I thought it was a feature I would never use, and I don't really, but was surprised by how usable both the lowest mode on the Quark and the Zebralight H60W are. With dark-adapted eyesight, and no ambient light, the .4 lumen mode on the H60W lights up my whole bedroom while tailstanding on the dresser.
Moonlight mode--any good or just marketing?
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jblackwood
Enlightened
Since the Quark's reflector was designed more for throw than for flood, at the extreme ranges are where that design strengths/flaws will manifest themselves. I'll explain what I mean in a sec. The Quark's moonlight mode is, for me, very useful when I want to spot things that are more at a distance. Since even on moonlight there is a spot and a flood in the beam profile, I can't use it much for reading and I find if I'm looking for something on my nightstand or dresser without wanting to disturb the wife, I have to wave it back and forth to illuminate a wider area that's closer to me (2-4 feet away).
We all know the Quark is a great little thrower with a (relatively) smooth beam profile that transitions well from flood to spot (hence the op reflector). For the specified task I've described above, though, the solution is, and should always be, a purely floody light like my zebralight H30 or my Lunasol 20 (you knew I was going to work it in somehow, did you?). They both illuminate a wide area without having to "fan" the light back and forth.
Like jhc37013 said, you have to own a light with a low low to see if your uses would make the most of that mode. JeffInChi, you might want to check out floodier lights to read with at night. I'm no optometrist, but I've used the Quark for reading and my eyes fatigue a lot quicker than when I'm using other lights. I suggest the Zebralight H30 or H501, depending on your battery usage . . . and you don't have to hold it in your hands either!
That's off topic. Back on: I think Moonlight is great for spotting things in a totally dark environment that are at least 6 feet away from you. Not a wide field of illumination, but it gets the job done without having to ruin your nightvision. Up close, though, an optic (like the zebralight) or a VERY flat reflective surface (like the low setting on the McGizmo Lunasol series), is the best design choice verses a deeper reflector that can collimate a tighter beam. Of course, I'm no pro in optics. That's my disclaimer!
lovecpf
We all know the Quark is a great little thrower with a (relatively) smooth beam profile that transitions well from flood to spot (hence the op reflector). For the specified task I've described above, though, the solution is, and should always be, a purely floody light like my zebralight H30 or my Lunasol 20 (you knew I was going to work it in somehow, did you?). They both illuminate a wide area without having to "fan" the light back and forth.
Like jhc37013 said, you have to own a light with a low low to see if your uses would make the most of that mode. JeffInChi, you might want to check out floodier lights to read with at night. I'm no optometrist, but I've used the Quark for reading and my eyes fatigue a lot quicker than when I'm using other lights. I suggest the Zebralight H30 or H501, depending on your battery usage . . . and you don't have to hold it in your hands either!
That's off topic. Back on: I think Moonlight is great for spotting things in a totally dark environment that are at least 6 feet away from you. Not a wide field of illumination, but it gets the job done without having to ruin your nightvision. Up close, though, an optic (like the zebralight) or a VERY flat reflective surface (like the low setting on the McGizmo Lunasol series), is the best design choice verses a deeper reflector that can collimate a tighter beam. Of course, I'm no pro in optics. That's my disclaimer!
lovecpf
I find myself agreeing with jblackwood. The Quark moon mode is perfect for navigating a dark room without bothering others or ruining your nightvision, but for reading in bed, the hotspot is too bright and too small to use comfortably. You're forced to illuminate one or two words at a time which is a real drag.
The lowest mode on my LF5XT probably puts out more lumens than the Quark's moon mode, but it's a floody beam with no defined hotspot, so I can illuminate the whole page of a book (although it's still too bright up close for dark adjusted eyes). If I don't mind seeing in red, the floody beam of my Photon Freedom Micro with red LED is excellent for reading. In fact, the lowest low on my Photon is so low that I can't see it at all unless I'm holding something within a couple of inches of the flashlight. I don't know if this is the case for all Photons or just the red LED Photons.
