Al_Havemann
Enlightened
A crusade for usability.
I now own three different CREE based lights and I'm not happy with any of them (get out the flamethrowers, I know I'm gonna burn for this).
I have a Fenix L0D CE, an L2D CE and a P1D CE and, in my opinion, none of them really work well.
The L0D is the most functional of the bunch in that it's actually useful since it starts at a reasonable brightness level, still has a dim mode when I need it and has reasonable, though not great, side spill. Unfortunately, I just can't stand the flickering at the lower two levels. Still, I admit that is an impressive light for its size and it remains on my shelf of "good lights" along with a couple of dozen other fine lights from various manufactures.
The P1D CE, unlike my older P1D is just too tightly focused and doesn't have enough side spill. The various modes are occasionally useful, but I could easily do without them. My original P1D is a better light for daily use and I still carry it in my bag, although I'd sure like to have the additional runtime of a CREE if I could get it without losing what's useful in the P1D. Maybe a PID with a CREE, twist on-dim, twist further, bright, lots of flood, minimal hotspot.
The least useful is the new L2D CE I recently purchased. I know everyone's in love with this light, its brightness and throw, and when I received mine a few days ago I too was initially very impressed by those features. However, I was far less impressed by the aesthetics of it, it is, to be frank, just plain ugly, it's too long to carry anywhere except in a bag or in the holster and no use to me since I wear a suit.
The initial mode of ultra dim isn't well suited at all for such a large light (by today's standards). While it's certainly nice to have that mode, I always need to click to step up the brightness and half the time end up turning it off in the process (very annoying). And I hate the beam; in an effort to get maximum throw and a flawless spot, nearly all useful side spill has been sacrificed. I have to point it like a laser beam and then I get a useless blinding spot. It's a good throw light, that's for sure, but not at all useful for close work on any mode.
My sample of the L2D CE is also not at all friendly to battery types as I can only use NiMH. Others samples seem to fair better, but in mine a brand new pair of Lithium's will only run for perhaps a minute before the light starts blinking rapidly in Turbo mode (the only useful mode for a light this size). Alkalines also work, but not for long, Turbo mode kills them in 10-15 minutes though lesser modes continue to work for a time before gradually stepping down. Only NiMH batteries seem to perform properly.
So far I've purchased three Cree based lights and have two more on order. Now I'm beginning to wonder if the design of the lights and/or the optics available to build them with has dictated they will never be very useful except where intense hotspot and long throw are all that's desired; which, in my opinion, is not what most people usually need.
I can afford to buy any light that seems interesting, and so I end up owning a lot of very diverse lights from many manufactures (there's always another package showing up in the mail). Evolution now comes into play and some of them float to the top, others sink. So far two of my three new CREE lights have been consigned to the "Box of useless lights", better known as "The Box" by my wife (it's a very touchy subject, she doesn't understand this flashlight bit); and I'm pretty sure that those still on order (a Rexlight and cheap Cree – if I ever receive either of them – which seems doubtful) will also end up in "The Box".
I carried the L0D CE for a couple of weeks before the flickering drove me nuts, it hasn't yet made "The Box", but the PID CE and L2D CE both made it there after only a few hours; evolution at work.
As I leave the house today I find it curious that in my pocket is a second generation Arc AAA-P and in my bag is an original P1D, not my new P1D CE. The 2ndGen Arc AAA-P is a tough light to beat for daily use. It's tiny, wonderfully bright, has a fine flood, projects well enough in darkness and runs forever on a Lithium AAA. Evolution again, the 2ndGen Arc has consistently remained at the top of my list since the day I received it. There's lot of fine challengers, but the Arc is still hanging on to first place.
The original P1D is another example of a usable compromise between throw and spill. Not a light for an EDC, which I define as a "Pocket Light", it's too big for that, but it is a good "second EDC" when you can afford the carry space.
I'm going to really run against the flow here, I know. I mean -- look, its fun to show off our toys, the intense hotspot, long throw and multiple modes and all that, but in the end and above all else, a light must – must, be a broadly useful tool.
So manufactures, please, consider how someone will use your products. Go ahead and make a flashlight, but before you market it, send the sales staff on vacation and put it in your pocket for a few weeks and see how it fares in daily use. In fact, carry several from other manufactures as well and see which one you grab most of the time, and then think about what you're planning to bring to market. The L2D CE is a prime example of the sales department running the show and deciding on marketing features instead of usability.
I have a car that's build like some of the new flashlights, it's loaded with stuff I have little use for 99% of the time, if ever, but that I have to pay dearly to own and get in the way when I don't need them (usability). That car has a radio with a couple of dozen tiny buttons; maybe some of them actually do something useful, though I'm not too sure exactly what, most of them though I have little need for.
Now in comparison, take my 1956 Chevy Belair show car, it has a radio with exactly two knobs and five buttons. The two knobs are used for volume and tuning and are big and easy to find (I don't need reading glasses to see what they do), and that's all I need to operate it. It does have five buttons as well but I don't need them and they don't get in the way, I can use the radio for years without ever touching one of those buttons and it won't make the slightest difference.
Sorry – I know this will annoy a lot of people because it rubs against the grain, but let's see what you carry in your pocket after the novelty of the latest toy wears off; which light it is you reach for a dozen times a day.
