Jokers and reflectors

.308

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Messages
308
Location
Brentwood, TN
What is the effect of using a joker lux III with a normal reflector i.e IMS20 or McR20? What is gained when using the joker reflector?

Thanks,
Chris
.308
 

HarryN

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Messages
3,976
Location
Pleasanton (Bay Area), CA, USA
There is a lot of discussion of the joker versions in McGizmo's threads. In the end, it appears to mostly be a matter of shaving the reflector to achieve the right focus. Sometimes easier said than done.
 

mosport

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 21, 2005
Messages
395
Location
Toronto, Canada
The joker and normal reflector mismatch produces a slightly larger and less defined hotspot with less throw.

I like using this combination with coloured LED's, especially with cyan and red.
 

olephart

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
163
If you don't do anything with a Joker, you may like the beam. It will probably have a larger hot spot and a smoother transition to the spill beam. Throw will suffer depending on how far the focus is off.

If ya want throw, it's like Harry said, just shave (sand) some off 'till you like it. .003 to .005 per try is about right. .015 is about what you need (in theory) to compenate for the Joker die height difference.

There is a lot of manufacturing variance in the actual focal point in some reflectors. It's a case by case thing. Ya can't just remove .015 and expect great results every time.

If you use a Joker reflector, ya get the beam that the designer intended (less the manufacturing variables) without the fun of sanding.
 

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