Blast from the past thread

[Exit32]

It was the 3-watt Aluminum LED Flashlight that started my fascination with LED flashlights many years ago. I still have one of these in my nightstand drawer, and I've managed to keep one of these old timers in its original, unopened packaging. I wonder if the CR123A battery they included is still good.

 

[akula88]

State of my flashaholism

From 2003, when Surefire, ARC, McLux, Streamlights were mostly the game -- flashaholism peaked for about a couple of years -- mostly Surefires. But interest eventually tapered down, and sold a number of those good collections along the years.

This is my current lights and parts, a lot of legacy lights and bodies, but manage to have a few update in 2013 (XPG, etc).

 

[archimedes]

Some rare parts in there .... Thanks for the photo

 

[ven]

Amazing collection akula

What is so good, as desirable as they were back in the day, it must be 10 fold more desirable today.

 

[kamagong]

My EDC for the past 15+ years.

 

[ZMZ67]

I must admit I'm late to the party and the folks having all the fun back then have long since left the party.

But I read a lot. And it seems the Inova was deemed as less expensive alternatives to SureFire back then. Especially with the flashaholic crowd. Being a fan of cop lights I tend to collect 'duty lights' more than anything else. And I lucked up and scored a minty version of each Inova made by Emissive Energy. X5, X1 etc.

I have a few versions of the X1, and will talk about those later. It seems folks went gaga over the X5 but I'm kinda scratching my head on why.

By today's standards the X5 with it's angry blue 5MM LEDs doesn't look that great but in the early days it was a big deal. With a practical run time around 5 hours and the ability to produce light for something like 20 hours it was able to do things that even the Luxeon powered lights of the time couldn't do. It was/is a very tough light with high marks for reliability at a price most people could afford. I don't really use my X5s anymore save for the UV model but they are prized pieces in my collection. I must have a dozen total and all the LED colors white,red,green,blue and UV.The only one I didn't get was IR.

 

[Climb14er]

Removed...

 

[radu1976]

When starting to collect flashlights my first love was a titanium INOVA XO3 TIROS. I loved that light a lot but when I tried it with 2 x RCR123s I killed it instantly. Bought more of XO3s after but I feel like non of them had the perfect white beam my first XO3 had. Right now I have several XO3s, XOs, X5s and all T-series TIROS except the T1. I still love my TIROS but I have some newer NITE IZE models - 3 x X1 55-lumens, 2 x X2, XO3 228-lumens and a small XS as well -
2 years ago I was happy to buy a PENTAGON L2 which is using the same emitter like my TIROS X03s and T3 : LUXEON III. The PENTAGON has such great anodizing, it's a pity that this american company was done years ago.

 

[radu1976]

The X5s pictured are : white and coloured 2003-2006 models, one 2008 X5 - still made by Emissive Energy and having the best beam from all my X5s -, a countycomm ltd. ed. X5 with dark green HA and the latest 6/31 lumens NITE IZE version.

 

[bykfixer]

So this arrived the other day:

Another oldy but goody

Check out the optic lens.
Nice spot with good spill and awesome throw for such a low-ish output light (around 20 lumens)

The P20 Strategist by Lightship Enterprises.

https://web.archive.org/web/20050304031244/http://www.pocketlights.com/ncp20.asp
Here's an old catalog page.

Here's link telling what happened to Lightship Enterprises.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/nightcutter-leaving-retail-flashlight-market.342281/

A candle power thread.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?92740-Nightcutter-thoughts

A review
http://www.imagometrics.com/FLReviews/NCtr_X2.htm

 

[Paul6ppca]

It was the 3-watt Aluminum LED Flashlight that started my fascination with LED flashlights many years ago. I still have one of these in my nightstand drawer, and I've managed to keep one of these old timers in its original, unopened packaging. I wonder if the CR123A battery they included is still good.

That's awesome. I've never seen anyone keep an unopened package before.

I had a Q3 back in 07. Modded it with Flupic driver and big copper heat sink. Upgraded led too. Then sold it.
10 years later I run across old thread and talk with a great CPF member. He still had the light!
And after 10 years I now have it again !!!
I of course immediately upgrade the led,again. Now it's as bright as any modern light. Programmed the way I want! Haven't been able to put it down since I got it back!
I feel like I've won the light lottery!
Thanks CPF!

 

[Paul6ppca]

How about a Nuwai Q-III? These were highly regarded when they first came out, I stashed them so well I no longer remember where they are. :fail:

Still a decent light, though runtime is a bit wanting.

I completely forgot they came in silver!
I wish they still made these with current led and
3 mode driver!

 

[ven]

Love the old classics, much more than most modern day lights

Granted some have been a little updated but not all!

