Great posts guys.
All of the posts so far have provided me with a really good insight into where things are at nowadays.
It is interesting that there is some sentiment for the older lights and the simpler interfaces they mostly had.
The bad economy must be putting many people off buying heaps of lights and now I reckon flashaholics concentrate more on what they are purchasing rather than just buying it because it looks good, is shiny and it is a new addition to the collecion just like collecting stamps etc.
Incandescent lights are sentimental favourites from days gone by for a lot of us older collectors as I used old lanterns, 4D Maglites and Mini Maglites etc for many years in my job as an Electrician in the entertaiment industry where smaller EDC lights were needed all the time in darkened backstage areas.
When working on
live switchboards I used to hold a small Maglite in between my teeth to see things.
Main problem then was apart from only providing enough light as a candle would I had to contend with saliva dribbling out of my mouth and onto my shirt from my partially open mouth holding the Maglite in place!
I changed over to an Aurora headlight using three bluish LEDs when they were first on the market and us sparkies (electricians) all thought they were just fantastic to work with, no more dribble and plenty of light.
As far as flashlights go, I think I was like a drug addict whilst the economy was good grabbing anything new that looked solid like a solid performer and now I make do with getting my fixes from playing with my vast collection and actually using them all more often.
I have lately turned to taking comparison beamshots of exactly what they can deliver and that is quite satisfying.
The lights below are the same as the ones I used for the beamshots sitting on the table in my backyard.
The light order is as below from left to right.
OSTS (Onestopthrowshop) TN31mb, first generation OSTS modded TN31, original Thrunite TN31, a Fenix TK75 to show something a bit more floody for comparison and the Dereelight Xsearcher with the thin pencil beam at the far end.
A close-up of the lights is below.
The shot below is taken from the opposite direction.
I always leave the outside lights on when I know someone is coming to my house at night.
Visitors have no problem finding my house when they get near my street. :laughing:
Below is my OSTS TN31mb flashlight aimed at the moon. ISO 400 F3.2 15 second shutter setting.
These camera settings work well for most of the shots in this set.
Sometimes I use an 8 seconds shutter shutter time if there is a bit too much brightness in the shot.
Just experiment, it's amazing how much satisfaction comes from capturing these beams for use on the forums, Facebook or emailing to friends etc.
OSTS TN31mb, first generation OSTS modded TN31, original Thrunite TN31, Dereelight Xsearcher and a Fenix TK75 to show something a bit more floody for comparison.
Lately when I have a job to do and need a light I find myself grabbing different ones instead of using my usual favourite lights.
It is funny how I have to stop and think how to turn each light on and then adjust the levels when I have not used them for quite a while!
I wonder if the big flashlight companies are feeling the pinch?
Taking photos of beams like this is quite easy and a lot of fun on a nice clear night using lights that you already have laying around.
You don't necessarily have to buy any new lights to create this extension of your flashaholic hobby.
Taking photos of what they can do is a help to many of us on this forum.
When I see good beamshots of lights in the wild they always give me a better idea of what to buy especially when compared to other well known flashlights.
The bad economy has pushed me back into the photography hobby that I have not been into in the last few years.
When I get my
DEFT-X delivery this week I will do some comparison shots of it as well.
A tripod is a MUST to mount the camera on!!
Try it guys!!!!
CHEERS