light_noob
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I appreciate a moonlight mode in a flashlight. It has its uses and I definitely don't want to be caught without it when I need it.
Firefly/sub lumens?? Why?
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xdayv
Flashlight Enthusiast
When nature calls in the dead of the night (with walkers roaming around). 
KeepingItLight
Flashlight Enthusiast
The Olight S1 does a good job "hiding" its sub-lumen Moonlight mode. So does the ZebraLight user interface. Moonlight mode is there when (and if) you need it, but it does not get in the way the rest of the time.
The L3 Illumination L11C Nichia 219B (4-mode) flashlight is a different story. It always powers on in Moonlight mode, and it does not have mode memory. At 0.09, 3, 30, and 140 lumens, however, its mode spacing is excellent. For those who do not like a sub-lumen Moonlight mode, there is a three-mode version of the L11C that omits Moonlight mode. You get a very nice 3, 30, and 140 lumens.
The L3 Illumination L11C Nichia 219B (4-mode) flashlight is a different story. It always powers on in Moonlight mode, and it does not have mode memory. At 0.09, 3, 30, and 140 lumens, however, its mode spacing is excellent. For those who do not like a sub-lumen Moonlight mode, there is a three-mode version of the L11C that omits Moonlight mode. You get a very nice 3, 30, and 140 lumens.
For me, i dont like the sub .1 lumen levels. I prefer around .2 to .5 as they provide 10 to 15 feet + of range while still maintaining a stupidly long runtime. The l3 illumination l10 with the nichia is an almost perfect light, i would have liked .3 for a low better.
I wondered the same thing. A few lumens of warm works for me way better. Something along the lines of the output of a Mag Solitaire puts out a great amount of light without waking anybody.
An Elzetta Alpha on low as well.
What wakes others in my home is me crashing into stuff trying to see with firefly modes.
ven
Flashaholic
I will use it rarely to check close up for things, be it looking for something in the night without waking anyone..................but it is minimal use!..
I have got by for many years without a moon mode/firefly or what ever you want to call it, so its not an important part of my flashlight decisions unless it is for an EDC type of use. I do find it odd that huge big S&R type lights , 4 or 6 or more cells..............have a firefly type mode. Handy yes for map reading but a 5 or 10lm low is more suitable imho. Not something to wield for a 0.1lm use!! But as i always say! Its better to have an not need than to need and not have:candle: and just my opinion, very subjective as all are needs are different to cater for. Ones who get up in the night, low modes are a must! as one example..............Environment plays a part, if pitch black then sub lumen is enough..............if has some light pollution(maybe light through curtains from a street lamp) then sub lumen may not cut it..........then actually how ones eyes are, older eyes dont work as well as they did when young!
I have got by for many years without a moon mode/firefly or what ever you want to call it, so its not an important part of my flashlight decisions unless it is for an EDC type of use. I do find it odd that huge big S&R type lights , 4 or 6 or more cells..............have a firefly type mode. Handy yes for map reading but a 5 or 10lm low is more suitable imho. Not something to wield for a 0.1lm use!! But as i always say! Its better to have an not need than to need and not have:candle: and just my opinion, very subjective as all are needs are different to cater for. Ones who get up in the night, low modes are a must! as one example..............Environment plays a part, if pitch black then sub lumen is enough..............if has some light pollution(maybe light through curtains from a street lamp) then sub lumen may not cut it..........then actually how ones eyes are, older eyes dont work as well as they did when young!
kj2
Flashaholic
Have to say, I asked myself the same question the first couple of years when I started with flashlights. But when I ordered my first ZL, and with that, my first moonlight mode flashlight I understood why people like it.
Yes, it has to be completely dark and it depends on how your eyes are, but I use it more than I expected a few years back.
Yes, it has to be completely dark and it depends on how your eyes are, but I use it more than I expected a few years back.
mcnair55
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have 2 main uses for moon mode. 1) great for getting up at silly o clock without bothering others. 2) Reading a menu in dim lighting, as you always get the complete village idiot that shows off his lighting skills with the pocket searchlight he bought off flea bay,not only does he illuminate the menu he lights up the whole gaff in the process.The moon mode should be part of any light and get rid of the stupid toy known as strobe.
archimedes
Flashaholic
Yeah, that'll do it (lol)
Firefly mode ... 0.025 lm
Moonlight mode ... 1.0 lm
Not stepping on a Lego ... priceless
oo:
easilyled
Flashaholic
Well said. I was just thinking that people's night vision very likely differs quite a lot from one individual to another.
Pilotodude
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That, and then when you have to E&E out with out broadcasting your position to everyone.
Plus all of the other good reasons the others have mentioned. The lowest level is one of the most often used for me.
Skimo
Newly Enlightened
Firefly and moonlight make up most of my use, middle of the night and I think it's still too bright. For reading at night it's good, I wish my phone and tablet had firefly mode! Sure during the day it isn't very useful, but when you need to look in your kids ears, nose and throat at 0-dark-thirty, want to grab a fresh dip in the middle of the night or make sure you don't trip over toys/tent strings... lots of uses.
It's one of my most used modes now too along with medium levels (50-80 lumens). I use it mostly also in middle of night as not to wake others. I find my Olight S1 moonlight to be "too bright" vs my Zebralight SC5w's moonlight levels.
For me for EDC type of lights it's nice to have a moonlight mode if it stays out of the main mode cycle.
It's like tail standing... When I first got into flashlights, I didn't care about tail standing and moonlight modes. Now they're my most used features.
For me for EDC type of lights it's nice to have a moonlight mode if it stays out of the main mode cycle.
It's like tail standing... When I first got into flashlights, I didn't care about tail standing and moonlight modes. Now they're my most used features.
