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The Haiku: why I personally feel the 3S lights have surpassed the PD lights

js

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THE AMAZING HAIKU

So . . . fate, it seems, is not without a certain sense of irony. And this is not the first time that I've noticed this. Back around the time when I wrote my SF A2 thread, I was asked a number of times what it would take to swap out the A2 high beam incandescent LA for an LED, and I was like (in so many words) "don't know, don't care; one of the things I love about the A2 is the incan high beam: two different beams, two different levels, and two different types of light--plus, I want the high to be incan for the superior color rendering." Yup. And yet three years later, what did I end up with? A LunaSol 20! Which, functionally, is very much like an A2, only the high beam is LED! I was wondering if anyone would find some of my previous remarks and point out this irony to me, but no one ever did (so of course, I'm doing it now, myself).

And here's yet another one! My LunaSol 20 has been knocked off it's place as my benchmark for EDC lights and has been replaced by . . . a smart UI, micro-chip controlled, 3 level, CLICKIE! And all this after I went on at length in my LunaSol 20 thread about how much I was annoyed by those smart UI lights and having to cycle through the levels, and how pleased I was at not having a rubber tail cap activation! But, well, here I am. And, I have to tell you, I'm really glad to be here. It's only because of a series of accidents and a gracious offer by Don.

WHY I DISLIKED CLICKIES AND HATED SMART uC LIGHTS - A NOT-SHORT-ENOUGH-HISTORY

As many people might know, I was an enthusiastic and outspoken proponent of the Piston Drive (PD) lights. I felt, that as far as flashlight User Interfaces went, that this was IT! That so many issues had been so elegantly solved. That here was the perfect UI for a flashlight: a KISS UI. And, well, that is exactly how I felt! Let me give just a bit of my history with clickies and uC lights. So, early on, when I first jointed CPF, it was because of Arc Flashlight. It's fair to say that I started out as an Arc fan boy, for better or worse. And I came on the scene just as Gransee was discontinuing the "twisty" pack for the Arc LS and replacing it with the freaking Kroll switch pack. He went from this wonderful light:

arc-twisty.jpg


To this:

arc-kroll.jpg


OMG! What a fall! The first is a picture of compact perfection. It's still the most compact 1x123 light I know of. And once I put the right foam washer (of my own making) in the back of the twisty (not at the head) and wrapped a bit of tape around the CR123A battery, it was a dead simple, completely reliable, and very pleasing UI. I still have this light, and in fact it's my wife's favorite (although I think the SunDrop will probably take it's place soon).

So to go from that to the second picture . . . what a disaster. Look at that stupid butt-ugly hat-like boot! And the Kroll switch/boot combo to me personally has a poor feeling activation. Not only is it easy to accidentally activate (I nearly burned the Arc Logo into my leg one day when the kroll switch activated inadvertently) but it is stiff and cumbersome at the same time--or such is my personal opinion of the Kroll. YMMV.

Then there were SureFire's early, less-than-100-percent-successful attempts to market a clickie. I had a very similar reaction to the first SF clickie that I got as I did to the Kroll. Less than great! Why go from the KISS LOTC, with it's utter reliability and lack of tiny inner moving parts to break, to an oversized and unpleasant clickie? I even posted a thread asking this question (and Don replied there! LOL!)

And that's just about clickies, right? Then there's the whole "smart" light, the whole uC thing. As an Arc fan boy I was super excited about the Arc 4 and I took part in the long development thread, where Peter and Henry and the Arc forum members were working out how such a UI would work--and it WAS exciting. I mean, in theory, it was a super cool idea. There was even talk of making it so that you could update the firmware with your computer and some kind of connection to the light--or reprogram it via computer. But of course, that would have been prohibitively expensive and hard to physically fit into the light package (something like a micro USB port, that is). The point is that we were all drunk with the possibilities of such a light, and the Arc 4 prototypes were much the worse for it! I mean, according to reports from early field testers, getting the thing into "programming mode" was SO difficult and annoying that one tester was about to smash his Arc 4 with a sledge hammer, take a picture of it, and post it to the boards, saying "I've figured out how to get my Arc 4 into programming mode!" Fortunately for that Arc 4 someone walked in at just that moment and convinced him not to destroy it. Too funny!

So when I finally had the chance to buy an Arc 4 for myself, even I, an Arc fan boy, said, "you know, I'm not so sure about this . . . I think I'll wait for more user reports." Then, as we all know, Arc when Tango Uniform.

Over the following years, uC lights became more common, and among the ones I got to play with was a LionHeart. Once again, I was definitely not impressed. First, there was no way to flash the light, and, OK, I'm sorry, but I think a FLASHLIGHT should be able to be FLASHED. Next, as I recall there were a stupid number of brightness levels and options, and it was anything but KISS. It was better than an Arc 4, I'm sure, but it was definitely not for me. And there were others, the last one I can remember being Atomic Chicken's smart ring for the A2. I got one of those for free from him as a thank you for my SF A2 thread. And, it was kind of "neat", but what I was excited about from him were the "dumb" rings. And I got a red LED ring for my SF A2 for use in star gazing. (I always wished that SF would offer extra rings for the A2, but they never did and I can understand why--it's not the most trivial thing to remove and install.) But, the smart ring that Bawko came up with wasn't for me either, in terms of a smart UI scheme. Like so many lights, a level change was accomplished by a very quick on duration. But, again, this meant that it couldn't be flashed without changing levels or modes, and it also meant that it was far too easy to accidentally change levels without meaning to. To me, this is HIGHLY freaking annoying and buggy, and, well, I just have no tolerance for that!

