Looking For: Reasonable Quality Adjustable Focus Flashlight
- Thread starter Spin
- Start date
archer6817j
Enlightened
I'm very interested to see how this turns out. Personally I've never seen an "acceptable" quality adjustable focus light but I've been looking for one, but haven't seen that many either. To me "acceptable" means decent beam profile over the focus range...no giant shadows, donuts, or severe rings.
Do aspherics count? To me they are so inefficient they get way too dim when focused wide but at least have a consistent profile.
Do aspherics count? To me they are so inefficient they get way too dim when focused wide but at least have a consistent profile.
This is supposed to have very good beam quality:
http://www.brightguy.com/products/Coast_P5_Led_Lenser_Flashlight_8405.php
but has only a single level just under 100 lumens.
Don't own one, but from reviews I've read it has good quality build, good fit and finish, gold plated connectors, etc.
Coast does make some multi-level adjustable focus lights, but those all use more cells or else are rechargable lights.
.
http://www.brightguy.com/products/Coast_P5_Led_Lenser_Flashlight_8405.php
but has only a single level just under 100 lumens.
Don't own one, but from reviews I've read it has good quality build, good fit and finish, gold plated connectors, etc.
Coast does make some multi-level adjustable focus lights, but those all use more cells or else are rechargable lights.
.
Nachtwacht
Newly Enlightened
Wolf-eyes Krait, maybe?
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...rait-aspherical-lens-spot-to-flood-flashlight!
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...rait-aspherical-lens-spot-to-flood-flashlight!
^Gurthang
Flashlight Enthusiast
Maybe this would fill the bill....
http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-194/Romisen-RC-dsh-29-II-NW/Detail
Bryan [ShiningBeam] has a reputation for quality lights at bargain basement prices. The 29 may actually be a bit brighter than you specified.
http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-194/Romisen-RC-dsh-29-II-NW/Detail
Bryan [ShiningBeam] has a reputation for quality lights at bargain basement prices. The 29 may actually be a bit brighter than you specified.
cccpull
Enlightened
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2009
- Messages
- 331
Led Lenser makes the M1 (cr123) 140 lumens and the M5 (1aa) 100 lumens. Check them out here:
http://www.ledlenser.com/US/products/html_highperformance/html_Mseries/m5.php?id=m5
Or if you're in the USA and have a Lowe's near by, you might check out the Led Lenser T7, it's 4aaa though at 175 lumen.
Coast makes some good zoom-to-focus lights.
And I wouldn't even consider getting something from DealExtreme. You'll probably end up with a light that's built with shoddy parts and worksmanship. (e.g. - pieces that are glued together than welded, plastic lens instead of glass, mismatching parts, etc.) There is a reason why they are so cheap.
And I wouldn't even consider getting something from DealExtreme. You'll probably end up with a light that's built with shoddy parts and worksmanship. (e.g. - pieces that are glued together than welded, plastic lens instead of glass, mismatching parts, etc.) There is a reason why they are so cheap.
kramer5150
Flashaholic
Never cared for these kinds of optic designs, they (generally) waste so many side emitted Lumens from the LED. But they are cool to play around with.
Lens-light is the only brand I would consider. IMHO their designs offer enough positives (quality, fit-feel, heft, typeIII finish...etc) to offset the lost lumens from the fish-eye optic.
http://www.lens-light.com/store/
Lens-light is the only brand I would consider. IMHO their designs offer enough positives (quality, fit-feel, heft, typeIII finish...etc) to offset the lost lumens from the fish-eye optic.
http://www.lens-light.com/store/
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At the cheapest end, a 10 dollar dealextreme or ebay one will work fine. I bought a few and they are great. I recommend 3xAAA as that gives enough voltage to drive the emitter at a decent level from alkalines which is what they are designed for. Also gives a bit more runtime than 1xAA for no real size increase.
Next up, a Romisen one can be had for 25 bucks. They use a R2 XR-E, or XP-G emitter, instead of the P4 old one that most use. goto Shiningbeam.com and check out their selection of flood to throws, in 1xAA, 1xCR123, 2xAA, etc.
