Book lights?

[sb_pete]

Are there any really nice book lights?

I don't think I'll ever understand why the current flashlight companies don't put out a decent booklight. It seems a total no-brainer to me. Especially since many of them focus on tactical lights and thus sell to soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen who are a large market, many of whom have lots of down time they like to fill reading books (or charts, maps, and checklists) in less than optimal lighting situations. :shrug:

That said, I have been through many, many, MANY book lights over the last few years and I have a few conclusions about the various styles:

1. Coin cells suck. Period. Maybe you want a book light to read in bed and this isn't a problem for you, but I often use them while traveling. The run time and availability of batteries for any book light that runs on them precludes me from even considering the derned things anymore.

2. flexy light head things suck. Period. They work well enough to read by, but they just don't pack away in any convenient manner for me. YMMV of course, but I can't stand the things anymore.

3. Headlamps ARE NOT booklights. You can use them as such, but you can also read a book with a light held in your mouth. In my not so humble opinion, it is about as good a solution. If you are doing paperwork in a tent, they work fine. If you want to illuminate a book to read while on a plane, train, automobile, dark restaurant, hostel, bus stop, etc, etc, two things happen: A: you look like an idiot. B: you shine the derned light in everyones face every time you look up.

Here are some thoughts on a few suggestions so far:

A Zebralight H501...

IIRC, zebralight actually has a clip on book light accessory. This might work well as these are very nice lights. If they don't have such an accessory they should.

sam's club has a 2 led book lights for $20 for a 2pk. uses 1aaa each.

If these are the same as the ones at my local costco for the same price, they are flex neck style and plug into USB ports. They are nifty, but the flex neck just doesn't conveniently pack away and they seem very fragile. I returned them. That said, they are cheap and multi-mode.

The flex neck thing is the same problem with these http://www.mightybright.com/Book_Lights/79/ProductDetail.html, but at least they use AAA

Good point but I'm looking for one that clips on a book cover. Like this.

http://www.global-b2b-network.com/direct/dbimage/50263199/Insert_Style_Book_Light.jpg

I used to have a black one exactly like that but it broke.

I used to have one of these. It works well, clips nicely, and stores away conveniently. It is also cheap and fragile and broke easily just like yours :shrug:

This one http://salestores.com/ge17200ledbo.html, this one http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I6REVO/?tag=cpf0b6-20, and many others have the coin cell problem.

Has anyone here tried one of these?

This is the Lightwedge. They work very well. They illuminate the page very brightly, but not the background. Only problem is that the polycarbonate scratches very easily. I mean paper fibers and dust in the book scratch the thing. Not quickly, but over a month or two, it degrades to where it is somewhat unpleasant to use. They also do not work very well in conjunction with book holders. These are probably the best option out there for reading in bed and not disturbing someone you share the bed with though.

These stylus deals from LL Bean actually look pretty promising in form factor, but I imagine they are coin cell

 

[sb_pete]

I have had the best luck with two lights so far, but they are far from perfect:

1. First is the Phorm Light Voyager, it is also available in black. I have never been able to find a website for the company that makes these (Phorm I guess, but I've had no luck). Amazon seems to not have any as of today (5/7/09), but they come in and out of stock. Occasionally the black ones seem to go on sale for half price, but never the silver ones. These are great lights because:
- They use AA batteries
- They last forever
- The cold cathode tube provides very white light that is nice to read by. I prefer warmer incan flashlights, but I like these for reading.
- They are VERY bright. This has the advantage of meaning you don't have to reposition the light. It is bright enough to light up both pages you are open to without contorting the light head.
- They fold into a convenient, easily packable square. They also fold onto the back of a book and become a simple hump on the book when not in use. As a result, I often just leave it there when not in use. This also means they work very well in conjunction with book stands. They are great for restaurant reading.
- The clip is VERY sturdy little metal clip. It is actually sturdy enough that it will leave an imprint on pages if you aren't careful. They wont fall off though.

The disadvantages:
-They are VERY bright and do not dim. If you use this in bed in a dark room, you might as well have turned on a flashlight. I don't know the lumens, but these will disturb light sleepers.
- They don't dim - this sucks and will kill your night vision if you are trying to read while camping or such.
- The bulb is not replacable. It is a cold cathode bulb. The housing is VERY tough, and the clip is solid, but if you drop these onto pavement, the bulb is liable to blow and cannot be replaced. This is rather a waste I think as the housing itself is very durable
- They are kinda big.

2. Second is the Mighty Bright telescoping.
- These use 3 AAA batteries and have three very warm tinted leds.
- They are not nearly as bright as the Light Voyager, but are plenty bright for most uses.
- They are quite tough and will survive falls onto concrete easily when compacted.
- They fold into a convenient package to throw in a bag. Not as convenient as the Light Voyager which you can just leave on the book and forget about, but they dont snag on things and such. The clip is plastic though and does protrude above the book even when compacted.
- They are not bright enough that you don't have to turn the light head though. This may be a good thing for your uses, and it is very easy to do so as the head swivels on the end of the boom.
- The whole thing is plasticy and not as solid as the Light Voyager, but I have had one for a few years and it shows, but it won't break. In the same time period I have gone through 4 Light voyagers because I blew the bulb.