This is why I disliked clickies and hated smart uC lights. But that was before I encountered the McClickie and the "3S" three speed McGizmo converter board.

THE EXCELLENT McCLICKIE and McCLICKIE PACK

So, what's different about the McClickie switch? Well, for starters, it's a proven and reliable switch. That much is true, and it's important, but mainly--at least for me--the McClickie is so excellent because it is inside the McClickie pack! And this means that you have this wonderful, user-replaceable silicon rubber boot, and o-ring set-up. You can very easily pry out the o-ring,

pry-o-ring.jpg


pinch out the boot,

pinch-boot.jpg


inside-mcclickie.jpg


and replace the boot if it gets worn, and also, of course, replace the switch if needed or wanted:

mcclickie-set.jpg


Just as important, however, is the feel of the McClickie pack activation. That boot, o-ring and switch combination, snugged and turned down inside the McClickie pack have BY FAR the best feel of any clickie action I have ever experienced. It's crisp without being "tight". It is easy to activate without being sloppy. Like many McGizmo products, it is a near-perfect balance of factors. I love it. I really do. And I didn't think that I would. Although I didn't think that I'd dislike it or anything, I just felt that I was spoiled by the PD UI and wouldn't love the McClickie.

THE OUTSTANDING 3S UI AND CONVERTER

However, what I was pretty sure I would hate was a smart uC controlled "three speed" converter. It's why I didn't buy a SunDrop before now: because Don moved to the SunDrop 3S, and I was like "Hell no! I hate those so-called smart lights!" I was so sure that I wouldn't like a smart light that I had Don make up my SunDrop special as a single level light. It was a close thing, though. Don pointed me to the video of how the 3S switches levels, and I was impressed right away. I was thinking "Wow! Now there's a smart idea! Switch levels with a short OFF duration!" But, since the light wasn't going to be my EDC and would be used by my wife a lot in the end I went with a single speed.

Still, I got curious about Don's scheme for switching a smart light, and I got interested in the Nichia 119, and then Don offered to send me a Haiku High CRI head to check out and buy if I so desired. I was thrilled with this gracious offer and said "Hell yes! Please send me a 119 Haiku head!" And he did, and a day later I bought it from him, and well, the rest, as they say, is history!

WHY THE 3 SPEED McCLICKIE LIGHTS HAVE SURPASSED THE PISTON-DRIVE UI

After only 5 minutes of playing with the Haiku, I had the level-switching thing down. Much more importantly, though, I found that there were zero inadvertent level-switches with Don's scheme! This is amazing to me. I mean, really. Seriously. I don't know if anyone else out there is using this scheme--and I'm kind of out of the flashlight scene so I'm not going to find out--but this is far and away the best scheme for switching levels I have ever experienced. More than that, though, it is my considered opinion that the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights. It's just simply a better UI, all things considered. Don't get me wrong. I still love the PD and the engineer in me is still enamored of the elegance and simplicity and reliability of the piston-drive, but in terms of actual use, for me personally the 3S just wins out, overall.

Why? Well, let me go through the Pro's and Con's as I see them:

PD Pro's:

ls20-tail.jpg


Beautiful rear end! Yes, she's got a really beautiful backside, she does. It's like porn for flashaholics. OK. It's not like porn for flashaholics, it is porn for flashaholics. What a thing of beauty! How incredibly cool is that Tritium vial and the Titanium metal activation nub, surrounded by that perfect tail flare. God, what a tail! She's a thing of beauty in both looks and feel. Since I started EDC'ing the Haiku, I seriously miss this aspect of the PD. *sigh*

Activation from either end of the light: yes, overhand or underhand, back or front, you can get light right from that grip. However, this isn't really the whole story. The fact is that constant on and momentary have been sent to the front and rear of the light respectively. So if you want momentary from an underhand grip, no dice, and similarly for constant on from an overhand grip. So this plus isn't as a big of a plus as it might at first appear.

Instant access to both levels: this is very nice, to be sure. Want low, press or turn part way. Want high, press or turn all the way. Even so, getting to constant on high is far from fast (see below).

Dead simple, super reliable: yes, as I said above, the engineer in me will always love the PD best. How can it fail? What is there to fail? It's still a brilliant piece of design, in my opinion. No question.

PD Con's:

Difficult to hold momentary for any length of time: I've been using my LunaSol 20 for three years now, almost every single day, and I've had plenty of time to develop my thumb muscles, but even I can't hold a PD on momentary for more than 30 seconds or so without it starting to get difficult. Putting in the less stiff "Lee spring" helps matters, but at the expense of crispness and action feel, in my personal opinion, which is why I have the original spring still in my LunaSol. Don't get me wrong, though! It's a wonderful feeling momentary action! I love it! But, even so, if you decide you need to continue having light after 10 seconds or so, you always feel the need to twist the head. You just do.

Slow to turn to constant on modes: twisting the head is relatively slow, isn't it? We're talking two or three seconds in an underhand grip, which is about 5 thumb and first finger turn actions. If you use two hands, then fine, it's down to a second, but you have to use two hands. I've never really minded this, over the years, but now that I've gotten some EDC time with the Haiku, it seems clunky and slow.

