is this forum dying?

[keithhr]

when I first came to the cpf, I, like many people frequented this forum first and most frquently. But with the every increasing popularity of the led, it seems as though there is less and less traffic and interest with conventional bulbed lights. Most of the lights that I own are now led base lights, is the king dead ?, long live the king.

 

[PaulW]

Hi Keith,

You and I came on board at about the same time. Yes, it does seem that there are a lot more LED threads, but I don't think the King is dead. There are a lot of hotwire guys around, and I'm sure they'll speak up. For example, check out one of Ginseng's "Aurora" threads!

Long live hot wires.

Paul

 

[Prolepsis]

Ditto--there's still a lot of life left in incandescants, IMO. In fact, I'm kind of backwards. I started out buying LEDs, but now I've been buying incans. Silly MagCharger/WA and silly M6. Woot!

There have been a few threads debating the merits of LED vs incan. IMO, there's still a good use for both.

One other reason that there is more traffic on the LED forum is because new LED models are coming out all the time...

 

[jhereg]

This forum isn't dying. It might be a little sick, but it isn't close to being dead. When you can buy a 2D Mag @ Walmart with a 5W (or better) LED for $12, can find a commerical LED light which can trounce a Surefire M6 & can find an LED light to beat Wilkie's Aurora, then it might be dead. Until then it's just not feeling well!

 

[jayflash]

I hope it's not going to die soon. Right now, my first and third favorite lights are xenon powered. Second and fourth favs are LED's.

 

[Topper]

I guess when they come out with a LED that thumps out 350+ Lumens and good throw it will be time to sell off my incans.
maybe a 50W LED in the ARC75+ or something like that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
Topper /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[lightemup]

I have yet to come across a LED that is even in the same ballpark as my Surefire incandescents (including g2z and M3 both running HOLA) so at the very least for now i'm still a fan of incandescent and thus have continued interest here!.

 

[CM]

Definitely not dead. I use Pila lamps in my Surefire M2 and the guilt free long throwing rechargeable incandescent is still king in many respects. When I get the cash to get an M6, I'm going to mod that to use 3x18650's with the M4 lamp assembly for a rechargeable 220 or 350 lumen torch. The king is still king /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jbrett14]

I too am a bit backwards. Started with only LEDs. Every time I got onto CPF I went straight to the LED threads. Recently I have purchased 2 incans because of curiosity and have been nothing but amazed. Now I am more intrigued by the awesome light output of these little lights. After buying several different LED lights then a SL 3AA Luxeon TaskLight, I thought this was the greatest, brightest little light. Then I bought the TT2L, and was further amazed. Then, being more curious about just how bright these incans could be, I bought the PT Surge. I don't know of any LEDs of comparable size that come close to the output of this Surge. This thing is fantastic. I would think we are at least 3-5 years before LEDs can match this kind of performance. Sure LEDs do have there advantages for different situations but incans are flat out superior when it comes to basic bright light output. Many of the posts in the LED threads pertain to solving problems, so the quantity of posts should not serve as a quage to who is king. Though LEDs can be more interesting, incans are definitely king of flashLIGHTs in my book. Perhaps a little research into the auto industry (far more R&D money than with flashlight manufacturers) would answer the question as to how long before LEDs match the brightness of incans. I would think headlight designers and manufacturers would be the first to make the change since the designs in the auto industry need to stay ahead of the competition.

 

[Big_Ed]

If I remember correctly, and please tell me if I'm wrong, but before the forums were reorganized earlier this year, weren't there other items listed in the Incandescent forum? Like headlamps, and maybe hybrids were posted about in this forum? If true, then just the fact that they are in a different forum makes this one seem less busy.
As for incandescents, I still use mine quite often. I still get a kick out of great throw (and always will).
Plus, maybe there's just not as much advancement with incandescent lights as there is currently is with LED's, therefore not as much to talk about.

 

[Bill.H]

It will be quite a while before LEDs can match the throw and price of the brightest incandescents. In most other respects, however, they are superior. In other respects, I include battery life, durability, and beam quality. Not to mention coolness /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Look at the two Pelican M6 models, and there's only a $13 difference. There was another thread recently about if the SF E2E was even worth buying anymore, the reaction was pretty mixed.

