New Icon Irix Headlamp

[Bolster]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

If you look in the Flood Beam Headlamp List, compare the Energizer 6 (which has a 40 beam) to the H501 shots (80 beam). The beamshots with the horizontal bar in them were taken by me, and they were taken from the same distance away. So you can easily compare what a 40 degree vs an 80 degree beam would look like. My opinion is that any degree beam is good; just got to match the beam with the intended use. If you're looking for something between flood and throw, then 30 might do it.

 

[RonM]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

I'm getting some flicker (not PWM) at full bightness. Not happy about that. Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

I'm getting some flicker (not PWM) at full bightness. Not happy about that. Anyone else experiencing this?

That sucks. I know you're plenty experienced for all of the usual suggestions... Does it only happen at full brightness?

How "used" is it? Just wondering how much more run time you have than me (if any)

 

[Vox Clamatis in Deserto]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

After reading this thread I got an Irix II from 'a major online retailer'. Used it for reading a paper book in bed last night, great wide beam for the purpose. The light does swivel down too easily in the headband clip, maybe some strategically placed duct tape will solve that. The continuous brightness control is something I'm coming to enjoy on more and more lights, great for balancing night vision with acuity for near field tasks.

A nice lightweight inexpensive AA headlight, glad I got one.

 

[V8TOYTRUCK]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Picked one up for the truck to test out, for the money they are pretty damn good. For $20 shipped I'll be getting a few more for other vehicles and including 4x lithium AAs. Headlamps are the way to go for car light.

 

[DaveT]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Hi V8 - where are you seeing them for $20 shipped, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[Bolster]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Hi DaveT, I can't quite match V8's deal, but I purchased one for $19.99 on Amazon + 2.99 shipping. Amazon sells them at a number of different prices. See this link.

 

[defloyd77]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Got mine (finally) today. Kind of have mixed feelings on it. The LED's, although they don't have the typical uneven Nichia GS kind of beam, actually do a poorer job rendering color than the Nichias. The bracket as you all know isn't quite tight enough, there aren't any o-rings on the battery tube threads and personally and the dial kind of feels awkward to operate. It's pretty bright though.

 

[biowheel]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Hope this works. Haven't posted images here in a long time.

This is a beam shot of the IRIX II at 36" from the wall. I'll leave it to others to interpret the beams size.

Thanks for this beam shot!🙂

 

[RonM]

There's any easy fix for the loose bracket issue. Take a rubber band and run it vertically between the foam pad and bracket. Then loop the top of the rubber band in front of and below the knob and loop the bottom of the band on the lip over the LEDs. From the front you'll see the band as it over and underlines the word "IRIX".

 

[turboBB]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Kind of have mixed feelings on it. The LED's, although they don't have the typical uneven Nichia GS kind of beam, actually do a poorer job rendering color than the Nichias. The bracket as you all know isn't quite tight enough, there aren't any o-rings on the battery tube threads and personally and the dial kind of feels awkward to operate. It's pretty bright though.

This pretty much sums up my initial impressions about this HL as well. It's a nice light overall and while great in concept could've been better in execution.

• On mine, two of the 5mm LED are bluish while the other two are yellowish but this is only evident while up close against a wall.
• Bracket, consideirng this was designed by someone who is considered to be a genius in the flashlight industry, I think it could've been better impemented. Why should customers have to jerry-rig something to over come bracket weakness? Surely this should've been caught during QA.
• I do notice a white o-ring on my battery tube, was it missing from yours?
• My dial is quite stiff and difficult to operate smoothly.
• Last but not least, the headband... probably one of the least comfortable ones due to the use of stiff Nylon on the front portion that attaches to the bracket.

I'm conducting runtime tests on H w/a Eneloop and will post the graph in about 2 hrs or so.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Bolster]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

I purchased one for $20. I have the same exact impressions as turboBB above, but one of the main reasons I purchased the light, was because I was having real difficulty determining the beam angle from reports. Thought it would be easier to just get one and measure it myself. So I did.

It's a remarkably narrow beam, and while the light has a floody quality (with yellow and purple artifacts), it's hardly a wide-beam flood as advertised. I measure the beam at a narrow 30 degrees. (I consider true flood beams to start at 60 degrees.)

Obviously this could work for some things: I found it nicely illuminates a portion of my keyboard without any spill onto the screen...great for a late night computer session. Also works for night walking if you just want the trail / sidewalk illuminated and nothing else.

But for getting hand-work accomplished, it's frustrating, I find I am constantly reaching up and adjusting the beam to get it on task. Beam's too narrow. I can't get the headlamp to work well for reading, either, as it evenly illuminates about 1/3 of a page. And I really don't like twisting my head to read.

I've been wondering what would happen if I ground off the tops of the LEDs, would that spread the beam? As is, the LEDs are highly convex on the surface. What if they were ground or sanded flat? Would that widen the beam? Or narrow it further?