3S Pro's:

Very easy to HOLD momentary: you can hold momentary on a McClickie light just as long as you like. It's easy. But there's no slop or accidental turn-ons to deal with either.

Very fast to click to constant on: want constant on? No problem, push all the way and release. Fast, easy, and one-handed.

Fast to change levels, momentary or constant: Don's 3S UI scheme is a thing of elegance and excellence. After only a short time, changing levels is fast and easy and accidental level changes are rare or non-existent. This is quite an accomplishment! One that has not been achieved with any other smart UI light that I am aware of (although I haven't done much searching, so it's certainly possible that there are other good smart UI schemes out there--but either way, this one is pretty much perfect!) In fact, you can simply use this as a single level light if you so desire! Further, after a week or so of using this light, I find that switching levels is almost second-nature, intuitive, and that it feels to me as fast as thought (it's not, of course, but I'm just trying to convey how fast and easy and fun it is to switch levels.)

Three levels instead of just two: after some thought I have to agree that with the very high output LED's now available, you really need three levels instead of just two. You obviously want a very low level for night-adapted eyes, and you obviously want a high level that gets near to the max output of the LED, and if you're LED is only putting out 100 torch lumens or so, then two is enough. But 200+? Well, then, clearly you want a medium level of about 100 or so lumens. The 3S converter provides this, but a PD light doesn't, and really can't be modified to do so without losing its elegance and simplicity, or turning into, well, something very much like the 3S McClickie UI.

Better grip (for Haiku, anyway): yes, it was a surprise to me given how much I love the grip of the PD lights, but there it is: the McClickie pack with Haiku head is better. Here's a large part of the reason why:

3s-vs-pd.jpg


The PD pack has to start with a piston around the CR123A battery, and then around THAT it has to have the PD body itself, the sleeve. So you can't make the outer diameter of the main body section as small as it needs to be for best grip. The McClickie pack, on the other hand, is the perfect diameter, and there's still enough metal there to allow for deeper grip ridges (rings). After getting used to the McClickie pack, when I switch back to the PD, it at first feels like it's in danger of popping away from my hand when I push for momentary. Add to this the much lower activation force of the McClickie, and that lovely groove for the ring finger in the Haiku head, and my hands state a clear preference, a clear winner:

haiku.jpg


And, I mean, LOOK at that head! Look at those cooling fins! The PD may have a better rear end, but the Haiku has a head and shoulders that are to die for! And those fins aren't just for looks, they do a good job of dissipating heat and keeping the Haiku head just a bit cooler than the PD heads. Plus, believe it or not, they feel really good and are very grippy.

Better, more reliable converter: no offense to the previous boards Don was using (which were very good), but this new 3S converter is a thing of quality, sophistication, and reliability. According to Don, he has had fewer failures of the 3S converters than the previous ones he was using in the PD lights. And, I can tell you as someone who has an EE minor and a bit of circuit experience that this converter has to be quite the piece of circuitry! I'm sure it must cost Don quite a bit of money all by itself. A lot of the lights on CPF are all using the same circuitry and boards, designed by the same few people, but Don has gone completely outside this well-trod circle to have the 3S converter designed and built to his specifications. And no detail was spared either, no corner cut: we're talking gold traces and everything. The Haiku has a heart of gold! It's easy to overlook the converter when thinking about lights, but a light is only as good as the board it is using, and this one is fan-freaking-tastic! This is no small thing in a smart uC light, either. Bawko did revision after revision to his smart ring for the A2 and even so, it was still too buggy and glitchy for my taste--as good as any I had yet seen at that point, but still not for me. Same goes for all the other smart converters I have experienced. This is the only one I have experienced that makes the grade. Of course, needless to say, my experience is far from all encompassing, and there may well be other very good or even better converters out there, but however that may be, I can tell you that this one is really great.

No constantly moving parts to lubricate: if you own and EDC a PD light, you know that you definitely feel the need to take it apart from time to time and clean and re-lube everything. You don't absolutely need to do so. I went over a year of use on my LunaSol 20 without doing so, in fact, but after that I also felt the need not only to clean and re-lube, but also to change the o-rings. With the McClickie pack, on the other hand, the switch is sealed and needs no maintenance, and the head doesn't turn, so you only twist it for a battery change, which is far less frequent than a twist-to-get-constant-on light. Personally, this is a small, but definite plus for the McClickie lights.

3S Con's:

Rubber again: yeah, I'm not a fan of rubber booties. It's a strike against the McClickie pack vs. the PD. Still, this is a really nice boot! Silicon rubber, with the best action (inside the McClickie pack) of any I have tried. And it's just very easy to change. And inexpensive. In fact, you can buy an extra boot or two when you buy a McClickie pack. I used to change out my SF A2 LOTC every year, to the tune of about $30. With the Haiku (and SunDrop) I'm already set for three years, and I can buy a new boot, switch, and o-ring for only $10 when and if I do need another boot. So this is only a minor strike against the McClickie based lights.

Tail-side activation only: if you're holding the light in an underhand grip, you're stuck with whatever state it's in. However, again, it is so fast to switch levels or turn on or off that you can flip the light around to an overhand grip, adjust things, and flip back all in about the same amount of time (or less) that it would have taken you to twist to change levels or turn off or on with a PD light. So, again, this is a pretty minor issue.