--flatline
The lowest mode on my LF5XT probably puts out more lumens than the Quark's moon mode, but it's a floody beam with no defined hotspot, so I can illuminate the whole page of a book (although it's still too bright up close for dark adjusted eyes). If I don't mind seeing in red, the floody beam of my Photon Freedom Micro with red LED is excellent for reading. In fact, the lowest low on my Photon is so low that I can't see it at all unless I'm holding something within a couple of inches of the flashlight. I don't know if this is the case for all Photons or just the red LED Photons.
--flatline
Tom_123
Newly Enlightened
Personally, I don't use moonlight mode, that's what my key ring light is for.
The only advantage of moonlight mode I could think of, could be an emergency situation
where you have to save batteries, like being trapped in a tunnel for
unknown time and such.
I wouldn't call it "just marketing" though.
Many people here seams to love this "lowest low" stuff and 4Seven is
one of the few manufacturers who listen to what people wants.
That's a very good thing in the first place, even if I don't need
all the features they come up with.
The only advantage of moonlight mode I could think of, could be an emergency situation
where you have to save batteries, like being trapped in a tunnel for
unknown time and such.
I wouldn't call it "just marketing" though.
Many people here seams to love this "lowest low" stuff and 4Seven is
one of the few manufacturers who listen to what people wants.
That's a very good thing in the first place, even if I don't need
all the features they come up with.
I don't know if the yellow and orange Photons are like that too (due to efficiency), but the reason you can barely see it is because humans aren't as sensitive to red light as other colors. I personally like using red a lot more than moon mode, in fact I haven't used my QAA neu-tac's moon mode since I got my Peak Eiger with a red Rebel.
Now for the ultimate do not disturb others light, I'd love to see a moon beamed (think of the original Inova X1) moon mode, you could go really low lumen wise and the tight beam would keep it useful and the precise beam makes sure no wreckless lumens go where they shouldn't. I'd take it in either white or pure green.
jblackwood
Enlightened
I'm not familiar with the Inova X1, but what you're describing seems to be what aspherical lights do. They concentrate the die's profile and light goes NO WHERE else. Interesting, no? A small, pocketable aspheric?
It is an aspheric, but a little differrent as it uses a 5mm LED instead of a Cree or Luxeon, so it produces a perfect circle instead of a square die.
Rixter, the key to understanding brightness is that our eyes respond in a logarithmic way to light intensity, and can use a very wide range of brightnesses.
Which is just to say that two beams with lumen numbers that sound far apart can look very similar in brightness. That's why on a quark, for example, turbo is 190 lumens, and high is 70. They don't need to be any closer together.
It also means that beams with lumen numbers which are very small are still quite detectable and useful to our eyes, especially when they are dark adapted.
That's why moonlight on the quark is 0.2 lumens. Sometimes that's really all you need.
Henry has a great paper explaining this (and more). Page 7 has a discussion of the human visual system.
Which is just to say that two beams with lumen numbers that sound far apart can look very similar in brightness. That's why on a quark, for example, turbo is 190 lumens, and high is 70. They don't need to be any closer together.
It also means that beams with lumen numbers which are very small are still quite detectable and useful to our eyes, especially when they are dark adapted.
That's why moonlight on the quark is 0.2 lumens. Sometimes that's really all you need.
Henry has a great paper explaining this (and more). Page 7 has a discussion of the human visual system.
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Not unly I use and love it... I NEED it for work ( no kidding!)
I have to walk into dark rooms to access the front of the film developing machine (called a processor) and walk right out to keep on working on the rest of the processor... I used to have to wait for an operator to come in, ask if it's possible to turn the lights on, which means they would have to put away all film and check all the cabinet doors, all that for a few screws. NOT ANYMORE! we tested the low low to be safe for film if pointed away (obviously) at less than 4 feet distance for about a minute and no traces of fog on the film! I should ask for a raise just for that!... I save over a half hour per visit thanks to this neat little option!