I also have noticed the traffic in this particular group is way down compared to the General and LED groups; but as Prolepsis pointed out, there's a lot more to talk about with all the new and ever better LED lights coming out. I believe that's the reason for the disparity in traffic.

Also, much of the traffic in the spotlight group is incandescent-related.

So I believe it's not dying, but neither will it ever have the traffic of the LED forum, unless someone comes up with a new technology bulb. Is anyone even trying?

 

[ABTOMAT]

I'll always be mainly an incan guy. Bright, cheap, lots 'o throw, and you can't very well lay smack with an LSH-P. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jbroker83]

Count me in as a flashlight fan. Yes, I said Flashlight, which means I love LED's, and I love INCANS----so i hope this forum isn't dying. I just picked up a job working at a store that carries streamlights, surefires, princeton tecs........so I'm looking forward to sharing my flashlight knowledge and getting paid for it!!!!!!!!!

 

[chamenos]

recently i've been using my surefire M3 more than my other LED lights. when used in foggy or misty conditions at night, incandescents still do a better job than LEDs.

 

[cy]

[ QUOTE ]
lightemup said:
I have yet to come across a LED that is even in the same ballpark as my Surefire incandescents

[/ QUOTE ]
Have you seen an X3T in action? 170+ lumens, but still very hard to come by. I look forward to advances in technology increasing the yield of LED's.

Electrolumens tri-light puts out 212 lumens, but 4D is just too large. I'm looking forward to Barin's 3C tri-light, which should output 200+ Lumens.

Still not as bright as incand but certainly in the ballpark. I still want an M6.

 

[chamenos]

IMHO, it isn't just the lumens output that gives incandescents their perceived edge over LEDs. my SNII puts out more lumens in a tighter beam than my surefire M3 with an MN10, but the M3 appears to be brighter and throw further than the SNII on misty nights. LEDs need more colour saturation i think.

 

[cheesehead]

When LEDs are at 100 watts and actually more efficient, then yes, this forum is dead. Right now LEDs have to fight both poor efficiency and limited power.

 

[lbonser]

[ QUOTE ]
Prolepsis said:
Ditto--there's still a lot of life left in incandescants, IMO. In fact, I'm kind of backwards. I started out buying LEDs, but now I've been buying incans. Silly MagCharger/WA and silly M6. Woot!

There have been a few threads debating the merits of LED vs incan. IMO, there's still a good use for both.

One other reason that there is more traffic on the LED forum is because new LED models are coming out all the time...

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess I'm sort of backward too. Had an Inova X5 (or two...) for a couple of years, but got interested in the high-end incans only lately, about two minutes after I found this forum! So this forum isn't totally dead if it's still creating incan converts!

I'm a firm believer in "use the right tool for the right job." There is no "total solution" "one-size fits all" in anything (technology, religion, politics, sex, food, whatever), so there will always be a need for both LEDs and incan and whatever else comes down the road tomorrow. Maybe it's just that I'm a Gemini and can see both sides of most arguements, but I think they're all good for at least one specialized task. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin07.gif

 

[cy]

After getting a $19.95 1 million candlepower rechargeable lantern and playing with the fairly powerful beam. I wanted a better quality light.

I may have found it at Target. They have two aluminum bodied large reflector lights. One is 6V w/one lead acid batt aprox. $33. the other is 2X 6V lead acid batt ($39). Both using automotive halogen bulb. the 12V version appears to be an excellent base for an automotive HID conversion.

 

[juancho]

As a new guy in the Forum, I wanted to do one of the easiest mod. and bought a Mag-Lite 2 "C" which I mod with three 123 and a Radio Shack 112 lamp. After that I bought a Mag-Lite 3 "C" and introduced four 123 batteries.
I posted a question in Incandescents in what to use for a bulb, and received very little input.
That thread DIED very Quickly, which suggest to me that people are NOT interested in Incan. ANY MORE.
By the way my Mag-Lite 4 123 batteries sports AN EMPTY SOCKET. as I was unable to get my question answered.
WHAT BULB FOR 4 - 123 BATTERIES.
Juan C.