Pick your Power LEVELS

If YOU were able to chose the power levels that people put into a flashlight or headlamp, which of these power level pattern would be most like what you would want? not the exact levels, but the pattern of how they put in the levels.
most like, meaning it would give a CLUE as to what people really want.

this is Power levels be they PWM or Current, and NOT how bright the light seems.

My primary would be about 20 lumens. Thats the sweet spot for me when night hiking. For low I would like maybe 5 lumens. Then a momentary high set at whatever the light engine could muster from the power source.

This would be my ideal headlamp.

kelmo

I think we need to get away from expressing levels as a percentage of 100% since it's the amount of light and beamshape that matters.

My understanding (and hey, I'm often wrong) is that power levels are quite misleading when it comes to output, due to lower levels being more efficient - 100 per cent is not always twice as bright as 50 pc, and the supposed 2 pc can be something more like a tenth of the output.

In addition, I prefer lights that come on low and go on getting brighter. . . Actually, I mostly prefer single level lights, because I hate having to click through the user interfaces. It's just easier to have a separate, low-level light (and you need a backup light, anyway).

I never understand why manufacturers don't copy the Photon Freedom interface that allows you to come on low, getting higher, or high, decreasing, depending how hard you press the switch. Or the U2 selector dial approach.

Having said that, I'd think that 1-10 pc, 50pc and 100pc should be enough levels.

Instead of picking power levels, we should be picking brightness... in lumens.

In that case, we have to understand that human senses have a colossal dynamic range, which means that the easiest changes to perceive are logarithmic.

Thus, I'd suggest something like a Base4 approach...

100%->25%->6.25%->1.5%

Those 4 modes should be sufficient for any use of the light. To illustrate, if we assume 150lumen as the max brightness of the light, the levels should yield:

~150 lumens -> ~40 lumens > ~10 lumens -> ~2 lumens

I'd like something like 1%, 10%, 50%, 100%. And, I prefer them in that order.

Geoff

It really depends on what I might be using the light for but for GP:
100% - 1% - 20% - 75%

ahh sorry about that, i forgot about reversing it.
and having the 2 most used levels as the most available items, low and high.
and there was enough poll items to include them too .

meuge said:

Instead of picking power levels, we should be picking brightness... in lumens.

In that case, we have to understand that human senses have a colossal dynamic range, which means that the easiest changes to perceive are logarithmic.

Thus, I'd suggest something like a Base4 approach...

100%->25%->6.25%->1.5%

Those 4 modes should be sufficient for any use of the light. To illustrate, if we assume 150lumen as the max brightness of the light, the levels should yield:

~150 lumens -> ~40 lumens > ~10 lumens -> ~2 lumens

Click to expand...

programmers dont think in lumens they would be guessing, that it output that, and what it will be used in. and LOTS of this stuff uses simple PWM methods, even if it has current control too, so if were going to talk to the machines, it should be in Miliseconds
also lumen totals change, chips are made that can be used with any led item, so lumens would be more variable.

i dont believe that light visibility is 10-1 logrythmatic, 4 or 5 seem more logical , like your saying. your percentages would probably translate to about that lumen value in some led.
and what about lights that max out at 50 lumens, or 500 ? they still would be better with some sort of levels.

I would prefer 100% - 50% + strobe.

I would say ~20 Lumens, max (@1 Amp), 1 Lumen.

Lets calculate this out:

100% = 240 Lumens (I am using the stated ratings to make everthing simpler)

20 Lumens = 1/12 of 240 Lumens = 8.33%

1 Lumen = 1/240 of 240 Lumens = 0.416%

25%,100% in that order
DON

low to high, nothing else

In an Incan, 100% - 75% - 50% - 25% just to keep it simple.

A very low low (1-2% or less) a utilitarian 40-50% and a 120% burst if the light in question is able to utilise this as throw as opposed to spill.

My reasoning is that;

1. low low - preserves night vision and with night adapted vision alot can be done with this level.
2. 40-50% which I read as 40-60 lumens depensing on LE and ampage - great alrounder with at least 2 hours of run time on a single cell.
3. A burst mode to illunminate posssible obsticles ahead and that unerving rustle in the bushes when camping (in a light with a suitable reflector).

I polled the closest I could find.

Very interesting poll - thanks

100%-bright, period! My night and dim light vision is no good and I have no use for anything less. More to break.

Finally with the Crees I have something I can see with for a change.

Rich

I like to keep it simple. Surefire 10X Dominator has me pretty happy, 60 lumens for low/work, and 500+ lumens for high.

1%, 30% and 100% (max blast)

As others have pointed out, it all depends on what the light is for, it's size and how much available lumens it has. A keychain single AAA light for me would be 1 lumen (~3%) 15 lumens (~35%) and 40 lumens (100%)

My single AAA stainless worklight is a single level 40 lumen light as I don't need to screw around with levels for multiple usage during the day.
My kick-your-butt light is a Peak First Responder and when running two 18500 lithium-ions, it's low level is 10mA to the LEDs (low 1/10th of a watt around 8-10 lumens?) and when turning the variable output knob to high--well over 400 lumens with the three LEDs regulating at 800mA each.

My ultimate answer--make the light variable, head twist hi/low or one output depending on my needs.

I don't think there's a need for 4 levels. There should be Max (100%, when you need to see far away), medium (25-50% depending on light putput when you want to walk around and having a good battery life) and low (1-5% for reading and close up in the dark)

afterglow said:

I don't think there's a need for 4 levels. There should be Max (100%, when you need to see far away), medium (25-50% depending on light putput when you want to walk around and having a good battery life) and low (1-5% for reading and close up in the dark)

Click to expand...

right it does not nessisarily have to be 4, its the pattern of use, that is important.
so you like Bright , Normal with runtime , and Really low.