Surefire Titan T1A Pics & Info

[DM51]

Re: SF Titan T1A tints?

I'm merging your post into another recent Titan T1A thread.

 

[dchao]

Re: SF Titan T1A tints?

Most T1A's come with a cool tint LED.

Cooler tint is useful as a working light in a fixed lighting environment (tungsten, fluorescent, street mercury light), it helps to create a stark contrast.

It works quite well for a light that has flood beam and not a lot of throw.

 

[Andrey]

Any ideas where to get filter attachment compatible with T1A?
I am thinking of using it as a headlamp (on the side of headband) with optional red filter.

 

[Size15's]

Any ideas where to get filter attachment compatible with T1A?
I am thinking of using it as a headlamp (on the side of headband) with optional red filter.

So-called "white" light LEDs produce very little red light.
Using a red BeamFilter to remove everything except for the red light will result in a very dim red light.
I think it'd be more effective to purchase a dedicated Red LED light such as a Princeton Tec Pilot (Red) which is specifically designed to attach to a headband.

 

[Andrey]

So-called "white" light LEDs produce very little red light.
Using a red BeamFilter to remove everything except for the red light will result in a very dim red light.
I think it'd be more effective to purchase a dedicated Red LED light such as a Princeton Tec Pilot (Red) which is specifically designed to attach to a headband.

Thank you for your advise, Al. I did not know that Pilot is available with red LED. Will definitely get one.
I understand inefficiency of using a filter instead of emitter of desired color and already waiting for arrival of ZebraLight H501R.
The idea of continuously regulated red light fascinates me and I really like to experiment with it.
Usually the amount of red light required is very low. Thus dim output with filter should not be an issue in this case.

 

[Dude Dudeson]

Thank you for your advise, Al. I did not know that Pilot is available with red LED. Will definitely get one.
I understand inefficiency of using a filter instead of emitter of desired color and already waiting for arrival of ZebraLight H501R.
The idea of continuously regulated red light fascinates me and I really like to experiment with it.
Usually the amount of red light required is very low. Thus dim output with filter should not be an issue in this case.

Depends. It's said that LED's put out monochromatic light - well I doubt it's as monochromatic as a laser pointer, but if it IS truly monochromatic you'd be getting practically nothing once you slapped a filter on there.

Long ago I tried putting a piece of blue glass in front of a red laser pointer - it may as well have been opaque black...

EDIT: I still don't understand how white light could be monochromatic though - "not full spectrum", yes, but IIRC you can't get white light without mixing colors...

 

[zven]

Depends. It's said that LED's put out monochromatic light - well I doubt it's as monochromatic as a laser pointer, but if it IS truly monochromatic you'd be getting practically nothing once you slapped a filter on there.

Long ago I tried putting a piece of blue glass in front of a red laser pointer - it may as well have been opaque black...

EDIT: I still don't understand how white light could be monochromatic though - "not full spectrum", yes, but IIRC you can't get white light without mixing colors...

White light is indeed not monochromatic. Your average white LED is putting out a basically continuous spectrum - it's just not an evenly balanced spectrum. Rather than sunlight, which puts out a lot of green/yellow light, and a bit less blue and red, white LEDs put out a bunch of blue, less green/yellow, and fairly little red. Our brains still blend this to (basically) white, but the use of different color filters will show you that different parts of the spectrum are lit with different intensities.

For a visualization of what I'm saying, go to the LED forum here (straight up LEDs, not LED flashlights), and go to the thread for spectrographic analyses of different lights.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I am using Sean's thread to talk about my T1A's. Today I got my second T1A, yesterday I got my first one. One is from LA Police Gear, and the other from one of our fellow CPF'ers. My first one surprised me, and I kept looking for the purple, or blue that everybody was talking about, and found none in this light. A very nice, sort of warm white, bringing out the reds in colors very well. My second T1A has a rose tinted beam, not unpleasant but noticeable compared to some of my other lights using the Seoul P4. I am having no problems with the 5 minute cutoff. The 25% of so of the head rotation that has that feature is almost useless for output anyway. The beams are nice and full, and just perfect for closeup work with no bothersome high lux, sort of a mini L4, and I have had three of them. Lux at 1 meter for both lights is about 500 lux, not a lot, but excellent for close up work, and easy on the eyes.

My overall impression is that the T1A's are great little lights, and I finally have some small light(s) where I can control the output easily. Right now I am wearing one of the around my neck, using the supplied lanyard. I did remove the two movable keepers.

Bill

 

[run4jc]

I finally gave in and ordered one yesterday. Due to the amazing customer service of that 'junction' that sells batteries (as one other CPFer so cleverly put it) I will have the light tomorrow. Hoping it is worth it - after being a flashaholic for a while I'm beginning to see the the value in a light that has a really, really low output. My Quark 123 has a great moonlight mode and is my 'night light', but there's just something about that T1A that I finally couldn't resist.

We'll see what the tint looks like - also, as time goes by, I find myself enjoying the 'warm' tint - and again, my neutral white Quark 123 is the warmest I have.

I'm sure it'll be great - it's a Surefire! :twothumbs

 

[run4jc]

UPDATE - this light has been in my pocket every night since I received it. The interface, size, uber low - all make it an indispensable tool for me. The low is great if I need to get up in the middle of the night - I can see, even on the lowest setting, without disturbing my wife. I like the fact that it will turn itself off - there have been a few occasions where, in my sleepy stupor, I didn't turn it off.

