OutGunned321
Newly Enlightened
I can't believe how polluted the market is with flashlights that improperly squeeze S.O.S. and Strobe into the already limited user interface format that is a flashlight. If I need conveniently fast access to light for whatever reason, I want a flashlight, not a disco that makes even the user disoriented. When I want to illuminate something, I don't want to start signaling S.O.S either.
I don't want my flashlight to play an MP3 music file, to bake me a cake or to do my laundry, I just want to see in the dark.
A user interface that can easily cause inadvertent activation of a flashing mode is very inconvenient and not well thought out at all. Yet it's all too common to see that design mistake in many lights in this market.
I always expect it to get dark but I never expect my flashlight to start strobing or signaling S.O.S. when I don't intend it to.
A user interface that makes you cycle through flashing functions while trying to raise and lower output levels back and forth as needed is not as conveniently fast and easy as it could be.
I was born and raised here in Alaska. Not once in all my outdoor activities have I ever needed a flashlight to have an S.O.S. function. If I actually feel like I might somehow possibly need S.O.S. then I'll have an S.O.S. beacon handy, which are ridiculously inexpensive, lightweight, small, readily available locally, and use common batteries. And whatever my cell phone can't handle, my Personal Locator Beacon can handle better than any flashlight. And anyone doing outdoor activies that could end up in a search-and-rescue situation should have a Personal Locator Beacon which signals emergency services via satellite then uses GPS to show them exactly where you are.
I kicked doors in Baghdad. Not once in all my combat missions did I need a flashlight to have a strobe function. Simply being on the user-end of a very bright (non-strobing) light puts you at an advantage compared to the illuminated and temporarily blinded target. Have you ever seen someone moving quickly while a strobing light is directed towards them? It's dizzying to watch and can confuse the light user just as much as the target. I want to detect and positively identify a threat before I pull the trigger, how is a strobing light going to aid in that? And moving targets are actually harder to hit while a strobing light is directed towards them. Imagine two boxers trying to fight while all the lights are strobing. It would be ridiculous.
When "tactically" (I dislike that word) using a flashlight, you make use of what ambient light is available and only turn it on when needed to clear an area. This means you can be quickly turning the light on, then off, then on again within moments as the situation dictates. If while doing that, your flashlight starts signaling S.O.S. or strobing instead of simply turning on as intended, then there's nothing "tactical" about that flashlight. And I've seen plenty of flashlights that are marketed as such yet fail in the way I've just described.
There are plenty of very good pedestrian safety lights (that blink and have many color options) that are designed to be easily worn on the body and use common and inexpensive batteries. And they actually flash at a more appropriate speed and output for the intended purpose instead of having to blast drivers with 180 lumens of extremely rapid strobing that will drain batteries faster than the former. I was just at a bicycle shop and there was a vast array of affordable dedicated bicycle lights that come with flashing functions and the proper mounts. So why does my flashlight need to slow down my use of it in order to have a strobe function? If I'm going for a late night walk, run or bicycle ride then I'm going to have all the safety lighting I could want even without draining the batteries in my flashlight.
I happen to have one of these new "smart phones". It has an amazing amount of functions for something that fits in your hand and new applications are coming out everyday that add even more functions to it. But the key to it all is that those functions don't get in the way of each other. There are enough controls (i.e. buttons and a touchscreen) on that device to handle the conveniently rapid access and use of all those functions. That is the key. Quit trying to add functions without adding controls.
In the future, I think that the majority of high-end state-of-the-art flashlights will have a selector-ring like the ones on a few flashlights right now. I'm surprised that the concept hasn't been embraced by more already. I understand the financial and design challenges that a selector-ring presents, but it seems like one of the best innovations that the flashlight world has ever seen. Yet it goes overlooked by many.