 

[turboBB]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

But for getting hand-work accomplished, it's frustrating, I find I am constantly reaching up and adjusting the beam to get it on task. Beam's too narrow. I can't get the headlamp to work well for reading, either, as it evenly illuminates about 1/3 of a page. And I really don't like twisting my head to read.

I've been wondering what would happen if I ground off the tops of the LEDs, would that spread the beam? As is, the LEDs are highly convex on the surface. What if they were ground or sanded flat? Would that widen the beam? Or narrow it further?

I used it to read my kids their bedtime story books last night and encountered the same exact thing, the beam is a wee bit narrow and could only illuminate the center of the page and this wasn't even that big a book. However, the low setting was just the perfect level though.

Be careful grinding the LED, you may end up with a flood but at a cost of no throw based on my experiences here. I may look to upgrade the 5mm w/the RS one like I did w/the Tikkina2. That should give it a very nice floody neutral beam.

EDIT - Runtime completed. Test conducted using freshly charged Eneloop (1.44V @ start, .86V at end). The back of the Irix maxed at 113 degrees during testing:

x = Elapsed time in min | y = Relative light output

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Bolster]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Be careful grounding [grinding] the LED, you may end up with a flood but at a cost of no throw based on my experiences here.

VERY interesting, thanks for that thread. I actually do want flood, even at the expense of throw. I find the light very difficult to use as-is, so either I sell it at a loss, or modify it. I have a mill, so I may clamp the light in the mill and put a grinding stone in the collet, and just shave (grind) off the top of all five domes at once. Then progressively sand. What do you think?

I like the runtime graph, thanks for that. I'm pleased with its regulation, that's good enough for me! What's the Y axis on that graph?

 

[turboBB]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Heh, grounding... thx for correction. I've updated the graph to reflect the axis (y = relative light output)

I don't think you should grind the top off unless you are ready to reshape and polish the dome as well (has to be a dome or convex shape to act as a lens). I have heard just a light sanding will do wonders to smooth out the beam and make it pretty floody. Some have used Steel wool 0000 but for me that was not enough so I actually went with 1K, 1.5K, 2K sanding paper. Just don't overdo it. Try a little at a time until you get the profile you want. Also I assume you meant 4 LED's since you wouldn't want to touch the center SSC one.

I found that sanding completely killed the throw so ended up using the unmodded RS LED's. I'll likely give that a go after I'm done w/all the runtime tests and will update this thread w/the results.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[tedh]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Bolster, you're going to hate me for saying this, but you've got the tools and the curiosity to do an interesting experiment. Take a discrete 5 mm led and progressively grind off the top. Do beamshots after each shave of the beam top. When you've got it flat, polish the sucker, and see if that changes anything. I'm really curious to see what the shaving would do.

Ted

 

[turboBB]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Bolster, you're not going to have an easy time w/this as even after removing the "lens" and reflector, you'll likely not have any room to work with the 5mm LED's:

As per mellowman's earlier post re: the Irix II board, the Irix I will offer the same challenges in that the wires soldered to the board are very short so you'll likely have to unsolder them (total of 4 w/a white one under the top lef 5mm LED) before removing it completely.

If you don't want to go through that trouble then I'd recommend just lightly sanding the tip of the domes being careful not to get dust on the center SSC. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[defloyd77]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

I'm starting to warm up to mine. It's pretty nice being able to dial down little by little to slowly adapt my eyes to dimmer light or dial upward slowly to adjust to brighter light. 1aa is awesome as well. One problem some with longer hair may have is their hair being twisted around the dial as you turn it on (I confess, I do need me a haircut). All in all, it's a pretty handy light, but not perfect.

 

[Bolster]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Heads up...the Irix Icon II has recently dropped in price at Amazon. Down to one of the lower prices I've seen since I started tracking it, now sub $24 (was $28)

This isn't a recommendation. Mine is actually relegated to the "emergency supplies bucket," possibly to never be used, but that's primarily due to my need for a wider flood. Your needs may be different and this may be just the ticket.

EDIT: Fixed. The headlamp is now in regular use, because it's sufficiently floody for work after this simple mod.

 

[cacheatnight]

Re: New Icon Irix Headlamp - my mini 1 minute layman's version of review

Heads up...the Irix Icon II has recently dropped in price at Amazon. Down to one of the lower prices I've seen since I started tracking it, now sub $24 (was $28)

This isn't a recommendation. Mine is actually relegated to the "emergency supplies bucket," possibly to never be used, but that's primarily due to my need for a wider flood. Your needs may be different and this may be just the ticket.

Were you sanding the LEDs on the IRIX or the IRIX II ? I can't tell from the thread if the two models are being interchanged in various posts.