Can someone explain to me the use of a light that makes <10 lumens?

[Marduke]

Marduke:



I'm almost afraid to ask . . . 😱oo:

A TRUE flashaholic is NEVER without at least one light

 

[1dash1]

Which is useful how, unless you live in a cave, where you could use a tiny amount of light for a long stretch of time?

I don't live in a cave. I find 1/2 lumen adequate for my night walks when the ambient conditions are sufficiently dark. And it is ample for stumbling around the house late at night.

(How bright is 1/2 lumen? For my 120P, the full moon nearly obliterates the beam - the hotspot is barely discernible. :candle🙂

I have a Gossamer on order from Milkyspit. 600+ lumens of firepower, when needed. But I expect I'll be running it mostly in the miser mode - you guessed it, 0.5 lumens! :devil:

 

[notamchris]

I will add one to this - I am a pilot and I use the low low of my Ra Twisty (0.3 Lumens) to read checklists, paperwork, or other unlit items in the airplane. There are lights in the airplane of course but sometimes they are just way too bright and distracting when you are over dark terrain on a dark night. The less the better to preserve night vision.

In fact I got an F04 beamshaper to smooth out the hotspot because even at 0.3 Lumens it is sometimes too much!

 

[Brad]

I live in a place that has these amazing things called light switches that operate electric lights. Late night runs to the bathroom, fear of waking the wife by turning on a light, reading under the covers, and checking on children at 4am are excuses to use a flashlight, not reasons. For me, flashlights are tools to be used to illuminate things beyond the scope of normal lighting. I refuse to slink around my own house at night with a flashlight like a burglar, it is creepy and weird.

I just read your post to my wife to see her reaction. Her exact words were "told ya". :laughing:

I'm not even going to pretend that I don't purposely look for occasions to use my lights. (it helps justify the need for more lights to the wife too, but after 17 years I think she's on to me) I keep 10 or 12 lights on my nightstand (the rest are in the kitchen, garage, truck, loft, and basement) I use a different light every night to go down to the kitchen and get a snack or go to the bathroom. Do I really need to do this? Of course not. But it's my hobby. (and kinda insane, I'll admit) But I get enjoyment from it.

What fun would it be to just turn on the bedside lamp? We've got very reliable power where I live. It's only gone out about 5 times in nine years. Usually for less then a minute each time. Once it went out just long enough for me to get most of my lights together and instruct the wife and kids which lights we'd use first and what the runtimes were. Bang. The lights go on and stay on. I'll never hear the end of that one. :shakehead

I do actually use my lights for normal purposes in the summer out in the yard setting up the fire pit and going to the shed. Way more fun than just flipping the switch to the deck light on my way out the door. Every time I get to use a flashlight is fun for me. I don't have any phobia of darkness or anything, I just like flashlights a lot. That's why I read this forum.

And when my grandson gets a little older I'm sure he'll enjoy reading comic books under the covers long after bed time just like I did when I was a kid.

He's only one years old now and he keeps shinning the light in everyones eyes so I have to let him play with low output lights only and keep a close eye on him. At night I do a light show on the ceiling and he thinks it's great (red, green and blue Inova lights).

Big snow storm due here tonight. Sure hope the power some how goes out.


Brad

 

[jaundice]

I gotta say, I had no idea so many people had bathroom issues. This thread has been very illuminating...no, maybe...enlightening...no, um...hmm...:thinking:

Ya know, it's a lot easier to keep from watering the floor if you sit down on the damn toilet. You don't need any light for that.

This is in no way a knock on you, Deusexaethera, but you are obviously 1) single, 2) under age 40, and 3) don't have small kids. Once one or more of those things are true, you'll know what we're talking about. You may still not have a dim light, but you'll know why we use them.

-John

 

[jaundice]

I live in a place that has these amazing things called light switches that operate electric lights. Late night runs to the bathroom, fear of waking the wife by turning on a light, reading under the covers, and checking on children at 4am are excuses to use a flashlight, not reasons. For me, flashlights are tools to be used to illuminate things beyond the scope of normal lighting. I refuse to slink around my own house at night with a flashlight like a burglar, it is creepy and weird.

It's not about slinking around the house at night, it's about respecting the ebb and flow of the house. My house is both small and full of people (parents and kids). If any of you doubt; the kids set the rythym. Disturb the rythym, pay dearly. My wife and I also have an agreement: you don't wake me up, and I don't wake you up. Therefore, I'm often up late at night, and go to bed after her. She wakes up at the crack of dawn with kids, but let's me sleep in. Ergo, it's flashlight time, mostly for getting ready for bed long after my wife is asleep. I also use a low light for checking on the kids. If there's one cardinal rule in the universe, it's let sleeping babies lie!

