Photon 3 quick review & runtime test

[Badbeams3]

A Photon 3 arrived at my door today. Nice! It`s a little thicker than the Photon II. I really like the three power levels. I`m finding the switch very easy to use with my somewhat arthritic hands.

I won`t be changing modes often so I don`t think the delay time between them reported by Craig will be much of a problem with me. I will probably leave it on medium most of the time but it`s nice to know I can change levels or just press the front area for a bright burst of light at any time. And the low power level is there should I want/need a dimmer but usefull long lasting light.

I`m not sure I will use the auto off feature much as the light seems to take more than just a touch to turn on...I am not to worried that it will come on in my pocket accidently (don`t plan on putting it on a keychain anyway) but should that be a problem it`s nice to know I have that option as well.

At this point I really do not think I will use the flash modes much, if ever, but you never know...might be handy for signaling in an important situation someday.

I really like having it water resistant AND having a switch, I wear these on a chain around my neck and sometimes forget to take them off before jumping in the shower. It`s never ruined the Photon II lights but the batts don`t seem to like it much.

Now for the interesting part...if this is a 20 degree angle, I`ll eat my bunny (well, I might be having wabbit soup anyway, but that`s a differant story). This one has a wide angle beam just like the older Photons but seems brighter...even has that little blue ring part way in the beam....and the center is slightly darker than the surround beam...the trade offs...really lights the area around you well but doesn`t project as far. But for most of my uses a wide beam is what I want.

The wide beam would be great for reading the menu in darkened French resturants while the waiter sings love songs to your wife, glancing at you once in a while to insure his choice of song meets with your approval and his tip will still be intact even after your shock of seeing the check (sorry about the rambling, still in shock). Great for retirees. Again, wearing them on a chain around the neck is the way to go...very handy.

I wonder how this happened though...I heard they were using some wide angles in the Fusion...maybe they were mixed up somehow.

I will do a run time test on the differant levels soon as I finally have a lightmeter...should be interesting.

Ken

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KenB:

Now for the interesting part...if this is a 20 degree angle, I`ll eat my bunny (well, I might be having wabbit soup anyway, but that`s a differant story). This one has a wide angle beam just like the older Photons but seems brighter...even has that little blue ring part way in the beam....and the center is slightly darker than the surround beam...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think rabbit soup is on the menu today. :0
But it really sounds like whoever was on the assembly line that day was an eggroll short of a poo poo platter when this particular Photon reached his station.

I'd say you have a very unique and rare collector's item.

 

[geepondy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by telephony:
But it really sounds like whoever was on the assembly line that day was an eggroll short of a poo poo platter when this particular Photon reached his station.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Be carefuly on your choice of quotes, Craig, ha, ha. I noticed you removed this particular quote from your photon III review.

I hope this wide beam is an abnormality because I wouldn't want a photon beam any wider then the photon II model. I'm curious as to the run times comparing the photon III vs II. In particular, in your review (Craig) you said the high setting is not quite as bright as the instant on setting. I wonder/hope that because it is going thru an IC even though the high setting is slightly dimmer then the instant on setting, the level of brightness might remain more constant thru the battery life much like a arc light or pocketbright. We all know how relatively quickly photon II's dim from the initial brightness level.

 

[Chris M.]

Ken, how`d you get yours so soon? I`ve been waiting a dog`s age for them to start shipping, it seems it`s been delay after delay for this little newcomer. As a "newbie" reviewer (OK- I`m slow.....but they`re all coming eventually. I`m just really busy right now...) is there something I`m missing out on, to get new stuff here quicker?

Still, looking forward to whenever it is that mine turns up here, probably about 2 weeks after everyone else has theirs, overseas is so s..l..o..w.. but I`ll stick it on the top of the review priority list alongside the Arc 5 too (there`s another I cant wait to see).....

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by geepondy:
Be carefuly on your choice of quotes, Craig, ha, ha. I noticed you removed this particular quote from your photon III review.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's one thing to bash the inventor, but it's totally different to bash the $3.85 an hour guy on the assembly line.

This is a *very* interesting mistake. Whoever stocked his box of loose LEDs apparently got one or more NSPW510BS mixed in with the NSPW500BS.

