Bored lately!

I think there was a thread like this in the past, but I'm experiencing it first hand now.

Maybe I just lost some interest in flashlights, but lately there seems like nothing is going on. Battery capacity hit a wall. LED technology has some movement but only to be limited by excessive heat, leading to short burst modes and stepdowns. The only thing I really keep an eye on is Zebralight, so there's some hope there with the new 4x18650 C3 model. With the other big manufacturers, all that's left is to add silly features like screens and other things that realistically just give you one more thing to fail when you need it most.

Of all my torches and headlamps, I use 3 at the most. The rest sit. Sorry to be so negative . I do like seeing more high CRI options even from the big companies.

Mark, you need to hang out with @vinhnguyen54
He's passed 100,000 lumens!

New stuff has been boring to me past 350 lumens for the most part. Same ole same ole mine is brighter than yours for 8 more seconds...

But the nuts n bolts part and what propels the fuel from the tank to the photons is always interesting to this user. Going all the way back to the early days when they conducted electricity from one end to the other of cardboard tubes without metal showing to todays conglomorations of makers who figure out new ways using similar materials without infringing on the plethora of existing pantents... I'm never bored with that.

Agreed... haven't been excited about a light or following anything with interest... I would like an update to my H52Fw and something tempting enough to upgrade my SC62w. The multi-cell light from ZL is somewhat interesting...

I have been searching for years to find something that will update my 47s Neutral Tactical 1x14500 that I still use a lot (along with the 2 lights above), but there has never been anything with all of the features (tint, size, momentary, etc) and modern output levels.

I've purchased a few AAA lights to play with and put in various places, but that's IT over the past few years...

I feel the same way. There are some cool looking lights and prototypes I've seen in videos from the Shot Show, but who knows when they'll be released.

...LED technology has some movement but only to be limited by excessive heat, leading to short burst modes and stepdowns. ...

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Snip, emphasis added.

I am excited by The Search for What's New. For me, the current search is new LED upgrades, waiting for more compactness (waiting for/searching for lights that have head diameter that closely match body diameter), and getting more powerful short burst modes in the most compact form.

Of course, due to mode selection, I can operate such items in lower mode to get normal run time in normal power mode. And, I can select/wait for/search for lights that have larger head diameter per body diameter, to get more throw.

Currently, I am excited to see what I can find and by what is coming on the near horizon in more led performance, more power, more throw per given size classification, as provided from the factory and by modification via led swap and amp boosting.

When I think that we are in the middle of a period of explosive led flashlight performance growth, I feel excited.

markr6 said:

I think there was a thread like this in the past, but I'm experiencing it first hand now.

Maybe I just lost some interest in flashlights, but lately there seems like nothing is going on. Battery capacity hit a wall. LED technology has some movement but only to be limited by excessive heat, leading to short burst modes and stepdowns. The only thing I really keep an eye on is Zebralight, so there's some hope there with the new 4x18650 C3 model. With the other big manufacturers, all that's left is to add silly features like screens and other things that realistically just give you one more thing to fail when you need it most.

Of all my torches and headlamps, I use 3 at the most. The rest sit. Sorry to be so negative . I do like seeing more high CRI options even from the big companies.

Click to expand...

There is plenty of room for improvement in the efficiency and runtime department for almost all of the manufacturers. Most of the lights out there, even if heatsinking weren't an issue, don't have the boost circuitry or driver efficiency required to maintain constant max output in the first place. ZL continues to lead and ET has set a high bar with its new boost driver, but there is no race like the lumen race.

Tint. I do wish good tint becomes the norm across the board. There might be a better chance of this becoming reality.

I've experienced an abrupt disconnect more than once, when I suddenly felt how silly it was to chase flashlights to this extent, when whatever chemistry in my brain that had been justifying my continued search for flashlight had been temporarily neutralized. Moments of clarity.

Yep, they are just flashlights after all and until a major new advancement in battery or LED/incan technology happens I suspect nothing much is going to change. What I do is just stop by for a few months during the part of winter that drags on, to help alleviate the boredom, then come spring I go back to my many other hobbies and forget about lights and use the ones I have. Sometimes I go years before checking back in to see what's new. That way, when I come back there is often some significant advancements and something worth checking out. Flashlights are only so interesting really and to have them as a sole hobby would make for a pretty boring life imo, you have to mix it up and enjoy the many other great hobbies and ways to spend your time that life offers.

I am still on the hunt for my perfect build/runtime/output. I agree that past about 3-500 lumens is for short bursts but I would like to have that on hand. (That's what is stopping me from getting an 18650 HDS)

I can't say I am bored yet because I haven't found my perfect light. I just bought an olight s2r baton for my brother in law- of course I had to check it out first😄- and found that I love the beam on its TIR... It's a close second to my triple Xp-l. Now I have another beam shape to add to my hunt.

markr6 said:

Of all my torches and headlamps, I use 3 at the most. The rest sit. Sorry to be so negative . I do like seeing more high CRI options even from the big companies.

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Which three Mark? (Perhaps you could put them on my Three Essential Flashlights/Torches thread.....)

Barry

Barrington said:

Which three Mark? (Perhaps you could put them on my Three Essential Flashlights/Torches thread.....)

Barry

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I'll put them out there. Thanks, I missed that thread.

There is an excitement for the "next Light" when you have an interest or need from a light that hasn't been fulfilled. Maybe you are not really bored, but simply satisfied with the lights that you have. That is the point that I am at. I have what is for my tastes my 'be all' lights for EDC, throw, headlamp, CRI and old skool. I don't have much need to go looking for new stuff as all my interests or needs are fulfilled.