-John

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Just got to thinking about two of my lights that output about 5 lumens each. My new Rogue 1, on low, and my CR2 Ion on low. The CR2 Ion does not seem to bother my eyes at night when I get up to use the head at night, and the Rogue 1 does. I did a lux measurement on them. The Rogue 1 is reading 120 lux at one meter, and the CR2 Ion is not even registering on my lightmeter, but lets call it 5-10 lux. Something that is more important than overall output at night is lux, and the fact that a bright light can affect our night vision, so maybe we should consider lux as important as lumens when we talk about a low, low on a light. Just something to think about.

Bill

 

[streetmaster]

This is in no way a knock on you, Deusexaethera, but you are obviously 1) single, 2) under age 40, and 3) don't have small kids. Once one or more of those things are true, you'll know what we're talking about. You may still not have a dim light, but you'll know why we use them.

-John

+1 Very good post.

I use my NovaTac on 0.08 lumens way more than the higher levels, every night when going to bed in the pitch dark. Even .08 seems too bright sometimes, it still wakes up the wife even when only pointed at the floor.

and oh yeah, it's a good excuse to play with my light.😗

 

[MKLight]

+1 Very good post.

I use my NovaTac on 0.08 lumens way more than the higher levels, every night when going to bed in the pitch dark. Even .08 seems too bright sometimes, it still wakes up the wife even when only pointed at the floor.

and oh yeah, it's a good excuse to play with my light.😗

+2 on being a good post

Photon Freedoms, Protons, & Proton Pros are great for low lumen illumination when turned on at their lowest levels. 🙂

 

[Sub_Umbra]

"Can someone explain to me the use of a light that makes <10 lumens?"

Probably not. Less than 10 lumens is a pretty high threshold for usefullness.

Not surprising, however. Statistically what most folks want from a light is something like what they have the most experience with: the bright, floody, white light from the sun.

A few weeks ago I read some posts on cpf about how useful candles are. While I'm not a candle guy the light from them was thought to be so useful that a huge, worldwide industry was built around them that lasted for hundreds of years.

The fact that most don't understand dim light culture has never stopped manufacturers from continuing to make them and the broad range of usefullness of this class of lights keeps people searching them out and paying good money for them. Additionally the use of these lights does not seem to be impaired by the lack of understanding of so many. In fact, many continue to buy dim lights even as our ability to make brighter and brighter lights keeps increasing with every year.

It is also true that you actually pay money for the services of others partly for their expertise in hiding from you what they do with their dim lights. And they love that aspect of the relationship.

Many things in life can not be explained.

Try to be happy.

 

[Lightcrazycanuck]

I don't know if applies to anyone else, but if I have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, and if I turn on the house lights, I have a hard time falling back asleep. So for me, it's either no lights or low lights.

+1 on that xcel730.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[DHart]

It's pretty much all been said, several times over. But I can't resist chiming in.

10 lumens is WAY HIGH under certain circumstances. My L1 on low (10 lumens) is too bright sometimes. My E1B on low (5 lumens) is too bright sometimes.

My LF3XT has taught me than about 1/2 lumen is just right for many circumstances! :thumbsup:

I love my torches, but especially valuable is a light that can be white HOT and will also go to 1 lumen or less!

Gotta love the LF3XT! :twothumbs

 

[bluecrow76]

It's pretty much all been said, several times over. But I can't resist chiming in.

+1

Love my 120P... it's overall favorite. I look for excuses to use my lights.

During Hurricane Gustav I had my D10, EX10 and other low lights on low low around the house at night to provide just enough light.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

It's pretty much all been said, several times over. But I can't resist chiming in.

10 lumens is WAY HIGH under certain circumstances. My L1 on low (10 lumens) is too bright sometimes. My E1B on low (5 lumens) is too bright sometimes.

My LF3XT has taught me than about 1/2 lumen is just right for many circumstances! :thumbsup:

I love my torches, but especially valuable is a light that can be white HOT and will also go to 1 lumen or less!

Gotta love the LF3XT! :twothumbs

See my post. Your L1 is so bright at 10 lumens or so because it is putting out a bright hot spot. Use a light that diffuses the beam and your L1 would maybe be perfect for night time use. Lux not lumens is wreaking our night vision, and a really low, 0.02 lumens light is so nice because of its low lux.