To answer an earlier question I'm 46, good eyesight, no glasses. I admit, with the monster run times, I've never considered leaving a light on moonlight when sleeping in unfamiliar places. Thanks for the other responses, great to know how how to get the most out of my lights.
For Android there's an app called NightFilter that let's you adjust hue, tint, and dim the screen far lower than the phone will otherwise allow.
There are nice color presets as well, called Warm, Tungsten, Neutral, Northern Sky, and Cool. The warm is pretty red and tungsten an amber.
The app can make your screen so dark that as a safety feature it cannot be made to start on boot, so as a last resort restarting the device will return the screen to normal.
If you pay for the pro version you can schedule on/off times which is handy.
The only feature the app needs is a soft start and stop, it can be jarring to have the screen go warm and dim at night, and if you're up reading before is set to stop it's even more jarring to have the device return to its regular (blinding) dimmest Auto mode.
It's pretty enlightening though, no wonder people can't sleep when we're blasting our eyes with cool light right before bed.
Using the night filter makes reading before sleep doable for me, and easy enough to drift off to sleep while reading even.
About firefly mode. I spend a lot of evenings sitting in the dark on the porch, drinking and smoking, yakking to a friend or reading on the night filtered screen. I haven't been camping as much as I used to, and I need to change that, but that also entails dark evenings and mornings away from city lighting, I usually keep fires small when they're appropriate and often they'll be little more than enough to keep some coals going and a little smoke to confuse mosquitoes.
Firefly and moonlight are great for these kinds of situations. Visually you see all around you, not very well but there is no pool of light surrounded by darkness as is the case with strong illumination. At the same time there's frequently need to find this and that, check the soup, double check beer placement, etc. Having a little light on a lanyard that starts on its lowest mode makes being in the dark comfortable and convenient rather than a series of hassles. When it's pitch black, or when there's a bit of firelight casting shadows, only a very little light is needed to see what's right at hand.
It's really pleasant to watch the area around, listen, and not be on display -lit up like Shakespeare in the park or something. Lanterns are fine if there's lots of people and activity but for one or two people it's nice to just be comfortable in the dark, letting ears and night adjusted eyes widen the space around.
If there's something spooky enough I'll shine a light on a marauding monster -rabbit, possum, etc. but mostly let things be and not attract attention, especially insect attention.
There are nice color presets as well, called Warm, Tungsten, Neutral, Northern Sky, and Cool. The warm is pretty red and tungsten an amber.
The app can make your screen so dark that as a safety feature it cannot be made to start on boot, so as a last resort restarting the device will return the screen to normal.
If you pay for the pro version you can schedule on/off times which is handy.
The only feature the app needs is a soft start and stop, it can be jarring to have the screen go warm and dim at night, and if you're up reading before is set to stop it's even more jarring to have the device return to its regular (blinding) dimmest Auto mode.
It's pretty enlightening though, no wonder people can't sleep when we're blasting our eyes with cool light right before bed.
Using the night filter makes reading before sleep doable for me, and easy enough to drift off to sleep while reading even.
About firefly mode. I spend a lot of evenings sitting in the dark on the porch, drinking and smoking, yakking to a friend or reading on the night filtered screen. I haven't been camping as much as I used to, and I need to change that, but that also entails dark evenings and mornings away from city lighting, I usually keep fires small when they're appropriate and often they'll be little more than enough to keep some coals going and a little smoke to confuse mosquitoes.
Firefly and moonlight are great for these kinds of situations. Visually you see all around you, not very well but there is no pool of light surrounded by darkness as is the case with strong illumination. At the same time there's frequently need to find this and that, check the soup, double check beer placement, etc. Having a little light on a lanyard that starts on its lowest mode makes being in the dark comfortable and convenient rather than a series of hassles. When it's pitch black, or when there's a bit of firelight casting shadows, only a very little light is needed to see what's right at hand.
It's really pleasant to watch the area around, listen, and not be on display -lit up like Shakespeare in the park or something. Lanterns are fine if there's lots of people and activity but for one or two people it's nice to just be comfortable in the dark, letting ears and night adjusted eyes widen the space around.
If there's something spooky enough I'll shine a light on a marauding monster -rabbit, possum, etc. but mostly let things be and not attract attention, especially insect attention.
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mcnair55
Flashlight Enthusiast
Cheers for the app just downloaded it.For info, the latest iPad software has a built in product called Night Shift set mine for 22.00 to 07.00 hours.
eraursls1984
Flashlight Enthusiast
On the SC600 the lowest firefly mode and both of the lowest firefly modes on the SC52 are too low for me unless I gradually drop down. The .1-.4 modes are perfect for when you wake up at night. At night I turn on low when I turn out the lights, and after a few minutes I turn it down to the moonlight mode on my SC52W. This allows me to gradually adjust my night vision.
Light is a very relative thing. What seems like "pitch black" in the early morning in suburbia actually includes a fair amount of diffuse ambient light. So, yeah, sub-lumen light might seem awful dim.
But in "real" darkness, once your eyes have adapted to it, you'd be surprised how little light you actually need. I live on a well-lit street (ARGH!!!), and sub-lumen lights don't work well for me in the middle of the night; but when I'm out in the wild, under the stars, away from the streetlights, I find I need a LOT less light to see enough to get around.
For reference, 1 lux is roughly equal to the light of a full moon in a clear sky. Doesn't sound like much, I know; but one of my favorite things about camping/hiking is getting out in the night during a full moon; if you let your eyes adapt, it almost seems like daylight. It's kinda spooky, but oh so cool. And hey, that's what our ancestors dealt with for most of the last million years or so.
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