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