BabyDoc
Flashlight Enthusiast
I just received my LF5xt from EliteLED.COM. I can't believe that it took only 2 days for me to get the order. Great job, guys at EliteLED! Mine has the tap/off problem fixed.
As critical as I am about beam, tint, artifacts, all I can say about this light is WOW! Its beam rivals the Novac and its tint is much more pleasing even at low levels, since my Novatac takes on a slight blue tint at low levels. The LiteFlux is neutral to just slightly warm. It could be that I am just too old to appreciate the high frequency noise that others hear with 14500 cell, I can't hear it or can my grand daughter, even with flashlight up to the er. Either this problem has been fixed with the new LF5XTs, or I lucked out.
Perhaps because I did own a Novatac p120, figuring out the LF5xt was not as difficult as I imagined it would be. I attempted to just pick up the light and use it, and although I figured out how to switch levels with the double Click, (similar to the Novatac), that's about all I could figure out without reading the directions. I first attempted to use Orcinus's charts, and as beautiful as they are, I could not figure out the operation without referring to the manufacturers user manual. Actually, I didn't go back to the charts until I DID figure the light out from the manual. It then was useful as a review and reference.
Only a few things were a bit confusing to me from the manual. Entering into each of the selected functions modes from the main list of adjustable functions with a 3C+P wasn't particularly intuitive since that is the same command to exit and save a setting. Then exiting the particular function and finding yourself still in the Function Setting List was confusing only because you needed to issue a 3C command to exit the list, which for everything else means exit without saving. You wondered at first whether what you had previously done in the function subset was actually saved. Fortunately it was.
Another confusing command, even after reading the manual and the charts, was the 4C command when you are in the mode programing menu. It was stated that this command only operates to toggle the different strobe and beacon speed/brightness settings. It does not state in the manual or in the charts that you need to use the same 1C or 2C commands to toggle through the different options. The manual makes it sound like hitting 4C repeatedly will toggle these for you.
As I review Orcinus's Advanced operation charts I see this 4C command for the strobe/beacon alternatives listed as "change parameter" with small print below, but no mention how to change the parameter for that option. The chart could be clearer there, I think. In his Basic Operation charts, he doesn't show this command at all under program mode. While this may be an intentional omission for the sake of simplicity, I think it should have been included even here, since the only other simplification with the basic operation chart is the omission of the function mode subsets and their operations, leaving those for the advance settings chart. In other words, IMO, the BASIC operations should include how you program each of the 5 modes, as well as changing modes, voltage check and off/off operations. The Advanced operations should tell you how to change the changable functions (momentary toggle, battery protection toggle, number of modes available, reset, and memory toggle). They are advanced because you are not as likely to access these functions repeatedly like you might with the Basic Operations. A third chart might show, in simplified form, how all these elements connect, with very little detail other than the commands that get you back from the Programming Modes Menu and the Function Setting Menu to the basic on/off, switching modes, checking voltage main operation.
Finally, I discovered a few tricks making it easier to program my light.
The first thing was I turned memory off before programming the modes. By doing so, you can easily identify the number of the mode you are working in, since the light always turns on mode in 1, rather than the last mode used. Once I adjusted mode 1 the way I wanted it, I could then turn the light off and on and be sure that level WAS mode 1, before double clicking to get to mode 2. Then in mode 2, I went into mode program mode (3C+PH) and adjusted mode 2, etc. Once I had all my modes the way I wanted them, I turned memory back on (I wanted to do so, but you don't have to).
Another thing I appreciated after a while is that ramping is a way of fine tuning your light output setting. When in program mode use 1C and 2C to get you to a rough level of the output you want. Hit 5C at the point to see what the output number actually is. Say it is showing 47 Percent output. You then go to 1C+PH and hold it down for a brief second; then recheck with 5C and you now have 51 percent output. You can hit 2C+PH and ramp down just a split second; recheck and you have 50 percent output. Only after you have the level exactly where you want it do you hit 3C+PH to save it. While you don't have to do this fine adjusting (you can just eyeball it), if you are anal like me, it does allow you unblievable reproducible level control becaue ramping is EXTREMELY slow. (I have my light set: Mode 1: 2 percent; Mode 2: 15 percent; Mode 3: 33 percent; Mode 4: 50 percent; Mode 5: 66 percent). Of course with a PH and I have 100 percent. )
I am sorry this is such a long post. It is just that I am so excited about my new light.
