Do any light companies offer different sequences of output modes?

[Mr. Shawn]

Do any flashlight companies offer choices for a light's sequence of output modes? For example, I adore my Fenix P1D Q5, but I have always disliked the mode sequence of Med-High-Low. Would it be economically and/or technologically feasible for a company to offer the same model with different sequences, such as the P1D being offered with Med-Low-High or Low-Med-High?

 

[Big_Ed]

I would really like it if lights would offer you the choice. I guess the closest thing I know of are the various lights that have a "memory", and remember what mode you last used.

 

[jugg2]

The Fenix LD01 has the Med-Low-High brightness sequence you speak of, but it is AAA (still a very awesome light though). The other Fenix offerings LD10, LD20, PD20, PD30 are all Low-Med-High-SOS and tighten the bezel for Turbo-Strobe, but they are all clicky tailcaps and a bit larger...

 

[Mr. Shawn]

The Fenix LD01 has the Med-Low-High brightness sequence you speak of, but it is AAA (still a very awesome light though). The other Fenix offerings LD10, LD20, PD20, PD30 are all Low-Med-High-SOS and tighten the bezel for Turbo-Strobe, but they are all clicky tailcaps and a bit larger...

Thank you, jugg2. I have the black and red versions of the L0D Q4, which I also love. I have a P3D Q5, which is also L-M-H in the first mode.

What got me thinking about custom sequences was 4sevens' announcement of his new AAA light, which is L-M-H. I am just wondering if any companies have offered a choice of sequences, instead of a standard sequence available to anybody who buys the light.

 

[Lumenz]

What you are looking for is a programmable light like the Liteflux lights. They come in all kinds of battery types. The LF2XT in the AAA format is very popular.

Or you can look at the Ra Clicky (CR123A battery) which allows you to choose what light level you want based on the number of clicks.

 

[divine]

Yes there are.

First, Dereelight sells "pills" which are the driver board and LED that screw in to the body of their lights. The C2H you can buy the pill in a Ramp Up or Ramp Down version for your choice of Low Med High or High Med Low. It also comes with memory, which is nice because I find the low to be a little too low for daytime use, I like to start in medium.

You can also buy a custom pill from Dereelight. You can email them and tell them what you want and they will let you know how much it will cost.

Second are your programmable lights. Jetbeam IBS is a programmable 3 mode light with no mode memory. It comes on in mode 1, then you can switch it to mode 2, then mode 3. Each mode can be set to any brightness, so if you want high, medium, strobe one day, and fast strobe, slow strobe, low the next day, you just reprogram it and off you go.

Novatac and RA Clickies have similar UI's, which is programmable with four modes. Anytime the light is on, you can hold the button down for high mode. Which you can actually set to low or strobe if you wanted. There are many programming modes with these lights, and the UI is very nice.

There are several Nitecores that have one programmable mode and one high mode. They are programmed by either twisting the head or holding down the button. On the ones that program by holding the button, it is usually a double click for low and click and hold for high.

I think ITP has actually sold two models of the same light, one with a med low high, and one with a low med high.

Olight makes some lights that change mode by twisting the head. Some of these are nice because you can be clicking the button a bunch of times and it will always come on the same brightness without going into strobe or a programming mode.

I consider Surefire to sell two lights with different UI's. The E2DL (two cell) and E1B (one cell) have no mode memory and always come on in high and can switch to low, while the E2L (two cell) and E1L (one cell) have no mode memory and always come on in low and can switch to high. Albeit, the E2DL and E1B's high modes are quite a bit higher than the E2L or E1L's, they are very similar lights.

I'm trying to think of a couple more examples, but can't think of any.

 

[StarHalo]

+1 for the JetBeam IBS interface; once you have the ability to set your own modes, everything else seems awkward and stilted..

 

[KiwiMark]

+1 for the JetBeam IBS interface; once you have the ability to set your own modes, everything else seems awkward and stilted..

+2 on the IBS - med-hi-lo or whatever isn't a patch on progA-progB-progC.

My Olight M20 is low-med-high-strobe which I like except for the strobe.

My L2D is Low-Med-High-strobe-SOS but unlike the M20 doesn't have a memory so if you turn it off after high and wait a couple of seconds you can have low-med-high again without seeing the strobe or SOS.

My Zebralight H501 is click for high then hold for low-med-high, but also can go from off to low by holding the button on for longer than a click, keep holding for med then high.

There are plenty of lights out there with plenty of options for the UI. Med-high-low doesn't strike me as horrible, but I would choose a different light for something to grab in pitch black darkness while camping - if my eyes are adjusted to the dark I don't want to see a medium then high output :thumbsdow. My Jet-IIIM is good for the night adapted eyes - I have the programmable setting at minimum which is VERY low output, I can pick it up in the dark and feel the head to make sure it isn't tightened, then click for low light that wont hurt my eyes.

If you like to have the choice of what modes come on and what order you cycle through them then Jetbeam, Nitecore and Liteflux are good brands to consider.