Is a glass lens actually better than a plastic one?

iamerror · Oct 11, 2006

The more expensive flashlights usually have a glass lens (or window, if you like that term better) instead of a plastic one. I have been thinking... maybe plastic ones are actually better? They should be more durable at withstanding falls, etc. They do however let out less light and scratch easier. If a light were to take much use and abuse would a plastic lens be more suitable? Your thoughts?

leukos · Oct 11, 2006

I guess it depends what factors are more important to your uses. Except for my PT40, all my lights now have glass windows (probably in reaction to all the scratched windows of my old maglites). Sapphire is one tough window that can stand up to a lot of abuse; I would trust it over plastic.

Long John · Oct 11, 2006

Yes, it depends on your uses. I had an UCL in my favour Magmod, but it was too fragil. I changed the broken glas into a hardened mineral glas from member "4Sevens", so far it's ok

The disadvantages of plastic are scratches and less transparency, but at a light with really hard abuse, it could be worth.

Best regards

____
Tom

Concept · Oct 12, 2006

I agree on the scratching issue I dont know of any plastic that can stand up to the mineral glass or pyrex in regards to toughness.

InfidelCastro · Oct 12, 2006

Glass lenses have nothing to do with the flashlight being expensive. There's plenty of cheapies out there that have el-cheapo glass lenses.

chesterqw · Oct 12, 2006

high quality glass should help ... but high grade optical plastic should work too.

the only thing is that glass will scratch less easily.

mineral glass is a good choice and less fragile then most 'glass'

the borofloat(did i spell it correctly?) is made of something which can withstand high heat

pyrex is tough but more easily scratched then mineral glass.

adirondackdestroyer · Oct 12, 2006

Speaking of glass lens, does anyone know where I can get a UCL for my MMLED? I think it uses a 22.6mm lens, and I can't find the UCL in that size. :ohgeez:

pilou · Oct 12, 2006

There is glass ... and then there is glass

Trashman · Oct 12, 2006

I'm guessing, since the Barbolight has a plastic lens, that plastic is more suitable than glass for dive lights.

Biker Bear · Oct 12, 2006

Now, if they ever manage to grow cheap diamond - that would make the ULTIMATE flashlight lens.

Until then, synthetic sapphire will probably be the best there is.

RCatR · Oct 12, 2006

Plasic for my beaters, UCL for my babies

tebore · Oct 12, 2006

I noticed a huge difference when my MiniMag got it's crappy lens upgraded with a Mineral Glass Lens. It's not UCL but it was still noticeable.

FlashKat · Oct 13, 2006

Try this website...I am not sure the thickness you are looking for, but the left hand column has different thickness. Your size I think you are limited to 1.0mm thickness.http://www.toolsgs.com/cart/browse.asp?subcat=258&pg=2

adirondackdestroyer said:
Speaking of glass lens, does anyone know where I can get a UCL for my MMLED? I think it uses a 22.6mm lens, and I can't find the UCL in that size.

Schnotts · Oct 14, 2006

Glass is the way to go! Doesn't scratch like plastic!

andrewwynn · Oct 14, 2006

I figure that i'm like 'the vast majority' who will.. instinctively clean the dirt off a window of their light (torch for most of the world) with their T-shirt or a spit-wetted thumb when needed.. it's this basicaly 'crazy behavior' that ruins a perfectly good plastic window, but i just can't help it so whenever i can i use glass.. it's worth the risk for me (drop=break risk that is).. Also many of my lights are far too powerful to use plastic, they just will melt within minutes.

-awr

BentHeadTX · Oct 14, 2006

andrewwynn said:
I figure that i'm like 'the vast majority' who will.. instinctively clean the dirt off a window of their light (torch for most of the world) with their T-shirt or a spit-wetted thumb when needed.. it's this basicaly 'crazy behavior' that ruins a perfectly good plastic window, but i just can't help it so whenever i can i use glass.. it's worth the risk for me (drop=break risk that is).. Also many of my lights are far too powerful to use plastic, they just will melt within minutes.

