I received my Rotary 200 yesterday. I ordered it last Wednesday, the 20th, so it appears Henry has caught up on Rotary orders. I thought I would post some first impressions, and a few photos.
Overall, I like the light a lot. I went with the stainless steel bezel and flush button. The stainless bezel is quite attractive on an otherwise all-black light. Part of me is wishing I went with the tactical button, as the flush is a little more difficult to press than I'd like. I have small fingers, and I still need to use the tip of my thumb to get a good click. I definitely cannot press it with the pad of my thumb. One alternative is to use my thumb knuckle in a cigar grip. It's a minor issue, and I do like that there isn't a button sticking out while the light is in my pocket.
Fit and finish on the light are excellent. Flawless anodizing and perfectly centered emitter. Also, no fingerprints or dust on the reflector or lens, as some others have reported. The rotary control has the perfect amount of resistance. It's very stiff and instills a lot of confidence in me that it's sturdy, but not a problem to turn at all with one or two hands.
The light has a nice beam. Very bright hotspot with a gradual transition to spillbeam. My light has a cooler tint, with a little bit of purple that I can detect when I turn the light on during the day or compare it with an incandescent or a more neutral LED. I'm not a tint fanatic, though, so I don't think it will bother me when I'm using the light.
My beam has a definite ring around the periphery of the spillbeam. It's painfully obvious when I shine the light at a white wall from two feet away, but becomes less obvious the farther away I am from my target. Like the cooler tint, I wish it wasn't there, but it's not a deal breaker.
I posted a beamshot of the Rotary next to a shot of a Surefire L4 that I bought in 2008 (I have no idea how different the newer L4s are). This particular L4 has about as perfect a beam shape and tint as I could ask for, so I was initially disappointed with the HDS beam in comparison. When viewed by itself, though, the Rotary has a very good, useful beam..
Here are some photos:
The Rotary next to a full-size Griptilian, to show it's size. For pocket carry, I tied some gutted parachord in a constrictor knot around the body of the light, and attached a Tec Accessories P7 clip. This setup keeps the light out of the bottom of my pocket and is still discreet enough for business casual attire at work.
With an assortment of other lights and knives. The Rotary is smaller, brighter, and more versatile than either of these two lights.
These were taken with the lights approximated 5 feet from the wall. The Rotary isn't quite as smooth or white as the L4, but it's noticeably brighter.