Al
I now own three different CREE based lights and I'm not happy with any of them (get out the flamethrowers, I know I'm gonna burn for this).
I have a Fenix L0D CE, an L2D CE and a P1D CE and, in my opinion, none of them really work well.
The L0D is the most functional of the bunch in that it's actually useful since it starts at a reasonable brightness level, still has a dim mode when I need it and has reasonable, though not great, side spill. Unfortunately, I just can't stand the flickering at the lower two levels. Still, I admit that is an impressive light for its size and it remains on my shelf of "good lights" along with a couple of dozen other fine lights from various manufactures.
The P1D CE, unlike my older P1D is just too tightly focused and doesn't have enough side spill. The various modes are occasionally useful, but I could easily do without them. My original P1D is a better light for daily use and I still carry it in my bag, although I'd sure like to have the additional runtime of a CREE if I could get it without losing what's useful in the P1D. Maybe a PID with a CREE, twist on-dim, twist further, bright, lots of flood, minimal hotspot.
The least useful is the new L2D CE I recently purchased. I know everyone's in love with this light, its brightness and throw, and when I received mine a few days ago I too was initially very impressed by those features. However, I was far less impressed by the aesthetics of it, it is, to be frank, just plain ugly, it's too long to carry anywhere except in a bag or in the holster and no use to me since I wear a suit.
The initial mode of ultra dim isn't well suited at all for such a large light (by today's standards). While it's certainly nice to have that mode, I always need to click to step up the brightness and half the time end up turning it off in the process (very annoying). And I hate the beam; in an effort to get maximum throw and a flawless spot, nearly all useful side spill has been sacrificed. I have to point it like a laser beam and then I get a useless blinding spot. It's a good throw light, that's for sure, but not at all useful for close work on any mode.
My sample of the L2D CE is also not at all friendly to battery types as I can only use NiMH. Others samples seem to fair better, but in mine a brand new pair of Lithium's will only run for perhaps a minute before the light starts blinking rapidly in Turbo mode (the only useful mode for a light this size). Alkalines also work, but not for long, Turbo mode kills them in 10-15 minutes though lesser modes continue to work for a time before gradually stepping down. Only NiMH batteries seem to perform properly.
So far I've purchased three Cree based lights and have two more on order. Now I'm beginning to wonder if the design of the lights and/or the optics available to build them with has dictated they will never be very useful except where intense hotspot and long throw are all that's desired; which, in my opinion, is not what most people usually need.
I can afford to buy any light that seems interesting, and so I end up owning a lot of very diverse lights from many manufactures (there's always another package showing up in the mail). Evolution now comes into play and some of them float to the top, others sink. So far two of my three new CREE lights have been consigned to the "Box of useless lights", better known as "The Box" by my wife (it's a very touchy subject, she doesn't understand this flashlight bit); and I'm pretty sure that those still on order (a Rexlight and cheap Cree – if I ever receive either of them – which seems doubtful) will also end up in "The Box".
I carried the L0D CE for a couple of weeks before the flickering drove me nuts, it hasn't yet made "The Box", but the PID CE and L2D CE both made it there after only a few hours; evolution at work.
As I leave the house today I find it curious that in my pocket is a second generation Arc AAA-P and in my bag is an original P1D, not my new P1D CE. The 2ndGen Arc AAA-P is a tough light to beat for daily use. It's tiny, wonderfully bright, has a fine flood, projects well enough in darkness and runs forever on a Lithium AAA. Evolution again, the 2ndGen Arc has consistently remained at the top of my list since the day I received it. There's lot of fine challengers, but the Arc is still hanging on to first place.
The original P1D is another example of a usable compromise between throw and spill. Not a light for an EDC, which I define as a "Pocket Light", it's too big for that, but it is a good "second EDC" when you can afford the carry space.
I'm going to really run against the flow here, I know. I mean -- look, its fun to show off our toys, the intense hotspot, long throw and multiple modes and all that, but in the end and above all else, a light must – must, be a broadly useful tool.
So manufactures, please, consider how someone will use your products. Go ahead and make a flashlight, but before you market it, send the sales staff on vacation and put it in your pocket for a few weeks and see how it fares in daily use. In fact, carry several from other manufactures as well and see which one you grab most of the time, and then think about what you're planning to bring to market. The L2D CE is a prime example of the sales department running the show and deciding on marketing features instead of usability.
I have a car that's build like some of the new flashlights, it's loaded with stuff I have little use for 99% of the time, if ever, but that I have to pay dearly to own and get in the way when I don't need them (usability). That car has a radio with a couple of dozen tiny buttons; maybe some of them actually do something useful, though I'm not too sure exactly what, most of them though I have little need for.
Now in comparison, take my 1956 Chevy Belair show car, it has a radio with exactly two knobs and five buttons. The two knobs are used for volume and tuning and are big and easy to find (I don't need reading glasses to see what they do), and that's all I need to operate it. It does have five buttons as well but I don't need them and they don't get in the way, I can use the radio for years without ever touching one of those buttons and it won't make the slightest difference.
Sorry – I know this will annoy a lot of people because it rubs against the grain, but let's see what you carry in your pocket after the novelty of the latest toy wears off; which light it is you reach for a dozen times a day.
Al
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