On the other hand I use it a lot for camping as well and even made some light-reducing diffuser tips to imitate that on my Fenix lights! I spent thousands of dollars in the last 3 years to get the brightest flashlight available, and now I'm looking for ways to make them even dimmer than your grandad's 2D cell flashlight... (but I still get more throw and flood out ot it :naughty
I have to walk into dark rooms to access the front of the film developing machine (called a processor) and walk right out to keep on working on the rest of the processor... I used to have to wait for an operator to come in, ask if it's possible to turn the lights on, which means they would have to put away all film and check all the cabinet doors, all that for a few screws. NOT ANYMORE! we tested the low low to be safe for film if pointed away (obviously) at less than 4 feet distance for about a minute and no traces of fog on the film! I should ask for a raise just for that!... I save over a half hour per visit thanks to this neat little option!
On the other hand I use it a lot for camping as well and even made some light-reducing diffuser tips to imitate that on my Fenix lights! I spent thousands of dollars in the last 3 years to get the brightest flashlight available, and now I'm looking for ways to make them even dimmer than your grandad's 2D cell flashlight... (but I still get more throw and flood out ot it :naughty
Kestrel
Flashaholic
Ever since I retired my older SureFire L1 w/ the ~1 lumen low (and getting new & brighter lights), it's been a struggle to get lows that are low enough – Many of the SF's and all of the Fenix's are way too high. Kudos to the other manufacturers (Quark for example, from what I understand) that recognize this need for, get this:
using a flashlight for close-up tasks in dark conditions in the middle of the night.
Crazy idea, hm? :thumbsup:
using a flashlight for close-up tasks in dark conditions in the middle of the night.
Crazy idea, hm? :thumbsup:
Sgt. LED
Flashaholic
Once my eyes are dark adapted I LOVE using moonlight mode around the house.
:thumbsup:
:thumbsup:
recDNA
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2009
- Messages
- 8,761
Must be nice to have such great vision. Got up at 2 a.m. for br visit and grabbed the Ti CR123 by the bed and turned it on.(I unplugged the nitelite before bed just to try moonlight mode) ..starts in moonlight mode...couldn't see a thing. I could see the light was on but it didn't light my way around obstacles on floor. (wife's away - sloppy recdna) Next mode up was ok.
fareast
Enlightened
For my taste I like a very low low. The 0.08 lumens on my 85T is just about perfect. with fully dark adapted eyes this is what I use. The standard low for the T is normally 0.33 lumens but this is already too bright for dark adapted eyes and it will hurt my nightvision.
some lowest lows on the photon Freedoms
left to right: NV Green, Orange, White and NovaTac 85T 0.08 lumens
Photo is loaded with noise, my apologies.
some lowest lows on the photon Freedoms
left to right: NV Green, Orange, White and NovaTac 85T 0.08 lumens
Photo is loaded with noise, my apologies.
mbiraman
Newly Enlightened
Moonlight mode is the most used on my Quark. Its great for middle of the night and first thing in the morning when eyes are sensitive . Its the best part of my quark for me.
LightOnAHill
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2009
- Messages
- 108
I had used a fenix l1d for a little over a year. It´s a great light, and I still will use it for a lot of things.
But I wanted a light that would work better for self defense at night in the home. I knew about the existence of this forum, so I came over here and read and read about the different lights.
My criteria for a tactical light were:
1 - very low light mode for low,
2 - same intensity each time I turn it on and off, and
3 - momentary on
I wanted #1 so I wouldn't have my night vision destroyed. Night vision would be vital in a self-defense situation.
I wanted #2 to support #1 if I had to turn the light on briefly to check something (movement or a shadow) and then turn it off, and then check another section of the room, but not want want the light to jump to 50 lumens.
#3 is for those quick checks while holding the firearm in the other hand.
I found the Quark Tactical to fit my needs. I am happy that the light has the ability to go to bright with the switch of the head, and stay at that level of intensity when I wouldn't need night vision (such as in a somewhat lit room or under a street lamp) but would still want the ability to use the light as a blinding tool or disorienting tool.
Programability rocks!!! I've set my Quark AA Tactical to max on the one setting, and moonlight mode on the other. I use it mostly on the moonlight mode.