LeanBurn said:

Maybe you are not really bored, but simply satisfied with the lights that you have.

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I think that's exactly it. Usually there are a few on my wish list, but it's empty now.

I felt like this for a very short while, then discovered HDS, Boss and the customs caught my eye. RIP Wallet

I'm quite content with what I have for many of the reasons stated, but to summarize...improvements have been minimal and/or at the expense of other things.

markr6 said:

I think there was a thread like this in the past, but I'm experiencing it first hand now.

Maybe I just lost some interest in flashlights, but lately there seems like nothing is going on. Battery capacity hit a wall. LED technology has some movement but only to be limited by excessive heat, leading to short burst modes and stepdowns. The only thing I really keep an eye on is Zebralight, so there's some hope there with the new 4x18650 C3 model. With the other big manufacturers, all that's left is to add silly features like screens and other things that realistically just give you one more thing to fail when you need it most.

Of all my torches and headlamps, I use 3 at the most. The rest sit. Sorry to be so negative . I do like seeing more high CRI options even from the big companies.

Click to expand...

I was bored so started omnivore and survival light testing fun. This means I will take more stuff out in the woods and spend more money. As for lights to be honest after say 2013 had about all one would ever need. Technology by then (actual 2009) could do everything I ever imagined. I also just use a few. But I got a bucket full of knives as well. Occasionally I dig through the pile and find something forgotten about and the fun is back on.

I've been through several hobbies too; knives, air guns, binoculars, motorcycles etc. Now it's flashlights. I tend to find something useful and then look for the best one (or several) for my needs. I almost always require made in USA or Europe in my hobbies which can increase the scarcity as well as the price. Flashlights are a bit cheaper than my other hobbies as air rifles, binoculars, and motorcycles can go in to the thousands quickly. As a result, it's easier to go through this hobby quicker... I've still got several incoming and then will come the next phase...weeding out everything that is a duplicate or not necessary. I'll end up with a few excellent examples that will each have a definite niche or purpose. I try to avoid shelf queens so the extras go to eBay.

One of the reasons I started in this hobby is because I wanted something good to take on dog walks. I hope someday someone makes a somewhat small ( smaller than a 6p but larger than a AAA pocketlight) USA made flashlight with high CRI, and reasonable (not dim or too crazy bright) lumens. I also would like a mid-body switch as I prefer it to a tactical tailcap switch. When I'm walking the dog, my arm is usually hanging down at my side and a mid-body switch is just more natural to use. For me that would be the ultimate dog walker flashlight!!

I'm still interested in all my other hobbies but things cool off (for me at least) after I get all my bases covered.

I'm pretty excited at this point with the flashlight world. There's a wealth of new compact lights that can do 10k+ lumens, there's stock lights that can throw for a rated 1500m, Nichia has higher output LEDs and the possibility of their own HI and XHP-like variants in the future.

Yes, the lumens race is tiresome and I do agree that shortly lived burst modes aren't too useful, but that doens't take into account that the same lights have rather efficient medium modes that can hold a constant 2-3000 lumens or so for at least half an hour.

On the modded side of things, Vinh has a 100,000 lumen mule, and he has some an absurd thrower that can do 1700m, and the U21vn that's just an awesome amount of performance for the size and money. The best part is that it has enough heatsinking capability to not have to step down on its turbo as well.


I'm mostly interested in what future Nichia emitters can do.


Right now my most used light is the SC600 MKIII HI. It's a solid performer in nearly every metric. Portability, output, UI, tint, throw and spill, you name it.

Having said all that though, there are as of right now 0 lights I'm looking to get as of right now, and there will only likely be 1 or 2 lights in a span of a year or two at any given time that I'd want to get. I'm just not a collector.

twistedraven said:

I'm pretty excited at this point with the flashlight world. There's a wealth of new compact lights that can do 10k+ lumens, there's stock lights that can throw for a rated 1500m, Nichia has higher output LEDs and the possibility of their own HI and XHP-like variants in the future.

Yes, the lumens race is tiresome and I do agree that shortly lived burst modes aren't too useful, but that doens't take into account that the same lights have rather efficient medium modes that can hold a constant 2-3000 lumens or so for at least half an hour.

On the modded side of things, Vinh has a 100,000 lumen mule, and he has some an absurd thrower that can do 1700m, and the U21vn that's just an awesome amount of performance for the size and money. The best part is that it has enough heatsinking capability to not have to step down on its turbo as well.


I'm mostly interested in what future Nichia emitters can do.


Right now my most used light is the SC600 MKIII HI. It's a solid performer in nearly every metric. Portability, output, UI, tint, throw and spill, you name it.

Having said all that though, there are as of right now 0 lights I'm looking to get as of right now, and there will only likely be 1 or 2 lights in a span of a year or two at any given time that I'd want to get. I'm just not a collector.

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But look at how the increase in output, throw, and runtime are achieved in most if not all instances: brute force, e.g., more emitters, larger head, more batteries.

The output/input quotients for most manufacturers haven't taken huge leaps. The current trend of multiemitters and large heads are contributing to an illusion of substantial progress.

I'd say it's a fairly linear leap. Take for instance the Zebralight SC600. Going from MK1 to MK2 to MK3 it's gone from around 900 to 1000 to 1100 lumens, all while keeping the efficiency the same. The XHP series from Cree is a solid step forward from the XPL, which was a solid step forward from the XML2.

I wouldn't be one to buy large head multi-emitter multi-battery lights, but at the same time there's no denying the steady advancement in the LED tech.