EOS Tactical

[SilverFox]

I was in a store the other day and saw the PT EOS Tactical headlamp.

It appears to be the same as the normal EOS, with the addition of the ability to have a red, green, or blue held in place in front of the lens.

Is it the same as the EOS?

Tom

 

[TMorita]

For more info, manufacturer's website here.

http://www.princetontec.com/headlamps.htm

Also, they've done group buys already for the PT EOS Tactical a few times, so you might look in Group Buys.

Toshi

 

[Uncle Bob]

From surfing a few web sites (especially Bright Guy) it appears to have the same electronics as the original EOS but with a modified body to accept different colored lenses.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Toshi,

Thanks. I checked out Group Buys and it seems that it never happened. However, I did discover that the start up sequence seems to be different for the Tactical. It starts low, then goes through med, high and strobe.

It also seems that it has a different lens in it. A larger hot spot was reported..

Interesting...

Tom

 

[gunga]

Hello, it was me trying to start a group buy, but my source never came through and the logistics didn't work out shipping to and from Canada.

The main differences you will see:

- The tactical starts on low goes to high (much better).
- The tactical uses a shorter body (to fit the lenses) so no reflector swap is possible with currently available reflectors unless you file it down a lot or use a tiny, short reflector.

- I don't know if the drive current is the same. While by eye I didn't notice much difference, I don't have a light meter to verify any lumens.

- There is no heat sensor in it (on the star anyways), so easier mods, nothing to break.


Construction seems very similar, the circuit layout (and function) is noticably different.

Too bad about the lack of a reflector option, I looked around for a while but couldn't find one that works.

 

[TMorita]

Hello, it was me trying to start a group buy, but my source never came through and the logistics didn't work out shipping to and from Canada.
...

I was kinda wondering why you were trying to do a group buy, because I've seen it for sale at REI, I think.

Toshi

 

[gunga]

It was new and rare at the time...

 

[cave dave]

Could you measure the size of the optic? Width and height.

Too bad they didn't include a diffuser lens in the kit. That would have been very useful.

 

[whippoorwill]

Too bad they didn't include a diffuser lens in the kit. That would have been very useful.

Wouldn't have been hard, either.

 

[gunga]

Could you measure the size of the optic? Width and height.

Too bad they didn't include a diffuser lens in the kit. That would have been very useful.

Sorry, I don't have it anymore, I did measure it at one point, so have to find where I wrote down the numbers.

 

[gunga]

Optic sizes:

EOS tactical: 6.87mm x 17.62 mm wide
Normal EOS: 10.57mm x 18.38 mm wide
Kathod Reflector: 10.63 x 17.62 mm wide

So, have fun and let me know if you get a reflector that fits!

 

[NoFair]

Anyone put a Seoul in one of these?

This needs a star instead of an emitter?

Feeling an itch to get one...

Sverre

 

[gunga]

Yes, I put a seoul star in a couple. Same procedure as the normal EOS. No reflector fits tho so you use the stock optic.

 

[NoFair]

Yes, I put a seoul star in a couple. Same procedure as the normal EOS. No reflector fits tho so you use the stock optic.

Thanks, really appreciate it:thumbsup:

Sverre

 

[Germ]

Yes, I put a seoul star in a couple. Same procedure as the normal EOS. No reflector fits tho so you use the stock optic.

Cool. What kind of beam do you get with the Seoul? I'd like something with good spill. So you can't modify a reflector to fit?

 

[Citivolus]

I got one of these today for Astronomy use, and was elated to find that it started in low mode unlike the standard edition. I do plan to mod it with a red LED anyway, so that I can get very low output when used with the blue filter

If anyone is still wondering about the optics, it basically looks like the original optics with the back portion ground off.

Beamshots! All at 1m, f/6.3 1/13 second ISO 800, 15mm focal length on Canon 40D, white balance set at 5500K:

On high, standard Eos on left, Tac on right

On high, standard Eos on left, Tac on right, underexposed (1/100 second)

On high, Mod Red 625nm Luxeon 1.1W left, Eos Tac right (unfiltered), yellow/blue colour is an artefact of overexposed red:

On high, Mod Eos left, Eos Tac with Red filter right:

Mod Eos on low left, Eos Tac with Red filter on high right:

On low, mod Eos left, Eos Tac filtered on right:

As you can see you lose a lot of light intensity to the filter, which can be a good or bad thing depending on your intentions. The modified EOS with red luxeon is brighter on low than the Tac with red filter on high. The Tac EOS is still too bright on low with the red filter for Astronomy, unless you add a diffuser.

Regards,
Eric