For max throw and ability to select multiple battery types, Id go with: http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-215/Romisen-RC-dsh-C8-II-R2/Detail
Coast lights/Led Lensor lights are pretty good quality, though I think romisen is more cost effective. The P7/P14/M7/M14 are what you want to look at.
The Lens Lights are an option too. However, I think they are overpriced for what you get. Sure its "better quality', but at some point, it just isnt worth the money. 160 bucks for a 1xCR123 light? Yikes!
Wolf Eyes has pretty good ones but its super hard to find reviews or places to buy. Their ultimate is a Night Hunter with an XM-L. Its gonna be more floody and not have as tight of a hotspot, but will put out the lumens.
Next up, a Romisen one can be had for 25 bucks. They use a R2 XR-E, or XP-G emitter, instead of the P4 old one that most use. goto Shiningbeam.com and check out their selection of flood to throws, in 1xAA, 1xCR123, 2xAA, etc.
For max throw and ability to select multiple battery types, Id go with: http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-215/Romisen-RC-dsh-C8-II-R2/Detail
Coast lights/Led Lensor lights are pretty good quality, though I think romisen is more cost effective. The P7/P14/M7/M14 are what you want to look at.
The Lens Lights are an option too. However, I think they are overpriced for what you get. Sure its "better quality', but at some point, it just isnt worth the money. 160 bucks for a 1xCR123 light? Yikes!
Wolf Eyes has pretty good ones but its super hard to find reviews or places to buy. Their ultimate is a Night Hunter with an XM-L. Its gonna be more floody and not have as tight of a hotspot, but will put out the lumens.
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ebow86
Flashlight Enthusiast
Is there a reason you specifaclly need an adjustable focus light? Going with this type of light has a few problems.
1. If looking for a quality flashlight this will severly limit your options to choose from, due to most manufacturers not producing adjustable focus lights due to many different reasons. There's a reason why surefire, fenix, 4sevens, jetbeam and many others don't make adjustable focus lights, they are an inferior design compaired to the fixed focus design.
2. A fixed focus light that uses either a reflector or TIR optic is a far more useful illumination tool than an adjustable focus light. An adjustable focus light has no advantages and all disadvantages when compared with the flashlight standard, which is the fixed focus system. There's a reason why there arent' many adjustable focus lights on the market, they don't offer anything over a fixed focus light.
3. Having to focus a light only adds an unnessecary process in what I consider to be a flawed design. When you pick up a fixed focus light, I know everytime I pick it up it will be ready to use perfectly in focus with a good combo of throw and spill. When using an adjustable focus light, you may have to fumble with the bezel and focus it becuase it may be set to a setting which is unuseful for the particular situation. You hear a noise outside, you grab your adjustable focus light, hit the switch, oh wait, I had the beam spead out to flood last time I used it, now I have to adjust my grip and focus the light to throw. That will nver happen with a fixed focus light.
4. There is no situation I can think of where an adjustable focus light can do something that a fixed focus reflector based light can't do better.
Spin, if you can post back and tell us what your budget is they we might be able to make better suggestions for you.
I suppose an adjustable focus light would be a benefit if you only want one light to do up close (ie flood) work and further reaching (ie tight beam). Agreed, I would rather have two lights for this purpose, but sometimes the convenience of one is preferred. Duracell makes a good quality (albeit an anemic performer) adjustable light called the Daylight. They have several models in the lineup that run on AAs and Cs, and they have a pretty good headlamp too. I actually have the headlamp for working on cars and in the attic, and the optic isn't half bad. It looks to be the same on their AA model too. Costco has them in store now for $7 and the headlamp for $12. No modes on the headlamp, and I'm not sure about the AA model. With the spot to flood, I really don't need modes though. I'm pretty sure they aren't regulated (Direct drive), but I use NiMH batteries, so runtimes are pretty flat anyway. Not too shabby for the price and lumens are about where you want them.
