El Capitan Release

[Curt R]

We just sent a small number of the El Capitan light to RMSK for sale. These are HA and Brass, SS to follow later this week. The specs are any AA battery chemistry, 1 to 8 power level and medium optic. The LED is the Cree XP-G R4 2S.

#4 output: AA Alkaline 450 fc.......Lithium-Ion 680 fc
#6 output: AA Alkaline 570 fc.......Lithium-Ion 1350 fc
#8 output: AA Alkaline 650 fc.......Lithium-Ion 1850 fc

The size is identical to the original 5 LED Kiliminjaro that we made five years ago. I do not have time for run time testing as I now have 6 more lights under development that I am working on. And a surprise or two coming.

Curt

[Sgt. LED]

Now how do I order from that joker's site?

I see the links to fashon and lawyers and condo renting. Classy
OH! I can also see the decriptions of the lights.

Looks like I should E-mail him the order.

[NutSAK]

Hopefully you will get a better response than I have. I emailed him last Friday about an Eiger order and haven't received a reply.

[Theatre Booth Guy]

Now how do I order from that joker's site?

I see the links to fashon and lawyers and condo renting. Classy
OH! I can also see the decriptions of the lights.

Looks like I should E-mail him the order.

Great news that the lights are available - just not sure I want to be the guinea pig to figure out the ordering process

I've looked at and passed on their site in the past and am not looking forward to their store. Especially after the excellent service provided by Robyn and Curt in person!

[Theatre Booth Guy]

Curt seems to have gone to the plastic surgeon: http://www.em-mgt.com/LED/Curt.html

[saabgoblin]

Actually, I think that he is more like Captain Pike in the original Star Trek series in the episode entitled The Menagerie. Odd website to say the least, I just hope that they offer a better shipping option.

[Gatsby]

I've spoken to I believe it is Robert (?) at RMSK and he is a really nice guy. Much like with Peak I'd just give him a call.

It is nice to see Peak upping the ante a bit with some more entries in the pocket lights category again!

[RAGE CAGE]

I've spoken to I believe it is Robert (?) at RMSK and he is a really nice guy. Much like with Peak I'd just give him a call.

It is nice to see Peak upping the ante a bit with some more entries in the pocket lights category again!

Robert aka Bob has always had time to talk so far. Seems like the call if you need something is going to be the way you get it from RMSK also. I wish he would list accessories, like the delrin end caps, diffusers, magnetic clamps, etc on his site so it could be one stop shopping. I wouldn't mind a text only site with multiple angle current product pictures. Just my 2 lumens.

[nmiller]

I agree. I would love to buy peak lights but I just can't figure out which ones I would like. It is really frustrating. They need a website or a dealer that has a complete website. I think their sales would increase exponentially.

[regulator]

Is the optic pattern and spreas similar to the medium optic on the Eiger? Is this an optic specifically made to fit the El Capitan head (fits edge to edge in the ElCapitan)?

Sounds very interesting. I would love to see some pictures of this optic as well as a beamshot. This kinda sounds like a souped up Pacific.

[Theatre Booth Guy]

I've spoken to I believe it is Robert (?) at RMSK and he is a really nice guy. Much like with Peak I'd just give him a call.

It is nice to see Peak upping the ante a bit with some more entries in the pocket lights category again!

That is excellent news - thank you for the update

[NutSAK]

Hopefully you will get a better response than I have. I emailed him last Friday about an Eiger order and haven't received a reply.

My apologies to Bob. This was about a custom Eiger order that he needed to contact Robyn about. It has been delayed due to Robyn's family emergency.

Take care of your famiy Robyn--no rush!


...after seeing the El Capitan release, I might change my order anyway...

[regulator]

Any information on what the beam profile is like with this optic? Curious minds want to know. Also, I'm not sure what an S2 is. What kind of tint is this similar to - WC, WD, cool, warm etc.... Thanks.

[Curt R]

The tint is a 2S and not S2, it is about 5700K to 6100K and close to a WM Luxeon cool white. 2A, 2B, 2C or a 2D would be preferred but right now we have to be content with what is in the pipeline. Cree has never been an outfit to ship requested bins with regards to tint or voltage, other than output bins. They ship kits only and that may include anything that they may have laying around.