Arguably less reliable switch: well, yes, how could you beat the piston-drive? But even so, at this point the McClickie is a proven, time-tested switch with few failures. And if it does fail? Just swap it out for a new one! This is very cool, and one can start to think of the switch as a consumable item, like an o-ring, but with a similarly long service life.

So, when I look at this list of pros and cons I personally can't help but conclude that the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights. THIS is why Don isn't making them any more. Because he doesn't believe in them any more. And, well, neither do I. I personally feel that the 3S is just better in most situations. I will miss some things about the PD, but overall, I'm very happy to be switching to the Haiku for my EDC.

I am not trying to coerce or steam-roller anyone into sharing my opinion on this matter, however! To those who perfer the PD lights, I say this: I totally understand. They are amazing lights with an amazing UI. However, to those who haven't tried the 3S lights, I would definitely encourage you to do so, just on the off chance you might be surprised. I was! Enough said, I hope.

Finally, I should mention that I will miss having a low-flood, high-throw combination in one light, but the High CRI Haiku makes up for that failing (for me) by having light quality that rivals (or really, exceeds) an incan, and a beam with a good amount of nice even spill. Or if you chose some other flavor of Haiku, you get the lovely punchy flood (is that the term?) of the XP-G, or the serious horsepower of the XM-L, either of which is a lot like having flood and throw in one light. Plus, you don't need to compromise the high beam by having the smaller reflector like the LunaSol 20 has. And, as time has passed, for various reasons, I find having a low flood isn't as fantastically useful for me as it used to be and a normal beam low-level works almost as well for my current uses. Partly this is because I've gone from being a country-mouse to a city-mouse, but in any case, everyone will decide what trade-offs and compromises are acceptable, and what features are a must-have, and what is a deal-breaker, and so on. For me, overall, the High CRI Haiku beats the LunaSol 20, which is seriously impressive given how much I love the LS20. And I'm not alone in my appreciation of the Haiku! Below is a partial list of excellent threads on the Haiku. Check them out! Also, at the end of the list, is a thread about the Classic Ti-PD with an important reply from Don (#17)

A PARTIAL LIST OF IMPORTANT HAIKU THREADS

The Titanium "Haiku"

High CRI Nichia 119 Haiku is ASTONISHINGLY GOOD!!

A McGizmo Haiku XP-G review...is this the new standard for EDC Lights? You decide!

Haiku Batteries. Which Do You Use? Primaries or Rechargables?

Haiku/Makai Animated Beam Comparisons

Trial by fire: Haiku from the ashes

McGizmo Haiku - An Ideal EDC- An Essay

5 McGizmo Beamshot Review

Haiku XP-G Runtimes?

McGizmo Haiku XP-G Finishes Comparison

I love my Haiku more and more!!

Your Thoughts on Ti Haiku

Will The Classic Ti-PD Ever Be Produced Again?

THANK YOU, DON!

Once again, Don, I have to say a hearty THANK YOU to you for all your good work! The Flashlight community is lucky indeed to have you around! Your lights are a bargain to those of us who have had the pleasure and joy of using them for any length of time. Once you go to a Titanium McGizmo you don't go back. Not really. You've spoiled us all! Ruined us, really! (And we thank you for it! :) )

*EDIT* Please see post #183 for some minor changes to my opinions on a couple things! Thanks!
 
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FrogmanM

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Thanks for taking the time JS to write up an analysis of the transition from PD to 3S by Don. I enjoyed the insight on the Haiku, Cheers!

-Mayo

I would also like to add my mini journey alternating from McClickie to PD over the years. My first McGizmo was a LunaSol 27, using the PD system. Between obtaining another PD torch (in the form of a LS20, only to trade the head with a fellow CPFer for a PD-S head) I put together a Ti Aleph torch http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?231568-SOLD-Ti-Franken-Aleph-19-SOLD

I enjoyed using the UI, and really became suited to the deep reflector/cree combo. Alas the reason I sold it was due to the unbalanced weight (due to a heaver head) I would imagine the Haiku head balances out the thinner McClickie pak(?)

As you have stated, the excellent tint from the 119 emitter and the updated 3S could persuade me to save up for a Haiku (or even a 6V Makai)

For now, I do lean towards the PD system due to it's uniqueness (and unfortunate rarity) and currently EDC a PD Mule while in college (normally sporting the PD-S in OC). Although I have parted with my Franken light and a Sundrop 3S, I do have a McLuxIII-S27-Cx2 solely for vacation use at my Parent's house on Kauai and adore it's McClickie (Although I believe it is due to the ergonomics and mechanical two speed combined with a thicker action).

In conclusion, I am attached to the PD by it's unique UI but I feel your thread does a good job at showing Don's switch to the 3S system. Indeed we are spoiled by Don's brilliance, thank you Mr. McGizmo! :bow:
 
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scout24

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

You're very eloquently singing my song, js. I've owned my share of PD's, and keep a McLuxIII w/ XM-L for those days where I desire something different, but my Haiku rules the roost. As an all-in-one edc, I don't think it gets any better. That, and my Sundrop... :) I find also, that I can hand anyone my Haiku, and they can use it as a single-level light with no learning curve, click for light, click again for no light. My PD's always required a block of instruction that was understood by some more than others. Over two years edc for my Haiku XP-G, couldn't be happier.
 