-awr

Pretty much what Andrew states,
I use glass in all my mods since I will get better brightness with them. No scratches so it has that extra bit of class.
I've broken glass "windows" in a modded minimag by dropping it in some gravel but had a spare so no problem. My D cell sized Mag mods run glass to keep the reflectors stabilized as plastic will bow under pressure. If I drop the Mag in gravel, I'll have the weight of the flashlight and 8 NiMH AA cells to make sure the glass gets destroyed.
Thanks to kiu, he is making black HA-III crenulated strike bezels which will help protect the glass. The farther up the head the gravel has to go to hit the glass, the less force and chance it has to actually shatter. I have two of them on order, one for my LuxV Mag and one for my upcoming Quad XR-E Mag.
For my EDC 2AA and AAA lights, the stock plastic lens works fine and has taken some hits. When glass breaks, it can tear up the reflector and punch a hole in the Luxeon domes. Not a good thing if your really, really need the light to work in rough situations.

Long John · Oct 14, 2006

BentHeadTX said:
Pretty much what Andrew states,
I use glass in all my mods since I will get better brightness with them. No scratches so it has that extra bit of class.
I've broken glass "windows" in a modded minimag by dropping it in some gravel but had a spare so no problem. My D cell sized Mag mods run glass to keep the reflectors stabilized as plastic will bow under pressure. If I drop the Mag in gravel, I'll have the weight of the flashlight and 8 NiMH AA cells to make sure the glass gets destroyed.
Thanks to kiu, he is making black HA-III crenulated strike bezels which will help protect the glass. The farther up the head the gravel has to go to hit the glass, the less force and chance it has to actually shatter. I have two of them on order, one for my LuxV Mag and one for my upcoming Quad XR-E Mag.
For my EDC 2AA and AAA lights, the stock plastic lens works fine and has taken some hits. When glass breaks, it can tear up the reflector and punch a hole in the Luxeon domes. Not a good thing if your really, really need the light to work in rough situations.

BentHeadTX

I had an UCL in my Trilux-D-Mag mod with Kiu's bezel ring. I don't know if you plan an UCL or hardened mineral glas, but my UCL shattered after a little hit of the bezel ring at a door frame. It's extremly fragil, since the UCL should not be hardened.
So my advice is, go with the mineral glas. I can't see a difference in output with my pure eyes, but the advantage of more thoughness is it worth.

Best regards

____
Tom

andrewwynn · Oct 14, 2006

i've killed 3-4 UCL just from heat alone.. they are quite fragile.. but here's the problem.. most likely you had your bezel tigher than necessary, introducing some pre-loaded stress.. glass is nearly impossible to crack until it has some initial crack.. but the UCL glass has little chips all around (as will all cut to circle glass that is not polished afterwards).. when tightening the bezel 'full tight' rather than just a big snug it pre-stresses the thin glass and a small tap can break it pretty easy.

I like the UCL for the anti-reflective properties in lights w/o extreme power.. Long John is 100% correct about 'cant see the difference'.. you won't be able to, except that with anti-reflective windows, there is an elegance to them when they are off and handled.. not getting that glare off the lens brings them to 'another level up' in elegance even if the difference in output is small.

-awr

soapy · Oct 14, 2006

I'd always go coated optics if you are running a hot light. The extra 2% or so you get from the coated optics means less heat build-up.

Hard coated AR polycarbonate is probably the best, unless you go for the synthetic sapphire windows.

Thoughts?

Bozzlite · Oct 14, 2006

adirondackdestroyer said:
Speaking of glass lens, does anyone know where I can get a UCL for my MMLED? I think it uses a 22.6mm lens, and I can't find the UCL in that size.

Try flashlight-lens.com Thats where I got mine. Sometimes he is out of stock, just keep trying.

Is a glass lens actually better than a plastic one?

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