bezel control preferable to push.
- Thread starter Badbeams3
- Start date
SilverFox
Flashaholic
Hello Ken,
I EDC an ARC LSH-P (with 2 AA battery pack). I use momentary on most of the time. I guess that makes my vote go for the push button with momentary on.
I don't mind twisting a bezel. I just find a button more convenient.
Tom
I EDC an ARC LSH-P (with 2 AA battery pack). I use momentary on most of the time. I guess that makes my vote go for the push button with momentary on.
I don't mind twisting a bezel. I just find a button more convenient.
Tom
Ken,
are you talking about the new u2 versus the a2 etc, or are you just talking generally i.e. surefire e1 push button versus Maglite Solitaire bezel twist activation and focus?
In both circumstances I prefer push button, like Tom I use momentary by far the most, and I generally prefer the clickie / push button to the bezel control e.g. for one handed use, ease of manipulation in the dark etc.
Mind you, depending on my setup all of my surefire push buttons require me to twist the tailcap to get the light off lockout before I use the push button.... hmmmmmm....
Cam
are you talking about the new u2 versus the a2 etc, or are you just talking generally i.e. surefire e1 push button versus Maglite Solitaire bezel twist activation and focus?
In both circumstances I prefer push button, like Tom I use momentary by far the most, and I generally prefer the clickie / push button to the bezel control e.g. for one handed use, ease of manipulation in the dark etc.
Mind you, depending on my setup all of my surefire push buttons require me to twist the tailcap to get the light off lockout before I use the push button.... hmmmmmm....
Cam
mporter
Newly Enlightened
The most intuitive interface for a variable intensity light would be:
Click button for on/off and twist bezel for setting intensity. From the pictures it looks like the U2 works this way.
But if you have to sacrifice any reliability or compactness of size, the Arc4 solution of one-button-does-all would be the better solution...for an EDC flashlight.
Click button for on/off and twist bezel for setting intensity. From the pictures it looks like the U2 works this way.
But if you have to sacrifice any reliability or compactness of size, the Arc4 solution of one-button-does-all would be the better solution...for an EDC flashlight.
tsg68
Flashlight Enthusiast
I don't really like the idea of a rotating ring or bezel for the same reason I don't like rotating bezel focusing, they seem to have a propensity to change position accidentally too much. Also I don't want to have to constantly readjust the position everytime I hand the light to a friend or co-worker who twists the ring because they absent mindedly or ignorantly think that is the switch to turn the light off/on.
The push button requires a learned sequence to access the menu and only has three normal mode settings that are pretty difficult to screw up.
Tad /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The push button requires a learned sequence to access the menu and only has three normal mode settings that are pretty difficult to screw up.
Tad /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Rothrandir
Flashaholic
it seems like a good idea, but i'd need to know more about how it affects waterproofness, durability, etc before i decide if i would prefer that, or the single-button interface of the arc4.
it seems to me that the extra size would make it a bad choice for the arc4, but possibly work very well in the u2 (if the issues above are adressed...)
it seems to me that the extra size would make it a bad choice for the arc4, but possibly work very well in the u2 (if the issues above are adressed...)
For rapid and immediate access to 6 levels of light output, I think the U2 with clickie tail switch and collar for light level makes good sense and I too use momentary most often and like that feature in the tail; as the U2 maintains.
I have come to really appreciate the tail momentary allowing you to shift from low to high from the tail, ala the L1/A2 switch and even though I hammered for clickies for the last year and a half, I'll forgo the clickie for the two stage selection from the tail. I have made a couple succesful three stage "tail shifters" but it's very crowded in function and I think the two stage is the practical limit. For more levels, I think an amidships level selector like the U2 or the VIP is a better solution and you get the function of momentary and clickie for constant on back.
If you look at the U2, you can see that the collar is not encroaching on the volume of the light's "presence" to any real extent.
The Arc4 can give you up to four levels of output but these are not intuitively accessable to a casual user.
All of this is of course JMHO.
I have come to really appreciate the tail momentary allowing you to shift from low to high from the tail, ala the L1/A2 switch and even though I hammered for clickies for the last year and a half, I'll forgo the clickie for the two stage selection from the tail. I have made a couple succesful three stage "tail shifters" but it's very crowded in function and I think the two stage is the practical limit. For more levels, I think an amidships level selector like the U2 or the VIP is a better solution and you get the function of momentary and clickie for constant on back.
