KD aspherical lens and q5 dropin mod

[bbb18c1]

I received my q5 drop in today along with the aspherical lens. After intalling it, I noticed that even with the head screwed down all the way, I couldn't quite get the image of the cree die to be focused properly. The lens needed to be closer to the led, but the head could not go down any further.
I also didn't like the way the aspherical lens was protruding from the head and exposed.

So I decided to to replicate the aspherical light that I paid for from RcatR, but never recieved. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=161983&highlight=aspheric

The basic idea was to recess the lens into the head to protect the lens. The first thing I did was I had to grind off the lip on the aspherical lens so that it would be able to sit lower in the head. I then cut the stck mag reflector to fill the gap between the lens and the stock bezel. After doing that, the lens was now too close to the led. The head needed to be completely screwed off to focus the die.

To solve that problem, I took the mag switch out and cut the tower portion off. I then soldered the dropin to the correct terminals on the switch. That did the trick. The die focuses almost halfway down the threads on the head! Now I have the ability to focus it and the lens is protected.

Here are some pictures I took:

wall beamshots (no outdoor shots yet , as it is still bright out)

underexposed:

thanks for looking!

 

[Stereodude]

How far into your body did you push the drop-in?

I had no problems getting mine to focus mid threads on the head without changing anything. :thinking:

 

[bbb18c1]

weird...i pushed the dropin as far as it would go and it would almost focus, but not as sharply as with the mod. Anyways i'm happy i did the mod since the lens is now protected.

 

[qip]

very nice..might be better protected if you have ucl in there too ? thats a big fear i would have with that aspeheric out in the open, one tiny rogue pebble and

 

[bbb18c1]

very nice..might be better protected if you have ucl in there too ? thats a big fear i would have with that aspeheric out in the open, one tiny rogue pebble and

I actually thought of that, but the aspherical lens just just below the bezel.
Here is a picture I took to show how close the lens is to the top of the bezel.

 

[qip]

so close yet so far

 

[PhantomPhoton]

Nice job with that mod. I wonder how many people have the same problem. But I guess for $40 it still isn't a bad deal even if it takes a bit more work than we expected.

 

[rizky_p]

i dont have problem with the lens and dropin either...

 

[07accordEX]

hmm ive seen aspherics with reflectors and many without

why is this? your not using reflector right?

 

[DocD]

nice way round the problem aspherical len sticking out the front:thumbsup:
Have you tried it with out your cut down reflector just use a spacer to see any change. ?
Like most have said no hassell when i fitted mine sharp focus and all the throw i could ever need

 

[Meltdown]

there is a 52mm and 50mm size on the KD site for asphericals...??? how do I know which one to get for a 3D Mag???

thank you.

 

[Ryanrpm]

Would you mind posting some outdoor beamshots so we can see the throw? Maybe some comparison shots with other flashlights too...

Thank you.

 

[LukeA]

there is a 52mm and 50mm size on the KD site for asphericals...??? how do I know which one to get for a 3D Mag???

thank you.

There's only a 52mm aspheric. The other one is just a UCL or similar.

 

[LukeA]

Nice job with that mod. I wonder how many people have the same problem. But I guess for $40 it still isn't a bad deal even if it takes a bit more work than we expected.

I don't think too many will have his problem. The OP installed the dropin behind the switch retaining ring. It's designed to go in front of it. That's why it's too deep.

 

[rizky_p]

Would you mind posting some outdoor beamshots so we can see the throw? Maybe some comparison shots with other flashlights too...

Thank you.

WOW my first thousand posts woohoo

this? sorry for the alien language on the pic
Distance is around 410meter measure with GE.

more detail please go to the thread i made few months back"
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2456535

 

[LukeA]

Would you mind posting some outdoor beamshots so we can see the throw? Maybe some comparison shots with other flashlights too...

Thank you.

Here.

 

[07accordEX]

hey, what did you use to cut the lens?
this thing is hard as diamonds...