Anyone ever made a list of all major flashlights?

[guiri]

What I'm asking is if anyone has made a list listing all the major features of the main brands and models?

Ie,

Brand Model Max Output Min Output Max Output Runtime Min Output Runtime and so on..?

It would be cool as hell to have something like this in Excel or something that could be updated. Great tool when buying something.

I would gladly host it on my site for people to download and whoever does it could just send me the file to update to the latest.

Listing what batteries it's compatible with and so on.

I assume in excel one could sort any column which would make it simple to look for lights with a certain output or battery type.

Anyone interested?

I can't do the list as I'm too damn stupid and don't have the knowledge but I can host it including the pics.

Maybe even with thumbnails of the different lights.

What say ye?

George

 

[gswitter]

That spreadsheet would get out of hand in a hurry.

I keep a spreadsheet of some basic features of the lights I own, just to keep track of them. Even that's a little unwieldy.

 

[Marduke]

I work with a spreadsheet which does exactly what you describe (with rocket engine parts, not flashlights), and even with only a couple thousand components it's extremely unwieldy. And that's dealing with a relatively static list of components. Flashlights change on a daily basis. I suspect it would quickly become an impossible beast to be of any meaningful usefulness unless limited to a single specific brand.

 

[jkdguy]

Hi George,

Martin (aka: The Beacon) has a spreadsheet of all the current Fenix models...
Here's the link:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=228741

David

 

[Illum]

it would be incredible to see it happen.

The_LED_Museum, Quickbeam, and FLASHLIGHTMAN have come pretty close in listing all the flashlights out by name the forum recognizes in the past under "list your collection" threads...but no one have come close to compiling the servers information into one single sheet.

With each successive generation of lights produced its analogous to ridding the yard with new weeds. One weed can grow an inch a day if rain is good, if there are one million weed plucks in your sod there will be one million inches for you to cut before the day is over...and with more new company names, the wider your cutting range becomes

 

[guiri]

It would be cool though

 

[n_den]

Very Doable. a team of people should be able to do something in 2-3 weeks. n_den

 

[Ryanrpm]

I have one version I've worked on...but it's limited to high output models.

Sorry, runtime is not on here....

 

[guiri]

Well, ONE person would be responsible for holding onto the sheet and the others here would either chime in and post info for him to update or we could e mail the list to each other for updates for those who happen to have a lot of info at home or in their heads.

I would also make it white/light grey in the fields to make what I think is easier to see but that's just me.

Like, right now, I'm so confused about what's out there, what the new stuff is and so on as I haven't really been here for a year.

It would help me and most newbies out a lot I think.

Someone goes, hey, I need this for this and under this much money and although people would still give him advice, the first post should be, here, look at this list.

Hey Ryan, how come that last light is listed as taking two 123's and two 18650's?

THe 18650 is twice is long, right?

THanks

George

 

[gswitter]

It would be great to see, but generating it and maintaining it would be big tasks. Much like we've seen with the review sites, I suspect if individuals were tasked with too much of it, they'd burn out pretty quickly. Maybe if there was some way to set it up like a Wiki in which many people can edit as needed? It might be an interesting application for Google's Wave.

 

[Illum]

eek...
if your records are kept by homemade lux meters you can't possibly put the numbers from testing through a 2 liter milk carton and another using a 350ml carton now can you?

If this is going to be a team effort, our equipment must be consistent enough to be compatible...got a recommendation on the concept's deployment?

 

[guiri]

Illum,

Wouldn't it be enough with approximate or factory stated output?

I Know the purists here are going to balk at my suggestion but still. It was meant as an aid to find a light or at least narrow the choices down before asking questions here.

Ie, ok guys, I have read the list and my choices are between these 4 lights. Which one is REALLY the brightest...etc.

Google Wave? Gotta look into that.

 

[guiri]

Well. look what I found..http://www.editgrid.com/

or http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=&as_epq=can+you+collaborate+on+a+spreadhsheet+online%3F&as_oq=&as_eq=&num=10&lr=&as_filetype=&ft=i&as_sitesearch=&as_qdr=all&as_rights=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=images

Review of the google service http://reviews.cnet.com/online-software-services/google-spreadsheets/4505-9239_7-31944026.html

The first one seems more polished but it's not up to me because I'll probably do the least in this case since I have little or no knowledge. I'm just the idea man so to speak
As you can see, it's free OR 5 bucks per month which we can easily afford if we wanted to. I think for our purposes, we would be considered a free user...the best thing would be to e mail and ask to make sure but even if not, I'm sure they would let us know if they need to charge us.

