Anyone Everyday carry a red LED light.
- Thread starter Blue72
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Marduke
Flashaholic
I've been known to wear the following setup on a chain around my neck when I'm at home at night. The ingredients to make it include:
One of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1253
I prefer the black over clear cases for the body for red LED's because the clear case can direct light back into your eyes, defeating the purpose of using red.
One of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9075
Two of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6999
Instructions:
-Remove the original CR2016 battery and the white LED. Set aside for other projects.
-Bend the leads on the red LED's to match the shape of the white one that you removed. Make sure you check which leg is positive and negative to match the same orientation as the old one. No big deal if you accidently reverse it, you'll just need to install the battery backwards later. Trim to match the length also.
-Install the CR2032 , screw it back together, and test.
Total cost for TEN lights: $10.36 shipped
Repeat if needed, and you get 10 complete dim red lights that are perfect for preserving night vision. You can clip them onto the back of a brighter white light, or wear them around you neck.
One of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1253
I prefer the black over clear cases for the body for red LED's because the clear case can direct light back into your eyes, defeating the purpose of using red.
One of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9075
Two of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6999
Instructions:
-Remove the original CR2016 battery and the white LED. Set aside for other projects.
-Bend the leads on the red LED's to match the shape of the white one that you removed. Make sure you check which leg is positive and negative to match the same orientation as the old one. No big deal if you accidently reverse it, you'll just need to install the battery backwards later. Trim to match the length also.
-Install the CR2032 , screw it back together, and test.
Total cost for TEN lights: $10.36 shipped
Repeat if needed, and you get 10 complete dim red lights that are perfect for preserving night vision. You can clip them onto the back of a brighter white light, or wear them around you neck.
I have a red Photon II on my keys. It does come in handy sometimes. I've tried a few red fauxtons of various sorts and their red leds are nowhere near as good (LRI uses an HP led). The white fauxtons are great but the red ones are weak.
You can get a Peak Matterhorn with a red led through the pulldown menu, pretty similar to an Arc if you can't find an actual Arc.
You can get a Peak Matterhorn with a red led through the pulldown menu, pretty similar to an Arc if you can't find an actual Arc.
Flying Turtle
Flashaholic
Having a red is one reason I carry a Proton most of the time. Very versatile light, and the new Proton is even better.
Geoff
Geoff
Marduke
Flashaholic
Inova Microlight also comes in red. Nifty to have it in variable brightness.
Fallingwater
Flashlight Enthusiast
Why would anyone who isn't a photographer need a red light? Isn't white better for pretty much any purpose?
jzmtl
Flashlight Enthusiast
I tried the red light thing but it doesn't seem to be much difference between it and dim white light. But where I live it's pretty bright at evening time so I duno if my eyes are completely night adapted yet.
Blue72
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2007
- Messages
- 1,138
Because it does not hurt night adapted eyes and it also helps my eyes get night adapted quicker when going from a bright environment to a dark environment.
PhantomPhoton
Flashlight Enthusiast
I often carry a Photon Proton so yes. How often to I use the red? Not much at the moment, but it is quite useful during astronomy.
I find that a dim amber/yellow led is much better. It preserves night vision almost as good as red and yet gives much better resolution/definition than red. In other words I can just plain see better with yellow than with red. The last time (the only time) I changed the battery in my yellow photon I found that it was a bit too bright so I turned it on and left it on overnight for 7-8 hours. This brought it down to a perfect level. If I need it to be dimmer still I just turn it around so that the bulb is facing into my palm, press the button with my thumb and use the reflected light for whatever. Of course I EDC white LEDs as well (LOD Q4 and white photon II with 2032 batt). Give yellow a try, you'll like it 
There is always the "seduction" that red light preserves human night (scotopic) vision.
But we rarely if ever use true scotopic night vision - due to the sheer amount of light pollution/scatter - even moonlight is enough to not be using scotopic night vision.
Basically what I try to do -
is to preserve whatever semi-dark adaption I've acquired -
ie: being able to see well in the dark - whatever that dark environment is.