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Very nice write-up.

I'd like to add another con to the 3S UI lights (please don't hate me for mentioning it) - the PWM on the Low and Medium modes it truly unbearable. When I move a 3S Haiku around in a dark room I can visually see the pwm without trying. If I move the light back in forth in front of my eyes I can see that the PWM frequency i sway to low.

Any Haiku I have owned and kept I had to replace the 3S driver with a Shoppe GDUP driver for:
1) To get rid of the PWM.
2) To modify the levels slightly. The Medium is fine but the low is a bit bright for me (10ma is much more usable low) and the high can be easily bumped up to a nice 700-750mA with no adverse heat effects.

Other than that complaint I think the Haiku is a great light.
 

js

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

. . . I find also, that I can hand anyone my Haiku, and they can use it as a single-level light with no learning curve, click for light, click again for no light. My PD's always required a block of instruction that was understood by some more than others. Over two years edc for my Haiku XP-G, couldn't be happier.

Yes, exactly! People always get screwed up with the PD. I blame MagLite, really, as the mini mags have a reverse activation direction, so people are confused on how to turn on or off the PD. The Haiku, on the other hand, is completely simple with no learning curve--a clickie. And they won't accidentally switch levels. A nice plus.
 

js

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Very nice write-up.

I'd like to add another con to the 3S UI lights (please don't hate me for mentioning it) - the PWM on the Low and Medium modes it truly unbearable. When I move a 3S Haiku around in a dark room I can visually see the pwm without trying. If I move the light back in forth in front of my eyes I can see that the PWM frequency i sway to low.

Any Haiku I have owned and kept I had to replace the 3S driver with a Shoppe GDUP driver for:
1) To get rid of the PWM.
2) To modify the levels slightly. The Medium is fine but the low is a bit bright for me (10ma is much more usable low) and the high can be easily bumped up to a nice 700-750mA with no adverse heat effects.

Other than that complaint I think the Haiku is a great light.

I have the latest version of the McGizmo 3S driver and there is absolutely no PWM to be seen on low or medium. None. And I have whipped the light around in front of my eyes, in a dark room. Nada. I've never experienced the previous version, but I doubt it would have bothered me. Another thing that's been addressed is switching out of high level with a low battery. With the latest converter, you can always switch out of high, no matter how depleted the battery. In fact, when the battery gets low enough, it automatically switches out of high. But--and this is a very nice touch--you can switch back in to high for about 15-30 seconds again before it will switch to low. And you can do this repeatedly! I did a run time test of my High CRI Haiku on a fresh SF 123 battery and got 2 hours, 4 minutes before the auto switch to low. Curious, I then put this in my LunaSol 20 and turned to high. It came on, but at a lower brightness than on a full battery, and not nearly as bright as the high on my Haiku. More like the medium level, actually. And, over the 8 minutes it drove high, the brightness continually fell until high and low were equal. I took this battery at this point and put it back in the Haiku. It would not even come on in high, but it still had medium! This was damned impressive! I don't know how this converter can squeeze blood from a stone like this, but it can. And I would guess that it's even more efficient than the previous version, as I read that runtime on high was 1 hour 38 minutes. Although, room temperature (i.e. battery temperature) and whether or not the light is being held or not, and what brand it is, and many other factors come into play, so it's impossible to say how much of this has to do with the improved converter.

But, in any case, PWM flicker is gone. Completely gone.
 

fyrstormer

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Motion to sticky this thread for future reference by people who will inevitably ask if the PD will ever be made again. The PDs are great novelty lights nowadays, but from a purely functional standpoint, the Clicky lights are better.
 

nbp

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Well, I guess this thread answers my question from the above thread. ;)

As usual, phenomenal thread js! Many excellent points noted, a lot of which delineate reasons I too love the Haiku. And hopefully some food for thought for people who wonder what makes this light so good. Great read, thank you. :thumbsup:

At this point I think we almost need to start a Haiku compendium thread like some other lights have and sticky it. There are quite a number of good reviews and discussions on this light now that could be linked in it.
 

RedLED

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

That was a nice well written article.

I have carried my XPG Haiku since I took it from the box, and even bought a second Haiku with a Red LED as my backstage/event-work light.

I have had many, lighting directors, sound mixers and stage managers want to keep that Red Haiku after I let them see it.

It is also nice to be able to keep them looking brand new with a white Scotch Bite Pad in just a few minutes.

They are a working tool and at the same time a real luxury item.
 

Midnight Run

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Thanks for taking the time... Again JS!

