Hi BLFers!
This is Gary from Hiram, In the past, Hiram was primarily known as a brand of optical sights, so it’s possible that not many people have heard of our name in the flashlight industry. However, this summer, we are thrilled to announce the launch of a brand new flashlight.
I’m not sure if you are aware, but zoomable flashlights that use an aspheric lens are not very lumens-efficient (when it if focused in, only 10-20% of the lumens come out of the front), and the variable internal volume of the light (moving lens in and out) heavily reduces the waterproofing. The moving parts also might shift out of position if used on a gun from the recoil.
For the next model it would be a good idea to use a fixed reflector or TIR optic with a predetermined focus, similar to what famous tactical light manufacturers like Streamlight and Surefire do, if that is the goal market. The beam shape will also be more useful, with a lower-brightness spill and brighter hotspot, with almost the same intensity as it would be when focused in.
The packaging and design of the light are very nice, and I can see why it would first try to use a zooming lens when coming from an optic sight background, but it is usually not the best way to make a flashlight. There’s certain exceptions like LEPs though where it works well.
Why is this rated IPX8? This means it will survive being submerged under water at 1 m. How does this work with the zooming mechanism and the uncovered USB charging port?