If any flashlight makers are out there listening, let me throw this out there: Take the form factor of the Light Voyager, then do the following:
- Change to leds.
- The switch can be plastic, but make sure it engages positively and is not easy to have turned on when thrown in a pack with other gear.
- Add a slider style dimmer (or at least a dimmer)
- either add a red led, or include a provision to insert colored filters for guys who need or prefer to use such things. Sometimes red light is all that is allowed.
- Make two: one in the 4AA size, another in 3AAA or 2AA

This would be the perfect book light. These are useful not just for reading books but also for charts and maps, as well as mounting on clipboards for use at clubs, bars, and parties by bouncers, door people, valets, etc. I get lots of comments on my light voyagers, but it would be so easy to make it better and sell lots of them to all of us traveling readers. Please!


Anyways, to the OP, hope all that helped,
-Pete

 

[f22shift]

this is what i saw.
http://www.biggerandbrighter.com/book-lights-magnifiers/items/GP-08.html?__utma=1.3455556405717028000.1241797190.1241797190.1241797190.1&__utmb=1.1.10.1241797190&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1241797190.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=great%20point%20light%20spike%20light&__utmv=-&__utmk=73332499


i'm also picky about the color. i find an incan color the best. q35a looks flourescent by comparison. :green:

 

[Illum]

i'm also picky about the color. i find an incan color the best. q35a looks flourescent by comparison. :green:

For reading its best for warm tinted LEDs...ever wonder why you seem to fall asleep trying to read in your cubicle with those cold, harsh florescent overhead? yeah, same issue.

 

[sb_pete]

this is what i saw.
http://www.biggerandbrighter.com/book-lights-magnifiers/items/GP-08.html?__utma=1.3455556405717028000.1241797190.1241797190.1241797190.1&__utmb=1.1.10.1241797190&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1241797190.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=great%20point%20light%20spike%20light&__utmv=-&__utmk=73332499

Ahh, ok those are different but similar to the Costco ones.

For reading its best for warm tinted LEDs...ever wonder why you seem to fall asleep trying to read in your cubicle with those cold, harsh florescent overhead? yeah, same issue.

Really? I always figured it was the annoying 60hz pulsing strobe effect. You can go too warm too. When it is yellowish, it is pretty annoying to read by for me as well. Also, there is a big difference between what works well for reading printouts on reflective white office paper and what works well for reading parchement colored book pages.

My favorite are the GE reveal series of incan bulbs closely followed by 56k "sunlight" florescent tubes. A crappy old incan bulb like the Mag Solitaire style is just as annoying as a crappy bluish 8k led to me. Really anywhere in between 4-6k is where you want to be IMHO.

Color rendition isn't terribly important here though as it is just black and page color mostly. For this reason I find the cold cathode lights to work very well. YMMV, but I like them better than the leds in booklights I have found. Now if somebody put an adjustable output Rebel 100 or warm tinted Cree XRE, this would be a whole different story, but I haven't seen that yet... Hint hint guys...:poke:

 

[Illum]

Really? I always figured it was the annoying 60hz pulsing strobe effect.

ahh, it doesn't bother me until it hits near 30Hz where the lamp is close to the end of its life that I begin to notice the effect...otherwise I'm fine with it:grin2:

 

[Monocrom]

Here's what my buddy WadeF uses. I believe it's a Dereelight....

 

[nick-nack]

I'm a big fan of reading in bed, but hate having lamps on. I just want the light on the book.
The one I'm currently using is the Mighty Bright with the 3AAA and flexible neck. The thing I've found is the neck begins to loosen up and can't retain the angle. Plus the fact the LED's are a little too white for me, and are a pain when reflecting off the pages.
But I've made do over the past two years I've had it.
I would really like it if a good manufacturer would put one out.
Maybe zebralight could make a book clip?

 

[Flying Turtle]

Here's my current "reading in bed" book lights. I'm able to position them easy enough to put the light on the page. The Ace gooseneck is more versatile being so adjustable, and it has a strong magnet in the base. The Photon ReX has a warmer tint plus a wider field of light, and the intensity is fully variable. Not really "book lights" as such, but both do the job nicely.

Geoff

 

[Illum]

Here's what my buddy WadeF uses. I believe it's a Dereelight....

Dereelight DBS...you should have loaded up the "pre dimmed version"

 

[Monocrom]

Dereelight DBS...you should have loaded up the "pre dimmed version"

LOL.

But then you can't see his manly goatee. :p

 

[JamesWillett]

The booklight that I felt has helped me the most when reading is "Bright Light" crystalcase.com offers them they snap on to your book and hover over the text when you are reading pretty cool once you actually order it and see it in action.

 

[wuliwawa]

my roomate bought a seresroad book light and it works good.
She is reading her paper stuff every night when I am asleep

 

[bykfixer]

One called luminolite is a rechargeable, 2 level deal similar to the mighty brite/energizer type.

28 lumen high. 10 hour runtime.
About $20 at Amazon or other sites.

I'll be using my Streamlight 'reach' when it arrives. Using Eneloops to feed it.