As critical as I am about beam, tint, artifacts, all I can say about this light is WOW! Its beam rivals the Novac and its tint is much more pleasing even at low levels, since my Novatac takes on a slight blue tint at low levels. The LiteFlux is neutral to just slightly warm. It could be that I am just too old to appreciate the high frequency noise that others hear with 14500 cell, I can't hear it or can my grand daughter, even with flashlight up to the er. Either this problem has been fixed with the new LF5XTs, or I lucked out.
Perhaps because I did own a Novatac p120, figuring out the LF5xt was not as difficult as I imagined it would be. I attempted to just pick up the light and use it, and although I figured out how to switch levels with the double Click, (similar to the Novatac), that's about all I could figure out without reading the directions. I first attempted to use Orcinus's charts, and as beautiful as they are, I could not figure out the operation without referring to the manufacturers user manual. Actually, I didn't go back to the charts until I DID figure the light out from the manual. It then was useful as a review and reference.
Only a few things were a bit confusing to me from the manual. Entering into each of the selected functions modes from the main list of adjustable functions with a 3C+P wasn't particularly intuitive since that is the same command to exit and save a setting. Then exiting the particular function and finding yourself still in the Function Setting List was confusing only because you needed to issue a 3C command to exit the list, which for everything else means exit without saving. You wondered at first whether what you had previously done in the function subset was actually saved. Fortunately it was.
Another confusing command, even after reading the manual and the charts, was the 4C command when you are in the mode programing menu. It was stated that this command only operates to toggle the different strobe and beacon speed/brightness settings. It does not state in the manual or in the charts that you need to use the same 1C or 2C commands to toggle through the different options. The manual makes it sound like hitting 4C repeatedly will toggle these for you.
As I review Orcinus's Advanced operation charts I see this 4C command for the strobe/beacon alternatives listed as "change parameter" with small print below, but no mention how to change the parameter for that option. The chart could be clearer there, I think. In his Basic Operation charts, he doesn't show this command at all under program mode. While this may be an intentional omission for the sake of simplicity, I think it should have been included even here, since the only other simplification with the basic operation chart is the omission of the function mode subsets and their operations, leaving those for the advance settings chart. In other words, IMO, the BASIC operations should include how you program each of the 5 modes, as well as changing modes, voltage check and off/off operations. The Advanced operations should tell you how to change the changable functions (momentary toggle, battery protection toggle, number of modes available, reset, and memory toggle). They are advanced because you are not as likely to access these functions repeatedly like you might with the Basic Operations. A third chart might show, in simplified form, how all these elements connect, with very little detail other than the commands that get you back from the Programming Modes Menu and the Function Setting Menu to the basic on/off, switching modes, checking voltage main operation.
Finally, I discovered a few tricks making it easier to program my light.
The first thing was I turned memory off before programming the modes. By doing so, you can easily identify the number of the mode you are working in, since the light always turns on mode in 1, rather than the last mode used. Once I adjusted mode 1 the way I wanted it, I could then turn the light off and on and be sure that level WAS mode 1, before double clicking to get to mode 2. Then in mode 2, I went into mode program mode (3C+PH) and adjusted mode 2, etc. Once I had all my modes the way I wanted them, I turned memory back on (I wanted to do so, but you don't have to).
Another thing I appreciated after a while is that ramping is a way of fine tuning your light output setting. When in program mode use 1C and 2C to get you to a rough level of the output you want. Hit 5C at the point to see what the output number actually is. Say it is showing 47 Percent output. You then go to 1C+PH and hold it down for a brief second; then recheck with 5C and you now have 51 percent output. You can hit 2C+PH and ramp down just a split second; recheck and you have 50 percent output. Only after you have the level exactly where you want it do you hit 3C+PH to save it. While you don't have to do this fine adjusting (you can just eyeball it), if you are anal like me, it does allow you unblievable reproducible level control becaue ramping is EXTREMELY slow. (I have my light set: Mode 1: 2 percent; Mode 2: 15 percent; Mode 3: 33 percent; Mode 4: 50 percent; Mode 5: 66 percent). Of course with a PH and I have 100 percent. )
I am sorry this is such a long post. It is just that I am so excited about my new light.
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