Red for many people is not a great wavelength/color to see well -
as red light focusses behind the retina,
and as we get older it becomes increasingly more difficult to focus well under red light.
That does not mean we can't see - but we just can't see well under red.
Whereas using a dim Yellow (or perhaps Orange) actually enhances vision as we focus yellow very well - and minimizes disturbance of whatever semi-dark adaption already acquired.
I've EDC'd a Yellow Photon for over 10 years just for this purpose.
However with colored LEDs - the scene is monochromatic - one does not see or differentiate colors (other than the LED color itself)
- so there is very good argument for using a very dim White LED -
Please see -
joys of a DIM flashlight
very easy to make one - use any white LED "photon" type light - either replace the 2x CR2016 with a single CR2032 -
or remove one of the CR2016 and replace with a conducting dummy battery - aluminum foil and using some spacers - cardboard or plastic.....
and
Rigel SkyLite Mini Red/White - continuously variable brightness
The Rigels are purpose-built for astronomers who need to preserve true scoptopic night vision - but the SkyLite has continuously variable levels of white light as well.
But we rarely if ever use true scotopic night vision - due to the sheer amount of light pollution/scatter - even moonlight is enough to not be using scotopic night vision.
Basically what I try to do -
is to preserve whatever semi-dark adaption I've acquired -
ie: being able to see well in the dark - whatever that dark environment is.
Red for many people is not a great wavelength/color to see well -
as red light focusses behind the retina,
and as we get older it becomes increasingly more difficult to focus well under red light.
That does not mean we can't see - but we just can't see well under red.
Whereas using a dim Yellow (or perhaps Orange) actually enhances vision as we focus yellow very well - and minimizes disturbance of whatever semi-dark adaption already acquired.
I've EDC'd a Yellow Photon for over 10 years just for this purpose.
However with colored LEDs - the scene is monochromatic - one does not see or differentiate colors (other than the LED color itself)
- so there is very good argument for using a very dim White LED -
Please see -
joys of a DIM flashlight
very easy to make one - use any white LED "photon" type light - either replace the 2x CR2016 with a single CR2032 -
or remove one of the CR2016 and replace with a conducting dummy battery - aluminum foil and using some spacers - cardboard or plastic.....
and
Rigel SkyLite Mini Red/White - continuously variable brightness
The Rigels are purpose-built for astronomers who need to preserve true scoptopic night vision - but the SkyLite has continuously variable levels of white light as well.
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I carry a Fenix P2D with a red filter on it all the time (since Monday) and prior to that I carried a SF L2 again with red filter. I can always remove the red filter.
As many have pointed out to me previously, putting a red filter on an LED is very inefficient, letting only a small % of light through. I consider that an added bonus, since when I want red light I specifically don't want it as bright as the surface of the sun.
Also, there is the SF A2 option, which you can get with Red LEDs and normal incandescent for white.
As many have pointed out to me previously, putting a red filter on an LED is very inefficient, letting only a small % of light through. I consider that an added bonus, since when I want red light I specifically don't want it as bright as the surface of the sun.
Also, there is the SF A2 option, which you can get with Red LEDs and normal incandescent for white.
I EDC a Photon II with a red LED and a ARC AAA DS on my keyring.
I sleep with a ARC AAA with a red LED on a neck lanyard.
I have a few lights with red LEDs.
Photon II
ARC AAA
Infinity Ultra
Inova X5
Surefire L1
Surefire KL1/E1E
You can see which lights I actually use out of those that I have.
The Infinitys that I have have pretty smooth beams.
The Surefire L1 and KL1 have Luxeon I LEDs and they are so bright that I don't think they would preserve your night vision. The L1 on low should work OK to preserve your night vision.
The red light dosen't replace white light for me, but rather they add another dimension that I find very useful.
I have a lot of other colors of LEDs, but I only use white and red.
I sleep with a ARC AAA with a red LED on a neck lanyard.
I have a few lights with red LEDs.
Photon II
ARC AAA
Infinity Ultra
Inova X5
Surefire L1
Surefire KL1/E1E
You can see which lights I actually use out of those that I have.
The Infinitys that I have have pretty smooth beams.