The surprising prevalence of flashlights with improper U.I.s on the market severely limits the choices of the buyer who is knowledgeable enough to avoid those marketing "features". There are so many lights out there that would be absolutely perfect if it weren't for the placement of strobe and S.O.S. within the U.I. and so few lights that get it right while still meeting your other requirements. I wish the flashlight companies understood this (or at least acted like it if they do).
----------------------------
Update 18OCT09:
After people mentioning certain models and brands in this thread, and after studying reviews by selfbuilt (what an amazing person) here on CPF, I have found the best flashlights for me (and I'm very selective). They have a great U.I. that includes flashing modes, however it's impossible to inadvertently activate them and they don't get in the way of output changing. And they still have all the other specifications that I need in a light.
And it's interesting to note that the company who offers those lights is very active on these forums. I don't think that it's a coincidence that the only company that meets all of my requirements is familiar with this topic on these forums. They actually understand the user part of U.I. Now I wish the word would get out to more manufacturers.
Thank you CPF, you've helped yet another budding flashaholic. :thumbsup:
(I won't mention the company's name here, they're doing great without me advertising for them. I will simply vote for them with my hard earned cash.)
I also now see why some people appreciate strobe and other flashing-functions on their flashlights for certain situations. But even they don't like to accidentally stumble into those functions. It's clear that the majority of the market views extra functions as an asset only when they can't be inadvertently activated or slow down output changing. Those few companies who manage to successfully incorporate flashing-functions without them getting in the way have found the ideal way to reach a broader spectrum of the market.
----------------------------
Update 27OCT09:
My knowledge of flashlights has increased considerably since I joined CPF and started reading all the information that is within this sight. I'd like to thank everyone here for enlightening me.
lovecpf
I have concluded (like so many before me) that this issue is simply resolved by proper User-Interface designs that make everyone happy (some U.I.s are so good that nobody sees them as a compromise either).
If you don't like flashing modes getting in your way then I highly recommend that you look at the manufacturers that are most active on CPF because they know about this issue. Simply ignore the other manufacturers who are ignorant of this issue because they are obviously ignoring you.
I'd like to ask everyone to please keep your posts civil. This thread was created with the hopes to get the message out to more manufacturers about this issue here on this industry influencing forum. If you let this degenerate into a flame-war, then this thread will be closed. Thank you very much.
I don't want my flashlight to play an MP3 music file, to bake me a cake or to do my laundry, I just want to see in the dark.
A user interface that can easily cause inadvertent activation of a flashing mode is very inconvenient and not well thought out at all. Yet it's all too common to see that design mistake in many lights in this market.
I always expect it to get dark but I never expect my flashlight to start strobing or signaling S.O.S. when I don't intend it to.
A user interface that makes you cycle through flashing functions while trying to raise and lower output levels back and forth as needed is not as conveniently fast and easy as it could be.
I was born and raised here in Alaska. Not once in all my outdoor activities have I ever needed a flashlight to have an S.O.S. function. If I actually feel like I might somehow possibly need S.O.S. then I'll have an S.O.S. beacon handy, which are ridiculously inexpensive, lightweight, small, readily available locally, and use common batteries. And whatever my cell phone can't handle, my Personal Locator Beacon can handle better than any flashlight. And anyone doing outdoor activies that could end up in a search-and-rescue situation should have a Personal Locator Beacon which signals emergency services via satellite then uses GPS to show them exactly where you are.
I kicked doors in Baghdad. Not once in all my combat missions did I need a flashlight to have a strobe function. Simply being on the user-end of a very bright (non-strobing) light puts you at an advantage compared to the illuminated and temporarily blinded target. Have you ever seen someone moving quickly while a strobing light is directed towards them? It's dizzying to watch and can confuse the light user just as much as the target. I want to detect and positively identify a threat before I pull the trigger, how is a strobing light going to aid in that? And moving targets are actually harder to hit while a strobing light is directed towards them. Imagine two boxers trying to fight while all the lights are strobing. It would be ridiculous.
