HDS Systems EDC # 17

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

I am a little curious too about the fenix pocket clips on the rotaries.

Also, you guys here anything about when Henry plans on releasing the pocket clips for the rotaries or are we still hoping.

Still hoping!

If you go back about 3-4 years Henry used to sell the lights with a clip that would screw in near the head right into two threaded screw holes. It was a decent clip - and two way from what I recall - but for as many people as there were who liked a similar number complained about it.

IMO - the best clip for the HDS lights was the Novatac EDC clip that was being sold around the same time. Haven't even seen a used one come up in ages. It was only like $5 too.

I keep waiting for a clip that will allow bezel down carry for the Rotary. I really think gunga's solution is elegant. I tried it out and it just felt really weird holding a light with the clip poking down at me.

I've got a Hogo holster coming and I can't wait to get it. I'll post pictures - it should be really sharp looking.

 

[physicsmajor]

I grabbed one of the OR Customs as well. Mine doesn't have any of the rings others speak of. I'll try to get some beam shots tonight, but I'll be honest I've never tried to get beam shots.

When my custom ordered 170N tactical arrives I'll contribute to the comparison as well.

Absolutely no concern here that I ordered a black bezel; it'll be right or it'll be made right. Simple as that.

 

[bondr006]

My clickie 250 on the left and rotary 250 on the right. Thankfully my dark bezel is not afflicted with the cancer. And, no anno issues on either one. They are both perfect.



iPhone 5 photo of whitewall shots. Was too lazy too get the real camera out.

 

[physicsmajor]

I don't think this has been posted here already, but apologies if it's a dupe. Great review of the new 170N rotary located here (posted the 22nd of July): http://flashlightguide.com/2014/07/review-hds-edc-rotary-170-219b/

 

[euthymic]

A quick observation/question regarding beams and reflectors on the latest batch of HDS lights.
I noticed that Hogo's video on bezel swapping shows a reflector that is machined down on the back side.

To my eyes, this looks just like what bansuri did to seat the reflector a bit lower to improve his beam profile. I currently have 3 HDS lights, 2 purchased last fall and one in May of this year. None of mine have any machining on the back of the reflector. So, i wonder if Henry is already addressing this "focus" issue in the latest batch of lights? If anyone that just picked up a light from the most recent production has a minute to unscrew the head, it would be interesting to see if this might be the case. If so, it clearly shows that Henry is continuing to make subtle changes that many folks may not notice to improve his lights and some of the issues that we have discussed have already been altered.

 

[46Alpha]

Some not so great beam shots.

OR Custom 170 clicky on the left, standard 250 on the right. Both are set to max and both are new with serial numbers very close.

 

[46Alpha]

Two more. Swing set is at about 15'. Both lights are on max setting.

OR 170:



250:



As stated, whatever small rings are seen on a white wall do not really carry over to actual use.

And sorry about the crappy beamshot pics, my first attempt at it.

 

[DucS2R]

Your outdoor shots are great. And glad to see an interesting post!

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

A quick observation/question regarding beams and reflectors on the latest batch of HDS lights.
I noticed that Hogo's video on bezel swapping shows a reflector that is machined down on the back side.

To my eyes, this looks just like what bansuri did to seat the reflector a bit lower to improve his beam profile. I currently have 3 HDS lights, 2 purchased last fall and one in May of this year. None of mine have any machining on the back of the reflector. So, i wonder if Henry is already addressing this "focus" issue in the latest batch of lights? If anyone that just picked up a light from the most recent production has a minute to unscrew the head, it would be interesting to see if this might be the case. If so, it clearly shows that Henry is continuing to make subtle changes that many folks may not notice to improve his lights and some of the issues that we have discussed have already been altered.

I don't think this is a current HDS light. If you look at the LED in that picture it appears to be a Seoul SSC P4 which was used in the lights around the 2009 time frame.

 

[gunga]

Do you notice rings on the wall? Your beamshot does not show any. Less focused on the 170 but I don't see rings


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[Double Barrel]

. So, i wonder if Henry is already addressing this "focus" issue in the latest batch of lights? If anyone that just picked up a light from the most recent production has a minute to unscrew the head, it would be interesting to see if this might be the case. If so, it clearly shows that Henry is continuing to make subtle changes that many folks may not notice to improve his lights and some of the issues that we have discussed have already been altered.

Just received mine and it doesn't look like Hogo's bezel. It is flat all the way across. It does look like Hogo's has some additional work around the LED opening. I have an OR 170.

Cool beam shots 46alpha!


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[Double Barrel]

My clickie 250 on the left and rotary 250 on the right. Thankfully my dark bezel is not afflicted with the cancer. And, no anno issues on either one. They are both perfect.

More cool shots .. Thanks for those.
Do you see a difference in beam color in person? It appears the one on the right has a "whiter" tint. Is that the case? Are they not suppose to be the same, other than clicky vs rotary?


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[bondr006]

More cool shots .. Thanks for those.
Do you see a difference in beam color in person? It appears the one on the right has a "whiter" tint. Is that the case? Are they not suppose to be the same, other than clicky vs rotary?