The Surefire L1 and KL1 have Luxeon I LEDs and they are so bright that I don't think they would preserve your night vision. The L1 on low should work OK to preserve your night vision.
The red light dosen't replace white light for me, but rather they add another dimension that I find very useful.
I have a lot of other colors of LEDs, but I only use white and red.
2xTrinity
Flashlight Enthusiast
There are several reasons I don't like red light:
1) very few red cones in peripheral vision -- leads to "tunnel vision" effect compared to other colors unless overall intensity is very high.
2) Red does not focus sharply on the retina -- difficult to read with, especially at low levels.
3) For area lighting, Red is completely absorbed by many sorts of objects. For monochromatic light, amber is a better choice as it is reflected at least partially by most things.
Genreally, if I want to preserve dark adaptation, I use my white Liteflux LF2 in its lowest setting (1/4 lumen) -- I actually have used it camping, with dark-adapted vision -- when the light is dispersed over a large area (1/4 lumen over an area of many square meters -- small fractions of a lux), it's like a low moonlight -- meaning it can actually utilize dark adapted vision, rather than wiping it out. To get the same effective visibilty with red light, I'd need 50 lumens at least -- which would be much more likely to disturb others.
1) very few red cones in peripheral vision -- leads to "tunnel vision" effect compared to other colors unless overall intensity is very high.
2) Red does not focus sharply on the retina -- difficult to read with, especially at low levels.
3) For area lighting, Red is completely absorbed by many sorts of objects. For monochromatic light, amber is a better choice as it is reflected at least partially by most things.
Genreally, if I want to preserve dark adaptation, I use my white Liteflux LF2 in its lowest setting (1/4 lumen) -- I actually have used it camping, with dark-adapted vision -- when the light is dispersed over a large area (1/4 lumen over an area of many square meters -- small fractions of a lux), it's like a low moonlight -- meaning it can actually utilize dark adapted vision, rather than wiping it out. To get the same effective visibilty with red light, I'd need 50 lumens at least -- which would be much more likely to disturb others.
My main use of a red light is to walk around in a dark room so I don't care about seeing fine detail as long as I don't bump into things. The red light is just easier on the eyes than white light. I don't have much opinion of whether night vision is really affected less. i also have a CMG Infinity with a red led which I sometimes use to light the bathroom when i take a shower. it's nice and relaxing that way.
Probedude
Enlightened
Ditto here. I've had a red photon light on my keychain for years. My eyes don't focus as well with the white keychain LED's plus it ruins my night vision when looking at star charts.
afraidofdark
Enlightened
An Orb RAW with a red-orange LuxIII is on my keychain right now.
The low is good for preserving night vision, while the high mode (190 emitter lumens) is good for ... making toast?
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showpost.php?p=1531979&postcount=25
The low is good for preserving night vision, while the high mode (190 emitter lumens) is good for ... making toast?
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showpost.php?p=1531979&postcount=25
I don't EDC a Red Light but I do use a Red Light when doing night patrols or deliveries ( SAR & sailing )
I usually have a UK 2AAA Red Led ( get the standard Incan version and buy the Red Led replacement lamp - DON'T start with the Led version it does not swap to Red Led ) - - I keep it on a neck lanyard.
I also have an older Maglight (2AA) that I got a red drop in module for ( goes in the Incan version of the Mag )
Also have a S&W 6 Led something that has 3 white and 3 red Led - sort of dim white but works nice - it has separate buttons for Red & White. On a lanyard that ties to my PFD or sometimes loaned to crew that show up without a red light when they need to read a chart.
mb
I usually have a UK 2AAA Red Led ( get the standard Incan version and buy the Red Led replacement lamp - DON'T start with the Led version it does not swap to Red Led ) - - I keep it on a neck lanyard.
I also have an older Maglight (2AA) that I got a red drop in module for ( goes in the Incan version of the Mag )
Also have a S&W 6 Led something that has 3 white and 3 red Led - sort of dim white but works nice - it has separate buttons for Red & White. On a lanyard that ties to my PFD or sometimes loaned to crew that show up without a red light when they need to read a chart.
mb