Bill

 

[jaundice]

I live in a place that has these amazing things called light switches that operate electric lights. Late night runs to the bathroom, fear of waking the wife by turning on a light, reading under the covers, and checking on children at 4am are excuses to use a flashlight, not reasons.

Also, I'd like to add that humans existed for about 200,000 years prior to the invention of the flashlight. They all did just fine. Explain to me why you NEED a flashlight, and I'll show you how those are just EXCUSES to use one. Progress, schmogress.

:nana:

-John

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Also, I'd like to add that humans existed for about 200,000 years prior to the invention of the flashlight. They all did just fine. Explain to me why you NEED a flashlight, and I'll show you how those are just EXCUSES to use one. Progress, schmogress.

:nana:

-John

You are right. We don't really need flashlights; we can always dip a stick in tallow and light it, like our ancestors. Of course, one stick is no stick, so we will need two sticks for backup, and an extra container of tallow. :devil:

 

[Yapo]

I love my proton pro for its ~0.5 lumen low on white! although i wish they had used an OP reflector to smoothen out the beam and i wouldnt might it going even lower!

I used to think the brighter and more throw the better! but since multi level lights became more common i found that most of the lows were more than sufficient for indoors at night.

 

[Benson]

This is in no way a knock on you, Deusexaethera, but you are obviously 1) single, 2) under age 40, and 3) don't have small kids. Once one or more of those things are true, you'll know what we're talking about. You may still not have a dim light, but you'll know why we use them.

-John

Heh. I'm all 3, and still see the utility of low lights. What I don't get is some people's insistence that this low level must be available on their "EDC light" (singular), as though they routinely walk around with only one light on their person -- I'd feel half-naked without at least two! 😱 I'd actually rather have separate lights for these than multiple modes on my main light. (I know, I know: "If you don't like multi-modes, it's just because you've never used one with a good UI!" But since I haven't yet, I don't like them yet. 😛) When I need a dim light, I'll reach for a dim light, and if I really need a dim light when I have my one-mode, dependable, bright light in my hands, I'll shine it between (or through, with my P7!) my fingers.

I usually carry:

• At least one low-to-medium light on my keychain -- always cheap, and takes heavy abuse, so never the same one for long. A couple of 1xAAA twisties (a Solitaire and a Brinkmann) in the beginning, but all manner of 5mm LEDs lately. Some below 10 lumens, some up to I'd guess 20ish.
• My "EDC" on my belt, or in a jacket pocket when too dressed up for that. Way back, this was a MiniMag (pocket only, no holster); currently, a compact 3xAAA with forward clicky. (There was at least one random 2xAAA LED in between I hardly remember.)
• Frequently another light or two along; lately (i.e., the two weeks since I got it) an Akoray AAA (~40 lumen) has been clipped in my left front pocket, and sometimes (when I expect to have need of it as a bikelight) my 4D P7 Mag hanging on my belt or on my laptop bag.

All the lights I just listed are single mode; I've played with friends' multimode lights and just don't like them. My first multimode, an Akoray AA with 3 programmable modes, is currently on order, and I expect to wind up EDCing it (for a while, at least). But I don't expect it to replace more than one of my other lights; low won't be as low as my keychain lights, and I'm OK with that. And I won't be able to count on it coming up in the mode I need, so (probably) I'll keep some "known quantity" (my "EDC" or the Akoray AAA) on my belt or jeans pocket for use without thinking.

As long as I have one light along to handle each circumstance, I don't need or want one light to do everything.

 

[deusexaethera]

This is in no way a knock on you, Deusexaethera, but you are obviously 1) single, 2) under age 40, and 3) don't have small kids. Once one or more of those things are true, you'll know what we're talking about. You may still not have a dim light, but you'll know why we use them.

-John

1) being single has nothing to do with it, because I can see my way to the bathroom in the dark, regardless of anyone else's presence.
2) you'll need to explain what age has to do with it.
3) you let your kids keep toys on the floor in the master bedroom?

I'm trying to relate all of this to why you need a light to go to the bathroom at night, because that's the post you responded to.

 

[deusexaethera]

Just got to thinking about two of my lights that output about 5 lumens each. My new Rogue 1, on low, and my CR2 Ion on low. The CR2 Ion does not seem to bother my eyes at night when I get up to use the head at night, and the Rogue 1 does. I did a lux measurement on them. The Rogue 1 is reading 120 lux at one meter, and the CR2 Ion is not even registering on my lightmeter, but lets call it 5-10 lux. Something that is more important than overall output at night is lux, and the fact that a bright light can affect our night vision, so maybe we should consider lux as important as lumens when we talk about a low, low on a light. Just something to think about.

Bill

What is lux, again?