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In real life they both look the same as far as tint goes. If anything the clicky has an ever so slightly more focused hot spot.

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

Wow. Exciting day while I was gone! Glad to see things back to normal.
We all come here for different reasons. The underlying reason is to discuss the HDS lights.
In doing so, a lot of assumptions get made, and sometimes the PM message can sure do a lot to help clear things up.
Now, one assumption was that the light I was taking apart was a new model. Nope. Even with a lot of rum, I wouldn't do that to a new light. Ok, ok, I KNOW I shot a few lights in the past, and have had a few shots with my lights, but I wouldn't muck up my reflector like that! Well, with a bullet yes, but my finger no. That light was indeed from around 2009 and is simply one that I use for making holsters for HDS lights.
One assumption that is absolutely true is this: HDS will always take care of warranty issues. I don't recall seeing in any of the posts since... well...2006 when I joined up here (and by the way, this is the WRONG place to go for help with flashaholism!) are posts having to do with dissatisfaction regarding service AFTER you bought the light. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that has ever been an issue, which should say quite a bit about HDS.
That said, in manufacturing... POOP happens. Yes, it happens in big globs that roll down from the top of your head and into your eyes sometimes. Big stinky... ok, you get the idea. At least your light won't explode if rear ended with the strobe on.
Lights do leave the factory that have passed all the tests and seem to be working fine... and then... they go bad. For one reason or another, whether is nature or nurture, they go bad. If HDS knows about an issue, it is taken care of immediately, such as those bezels. They looked great when they left HDS, BUT, well, we know what happened over time, and believe me, the rest were pulled and taken back to the folks who did the coating and they were beaten about the head and shoulders with a large wooden object (I exaggerate. The wooden object was not that large.)

So, here to help you out, and lighten things up, is an HDS that has gone bad and should be sent back to the factory.

 

[46Alpha]

Do you notice rings on the wall? Your beamshot does not show any. Less focused on the 170 but I don't see rings


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Meh, it's subjective I guess. I really didn't notice anything at all until I REALLY looked. And at that point, to be honest, I wasn't sure if I was truly seeing them or TRYING to see them. Like I said, subjective.

And not really a concern IMHO. At any distance in real world use, I don't see how it affects performance. But OTOH, you pay for a high end light, I feel you have the right to be a bit nit picky. If checking beam quality against white walls is your thing, who am I to call you out on it?

YMMV

 

[46Alpha]

More cool shots .. Thanks for those.
Do you see a difference in beam color in person? It appears the one on the right has a "whiter" tint. Is that the case? Are they not suppose to be the same, other than clicky vs rotary?


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Again, subjective. To my eyes? Yes, absolutely. More so than my crappy shots suggest. The 250 is a bit more focused, but it also has a cooler tint. And (again subjective) I like the higher output. I bought both with the intention of keeping the one I like best and selling the other. I keep going back and forth, but I've been carrying the 250 while the OR has sat in the packaging until tonight.

And they are completely the same, both clickys. One is the Oveready Custom and the other is just a plain jane 250.

 

[kaichu dento]

Hogo, starting up the Longman and Shorty Show again???

 

[rickyro]

I grabbed one of the OR Customs as well. Mine doesn't have any of the rings others speak of. I'll try to get some beam shots tonight, but I'll be honest I've never tried to get beam shots.

But my Rotary 170 N does have a strong ring. The beam pattern is like this:
quite small focus (compared to SC52w L2) - smooth transit to a little darker but still quite bright spill - then transit to darker spill - and then to a quite bright ring - edge

This out-most bright ring will not appear in lower levels.

The ring effect is coming from the final quite bright out-most ring compared to the darker spill just within it. I observe two rings here then: one dark ring and then followed by a bright ring.

The real problem is the out-most ring. I think it comes from the inner side of the bezel. Even mine's bezel is dark with AiTN coating, but you still can observe that when the light becomes brighter and brighter, the bezel (only that about 1mm vertical part just above the lens) will become brighter and brighter and gradually become some kind of reflecting surface, just like some BMW front head light with that out-most bright ring.

Forgive my poor English if I use some wrong terminologies here.


The most beautiful beam pattern I have seen so far is from my two Peak Eiger 219 small optic. The transit between focus and spill and the transit from spill to edge are both perfect. The magic part is that I cannot even observe any edge here, the light circle (or cone) just merge into darkness so smoothly without any noticeable edge.

The Zebralight's beam pattern are also quite smooth with a much larger focus (mean much less throw, I can understand why many people claim Zebralight is not so bright now because Z's light is more spread out to a much larger area)

I can understand that the ring effect is coming from the strong and robust design resulting that the inner vertical part of the bezel just above the protective lens is quite high (about 1mm). And the rings are not so obvious when using in the general situation when not heading onto a white wall.

 

[BIC1]

Here's a pic of my Rotary 250 with my EDC knife.

 

[gunga]

Can you post a picture Rickyro?


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