Your articles are always a point of reference to anyone who's into bright things.
Newbie OR experienced.
 

kaichu dento

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

I have the latest version of the McGizmo 3S driver and there is absolutely no PWM to be seen on low or medium. None. And I have whipped the light around in front of my eyes, in a dark room. Nada. I've never experienced the previous version, but I doubt it would have bothered me. Another thing that's been addressed is switching out of high level with a low battery. With the latest converter, you can always switch out of high, no matter how depleted the battery. In fact, when the battery gets low enough, it automatically switches out of high. But--and this is a very nice touch--you can switch back in to high for about 15-30 seconds again before it will switch to low. And you can do this repeatedly! I did a run time test of my High CRI Haiku on a fresh SF 123 battery and got 2 hours, 4 minutes before the auto switch to low. Curious, I then put this in my LunaSol 20 and turned to high. It came on, but at a lower brightness than on a full battery, and not nearly as bright as the high on my Haiku. More like the medium level, actually. And, over the 8 minutes it drove high, the brightness continually fell until high and low were equal. I took this battery at this point and put it back in the Haiku. It would not even come on in high, but it still had medium! This was damned impressive! I don't know how this converter can squeeze blood from a stone like this, but it can. And I would guess that it's even more efficient than the previous version, as I read that runtime on high was 1 hour 38 minutes. Although, room temperature (i.e. battery temperature) and whether or not the light is being held or not, and what brand it is, and many other factors come into play, so it's impossible to say how much of this has to do with the improved converter.

But, in any case, PWM flicker is gone. Completely gone.
I have an older Haiku engine and although it has problems switching down to low when the battery is weak, there is absolutely no detectable PWM whatsoever.

Reading this addendum to your excellent posting has me really wanting to get the newer version for my Haiku soon!
 

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Very interesting about others with the PWM experience. I've had Haiku's as recent as the past 6 months with a new Hi-CRI and one of the last warm XP-G ones. Unless I just got old driver revisions I guarantee they had very visible PWM. Maybe I am more sensitive to it than others? :shrug:

fyrstormer - calling the PD a great novelty light is a little cruel. I don't agree with the statement for a few reasons. 1) I barely use the PD and rather use it as a head twisty. Thus no tired thumbs. 2) There is no way with the Haiku you can guarantee you always start on low. The PD always has a nice low start w/o clicking through levels. 3) With the Haiku you have to cycle through levels. With the PD you can run on low and then just tap the PD for a burst of Hi at any time (a nice feature that Henry has integrated into the UI of the HDS lights).

Slight digression:
I love the Haiku as much and anyone, but still have great respect for the ultimate simplicity of the twisty head of the PD. This is the format I prefer and it shows in my lights selection. A T1A, a HDS Rotary, a LS20, etc. Actually the LS20 with a some LED upgrades and a Centauri mod is really the ultimate. Flood at any time and three levels of XP-G goodness - and one one of the best designed reflectors ever in any of Dons lights.
 

McGizmo

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Hi guys,
For starters, _JS_, thanks for your time and thoughts in this thread.

As suggested/ requested I am making this thread a sticky so feel free to link to other related threads.

I would like to add some comments and thoughts regarding the 3S McClickie series VS the PD lights with a bit of historical and design background if I can get to it and include it.

My very first light from scratch was a flood light based roughly on the ARC LS but with three differences all significant to my wishes; flood, pocket clip and clickie switch. My first production light design which was a collaboration in production with other CPF members, the Skunk Lights Gang, was the McLux and it was a revision of the earlier light but in compliance with the geometry as established by the SureFire "E" series. There is a lot to be said for modularity and the ability to assemble various components as best suits the individual. I spent a lot of time modifying SF lights and became familiar with their geometry. The McLux used a Kroll clickie switch which although far from perfect was at least readily available and for the most part viable. I gave PK so much grief about including a clickie switch in the SF E series offering that he took to calling me McClickie which ultimately became a source of some irony to me.

After playing more with SF mods as well as a fair amount of time playing with the Pelican M6 platform the desire for a 2 stage E series tailcap became my focus and as a result I came up with what I think was one of my best design solutions to date, the McE2S switch. (As an aside I had given up on a clickie module for the E-series tail caps after looking into the tooling costs). Also in the works at the time of the McE2S was the Aleph series of lights which really leveraged the open platform of E series compatibility and I was certainly not alone in the CPF community in designing and building modules and components and championing this modular group.

At some point along the way I was informed that my McE2S was likely an infringement on the SF 2 stage tail cap and I heeded this information by attempting to come up with some other means of similar 2 stage UI but completely different in mechanics and removed from the tail cap (I felt my McE2S was significantly different in design to the SF 2 level tail cap but it was a 2 level tail cap and the idea of using a resistor to give the two stages was certainly also a credit to SF). As a result of this new design goal, the PD was born. There was good news/ bad news in regards to the PD and it was the same news; the PD was not E-series compatible. I won't get into the good news part beyond recognizing some merit inherent in being original for its own sake.

Before going any further I want and need to give Wayne Yamaguchi credit and express my appreciation for his involvement and expertise in these developments. If it weren't for his brilliance and willingness to put up with me and come up with the magic in electronics, the earlier lights and certainly the PD series would never have happened.

Back to the PD series.... At the time the LED's were delivering enough flux to easily justify two levels of output and looking to the future it seemed that in time three levels would be justified. Also to be considered was not just the amount of light being delivered but its distribution as well. I remember thinking a good use of a two speed light might be a low and wide beam coupled with a high and long beam and the LunaSol version of the PD came to be. (I should also at least mention that during this time I had made the transition from aluminum to titanium but that is another story in itself)

I remember thinking that 100 lumens was the magic number which when reached, a serious effort should be given to a three level light. I want to mention that my reflector design had also evolved along the way where I felt I was getting better at a beam distribution that was a fair compromise between flood and throw and viable at both low and higher levels of flux. It was becoming time for a three speed light and based on a lot of bench testing and prototyping, time for a new UI. When the realization that a clickie switch would be a component in this new design I immediately opted to come back into the fold of the "E" series platform even though I was aware of some inherent shortcomings inherent in the design. Perhaps shortcoming is too strong a term, let me change that to compromise.

