Best Book Light?

[loveit]

I like to read in bed and have tried a few different lights. I'd like a specialized one to clip on my book without lighting up the entire room. What would be a good cheap light for that? So many are on the market. I figured someone out here would have a good suggestion.

 

[sol-leks]

don't know a thing about booklights but I'm guessing they are all pretty low quality.
Maybe a gorillapod joby? Or a headlamp?

 

[mcnair55]

I was given one as a xmas gift when I lived in Berlin.It is a proper book light very slim and runs on those tiny coin type batteries,you just clip it to the page and the head alters its angle to how you decide,it also will table stand by using the clip itself,the giver of the gift would have just picked it up in a gadget type shop for probably no more than a couple or three euros.I still have it and in fact used it the other night plus it still has the batteries that it had when given to me about 3 years ago.

I myself would buy a Pak Lite and in fact am doing so.

 

[JackJ]

I'm far better served by a headlamp than any of the many clip on book lights I've tried.

That said, many headlamps are too bright and/or have too much of a spot at book distance.

My favorite is the tiny Petzl e+Lite. Biggest downside is the 2032 coin cells, but they last a long, long time at the low power setting.

I also like the Zebralight H501, a single AA model, using a single NiMH LSD cell. Unfortunately, I find the low setting ever so slightly too low for reading, and medium is brighter than ideal. A different Zebralight model might be better, but this is the only one I've tried.

My wife uses and likes a PrincetonTec Quad, and seems to like it. But she's not as picky as I am. It's been a while since I've tried hers, and can't remember how it compares. But with four well spaced LEDs, it's bound to be floodier up close than many other headlamps.

Jack

 

[Yucca Patrol]

A Zebralight headlamp is by far the best nighttime reading light I have ever used. At the lowest setting, you can read comfortably without bothering anyone else in the room. So small and comfortable, you won't even know it is there.

I prefer the H501W version, but any of them will be excellent for this purpose.

 

[JohnF]

My wife is a prolific reader, and spends a few hours per day on a dark bus to and from work at a remote Nevada desert location which shall go unnamed... I've tried every book light in existance for her, and none of them met with her approval. Most broke or got lost almost immediately. I made the mistake of letting her try my ZebraLight H30, now I don't expect I'll ever see it again. She doesn't use the head band attachment, just holds it 6 inches or so from the book in one hand. Don't waste your time and money with the clip-on gadgets at the book stores. The H30 (or other ZebraLights) make the perfect reading light.

John F

 

[LED_Thrift]

Zebralight.
It's not like any other headlamp you've ever used. It is so small and lightweight, you really can forget that you're wearing it. Perfect flood beam for up close work or reading. Since the light is emitted at a 90 degree angle you could also clip it to a breast pocket or the collar of your shirt to read with.

 

[photonstorm]

I use the Fenix LD20 with the diffuser tip clipped to my collar.
Nice white even light with a choice of levels.
I suppose you can also put a long lanyard on it and wear it around your neck as well.

 

[Theatre Booth Guy]

Zebralight.
It's not like any other headlamp you've ever used. It is so small and lightweight, you really can forget that you're wearing it. Perfect flood beam for up close work or reading. Since the light is emitted at a 90 degree angle you could also clip it to a breast pocket or the collar of your shirt to read with.

The Zebralight with the lowish low and WIDE perfect flood beam works very well at lighting up the pages of a book. I tend to hold mine instead of strapping it to my head. It could also be fastened to a headboard and with the angled head, point down at your book.

My second favorite (that I picked up when my Zebralight went to it's home for warranty service) is a Peak LED Eiger with the flood beam. The lowest low works great for night reading and although the light is a simple twisty with only 1 pre-chosen level, they are very high quality and should last literally for generations.

 

[loveit]

It's clear to me that the Zebralight is the way to go. Thanks for the responses. I had hoped that with all the book lights available, something good would be out there. Thanks so much for the responses!

 

[Chauncey Gardner]

I am a bookworm also and have tried the clip on's and have found all of them wanting. The Zebra lights are great,but I prefer red light in a dark room at night for reading. Much easier on the eyes and the battery life in a P2D (or running on AA's) or Infinitum is never an issue. Even the rechargeable book lights are more hassle than they are worth.

I use a headstrap, or just position the light on the pillow pointed at the book. I find the red filter much less fatiguing than the white diffusers over long reading sessions. Try both.

 

[Scott_T]

I use the Mighty Bright XtraFlex Duet Super LED Music Stand Light with my sony reader, takes 3 AAAs

 

[strinq]

This comes to mind:

Except that it only is 'comfortable' with larger books and not so with smaller ones.

 

[Mr Floppy]

LiteFlux LF2XT is pretty good. Its about the only one that has a low enough low without disturbing others. I've been trying various optical fibre tubes to bend the light around with various success. It hasnt been cheap though.

 

[flatline]

I don't think you'll find anything better for reading than one of the Zebralights.

However, if you'd like a more general purpose light that is also good for reading, any multimode light with a low low and either a diffuse hotspot (like the LF5XT or LF2XT) or some sort of diffuser will work nicely.

In my experience, the LF2XT is perfect. The LF5XT is perfect except that it's lowest level is still too bright for night adjusted eyes. My Quark AA is a pain to read by unless I'm diffusing the beam somehow (I usually just ceiling bounce it, but that's no good if someone else is trying to sleep in the same room).

The photon freedom micro with covert nose is perfect for reading, but I'd be lying to you if I said it was a general purpose light.

--flatline

 

[NutSAK]

I'll put my vote in for Zebralight too. I use an H50 on low, and it's the perfect reading-in-bed light for me.

 

[Flying Turtle]

I've tried many of my current lights. Haven't really found a clip-on that I like much, but some others work pretty well. I just park them on the headboard or on top of my pillow for reading in bed. Like already mentioned, the LF2XT does a great job. I also like the Photon Rex because of its ramping and wide angle beam. Also, the new Quark Mini 123 does well.

Geoff

 

[JNewell]

I tend to agree with the headlamp recommendation, but I sometimes use the LightWedge and thought I'd mention it so you can see a different theory on the task.

 

[burntoshine]

when it comes to booklights, what you want is FLOOD, all the way. no artifacts either.

zebralight headlights are great for this.

what works really well is to take a Fenix or similar AAA light and remove the reflector; very floody! try it!

 

[tolkaze]

This comes to mind:

Except that it only is 'comfortable' with larger books and not so with smaller ones.

I got a trimflex and a trimflex knock off for Christmas... the knock off is unuseable ugly blue light, the energiser is better, but still easier for me to just read in a different room with better lighting.