Beam pattern is a medium spot with side spill, about half way between the Eiger narrow and medium. The optic diameter is .585 inches or 14.9 mm. The head is set up just like the Eiger and the same length also.

Curt

[regulator]

Dagnabit!! This sounds nice. I really dont need another light!!

[Brasso]

Most other companies use lumens as a measurement of light output. Candlepower is hard to compare. And I have no idea what "fc" is. Can you help me out?

[RAGE CAGE]

Most other companies use lumens as a measurement of light output. Candlepower is hard to compare. And I have no idea what "fc" is. Can you help me out?

This has confused me in the past also....this might help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot-candle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumens

If you think about it- a flourescent tube produces an incredible amount of lumens- but is not a great flashlight- especially edc'd. I think that fc is a more accurate way to measure "out the barrell" light ouptput- much like fps is used to measure the rate of balistic travel. If someone decided to come up with a new measurement for balistic travel/muzzle velocity and call it cps -centimeters per second or yps yards per second- people would resist the change. I know a lot of people will disagree with this anlaogy- but it is just my opinion on the way I understand it. Quality/price of product is foremost for me- lumens/candella are secondary. Just like some hate twisties/love clickies, hate warm tint/ love cool tint, This forum is like trying to get 5,000 people to order 5,000 pizza's and agree to the same items on all of them.
But, that is what makes it interesting and informative.

[Curt R]

Lumens is a measurement of all light produced; hot spot, side spill and random light as captured in an integrating sphere with or without optics. Candela or foot candles or candlepower is a measurement of the maximum intensity of the brightest part of the light produced at a distance of one foot normally using some type of optic. Lux is the same measurement of intensity at one meter, (39.4 inches). A good quality fc meter will cost abut $100.00 to $250.00 USD, an integrating sphere and equipment can start at $5,000.00 and go up. Having a test done by an outside source can be $500.00, sometimes more or less depending on who does it and the quantity of lights tested. Anyone can check the output published in fc inexpensively with a low cost meter.

The published results of a manufacturer of optics, (can't remember the exact numbers), indicated that with a constant light source of 45 Lumens the output with a 30 degree optic was about 75 fc, with a 20 degree optic it was about 260 fc and with a 10 degree optic the output was close to 800 fc.

When a company states the output in Lumens there is no way to tell how far away an object will be illuminated. When the output is stated in fc a comparison between lights can then be made. Taking that same 45 Lumen light with a 30 degree optic verses that of the 10 degree optic you can now make a comparison using the fc measurements of witch one will meet your requirements.

LED manufacturers rate LEDs with built in optics, (5 mm as an example), in fc or mill-candela while non optic LEDs are rated in Lumens. The major manufacturers of flashlights began to rate their high performance lights starting with the Luxeon I, in Lumens directly from the LED manufactures data sheet. That has caught on as a defacto standard for all sizes of lights. That method only tells you how much light is produced and not what you can do with it or to tell if it meets your requirements.

Optics and beam pattern can be more important than raw Lumen output. Testing ultra high power lights that exceed 300 Lumens presents another challenge in that fc measurements can be inaccurate at that short of a distance due to the beam pattern. Then you have to go with Lumen output and knowing what the optic dispersal pattern is in degrees.


Curt

[Brasso]

That pretty much answered my question.

So when will the EVEREST be available???

Thanks.

[defloyd77]

Lumens is a measurement of all light produced; hot spot, side spill and random light as captured in an integrating sphere with or without optics. Candela or foot candles or candlepower is a measurement of the maximum intensity of the brightest part of the light produced at a distance of one foot normally using some type of optic. Lux is the same measurement of intensity at one meter, (39.4 inches). A good quality fc meter will cost abut $100.00 to $250.00 USD, an integrating sphere and equipment can start at $5,000.00 and go up. Having a test done by an outside source can be $500.00, sometimes more or less depending on who does it and the quantity of lights tested. Anyone can check the output published in fc inexpensively with a low cost meter.