 

[Badbeams3]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by geepondy:
I hope this wide beam is an abnormality because I wouldn't want a photon beam any wider then the photon II model. I'm curious as to the run times comparing the photon III vs II. In particular, in your review (Craig) you said the high setting is not quite as bright as the instant on setting. I wonder/hope that because it is going thru an IC even though the high setting is slightly dimmer then the instant on setting, the level of brightness might remain more constant thru the battery life much like a arc light or pocketbright. We all know how relatively quickly photon II's dim from the initial brightness level.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I e-mailed Photon Lights and got a call from Bryan, and then a little later from David with LRI. He asked me some questions about the led (looking straight down at the led it has a small yellow dot surrounded by a shiney reflector) and confirmed it is a wide beam meant for use in the Fusion. I offered to return it but asked if there was anyway I could keep it as I like the white wide beam and he said "sure". I should be getting a narrow beam next week as Bryan is sending me one. Should I put off doing a run time test as I am not sure the amp draw is the same between the two?

Like Geepondy, I am wondering if it is running through the curcit in high and might offer a longer run time than the II.

Note: I have noticed the Photon 3 is thicker (fatter) than the II and the led does not stick out as far, making it a tad shorter.

 

[Badbeams3]

I had a nice run time test going but had to dump it as I found out my sweet, kind and loving wife had moved the towel covering the set-up and moved the light so the numbers have no meaning "well I put the towel back on it...I don`t see what the problem is"

My fault though, I should have let her know what I was doing...even though I would have been ridiculed and laughed at...

Now I got to go buy new batts...maybe I should let one of our single members do the run time tests.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KenB:
I had a nice run time test going but had to dump it as I found out my sweet, kind and loving wife had moved the towel covering the set-up and moved the light so the numbers have no meaning <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ouch!!! Oh boy would I be pissed...

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KenB:

...maybe I should let one of our single members do the run time tests.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
[/qb][/quote]

I'd do it, but I have *no* spare batteries anywhere. Not these coin cells anyway.

 

[Badbeams3]

Well, it is my own fault. I set it up in the bathroom and covered it with towel leaving the dial of the meter exposed. She asked me before we went to get a bite to eat why the little light was on...that should have been a clue to me that something was wrong...thing is I did not notice the towel had been moved a little and the light bumped sideways untill I was done with the test. Then...when I set the light back to about where I thought it should be it showed 15 on the meter (I had it about an inch and a half from the meter, but not sure exactly)...still running pretty good...oh well.

 

[Chris M.]

I`d have a go too (I`m very much single) but I don`t have one yet and they won`t even write back to me either.

I guess I have to wait like everyone else....

 

[Badbeams3]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chris M.:
Ken, how`d you get yours so soon? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, I had ordered mine looong before there was the pre-order...shortly after seeing it at the shot show link on Brock`s site. They had my name taped to a computer screen or so I was told. I called them often and offered to buy a sample when they had one, they told me they would send me one as soon as they had some (samples). Then, when I saw it on Craigs site, I asked them what happened to mine as I had been told I was the third person on their list (I had been told even earlier I was the first). So that`s all there was to it...screaming, grumbling and a lot of begging....mostly just being a pest/pain in their side (nice word chosen).

Most people will start getting them Wed or Thursday...the more desirable 20 degree one`s...me on the other hand...I don`t know...might have put me at the back of the list as punishment.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

If anyone's interested, I have a battery test in progress with the P3.

The high mode test is already done, I did the Fusion earlier today (before the silly thing blew up in my face) and I just now started the Medium mode on the P3.

This recording meter is really great, now that it works.

Look at all the work I can get done while I'm doing other work.

 

[arab]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Originally posted by Chris M:
Ken, how`d you get yours so soon? I`ve been waiting a dog`s age for them to start shipping, it seems it`s been delay after delay for this little newcomer. As a "newbie" reviewer (OK- I`m slow.....but they`re all coming eventually. I`m just really busy right now...) is there something I`m missing out on, to get new stuff here quicker?
Still, looking forward to whenever it is that mine turns up here, probably about 2 weeks after everyone else has theirs, overseas is so s..l..o..w.. but I`ll stick it on the top of the review priority list alongside the Arc 5 too (there`s another I cant wait to see).....
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi Chris,
I'm just across the pond from you in Dublin (Ireland). I ordered my P3 up on the 17th April and received it on the 25th June. I wonder why your's is taking so long? Is it because you wanted it for free - sorry - for evaluation?