When "tactically" (I dislike that word) using a flashlight, you make use of what ambient light is available and only turn it on when needed to clear an area. This means you can be quickly turning the light on, then off, then on again within moments as the situation dictates. If while doing that, your flashlight starts signaling S.O.S. or strobing instead of simply turning on as intended, then there's nothing "tactical" about that flashlight. And I've seen plenty of flashlights that are marketed as such yet fail in the way I've just described.
There are plenty of very good pedestrian safety lights (that blink and have many color options) that are designed to be easily worn on the body and use common and inexpensive batteries. And they actually flash at a more appropriate speed and output for the intended purpose instead of having to blast drivers with 180 lumens of extremely rapid strobing that will drain batteries faster than the former. I was just at a bicycle shop and there was a vast array of affordable dedicated bicycle lights that come with flashing functions and the proper mounts. So why does my flashlight need to slow down my use of it in order to have a strobe function? If I'm going for a late night walk, run or bicycle ride then I'm going to have all the safety lighting I could want even without draining the batteries in my flashlight.
I happen to have one of these new "smart phones". It has an amazing amount of functions for something that fits in your hand and new applications are coming out everyday that add even more functions to it. But the key to it all is that those functions don't get in the way of each other. There are enough controls (i.e. buttons and a touchscreen) on that device to handle the conveniently rapid access and use of all those functions. That is the key. Quit trying to add functions without adding controls.
In the future, I think that the majority of high-end state-of-the-art flashlights will have a selector-ring like the ones on a few flashlights right now. I'm surprised that the concept hasn't been embraced by more already. I understand the financial and design challenges that a selector-ring presents, but it seems like one of the best innovations that the flashlight world has ever seen. Yet it goes overlooked by many.
The surprising prevalence of flashlights with improper U.I.s on the market severely limits the choices of the buyer who is knowledgeable enough to avoid those marketing "features". There are so many lights out there that would be absolutely perfect if it weren't for the placement of strobe and S.O.S. within the U.I. and so few lights that get it right while still meeting your other requirements. I wish the flashlight companies understood this (or at least acted like it if they do).
----------------------------
Update 18OCT09:
After people mentioning certain models and brands in this thread, and after studying reviews by selfbuilt (what an amazing person) here on CPF, I have found the best flashlights for me (and I'm very selective). They have a great U.I. that includes flashing modes, however it's impossible to inadvertently activate them and they don't get in the way of output changing. And they still have all the other specifications that I need in a light.
And it's interesting to note that the company who offers those lights is very active on these forums. I don't think that it's a coincidence that the only company that meets all of my requirements is familiar with this topic on these forums. They actually understand the user part of U.I. Now I wish the word would get out to more manufacturers.
Thank you CPF, you've helped yet another budding flashaholic. :thumbsup:
(I won't mention the company's name here, they're doing great without me advertising for them. I will simply vote for them with my hard earned cash.)
I also now see why some people appreciate strobe and other flashing-functions on their flashlights for certain situations. But even they don't like to accidentally stumble into those functions. It's clear that the majority of the market views extra functions as an asset only when they can't be inadvertently activated or slow down output changing. Those few companies who manage to successfully incorporate flashing-functions without them getting in the way have found the ideal way to reach a broader spectrum of the market.
----------------------------
Update 27OCT09:
My knowledge of flashlights has increased considerably since I joined CPF and started reading all the information that is within this sight. I'd like to thank everyone here for enlightening me.
lovecpf
I have concluded (like so many before me) that this issue is simply resolved by proper User-Interface designs that make everyone happy (some U.I.s are so good that nobody sees them as a compromise either).
If you don't like flashing modes getting in your way then I highly recommend that you look at the manufacturers that are most active on CPF because they know about this issue. Simply ignore the other manufacturers who are ignorant of this issue because they are obviously ignoring you.
I'd like to ask everyone to please keep your posts civil. This thread was created with the hopes to get the message out to more manufacturers about this issue here on this industry influencing forum. If you let this degenerate into a flame-war, then this thread will be closed. Thank you very much.
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