Lensers have been good to me, these got me on the flashaholic road pretty much(and old Mags)

Cheers for a great thread mr fixer

 

[ven]

Here is another, now sports a 219c 4k thanks to CRX

Not forgetting the little NovaTac lights, love these ..........compact(ish) and feels great in hand

All this talk of old classics makes me want a tuff burner again................dont know why, must be a memory jog thing

Haha

 

[bykfixer]

Dat bike. lol.

I started the thread about a year ago to show how as much as things change, at times they stay the same.

As a collection of some early LED lights developed I noticed some had a beam that was pretty close to what those modern strive for. I've never been one to chase the numbers or get all excited about the CRI thing.

The most recent post for example showed a light from a small defunct company called Lightship Enterprises and distributed by Night Cutter dot com who specialized in tactical lighting gear in the early 2000's. The Strategist P20 shown used a 1 watt Luxeon that put out around 20 measly lumens.

Yet in real use the thing looked a lot brighter thanks to an optic seemed to "megaphone" the light smart enough to provide a nice reach like an old Maglite yet spread the light with a smooth artifact-free spill to highlight tripping hazards without crushing peripheral sight in darkness like todays 'max' spread lights.

The tint is not blue, nor purple, not yellow, not green or bias'd to make red items pop. Just brightness that allows my brain to decide what is what. Much like the bright white of a camera flash.

It was gifted to me by another flashaholic recently and is one of the most exciting lights in my classic LED collection.

 

[shawn a.]

My blast from the past is possibly one of the first available lithium battery lights. It's called an ACR model 101. I think it's from the late 1960s, the battery seems non replaceable, but oddly enough, there is still juice in it and it comes on (just barely) after almost 50 years. How do I post a photo here?
Ooops- I forgot to mention it's incandescent. Anybody else have 50 year old lithiums that still "work"?

 

[bykfixer]

Possibly my most under rated flashlight is the Streamlight Stinger LED

Compared to a classic 2D Maglite.
425 lumens with 26k CD, this one used to be a police issue light until all those max vision big head versions arrived. Nowadays they can be seen at all kinds of auto repair shops as they have become a favorite of mechanics.

Compared to a 3C Maglite ML25.

Streamlight had a pretty good beam on this one for a nice long reach with a bunch of side spill. They have been out for a while, yet still available from the Streamlight catalog. Over the years they could be had in a variety of colors and a plastic version.

The one in the photo had sat nearly 2 years without needing a charge. I bought a spare battery and between the stock cell and extra easily get all night run times.

This one is a pre-ten tap version where it comes on high and you hold the button, which changes to medium, low, medium, high if you hold it constant. It's a signaler or two quick clicks provides a strobe.

Streamlight says it was introduced in 2006 but I suspect that was a version with much less output than this 2015 model.

 

[bykfixer]

How 'bout the emissive energy Innovas?

 

[Dirty wage guy]

A blast from way back.

Surefire model 312 Beretta P92F weapon light.

Was the oldest Surefire I ever owned.

Oh yeah, to keep it reverent to this thread, I did try out an old LED dropin in it for a minute. I know.. it's an incan, but the box is kinda cool. Lol

Hope everyone is having a great day!

 

[bykfixer]

A mini battle royal of sorts:
E01 vs E05;

The fabled E01 was a popular number introduced ten plus years back. At 13 lumens with an ugly beam it still held its own in the flashlight world. In about 010 a 30 lumen version (of sorts) arrived with a much better beam and a lot more output.

While the E01 stayed true to its roots the E05 was upgraded with 3 settings from a twisty head. 8, 25 and a whopping 85 lumens from a meager triple a battery.

The E01 had a lot going for it and with some sand paper to scuff the dome and lens it could be made to have a nice floody output. Orange sharpie over the globe masked the blue-ish purple hues.

The E05 had a nicer beam but lacked the ability to suck the last molecule of electricity from a battery. Nope, once voltage dropped below X it was lights out in London.

Both are tiny. Both are durable. Both are easy to operate one handed. Changing settings on the 3 level E05, not so easy one handed. Due to its grippy surface and tiny stature it can be done though. Both can tailstand, both are front loading twisty's, both are water tight, both come with a spare o'ring and a tiny key ring. Both had a purple option.

The E01 however has a large and very loyal following. The E05, not so much. I speculate because of the lack of vampire ability.

Stock beam from 2 feet.

Stock beam from 15 feet

Stock beam from low at 15 feet.
At 8 lumens the E05 looks brighter than the 13 lumen E01. Fenix used an optic system to aid the output.

But wait, there's more...

A happy medium of 25 very useable lumens.

And a alkaline battery murdering 85 lumen high.

The E01 could be had in the US for $10. Price gouging is running loose since Fenix announced halting the E01. The E05 can still be found for around $20 as of this date. Fenix shows black or blue as options on the E05. So if you want purple, get it while you still can. The big A showed 3 left when I got mine for $19.99.