My thoughts on the moonlight mode

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

I use the moonlight-ish mode (1 lumen or lower) on my bedside light every single night as I get ready for bed. 5 lumens is DISGUSTINGLY overbright for that, so I don't use any of my Lumintops. The runtime is cool to know but ultimately just a marketing thing and not a reason for you to pick a torch.

As for complaining about lights that start at moonlight, that's valid. It's also why mode memory is a thing.

 

[kerneldrop]

What we have here are two different types of users...
We have super-hard users that need full-send all the time.
Then we have the nightstand users that need it go pee.

Obviously I'm a super-hard user needing single mode high output only. If my battery lasts more than 10 minutes before needing changed then that light isn't enough for me.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Clearly kerneldrop has a cloaca and therefor urination is a non-issue.

 

[kaichu dento]

I was one of the ones pushing for ever lower modes a few years back and am so glad that we've finally got lots of sub-lumen lights available now. I used to use the lowest levels on a nightly basis at work when I was surrounded by people with cameras out and ready for capturing northern lights to take home.
Now I seldom use the lowest levels any more and 1-2 lumens is generally low enough, but I definitely remember when that same 1-2 lumens was far, far too bright and had to be masked in my hand to avoid being disruptive.
The right levels for any light is completely determined by the user and their particular circumstances.

 

[etc]

I remember one of my first LED lights, CMG Infinity.
IIRC, it had about 1 lumen. It was too dim for anything other than digging around your backpack to be discreet. And all colors, green and red.
Then they came out with Infinity Ultra, bumping it too, OMG, all of 3-5 lumens or something and CPF went Oooohh and Aaaah.

Well, it was around the year 2000. Can't believe almost quarter century.

 

[Monocrom]

Honestly, I never understood Moonlight mode.
Apparently, lighting a candle is too bright??

 

[kerneldrop]

Moonlight is for those that like reading romance novels in bed.
I'm a bull in a china shop. I want to blast 1,000 lumens sending everyone for cover

 

[kaichu dento]

Honestly, I never understood Moonlight mode.
Apparently, lighting a candle is too bright??

You don't have to understand it other than to know that you don't need it, and others do.

Moonlight is for those that like reading romance novels in bed.

Yeah, preferably over by an open window.

 

[orbital]

Moonlight is for those that like reading romance novels in bed.
I'm a bull in a china shop. I want to blast 1,000 lumens sending everyone for cover

+

There's some guy who does burnout donuts at stop sign intersections at night around here.
You see new ones all the time.

I'll bet $100 bucks he'd say the exact same thing as you.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Another vote for moonlight mode. Won't buy a light without a 1 lumen or less low mode. That's really all I want most of the time.

 

[pipes]

Before I got a flashlight that had moonlight, I also thought, wow, why would you. I got a flashlight that came with it, and now I try to make sure any new ones that i get have that function lol. I use it every night for walking around the house while everyone is sleeping. It is the perfect amount of light for that.

 

[Monocrom]

You don't have to understand it other than to know that you don't need it, and others do.

I'll light a candle for you.

 

[kerneldrop]

+

There's some guy who does burnout donuts at stop sign intersections at night around here.
You see new ones all the time.

I'll bet $100 bucks he'd say the exact same thing as you.

I'd only be impressed if it was a deleted diesel and he was rolling coal

 

[Mr. LED]

I'll light a candle for you.

A candle is too bright 😉

 

[KITROBASKIN]

"Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown"

For some the key is to move quietly yet be able to stomp strong. Hence, firefly and blazing hard and far.

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

⬆️ My philosophy exactly. I like a broooooad spectrum of light levels, it makes the torch very useful. And even if my use requirements sit below 50lm 99,6% of the time, it's the 0,4% where 500lm is barely enough that gets ya.

 

[Monocrom]

A candle is too bright 😉

Apparently so.
Though much easier to measure runtime.
When your fingers burn, time to go for your back-up candle.

 

[kaichu dento]

I'll light a candle for you.

Thank you, thank you so much!!!

 

[kaichu dento]

A candle is too bright 😉

And that's when the old Solitaire can come in handy!

 

[kaichu dento]

Apparently so.
Though much easier to measure runtime.
When your fingers burn, time to go for your back-up candle.

Actually my primary candle light is my HDS Rotary ~ candle mode!