Another option http://r3r.com/blog/2008/06/04/spreadsheet-collaboration-zoho-sheet-vs-expresso/

..and another http://www.killerstartups.com/Web-App-Tools/numbler-com-collaborate-with-online-spreadsheet

 

[Illum]

Illum,

Wouldn't it be enough with approximate or factory stated output?

Ie, ok guys, I have read the list and my choices are between these 4 lights. Which one is REALLY the brightest...etc.

well yeah...along with the exposure of information from reviews in the forum there are people who will throw out questions often on lux over lumens...as if its there just to bug us on details...and no company I've seen labels anything on its specs/features as "... lux per meter"

In order to answer "Which one is REALLY the brightest" you would have to disregard factory stated output altogether. Each company has its own scale that sizes up their own lines, either an optimistic value [stating bulb lumens over out the front lumens], an optimum value [OTF lumens after added compensation and loss], or a pessimistic value [being conservative in a time where more is usually better]

I believe Fenix rates at the optimum value and Surefire somewhere between optimum and pessimistic...

With a light meter we can pin point a value very close to the optimum value for beam characteristics such as reach/throw and identical integrating spheres giving us comparable values for all of those lights concerned.

Think of each light has different containers of water, and each integrating sphere as a different sized container. Two cups of different sizes measuring the same 5 gallon bucket of water will give you two completely different results...depending on applied tolerance [both cups nearing the same volume] it does sound feasible but you'll have to reference for each light where the information came from, operator, equipment, etc....:devil:

 

[guiri]

Yeah but I think that's going overboard and then it'll never get done. Besides, most of us here knows that there's not much difference between 200 and 250 lumens and this could be explained at the top of the sheet. I'm thinking more of a quick guideline and then ask more detailed questions. I've lately gotten very confused over the new lights, what's what, how bright they are and so on and I suffer from CRS (Can't Remember poop) so that doesn't help.

This to ME would be very useful and I'm sure to a lot of people once it's up and fairly complete.

Something in line with the runtime index in your sig but of course, with more info. What type of batteries and especially if it handles more than one kind. Runtimes on high and the lowest and preferably a few in between. Maybe a rating system and so on and only people that have actually had one or used one for some time should post results and info which of course means I'll never do it 'cause I don't have a clue but I AM a flashlight lover

 

[Illum]

I agree with ya, and now you know my issue about things. I'm an analyst who can't head out for a pizza without consulting a manual on pizzas

so, where do you want to start?
From Aitec to Zebralite just the list is going to take awhile, do you want to start that first?

 

[guiri]

Well, if others are interested, I'll start this but it'll have to be others doing it because I have no clue. I can key it in or just give everyone access (or certain people) to the online thing which I think is a good idea.

We would need some parameters first and I frankly don't have much problem with MORE rather than fewer parameters.

I'll look into the online thing

 

[guiri]

Alright bro, it works beautifully and I also exported to excel and opened it on my puter.

This is an OPEN spreadsheet so ANYONE can work on it without a problem so give it a shot.

I can also lock it but it would be best to do this. Everytime someone makes changes, they save and rename the file like Flashlight List 1, Flashlight List 2 and so on. That way if someone screws up or acts like a moron, we should have the old versions to fall on (I guess)

 

[guiri]

Ok guys, here's what I'm thinking.

First, IF more than a couple of people think this is a good idea and we decide to go ahead with it, I think before we do anything else, we should all decide on what options to include in the list. I mean, we can add or remove options at any time but it would be good if we could have a master list to start with.

Next, rather than me or someone else just going in there and typing in hundreds or thousands of lights and pieces of information, what I thought was that I'd leave the spreadsheet open for anyone to edit and then every guy that wants to and has some lights, goes in and simply enters his or her lights and the info they have about them.

If they don't have ALL the info so be it. Enter what YOU know for sure and then someone else as this gains momentum will invariably go in and make changes or add stuff.

So, if you have an EX10, go in and enter all the info you have about it and that's it.

Next guy will put his JetBeam III Pro IBS or whatever and so on.

This way this will not seem to be an impossible task and should be pretty simple. I think the main thing would be to put all the categories in there and get the thing going and either if it's made a sticky or if everyone bumps this and tells others about it, it would gain some momentum and everyone can benefit from it. Especially newbies AND, hopefully you guys can avoid the typical which light should I get.

Yeah, I know that's not going to end but I think people will find it interesting looking at a quick overview of what's out there.

As it is now, I'm personally lost as to what's out there and especially with the high output lights and particularly with all the new lights that are now coming out.

Here by the way is just a sample for you guys to see. I can rename this and do pretty much anything I want and I'm very open to suggestions. This is NOT meant for MY personal use but for everyone.
http://www.editgrid.com/user/guiri/Flashlights_Test_1

George

 

[Marduke]

To be useful for selections, you need a filter programmed in.