The subject line states that the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights and although this is a subjective statement, it is one I am mostly in agreement with and certainly the reality is that I have moved away from the PD and into the 3S UI with my offerings reflecting this move.

I offer this history not because anyone will find it of interest to speak of but as reason and hopefully justification as to where I am with my offerings and how this came to be. It is much easier to look back than it is to actually go back and realistically since I am only one person I can't go back if I want to be going forward, at the same time. Some of you might think that I am resting on my previous designs and not moving forward and I can't deny there is truth here but I am not interested in bringing about change simply for the sake of change. My business plan and core values do not lend to a flashlight of the month club. If I offer something new or different it has to have value and merit in its own right.

I want to throw in one last side thought/ observation here. H3 vials. I really like the H3 vial in the piston tail of the PD lights but I have also come to realize that they will ultimately fade long before their titanium host fails to serve. Granted I will be long gone before this and it is possible to replace them but not easily or doable by many who have one of these lights. The seals, clickie switch and even the Light Engine itself might be viewed in some time line as normal wear or replaceable items and with the present 3S series of lights these components can be reasonably replaced by the user. I find myself thinking a lot these days about durability and sustainability and that influences my designs and ideas. In a final contrast to the PD, the Lunasol was the latest iteration of the PD and candidly it was the most challenging design as well as assembly I came up with and a PITA to put together. The host of the PD light will outlive its internals and replacement of these internals is not trivial. I feel bad about that. Maybe I shouldn't but it does influence my thoughts and directions in going forward.

Man, I haven't taken a dump on the forum like this in a long time! :duck: :nana:
 

js

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Some of you might think that I am resting on my previous designs and not moving forward and I can't deny there is truth here but I am not interested in bringing about change simply for the sake of change. My business plan and core values do not lend to a flashlight of the month club. If I offer something new or different it has to have value and merit in its own right.

Don,

Motion forward and progress has to happen on its own timeline, in an organic and integral way. I don't think it's fair to say that you are "not moving forward"! Just because you don't offer a new flashlight every month doesn't mean you are "resting" on your previous designs. From what I know about you, Don, I would bet that you are very much up to date on advances in the LED world and are often thinking about flashlights and how to better them. This, in itself, is preparation for motion forward. Sometimes, even, in making a giant leap forward, one must back up to get a good running start!

I think, actually, that many would wish that you were resting on your previous designs--the PD designs, to be specific. But you're not. And part of why I wrote this thread was so that people would understand this, and accept it. If you REALLY felt that the PD lights were better than the 3S lights, then you would find a way to continue making them, I strongly suspect.

As for something new and different, it will happen in due time, I am sure, but for now I personally feel that everyone should be really glad that a number of models (i.e. the Haiku, SunDrop XR-U, Makai, etc.) will be offered over what may be a longer number of years than previous models. I mean, it really sucks to read lots of rave reviews and accolades about a light that you can't buy anymore, except rarely (and dearly) on B/S/T! The Haiku is a hell of a light! As far as I'm concerned, the flashlight community would be well served if you continued to offer it for the next three or four or five years, (with improved emitters of course)!

So, if this is "resting", well then . . . rest away!
 

js

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

. . .

fyrstormer - calling the PD a great novelty light is a little cruel. I don't agree with the statement for a few reasons. 1) I barely use the PD and rather use it as a head twisty. Thus no tired thumbs. 2) There is no way with the Haiku you can guarantee you always start on low. The PD always has a nice low start w/o clicking through levels. 3) With the Haiku you have to cycle through levels. With the PD you can run on low and then just tap the PD for a burst of Hi at any time (a nice feature that Henry has integrated into the UI of the HDS lights).

Slight digression:
I love the Haiku as much and anyone, but still have great respect for the ultimate simplicity of the twisty head of the PD. This is the format I prefer and it shows in my lights selection. A T1A, a HDS Rotary, a LS20, etc. Actually the LS20 with a some LED upgrades and a Centauri mod is really the ultimate. Flood at any time and three levels of XP-G goodness - and one one of the best designed reflectors ever in any of Dons lights.

Everyone's mileage will vary, of course! This is why there is such diversity in the flashlight world. Pretty much whatever your preferences are now, you can find an available model to suit you.

And, I too agree that calling the PD lights "novelty" lights is a little cruel, taken out of context. But, I think where fyrstormer might be coming from here--and certainly where I am coming from--is that you can only EDC one light at a time, and if there is a clear winner for you, then you will EDC that light pretty much all the time. And so, lights which used to be your main EDC might end up sitting around in a drawer or on a shelf. In this sense, they become "novelty" lights. A better term might be "collectible" lights. I love my Arc LSH but if it weren't for the fact that it's my wife's favorite it would just end up collecting dust. This is what happens when something has been superseded! It's not because it suddenly got worse. It's just cause there's now something better.

