I was supposed to just watch and eat popcorn. But might as well join while enjoying the show.
luminarium iaculator I think many understand what your are trying to say. At least to some extend. But to me it does not seem that you are capable of understanding what the typical flashlight user uses their lights for.
Although I dont understand if you are trying to start a discussion about future technology that could make aspherical lights better, or just try and promote them. I guess its both..
Lasers can be the future for flashlight. Could be nicely suitable for ashperics if done correctly. As an example BMW use laser technology for the headlights in the I8. And those headlights are awesome based on what I have seen. I made a thread about it a long time ago.
What more than hunting do you find aspherical lights useful for. Please make a long list in what circumstances these lights excel in. I know of several, but would be interesting to see from your point of view.
Pencil beam is a suitable description. People easily understand it. Hence it works nicely. Its common to use special phrases (that may not sound that nice) to describe various lights.
Here is a couple of reasons why aspheric lights are not that popular.
Generally extremly inefficient optics. Especially when "zoomed in".
For many, unpleasent beam due to square dies when fully zoomed in.
Flood mode is not good for general outdoor use. Its just one big even ring. This means that right in front of your feet you got a ton more light than a couple of meters in front of you. Basically same argument you use against spill on reflector lights. Your pupils retracts. Which does not help when the beam is already bad for looking at stuff that is 20 meters in front of you.
If you want to see what is in front of you when walking, you need to use flood mode. But then you don't see much ahead. And many actually needs to see what is in front of them.
Worse thermal design compared to reflector lights. Usually because the head have to able to move you end up with worse thermal path.
Often unplesent rings in the zoom ring.
Expensive to make good aspheric glass lenses.
Led-Lenser
Led-Lenser have patent on the good apsherics. Probalby not good for OP, but their design is attractive for many. To some degree I like LED-Lenser, I have used their low-end, mid-end and high end lights. I wont buy any of their lights myself though.
Market force
People vote with their money. Flashoholics have started with a zoom light, or had a zoom lights as one of their first lights. Most flashoholics end up buying reflector lights. If aspherics were better for most, more people would buy them, and manufacturers would put in more effort in improving the lights. IMO, its actually easier to sell a zoom light to a non-flashoholic. Zoom is a great selling point. People love it. Until you show someone a good reflector light side by side. Its a reason why reflector lights are popular. Its because people in general find them more useful and overall better.
TIR
10-degree TIR optics or narrower + de-domed emitter have very good throw for the size as well. And many will prefer to have some spill and the better efficiency and nicer beam compared to aspherics.
Aspherics-zoom- Jack of all trades, master at none?
Some use the expression above. "jack of all trades, master of none". I do not agree. I think aspheric lights are master of pencil beam throw in a small package. But otherwise they are bad at most things.
I like my SK68 with WW Nichia, but only in flood mode, indoors. I have some aspherics with de-domed emitters, but I have no actual use for them compared to a ton of my reflector lights. I could see scenarios where they are nice, but in those scenarios I usually have a better non aspheric light for the job.
Another issue is, if you put an XM-L in one, it sucks as a thrower, but its "good" as a flooder. When I say good, I mean big wide and bright flood. If you put a de-domed XP-G2 or something like that in one, it becomes really bad as a flooder (usually not that wide flood, and not that bright either). Compare it with a floody light, and you will better understand why its bad as a flooder.
Aspheric lights do have a purpose.
No doubt. I can see why they are useful, and its a reason why I would have 1 of them if I could only have 20 lights or so. :D
Ive actually defended aspheric lights in some discussions, but in general. Reflector light is the way to go for me and my type of use. Which in most cases involves me walking outdoors and having the need to see where im putting my feet. Hence, spill is useful and a must. Having a larger spot, and spill also makes it considerably easier to see what I want, and find what I want, even far away in the distance. I can also use far less power, and yet see far away due to the much better efficiency.
Ill end this long post with an unfair comparison (it was the pictures that I had):
Aspheric vs reflector thrower. Yes, the aspheric is smaller, but both of these lights cost 20$ on sale before I modded them. Still, its only lighting up a fraction of the area, and in this case. The reflector light also outthrows it by good margin. Now, you might say, that is because its using 10 times the energy, but actually, the reflector light is only using around twice the energy in the picture below and it would still be really impressive if it used half the power.
Im not saying one is better than the other.. As a flashoholic, Ill say there is a place and use for all types of lights.