My wife is happy that she can now use the Fenix when camping (she used it anyhow, she used to just take it from me ), but even she says the lowest setting on that light is too bright when getting up in the night.
Thus, for the aforementioned reasons, I vote that it is more than just any good, it is a necessity for my lights. I'll probably get a regular Quark for the one-handed mode adjustments, but the Tac will always sit next to the Sig.
But I wanted a light that would work better for self defense at night in the home. I knew about the existence of this forum, so I came over here and read and read about the different lights.
My criteria for a tactical light were:
1 - very low light mode for low,
2 - same intensity each time I turn it on and off, and
3 - momentary on
I wanted #1 so I wouldn't have my night vision destroyed. Night vision would be vital in a self-defense situation.
I wanted #2 to support #1 if I had to turn the light on briefly to check something (movement or a shadow) and then turn it off, and then check another section of the room, but not want want the light to jump to 50 lumens.
#3 is for those quick checks while holding the firearm in the other hand.
I found the Quark Tactical to fit my needs. I am happy that the light has the ability to go to bright with the switch of the head, and stay at that level of intensity when I wouldn't need night vision (such as in a somewhat lit room or under a street lamp) but would still want the ability to use the light as a blinding tool or disorienting tool.
Programability rocks!!! I've set my Quark AA Tactical to max on the one setting, and moonlight mode on the other. I use it mostly on the moonlight mode.
My wife is happy that she can now use the Fenix when camping (she used it anyhow, she used to just take it from me
), but even she says the lowest setting on that light is too bright when getting up in the night. Thus, for the aforementioned reasons, I vote that it is more than just any good, it is a necessity for my lights. I'll probably get a regular Quark for the one-handed mode adjustments, but the Tac will always sit next to the Sig.
I think it is very valuable on a light I use around the house or have for emergency purposes.
I have it configured for my Quark 123-2 (tactical), Novatac U60 (18650), which IMO are slightly too big to carry around as an EDC.
I also have it on a single cell Novatac 120P, RA Twisties, RA Clickie, which I imagine could be used for an emergency.
For my Quark 123 (tactical), I have the low mode programmed as low and not moonlight. It isn't very useful during the day.
I have it configured for my Quark 123-2 (tactical), Novatac U60 (18650), which IMO are slightly too big to carry around as an EDC.
I also have it on a single cell Novatac 120P, RA Twisties, RA Clickie, which I imagine could be used for an emergency.
For my Quark 123 (tactical), I have the low mode programmed as low and not moonlight. It isn't very useful during the day.
Lightonahill, do you know about the HDS/Novatac/RA Lights (Clickie) UI?
It is a 4 mode light, each mode is programmable to 20 something brightness settings or strobe or beacon... Click to turn on, (you can set which mode it comes on with,) and if you hold down the button any time the light is on, you have a momentary Maximum Mode (which is also programmable to any brightness or strobe).
It's pretty amazing control.
It is a 4 mode light, each mode is programmable to 20 something brightness settings or strobe or beacon... Click to turn on, (you can set which mode it comes on with,) and if you hold down the button any time the light is on, you have a momentary Maximum Mode (which is also programmable to any brightness or strobe).
It's pretty amazing control.
ninjaboigt
Enlightened
- Joined
- May 8, 2008
- Messages
- 667
i use it in the movie theater when helping my gf look thru her purse. or any time i dont want to attract any attention and need light.
could use a cell phone, but with a flashlight i can wrap my hand around the bezel so only the hot spot comes out etc.
i use the 3.5 lumen more than the moon mode..but thats just my prefrence.
could use a cell phone, but with a flashlight i can wrap my hand around the bezel so only the hot spot comes out etc.
i use the 3.5 lumen more than the moon mode..but thats just my prefrence.
kramer5150
Flashaholic
Night vision preservation is my main reason for having a low-low mode. I find anything higher than 5L to be excessively bright with fully night adapted vision. Think dead of the night 2:AM and the baby wakes up crying from the car alarm across the street.
My lowest low is a DIY P60 build thats in the ~1 Lumen range. Running off an 18650, it will run for a ridiculously LONG time.
