Reflector idea for headlights

[PJD]

I've been reading a lot of posts lately where the type of beam for "the perfect headlight" is in disagreement for a lot of headlight users. Unfortunately, there will probably never be a headlight that has the type of output that pleases everybody since almost everybody has a different intended use for one. I personally prefer a headlight that has some decent throw; and if I ever need it for more close-up applications I can always add a diffuser. But I am seeing more and more CPFers preferring a headlight that has more of a floody beam.

My idea is this (and it's primarily aimed at "close-up" headlight users): Why doesn't somebody produce a headlight that uses a "conical" reflector instead of a "parabolic" reflector? I've only seen one light produced that used this type of a reflector, and that was the original Photons International CR2 Ion. It used a conical reflector that produced a FANTASTIC beam profile for close-up applications! There was really no hotspot to speak of, and virtually no sidespill as well. What it produced was a very broad cone of light that was wide enough to compensate for the lack of true side-spill, and bright enough to compensate for the lack of a true hotspot. IMHO, it produced one of the most useful close-up beams I've ever seen, and I'm sorta suprised that no other lights that I'm aware of (especially headlights!) have used it since the Ion. IIRC, the biggest complaint about the Ion when it came out was that it didn't have enough throw, and everyone started either modding their CR2 Ions with parabolic reflectors and stronger emitters, or paying some pretty serious "jack" to buy already modded Ions! It's sorta funny how us flashoholics have "evolved"...when I frst joined CPF back in '02, everybody was wanting more TTTHHHRRROOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!! Now it seems like more and more of us (myself included) are always seeking that perfect mix of throw AND flood, and find the perfect "flooder" to be far more useful for most applications than the perfect thrower.

I still prefer a headlight with decent throw because when I use my headlights outdoors I'm usually doing something that requires my sight to be further than just "arm's length". But when I do need a headlight for something that's a close range task, I find myself thinking a LOT about the beam that was produced by my CR2 Ion (...or should I say IonS, since I owned three of them). I think the beam produced by the Ion's conical reflector would work GREAT in a headlight designed for close-up applications, and I hope somebody will take this suggestion "under advisement" in the near future. Anybody care to comment?

PJD

 

[davidt1]

Sounds good! Can you post a picture of your light and beam shots?

 

[PJD]

david...I "owned" three CR2 Ions, unfortunately in true flashoholic form I sold them all in my never-ending quest for "something better" I could kick myself in the *** for not keeping at least one of them, because they truly DID have one of the best close-up beam profiles I'd ever seen! Maybe somebody who still has one will chime in and share a beamshot...

PJD

 

[mdocod]

Some small TIR optics behave this way, also, side-emitting LEDs in parabolic reflectors behave this way. The original Argo HP with the side-emitting Luxeon produced a beam that was sort of a constant transition of brightest towards the center and tapering off more and more towards the edges.

A quad die emitter in a TIR style optic of small stature may also be an area to investigate.

 

[uk_caver]

If people want to experiment with conical reflectors, it's really easy to make experimental ones out of reflective-film type food packaging material such as chip/crisp packets.
Some material is more matte than others, so it's worth experimenting.

Just clean some uncreased material well with detergent, score inner/outer cicles with compasses, cut out circles and a wedge appropriate to the cone angle you want, roll the cone up and hold together with tiny (pre-cut) strips of scotch tape.
For a more permanent fixture, a very small amount of superglue can be picked up on a piece of wire or jeweller's screwdriver and smeared into the seam.

A small one with a ~45-degree half angle maybe a couple of times deeper than the LED dome gives a flood with a decent centre-biasing (about a 2-3x brightness boost on-axis) and about a 50-55 degree half-angle.

Presumably there's an appropriate depth depending on the cone angle, beyond which extra depth doesn't do a great deal?

I did play around a little with narrower/deeper cones a few years ago, but all I was really looking for was an augmented flood compared to a naked LED.

 

[yellow]

great idea, sounds good.

Till now I just changed where the position where the - premade - reflector sits.
A bit higher/lower, till the beam was what I wanted.
(just did that with an XP-G modded Argo HP + that plastic reflector for XR-E)

 

[jar3ds]

i totally agree with the thread starter on this... current headlamps are either all flood or worse... a tight hotspot with spill....

this 'cone' you describe is best for the type of work I personally do with a headlamp.. and I basically make my own cone but using a reflector with a very light diffusion lens in front.. basically just dulls the spill and spreads the hot spot (creating the 'cone)...

... come on PT / zebra!

 

[uk_caver]

... come on PT / zebra!

What are you looking for from Zebra - something just a bit less floody?

I guess that might be possible if using an XP-E/XP/G with a tiny reflector, or some kind of lens in the housing.

 

[davidt1]

Come to think of it. I already have a solution to getting both flood and throw: my H501 and Maratac AAA light. They complement each other and together are smaller than most traditional headlamps. For what it's worth, I am only interested in small, pocketable EDC lights. I imagine it must be difficult if not impossible to make a light as small as say the Zebralight H501 with both flood and throw. Of course, bigger lights can give you throw and some flood by way of a diffuser. I say some flood because diffusers generally suck. Take a look at that big Fenix new headlamp for example. Powered by 4 AA batteries and a big light housing, it sure can throw. And by using a diffuser, some kind of floody beam is possible. But you can't put it in your pocket. You won't have it when you need it because it's not in your pocket. A light you don't have when you need it is...well...you get the idea.

 

[vtunderground]

This is probably a long shot, but are there any aftermarket conical reflectors available? Anywhere? I would love to have one for one of my modded headlamps.