I was very impressed with the P3 overall. For gadget value, it's 10 / 10. However I did have a problem with the rear switch being too difficult to operate - which I fixed myself under guidance from LRI's Bryan Avery - and with premature battery death. I only got a little over a month from each set of batteries and this was with minimal usage and (in the last set) with the Auto off feature switched on.
Any other P3 that I have heard of that suffers from excessive battery consumption leaves the LED glowing dimly when switched off. Mine did not suffer from this problem.

On a related note, on both sets of batteries, when they were all but exausted, I observed the following:

Switch P3 on with rear switch (Light in HIGH mode). Light comes on dimly and then rapidly dims to almost nothing in about a second. An attempt to boost the light by pressing the front switch fails - no observed increase in light output.

Switch off the light. Switch on again with the front (momentary) switch. Light output is the same as when it was switched on with the rear switch, but it stays the same!. Does this mean that the CPU in the P3 uses a lot of power just to control the LED or was it just a fault with mine?

I returned the P3 to LRI this week for a cure for the excessive battery consumption and also to get the latest MicroSwitches fitted. If they are any near as good as those fitted to my Victorinox Midnight Manager Swiss Army knife, then I can't wait! I'll post my views on my Mark II Photon 3 when I get it back.

 

[Chris M.]

I ordered my P3 up on the 17th April and received it on the 25th June. I wonder why your's is taking so long?


Notice the date of my post- 06-08-2001, that`s June 8th (not August 6th- remember the Americans do their dates the other way round to us over here).

I`ve had my P3 for ages now, it must`ve showed about the same time yours did. Only mine went all screwy just a week after I got it, and it`s just sat in the little box of "to be reviewed" torches ever since. It gets stuck in the high mode all the time, sometimes won`t turn off again, and suffers excessive stand by battery drain like yours too- I just tried it a moment ago and it`s stone dead even after I put a new set of cells in it a few weeks ago.

It`s destined for a trip back to Oregon soon, when I can get round to packing it up and visiting the PO. Maybe the new one will be better.....

 

[arab]

Chris M said:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> Notice the date of my post- 06-08-2001, that`s June 8th (not August 6th- remember the Americans do their dates the other way round to us over here). <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Woops, sorry about the date format ... If you return it, you should ask that the replacement has the later Microswitches

Stingmon said:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> If anyone's interested, I have a battery test in progress with the P3. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes! As per my posts above, I am also interested in the consumption when the light is switched off. Looks like many others (including Chris M) have seen my own problem of excessive standby consumption. On a related note, do you know what the consumption of the various strobe modes are?

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by arab:
I am also interested in the consumption when the light is switched off. Looks like many others (including Chris M) have seen my own problem of excessive standby consumption. On a related note, do you know what the consumption of the various strobe modes are?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


When off, the light should draw no more than a few microamps. I tested one awhile back and got 2uA on standby.

I don't have the equipment needed to test the strobe modes; neither for light output or for current consumption. Best I can do is just keep an eye on it and note when it went out.

 

[JollyRoger]

Yes, I'd be interested in the strobe mode consumption levels, too (especially the fast one)....I use my red one as a little bike tail light....and it's quite effective!

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by roger:
Yes, I'd be interested in the strobe mode consumption levels, too (especially the fast one)....I use my red one as a little bike tail light....and it's quite effective!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't know that anyone on CPF has equipment that can measure the current in strobe mode, because it would vary from nearly zero in the off cycle to who knows how many milliamps while the LED is on.
A meter that samples only two or three times a second doesn't stand a chance... the readings would be swinging wildly all over the place, overshooting, and god only knows what else.

This is a job for somebody with an oscilloscope, and someone with an oscilloscope that can take current measurements from the high part of the cycle while ignoring the RMS value.
The duty cycle must be determined somewhere in this process as well.

Some simple math involving the "on" current, the "off" current, and the duty cycle should then be able to determine how long that battery would last.

Unfortunately, Seismic Sam broke my admittedly older model o'scope after dumping hot pipe ashes in his favorite chair.
So sign me "Scopeless In Seattle".

 

[Brock]

My meter is a fluke 89 and I set it for averaging on the power consumption (it checks at 60hz). Oddly enough the Photon 3 uses about 30mA in all the strobe modes.

 

[arab]

Hi Brock,

Excuse the ignorance, but what would this translate into in terms of battery life