I still have a lot to learn with flashlights... I didn't realize there were such things as pre-collimating lenses. I really should stop thinking in terms of lasers & lights, but rather optics.
well, I use that term loosely. I’m not aware of any production lights that use them.
In fact, the first one I actually saw was on a PT-54 (flat, no dome emitter used mostly in projectors). The use a ~10mm lens right on top of it, then another ~23mm lens <1” away. It makes an interesting beam. I don’t really know, but I think they were trying to make it not only more concentrated (since bare the emitter is total flood) but also less divergent over a distance? than w/ 1 lens.
anyway, the second lens from a PT-54 is about right for pre-collimating the larger flashlight aspherics. I don’t get any higher readings from it collecting light that would otherwise miss the main lens (which DrJones has explained in a post), but by having the emitter out of focus in the first lens, you can end up with what might be a more pleasing beam to you, and nearly as much throw.
there’s an awful lot of fiddling involved though, at least for an optics layman like me…
Hmm, well, using another lens, or two would be interesting. Comes at the price of losing some power because of the lens itself though.
Definitely something to read up on :D
excuse my ignorance but I must ask, what is “shipped conus”
only US or what ?
less than US
thanks for clarifying that, I am on the other side of the world 
just ordered 7G5CS
As Dthrct said CONUS means all of the US except for Hawaii and Alaska.
So I needed an excuse and bought the Crelant w the head. Have to ask Mark about how to remove some HD manufacturing scum on the glass outer lense of the aspheric head.
Was told by a friend who does architectural lighting for stores that the new Luminous SST (or SBT?) –70 is a round die LED. Haven’t read anything about it yet, wondering where it will fit in or not in the flashlight world. Is there a light yet that offers it?