Not all workers at Lumintop are hired full time for BLF projects (even if some of you liked that :p)
one of their teams played with a different reflector and made a prototype:
i really like the shape and button...
the LED is mounted 90° to usual lights
looking into the front we see the square LED reflects in a elliptical shape
resulting in a "wide" beam
i think the reflector is similar to the 400lm Lumintop C01 bike light which i reviewed here: https://youtu.be/yKYNV_90E8s (jump to 7:50 for the outdoor beamshots)
using that beamshape in a handheld flashlight i can imagine benefits from having the light in front of you on the road, and left and right beside
and not wasted upwards to illuminate bedroom windows or treetops ...
The prototype is powering a XP-L with 800 Lumens (180m throw) using a 18650 cell...
what would you change?
XP-L or XHP70.2 sized?
Cree or Samsung or nichia?
18650 or 21700?
USB or not?
tell us in which setup you would buy one - maybe "your" suggestion becomes reality!
I really like people getting creative, especially at tech companies. But I really can’t find myself to like that beam pattern. It looks like straight of an 80s car. For the use case you suggest (which I really find interesting, don’t get me wrong) I find the hotspot too circular. Any outdoor beamshots? As I would probably only use it as a bike like if at all I would probably go for 21700. XP-L vs 70.2 I don’t know, it probably again affects the beam pattern, I assume (probably giving it less range). Then again I am probably not one of its buyers so it’s probably better for someone who finds this light exciting to decide its specs.
Not my kind of thing but, it’s interesting none the less. Think there was a guy on here last month looking for something similar. Hope he finds this thread.
I think an unsymetrical TIR can do it better than this stepped reflector
the reflector geometry must be a lot better than this generating an elliptical beam without artifacts that look like a very bad car head light
21700
USB charging on battery PCB
ramping firmware from Toykeeper
no press fit parts like button cover, thread this and screw
no switch on driver integrated (separate board for switch and his LEDs like Astrolux MF01, Q8 aso.)
I’d like to see what the beam would look like with a TIR similar to the Skilhunt H03. Might clean up the beam and be more useful with that oblong pattern. Just a thought.
It’s nice that someone is thinking outside of the box. I’m not so sure I see the need for the beam shape and I’d like to see more outdoor pics to really make a judgement, especially compared with a few more standard beams. The shape of the body as it flares toward the head is elegant. I like it! The texturing looks good too.
For specs, I’d go with 21700 but I’m not sure which emitter. Don’t need recharging for me.
It wouldn’t even work - at all! The reflector is roughly triangular profiled. The top has the LED, the reflector is another side, and the front lens is the third side. In other words, the reflector angles out, so there is no place for another LED at the “bottom” of the reflector (opposite the other LED).
BTW, I like the shape of the “host” but the reflector isn’t something I can imagine finding useful.
Make the reflector have light op texture. If it’s going to excel as a walking/hiking light with horizontal reach, how about make it a high CRI monster as well? I’m thinking SST20.
Honestly, this sucks big times. What was the idea behind this beam pattern? They should focus on properly soldering the leds onto the MCPCBs of their existing much better concept flashlights. But shape and button OK as Martin said
Ugly light with ugly beam. In a bike light I can see a reflector like this being useful but just because I’m used to bike lights with ugly beams. But in a handheld light, as already suggested there are prettier ways to make an elliptical beam.