Light for an usher in a theater?

[alanmalk]

My wife works as a volunteer in a local theater and needs a light that won't bother other patrons or the actors on stage.

The specific requirements:
Small and light, say 2.5 inches long and 2 oz.
Tight beam with minimum of spill - just needs to illuminate one step or a seat at a time.
Simple UI so no accidental strobe or thousand lumen blasts. Thinking a memory - last setting - is the ticket.
Primary output should be around 25 lumens, + or -. Objects to illuminate will be about 8-12 feet away.
Switch should be easy to operate - not worried about accidental turn-on.
Primary cell or rechargeable. If primary then CR123a, single AA, maybe two AAAs. If rechargeable then USB-C would be nice.
Right angle head?? I have a Spark headlight that almost fits the bill but they are no longer made and I would hate to give it up.

I have researched with out success - impossible?

 

[letschat7]

2D Maglight krypton with 3D bulb, red cone, AA to D adapters and Energizer lithiums.

 

[iacchus]

Prometheus Beta QR maybe, if a twisty is okay. Top speed is only 100 or so lumens and you gotta be pretty deliberate to get there.

Maybe a Peak El Capitan

 

[PhotonWrangler]

You want to lean towards a warmer white LED. A bluish cool white lamp will be much more distracting in that environment. A right-angle head would make it easier to read a ticket in the dark but only slightly.

 

[letschat7]

 

[LEDphile]

It's a bit heavy and not cheap, but if you're ok putting something together from parts, a Malkoff single AA body, Malkoff VME head, and an M31LL or M31LLL drop-in from Illumn would work well in this environment.

The Foursevens Preon family is also worth a look, as is the Streamlight Microstream

 

[Christoph]

Sounds like a LEP that is dimable would be the perfect light spot with no spill.

 

[Charlie Hustle]

Convoy S2+
Lenses
18350 battery tube

 

[xxo]

2 AAA Mini Mag incandescent.

 

[tex.proud]

Killzone Flashlights Stainless AAA Pen Light for a whopping $15
4500K "Nichia 519A SM455 M500 L5 R9080" LED
https://www.killzoneflashlights.com...ights-stainless-pen-light?variant=17872825285

 

[iacchus]

Killzone Flashlights Stainless AAA Pen Light for a whopping $15
4500K "Nichia 519A SM455 M500 L5 R9080" LED
https://www.killzoneflashlights.com...ights-stainless-pen-light?variant=17872825285

great little lights.
Not the most robust things in the world, but at that price spares can be afforded.

 

[Dave_H]

Speaking generally, there are lots of small 2AAA penlights (but longer than 2.5") sometimes called "inspection lights", and also compact 1AA and 1AAA lights in the sub-100 lumen class, without the annoying flash "feature". All should work fine on primary or NiMH. Some may have high/low, but generally no memory at the low-cost end. Soft-press would be handy.

Most small lights of this type are high CCT, warm is less common. Packaging may or may not tell. Good if light has "demo" mode in the package.

Not really recommending brands/models/dealers, however check out regular HW stores, such as Home Depot. Coast G22 (1AAA) looks good but I don't have one yet to report on.

Dave

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

Convoy S2+
Lenses
18350 battery tube

An S2+ with a pebbled 25º TIR IME is all wide spot with no spill. Perfect usher light. Although the UI is not the best for the requested max brightness, since Convoy's UI has nothing below 50% as max brightness in any mode group.

Maybe a T2 or T3 would be better.

 

[Dave_H]

Also wondering if there is any value to using "red" for non-distraction, readability (-ve?), and "night-vision" in a dark theatre environment? Do any other colours e.g. green figure into this?

I notice a couple of my cheap penlights have an "angry-blue" spot at the beam centre, best to avoid if only for distraction.

Dave

 

[letschat7]

Maybe a pilot light would be great for this. I always wondered what lights they used in theatres which seemed to be 2/3 D cell lights with a dim bulb in the 90s.

Nowadays I don't watch American films. They want to much for films that aren't entertaining. 25$ for a Blue Ray or $15 or more to go to theatres is simply too much.

 

[Monocrom]

2 AAA Mini Mag incandescent.

Can confirm. Very dim, and warm.

 

[TPA]

For this application I prefer something with a momentary on switch. At the very least, ONLY an ON/OFF button with no additional modes to cycle through.

Back in the day I used an Eternalight Derringer. These days I'd just use an SC31Pro 4,000K light set to momentary mode.

 

[alanmalk]

Thanks for the replies. I will investigate the lights that meet the "small, 2.5 inch, 2 oz, maximum".
Red is not in the running since the patrons are coming in without any dark adaption - half blind.
LEP is not in the running since stairs and chairs are only a few feet away to a dozen feet away on average. Need a bit of cone and a bit of side light spill.
Warm would be great but hard to find. Not making this a high priority.
Incandescent is too power hungry.
The live actors on stage should not be able to see the source (head of the flashlight). In other words, the led should be well inset.
Momentary switches are not really ideal, too much going on in a short time to be able to worry about keeping the button pressed.
Simple ON/OFF would be perfect. That's why memory might be useful.

 

[xxo]

Warm white spectrum solitaire LED.

 

[Monocrom]

Another good idea for this application:
2AA incandescent Maglite with a Terralux (or similar) aftermarket tailcap switch attached. You get a warm tint by default. And, highly doubt any of the actors on-stage will be bothered by the output.