But, for many, the PD lights are still where it's at, and they will continue to EDC them indefinitely. carrot stated in one thread that he hoped to carry his Ti-PD-S until he died! And this is fine! (Except he lost his Ti-PD! Which really, really sucks!) But for those of us who feel the 3S lights are a step forward, the PD lights undergo a definite change of status. Still great, but no longer in much use.
 

js

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Well, I guess this thread answers my question from the above thread. ;)

As usual, phenomenal thread js! Many excellent points noted, a lot of which delineate reasons I too love the Haiku. And hopefully some food for thought for people who wonder what makes this light so good. Great read, thank you. :thumbsup:

At this point I think we almost need to start a Haiku compendium thread like some other lights have and sticky it. There are quite a number of good reviews and discussions on this light now that could be linked in it.

Thanks nbp! And, yes, absolutely, it would be great to have links to all the excellent threads on the Haiku, all in one place. When I imagined this thread, I imagined doing a lot of research and posting those links right in the first post, and I imagined beam shots and better pictures, and a lot of stuff on CRI, and so on. But, well, I looked ahead at my schedule and I realized that I could either post this quick and dirty review, with pics taken in just an hour or so with my iPhone, with little to no post-processing, or I would likely never end up posting anything. So, this is what I posted--more a focus on why I've switched to the 3S McClickie Haiku; a 3S vs. PD thinking-out-loud comparison, which I felt was kind of necessary.

And I'm glad others find it interesting and helpful. Thank you to all of you!
 

js

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

So, I wanted to add a quick bit about removing and installing the McClickie switch. The most important thing to note is that the switch has to be turned down TIGHT or you might experience some erratic behavior from the converter. The spring force is constantly pushing back on the switch body, trying to push the contact ring off the shelf it is electrically conducting through. So if it's not good and tight, you might end up with intermittent contact there, which can sometimes cause the converter to shift levels when you don't want it to (don't ask me how I know this, hehe). The fix, of course, is simple: turn the switch in good and hard.

Unfortunately, the two holes 1/2" apart isn't a common sort of connector scheme! Initially, I used snap-ring pliers but I ended up having them slip out of the holes and gouge the switch body a bit. Not functionally a problem, but exactly the sort of thing I prefer to avoid. So today I went to a local craft store (AC Moore) and bought some round-nose jewelry making pliers. These ones, to be exact (Beadalon 201P-114):

Amazon: Beadalon 201P-114

They work freaking great, I have to tell you. Much nicer to use than snap-ring pliers. Of course . . . you could just leave your Haiku alone! LOL! But if you're like me, you like to check things out. And if so, these pliers are a good choice for re-installing the switch--or you can find others like them, made by other companies, but these are very good with a nice thick and tight lap-joint and precision tips and jaws. Take a spare switch with you to the store and test to make sure that the tips of the pliers go down fully into the holes.

Just FYI FWIW.

Oh, and I did a minor edit to my first post above. I wanted to make sure that people understood that I was not trying to say anything negative about other converters or the main people who have made them for our community--on the contrary!--they indeed deserve our thanks, as Don so rightly points out. I'm just really impressed with the 3S converter that I have, and with the switching scheme for the 3S UI.
 

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

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Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!

Great thread and very informative history of the McGizmo timeline.

I won't belabor the PD/3S point because as stated the truth with any light is YMMV. I will never hold it against anyone the light/UI that is their preference, nor would I expect anyone to do the same to me.

To be honest - what intrigues me most - is wondering what the next generation of Don's lights will bring.
 

nbp

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Perhaps this is a thread topic of its own, but as the current discussion lends itself to the idea, I'll post it here.

Don,

As it is that I cannot begin to design or create or build the things you have over the course of your lifetime, I find it immensely interesting to read your thought processes, design philosophies, struggles and victories in your ventures. I am fascinated by your ideas and innovative spirit, and of course the pure functionality of your inventions as well.

Ideally, I'd love to know the history and evolution behind all your creations, from the brilliant PD system, to those little gate clips we all use. Also, the source of your inspiration and your technical skills - Where are you from? What did you/do you do besides build flashlights to support yourself? How did you get into designing reflectors, switches, clips and other stuff? Just the other day I was wondering as I was looking for Ti hardware about you designing stuff for Berkeley Point-how's that work? How did your name end up on so many interesting things all over the place? So many questions. I wish I hadn't been so late to the CPF party as I feel I missed a lot of great history in the first few years.

Probably most of this can be discovered on the forums here, but in hundreds of threads over the course of a dozen years...it gets tedious. Have you ever considered writing a book, like a biography? Personally I think you have done as much to advance the industry as most anyone else. The plethora of designs of yours that have been copied (to my disgust I might add) are surely evidence of this. I would be fascinated to read such a work. That may sound silly to you but it's true. I believe you have a unique method of blending incredible aesthetic qualities and ergonomics with eviable functionality and durability. In a world full of crappy products rushed to market, your take on design and manufacturing is refreshing, and would be of benefit to innovators young and old.

I'd be interested in a written work of some sort by the hand of McGizmo if ever it were a possibility. I don't know if I am alone in that, though I doubt it highly. If that is somewhat far off in the future, perhaps a few links to threads explaining critical McGizmo history/timelines would tide me over. Again, I regret not having found this place earlier, though I suspect that as I am a young man even now, I would likely not have had the same appreciation for this place had I discovered it significantly earlier anyways. Such is life.

Thanks for reading my rambling as well. I certainly enjoyed reading yours, as I always do.

Regards,

Nick
 
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