Hi, I'm new...

Gtsteve

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 17, 2016
Messages
19
Location
Sydney, Australia.
So I will probably say a lot of the irritating, obvious and predictable things that other newbies do.
For a start until very recently I have been happy with my $2.00 - $5.00 bulb torches and the old big heavy quality 2c bulb Maglite that I found on the road. It really had been run over by cars and still worked. Until a mate of mine (he is on here somewhere) gave me a little LED Thrunite that he had grown out of.
So then I saw the difference and bought some cheap 18650/26650 powered ebay jobs, and I loved them too, and was content. Then he showed me some of the better again units that he has that don't cycle through annoying strobes before you can turn them off etc.
Now I'm looking at torches with names on them and upgrading bulbs and drop ins and modding and I'm thinking how much simpler my life would have been if he had only kept that thrunite to himself. Cheers.
 

staticx57

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
1,749
Location
NJ
So I will probably say a lot of the irritating, obvious and predictable things that other newbies do.
For a start until very recently I have been happy with my $2.00 - $5.00 bulb torches and the old big heavy quality 2c bulb Maglite that I found on the road. It really had been run over by cars and still worked. Until a mate of mine (he is on here somewhere) gave me a little LED Thrunite that he had grown out of.
So then I saw the difference and bought some cheap 18650/26650 powered ebay jobs, and I loved them too, and was content. Then he showed me some of the better again units that he has that don't cycle through annoying strobes before you can turn them off etc.
Now I'm looking at torches with names on them and upgrading bulbs and drop ins and modding and I'm thinking how much simpler my life would have been if he had only kept that thrunite to himself. Cheers.

Well, you will go from one or two lights to soon enough, dozens of lights. Enjoy the ride :D
 

ven

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 17, 2013
Messages
22,533
Location
Manchester UK
Steve, you have started on the path like many................the path is quite a long one and expensive. Many hi cri trees along the way, with various triples,quads and mules sprouting from branches. There are several paths leading off, my advice would be to look into specific colour temps,3000k/4000k/5000k/6000k as examples to find ones your eyes prefer. I say this simply before you buy an abundance of cool whites(or warms), then decide you like the other more and end up with many not used.

Convoy is a cheap/easy way to experiment, from there its pretty much endless.

:welcome:
 

ncgrass

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 26, 2015
Messages
237
Location
Whistler, BC
If you're looking to keep the cost reasonable, my advice is not looking at anything ven posts. Everything he has, I want and can't afford. Especially those OR kits he puts together...
 

Gtsteve

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 17, 2016
Messages
19
Location
Sydney, Australia.
Yes, guys that is what I am afraid of, becoming a collector and not a user.
I am reluctant to get anything new while the old "rubbish" stuff still works perfectly.
I'm old and I grew up lean, and it is hard not to consider wastage and extravagance as a virtual crime.
Only the other old blokes will probably know what I mean.
I've been reading a lot on here and it almost doesn't matter what someone buys, someone else has criticised it about something.
It is hard for me to tell if people are correct or just petty. Still I am confident that with more research I will be able to tell.
Although I may never be able to help anyone here, hopefully I can still continue to learn.
Cheers.
 

bykfixer

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Messages
20,351
Location
Dust in the Wind
I'm old and I grew up lean, and it is hard not to consider wastage and extravagance as a virtual crime.
Only the other old blokes will probably know what I mean.
I've been reading a lot on here and it almost doesn't matter what someone buys, someone else has criticised it about something.
It is hard for me to tell if people are correct or just petty. Still I am confident that with more research I will be able to tell.
Although I may never be able to help anyone here, hopefully I can still continue to learn.
Cheers.

Please don't sell yourself short. Yeah a lot of "you need this and that" takes place here. Most is in fun. Some is meant to help folks understand and some is the desire to share a positive belief in items. And yes the occasional petty party occurs. Some prefer the word passionate. :whistle:

Folks will go back and forth about how many lumens you need, what tint you should use, or what batteries will make your light run longer. But that is at any discussion arena. Regardless of topic some are going to interject dymanic opinions. (Uh, that's fancy talk for "they're being a jerk")

At 52 I'm not old yet. Experience however has me set in my ways. Value and reliability are my #1 reasons for choosing lights I use. Engineering comes in a close second.
Being from the "whack-a-palm" days where a gentle nudge or forceful rap was often required to either coax more light out or possibly even work at all, I don't go in for the million lumen lights or the latest gadgetry. My twin brother does so personality plays a role too.

Even though I do own many styles and brands of flashlights a 4C Maglite or an $8 Energizer light suit me just fine when it's dark. An assortment of work style lights ended up going from accumulation to collection when I began restoring some throw-away numbers and retiring them to display status. So while it's good to have a 1 cell pocket light that puts out 450 lumens, each time I see those 1985 something or others I still smile regailing stories or knowing in sudden lights out it'll certainly be brighter than a candle.

So sit back and enjoy the show here at CPF, maybe chime in at times on what your old eyes like about your flashlights, and mainly just have fun with the hobby.
Don't sweat the details.
Oh and check out the budget light forum if you haven't already. Lots of real nice wallet friendly general users discussed over there.
 
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