Rethinking buying new lights...

Phlogiston · 2019-01-21T23:08:13.000Z

After I discovered Fenix in 2012, they got lots of business from me. I bought their lights for myself and gave them to family members too. Unfortunately, Fenix got expensive and fell behind on nice colour temperatures and high CRI.

Nowadays, I can get 90% of what I want from Convoy, spend a lot less money and get plenty of spare parts to experiment with. I occasionally buy BLF specials (and random other lights just because I feel like it), but Convoy are my core supplier.

If I’m awake, I have a BLF-348 on me. If I’m wearing a leather belt, I’ll have a BLF-348 and a Convoy S2+ on it. If I have my backpack, I’ll have a Convoy L4, spare cells and some backup stuff, all in addition to the belt lights.

My family members still swear by their 2012 Fenix lights, to the extent that they refuse all offers of an upgrade

Lightbringer · 2019-01-21T23:09:02.000Z

Wellp, for what it’s worth, while I know my TK18s have ramping, I keep ’em on stepped modes. Same with the SP32v2, which I think have ramping, but I haven’t used any in ramping mode except maybe after just taking it out of the box.

Q8? Yeah, default is ramping, but if I need a Q8 to begin with, it’s for the 5k lemons so it’s doubleclick to daylight anyway. Else, yeah, click’n’hold to ramp up to something less than full-tilt.

To me, ramping is a nice curiosity, but I stick with fixed modes anyway. It’s nice to be able to select which type you want.

BlueSwordM · 2019-01-21T23:12:55.000Z

Also, most flashlight brands aren’t willing to sacrifice lumen for color quality.

I understand why they don’t, but I would easily buy an SST-20 Zebralight, or a Nichia 144AM Armytek(still waiting for this…).

Lightbringer · 2019-01-21T23:14:33.000Z

toddcshoe:

Variety is the spice of life. If you can’t have it the way you want it you can surely make it the way you want it.

Why? Because…

LightObsession · 2019-01-22T00:02:51.000Z

Lightbringer:

Wellp, for what it’s worth, while I know my TK18s have ramping, I keep ’em on stepped modes. Same with the SP32v2, which I think have ramping, but I haven’t used any in ramping mode except maybe after just taking it out of the box.

I much prefer the ramping mode on my SP32 V2.0, because the ramping can be quickly reversed in direction, so no need to go through higher modes to get back to lower modes.

Turbo is directly accessed from off with a double click when in the ramping mode.

I despise having to go through higher modes to get back to lower modes.

My preferred UI is direct access to ML or Low and High or Turbo from off - then it doesn’t matter as much which mode the light is turned off in, if the light has mode memory.

Hugh_Johnson · 2019-01-22T00:12:08.000Z

All hail Toykeeper. Long live the queen.

noboneshotdog · 2019-01-22T00:32:03.000Z

I own Emisar and Fireflies lights and love them both. But I also own Zebralights and would buy another in a heartbeat. Definitely worth the money to me. SC600 MKV HI is worth every penny. Unmatched REAL type III anodization, high quality aluminum stock, super efficient drivers, high QC, great UI, and superb reliability.

ZED · 2019-01-22T01:11:17.000Z

I just used my Emisar d4 out in the cold at work for a good 25 minutes at bright enough levels but above the 350mA 7135 mode. Wasn’t really worried about being conservative. Also used a few times through the day. Threw it on max FET for a minute or two when I got home and let the dogs out and the sucker is still at 4 volts.
So no, I really can’t justify buying 70 80 whatever dollar lights anymore unless it’s something crazy like the mf04 I just bought. But in reality for what you get that’s not really an unreasonable price.
I’m sure ZL has awesome thermal regulation and super efficiency, but seriously if a FET+1 D4 for 35 bucks is too inefficient you’re using your EDC for the job of a Q8. 8 hours of 150+ lumens and ability to maintain a bit more and light the whole area up for 35 bucks. That’s chicken dinner. I’d love a ZL and will probably get one some day, But I agree with the OP. I find it easier to deal with Hank and get parts not on the site to fix or change a flashlight.

Aleister · 2019-01-22T01:14:09.000Z

Anthon:

Ramping is nice for a fun light, but it has its drawbacks, like not knowing the runtime

For more serious use I prefer fully regulated fixed modes

Sadly, that’s true.

In an alternate universe, flashlights would have LCD screens - color touch screen for the high end models, monochrome backlit for the cheap ones - and runtime info for current level would always be displayed.