The published results of a manufacturer of optics, (can't remember the exact numbers), indicated that with a constant light source of 45 Lumens the output with a 30 degree optic was about 75 fc, with a 20 degree optic it was about 260 fc and with a 10 degree optic the output was close to 800 fc.

When a company states the output in Lumens there is no way to tell how far away an object will be illuminated. When the output is stated in fc a comparison between lights can then be made. Taking that same 45 Lumen light with a 30 degree optic verses that of the 10 degree optic you can now make a comparison using the fc measurements of witch one will meet your requirements.

LED manufacturers rate LEDs with built in optics, (5 mm as an example), in fc or mill-candela while non optic LEDs are rated in Lumens. The major manufacturers of flashlights began to rate their high performance lights starting with the Luxeon I, in Lumens directly from the LED manufactures data sheet. That has caught on as a defacto standard for all sizes of lights. That method only tells you how much light is produced and not what you can do with it or to tell if it meets your requirements.

Optics and beam pattern can be more important than raw Lumen output. Testing ultra high power lights that exceed 300 Lumens presents another challenge in that fc measurements can be inaccurate at that short of a distance due to the beam pattern. Then you have to go with Lumen output and knowing what the optic dispersal pattern is in degrees.


Curt

While this does make sense, not too many other companies use foot candles as a measurement, so unless you already have a light rated in foot candles, it's hard to come up with a comparison. However a lot of the review sites use lux, so calculating the lux measurement and comparing that way should be helpful.

Let me see if I have the formula right, level 4 is 450 FC, so 450*10.76=4,843.75/3.28=1,476.75 lux at 1 meter?

I'm really curious as to how this optic's beam compares to the Princeton Tec Rebel EOS, the Eiger's beam is wider than the EOS, so maybe the El Capitan will be a close match. Ever since I got the EOS, I wished someone made a light with a similar beam and a little bit brighter, the EC sounds to be just that.

[BentHeadTX]

Curt,
The single AA El Capitan sounds great, a good replacement for my wife's 2007 vintage L1D RB100. We use those as bicycle helmet lights and I was wondering about current to the LED and current draw with your regulator.
I use Eneloop AA NiMH 2000mAH cells and would like a battery current draw in the range of 700 to 1300mA to get at least 90 minutes of runtime. What is the current draw at 6, 7 and 8 power levels? Can't wait to see beamshots to determine if I should go for medium or narrow options with the XP-G R4. Those bigger dies really screw up reflector calculations so I'm moving slow on this one.

[defloyd77]

I've read nothing about a narrow option, is there going to be one?

[defloyd77]

Will neutral tints be an option when Cree releases them?

[BentHeadTX]

I've read nothing about a narrow option, is there going to be one?

I was just pondering, if medium optics are available--narrow will soon follow as soon as they are available for the XP-G. My wife wants a narrow beam that runs 2 hours with a high/low output in a single AA light. The only way that can happen is with an optic so Peak gets the nod. Waiting for the multiple output tailbswitch, from what I gather, when it is available the El Capitan can then be converted to multiple output.

The Vein illuminator with 10 watt medical LED, the SR2000 SST-90 light and the El Capitan/Eiger lights are very interesting and I eagerly await more information. Good to know that the SST-90 will have a "M cell" of LiFePO4 in the 10Ah flavor to make it actually useful. The larger size will keep it running cool with a real world run time.

[regulator]

Does anyone have an El Captain yet that they can comment on?

[randyo]

Does the El Capitan head fit the other AA bodies, i.e. Pacific bodies?

[Dances with Flashlight]

Does the El Capitan head fit the other AA bodies, i.e. Pacific bodies?

It will not fit on Pacific bodies which are very slightly larger in diameter, but will fit onto a Kilimanjaro or Kino Bay.

[regulator]

Does anyone have a beam shot comparison with the Eiger medium optic? How about a shot of the front optic itself?

Interesting that it is a little thinner than a Pacific AA body. Thanks.

[Afraid-of-the-dark]

More details about this light (runtimes anyone?) would be most helpful.

(side note: That has got to be the strangest {in a bad way} web site I've seen in some time. )

[Paul_in_Maryland]

Does Peak make a compatible extender that will let me use two AAs--say, two L91 lithiums or two NiMH AA cells?