If you look at the U2, you can see that the collar is not encroaching on the volume of the light's "presence" to any real extent.
The Arc4 can give you up to four levels of output but these are not intuitively accessable to a casual user.
All of this is of course JMHO.
chiaroscuro
Enlightened
Why not some kind of continuous dimmer function controlled from a single button? Seems like that could be incorporated into an Arc4-style interface without needing to resort to the mechanical switch/collar thingee that the U2 has. It would also one-up a mere 6 levels.
Bezel control to me =2 hands on light to control the light. I like that w/ one hand,I can control everything there is to control on an Arc4. After 2 weeks of use,It's all pretty intuitive to me.
Bezel control to me =2 hands on light to control the light. I like that w/ one hand,I can control everything there is to control on an Arc4. After 2 weeks of use,It's all pretty intuitive to me.
From what I've heard, the U2 dimmer is a magnetic collar with Hall effect sensors inside the light. It should be completely waterproof and impervious to contacts wearing out.
The one brightness change operation in the Arc4 that's reasonably intuitive is holding down the button to get max brightness. Unfortunately, that's momentary max brightness--it dims again as soon as you release the button. IMO it should stay at max brightness til you double click or shut off the light.
The one brightness change operation in the Arc4 that's reasonably intuitive is holding down the button to get max brightness. Unfortunately, that's momentary max brightness--it dims again as soon as you release the button. IMO it should stay at max brightness til you double click or shut off the light.
AilSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'd prefer a tailswitch contiuous dimming control that latched like a clickie at any level when I want it to.
AilSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
second to that a regular clickie and a twistie tailcap or like the u2, an extra collar.
Jarhead
Banned
Humm, I dunno, but we are developing a nation of "mad-clickers", I bet it would sure help the computer addicts, allowing them to click on something other than their mouse.
But, I guess it could lead to Repetitive Stress Injury of the thumb, so, maybe bad idea.
Personally, I find a single flashlight with a variable beam, spot to wide flood, to be the most important feature in a flashlight for me. There is nothing like a pencil beam when you need to throw distance, and then a nice even full flood (without a hotspot) for walking trails at night.
But, I guess it could lead to Repetitive Stress Injury of the thumb, so, maybe bad idea.
Personally, I find a single flashlight with a variable beam, spot to wide flood, to be the most important feature in a flashlight for me. There is nothing like a pencil beam when you need to throw distance, and then a nice even full flood (without a hotspot) for walking trails at night.
tsg68
Flashlight Enthusiast
[ QUOTE ]
paulr said:
From what I've heard, the U2 dimmer is a magnetic collar with Hall effect sensors inside the light. It should be completely waterproof and impervious to contacts wearing out.
The one brightness change operation in the Arc4 that's reasonably intuitive is holding down the button to get max brightness. Unfortunately, that's momentary max brightness--it dims again as soon as you release the button. IMO it should stay at max brightness til you double click or shut off the light.
[/ QUOTE ]
You can make max brightness a constant simply by making it one of your two programmable settings and making the button overide redundant.
The Arc4 features momentary on too, simply by applying constant pressure from the off position for the duration of the momentary illumination you need.
Tad /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
paulr said:
From what I've heard, the U2 dimmer is a magnetic collar with Hall effect sensors inside the light. It should be completely waterproof and impervious to contacts wearing out.
The one brightness change operation in the Arc4 that's reasonably intuitive is holding down the button to get max brightness. Unfortunately, that's momentary max brightness--it dims again as soon as you release the button. IMO it should stay at max brightness til you double click or shut off the light.
[/ QUOTE ]
You can make max brightness a constant simply by making it one of your two programmable settings and making the button overide redundant.
The Arc4 features momentary on too, simply by applying constant pressure from the off position for the duration of the momentary illumination you need.
Tad /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I haven't yet seen a variable-focus flashlight (read Gaglite) that didn't have an awful beam. Other than that it's a great idea. I find the Arc4's beam way too narrow for close-up stuff. However the only way to get better wide-angle coverage seems to be to use multiple emitters, e.g. small leds for close-up and a big led or xenon lamp for distance (SF A2).