BlueSwordM · 2019-01-22T01:16:23.000Z

Wouldn’t that raise costs, along with low level power consumption brightness, along with standby?

I mean, it would be really nice for it to be activated on modes that consume over a predefined amount of power, but should be completely deactivated on lower than 50 lumen modes.

toddcshoe · 2019-01-22T01:20:52.000Z

ZED:

I find it easier to deal with Hank and get parts not on the site to fix or change a flashlight.

Yeah, that’s the nice thing about ZL’s. You don’t need to fix them or change them. I understand. It’s nice having parts available when you’re going to need them.

Aleister · 2019-01-22T01:28:38.000Z

BlueSwordM:

Wouldn’t that raise costs, along with low level power consumption brightness, along with standby?

I mean, it would be really nice for it to be activated on modes that consume over a predefined amount of power, but should be completely deactivated on lower than 50 lumen modes.

A non-lit LCD screen uses extremely little energy (there are watches with such screens that run for years on a 2016 cell). Backlit could be temporary, when you click a button for example. Or maybe the screen can be placed over a base which acts as a temporary switch, so when pressure is applied on the screen, the backlit turns on. There are many ways to minimize a screen’s usage, we see them applied in everyday electronics

Lightbringer · 2019-01-22T01:52:15.000Z

LightObsession:

My preferred UI is direct access to ML or Low and High or Turbo from off - then it doesn’t matter as much which mode the light is turned off in, if the light has mode memory.

Yep, that’s why I like my MH20: press’n’hold from off halfway for moonlight, fully for high. Regular click on for last-mode.

Think the ’32 has that, too, no? Gawd, all these UIs, it’s hard to keep ’em straight half the time. The SP10 does that nicely, press’n’hold for moonlight, doubleclick for high.

LightObsession · 2019-01-22T04:07:35.000Z

Lightbringer:

LightObsession:

My preferred UI is direct access to ML or Low and High or Turbo from off - then it doesn’t matter as much which mode the light is turned off in, if the light has mode memory.

Yep, that’s why I like my MH20: press’n’hold from off halfway for moonlight, fully for high. Regular click on for last-mode.

Think the ’32 has that, too, no? Gawd, all these UIs, it’s hard to keep ’em straight half the time. The SP10 does that nicely, press’n’hold for moonlight, doubleclick for high.

No, the ’32 only has direct access to the memorized mode and to turbo from off, regardless of which UI mode is being used. I wish it had direct access to ML from off without it being the memorized mode.

dealgrabber2002 · 2019-01-22T17:28:05.000Z

The SP32 V2.0 has ramping and preset modes? I think I might look into that light.

pennzy · 2019-01-22T17:40:02.000Z

The newer SP10 has 1 press to ML, 1 long press to memorized level and double press for turbo.

dealgrabber2002 · 2019-01-22T17:46:24.000Z

pennzy:

The newer SP10 has 1 press to ML, 1 long press to memorized level and double press for turbo.

Wouldn’t it be better if1 press for memorized level, long press for ML, and double press for Turbo?

pennzy · 2019-01-22T17:55:32.000Z

dealgrabber2002:

pennzy:

The newer SP10 has 1 press to ML, 1 long press to memorized level and double press for turbo.

Wouldn’t it be better if 1 press for memorized level, long press for ML, and double press for Turbo?

I wish it were short press for memorized, short press for off. Something other than short press to change modes(long press?)and short press for off. Yeah , long press from off would be ok to get to ML. I really hate long press for on/off though. If I short press for off by mistake while in high, which is what I use most, it goes into ML and it gets put into my pocket on ML and I don’t know it. That seems like a bad explanation.

Lightbringer · 2019-01-22T18:32:50.000Z

dealgrabber2002:

pennzy:

The newer SP10 has 1 press to ML, 1 long press to memorized level and double press for turbo.

Wouldn’t it be better if1 press for memorized level, long press for ML, and double press for Turbo?

Urg… there are soooooo many different versions of the SP10 (I don’t even bother with ‘A’, ‘B’, etc.) that it’s what you got in the light that counts.

I got the B before the B was renamed to A, and before the new A was changed to the newer A.

My head hurts… :weary:

LightObsession · 2019-01-22T18:42:25.000Z

dealgrabber2002:

The SP32 V2.0 has ramping and preset modes? I think I might look into that light.

Yes, preset modes is default when received.

It’s extremely easy to switch back and forth between preset modes and ramping.

Ramping is very easy to change directions between forward ramping and reverse ramping.