Found a modded version - Defabricata updated a number of these with high CRI LEDs - bought one on the custom B/S/T - and now I have TWO of these little lights. Thought I'd sell the non modded originally, but there's just something about it that I like - more flood than the modded version. They both have their places.

Interesting how this hobby is consuming, and how many of us purchase lights, keep them a while, then sell or trade them. This light, however, remains a keeper and I hold it in the same esteem as my E2DL and some of my McGizmos. IMHO, it is worth every penny.

 

[sledhead]

I feel the same way- love this light. Just have to find a tailcap that it will tailstand with and a diffusor for lantern mode- still looking.:thumbsup:

 

[Kestrel]

I am using Sean's thread to talk about my T1A's. [...]

Same here, I've went through the various Titan T1A threads and thought this was the best one for adding my experience & thoughts with my new light.

The obligatory 'frontal shot' on its lowest setting:

A quickie side-by-side comparison to a SF P60 incan:
(I'm not overly troubled by the slightly bluish tint (common to the SSC P4 LED), but check out that donut in the T1A's hotspot. :sigh: )

It's a great light and has been my EDC for ~1 week now (the SureFire L1 is back to bedside duty for the moment), and the low is excellent for a roaming around-at-night light - incredibly low but still actually useful, just perfect for night-adapted vision indoors.

----------

So I just registered this light on SF's website, and at the end of the survey, they have a comment box, so I threw together the following:

As has been noted a number of times online on Candlepowerforums.com, I believe that the SSC P4 emitter is not focused correctly in this model. Apparently (from what I've read), the heatsink for this light may be configured for the previous model (the Titan), with which emitter focus is correct. Many users are reporting incorrect focus with this current model (the T1-A), apparently the LED needs to be ~1mm further into the reflector (i.e. closer to the focal point of the reflector). This has been corrected by others by shimming the LED slightly higher off the heatsink, but it would be far far preferable to have the correct configuration done during manufacture.

My unit exhibits a severe 'donut' at close range (0 to ~18 inches) due to this poor focus - I like to think of it as "exactly wrong". There have been many reports of this behavior from others, so I believe that it is a design issue and not a manufacturing tolerance / QC issue.

(Also, the Cree XP-G is an excellent emitter and would be a far better choice for this light: somewhat higher output, better tint than the current model (the SSC P4 LED), and better efficiency - less heat generation.)

For more information on emitter focus issues, check these links:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/241035
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/244860
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/246317
(The poster "DaFabricata" may be the most knowledgeable person on the T1-A outside of SureFire, he has modded more than 20 of the T1-A's for others by now and from all reports they are greatly improved.)

I'm generally pleased with my new T1-A, but I do wish that the beam didn't have that severe donut during close-range use. It would be very nice if the T1-A was slightly redesigned to eliminate the focus issue and possibly to use the Cree XP-G or even better the upcoming Cree XM-L.

Thank you for your time,

----------

Well, I know SF doesn't worry that much about our little troop of flashaholics over here, but I figured I'd lob a suggestion over just for the attempt. :shrug: I really do like this light, but it would be so easy for SF to perfect it at the manufacturing level rather than folks having to do it here.

 

[ninemm]

Same here, I've went through the various Titan T1A threads and thought this was the best one for adding my experience & thoughts with my new light.
----------

Well, I know SF doesn't worry that much about our little troop of flashaholics over here, but I figured I'd lob a suggestion over just for the attempt. :shrug: I really do like this light, but it would be so easy for SF to perfect it at the manufacturing level rather than folks having to do it here.

Thanks for your post Kestrel! My T1A is sitting on my door step as we speak. Missed the mail man by a half hour. Going to run home during my "dinner hour" from work to pick it up.

I hope mine doesn't exhibit the donut in the beam you're referring to, but if it does I'll now be prepared. I think providing feedback to manufacturers, even when we feel like it won't be heard, is extremely important. If no one ever tells them then it definitely won't be fixed. So pumped to check out this light!!!!!

 

[Kestrel]

That's cool. And I agree, if a manufacturer isn't fully aware of what users think, there is little chance of any changes/improvements.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I hope mine doesn't exhibit the donut in the beam you're referring to, but if it does I'll now be prepared. I think providing feedback to manufacturers, even when we feel like it won't be heard, is extremely important. If no one ever tells them then it definitely won't be fixed. So pumped to check out this light!!!!!

I am looking forward to your comments after you turn your T1A on. Both of mine had the focusing issue, and I sent one off to "Laser" for a fix, and a more neutral tint Seoul. Turned out really nice, but it would be nice if the fix was not needed.

Bill

 

[ecallahan]

I purchased a T1A off Sffanman, here on CPFM. It was modded by Dafabricata with a warm white xp-g. The tint is actually what I would consider more neutral, and perfect to my likings. The craftmanship of the mod is evident. I don't have a stock T1A to compare it to, but I'm told it puts out approximately 100 lumen. This is almost a perfect light for me. I love the variable output, and floody beam. I even use the lowest low at night sometimes to look around the top of my nightstand when needed. The adjustable output makes it perfect for bathroom runs at night, or working on an electrical outlet during the day. The max output has plenty of output for taking the dog out at night.

The only change I would like to see, would be a flat tailcap so that it could tailstand.

If you are unhappy with the tint of your stock T1A, consider dropping Dafabricata a line. Not sure how often he does these mods, but I'm extremely happy with my T1A.

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

+1 on DAFABRICATA mod, he did a perfect job, and the light is 200% more useful, and the low is still low low.

Heres the low:

And high:

 

[DM51]

+1 on DAFABRICATA mod, he did a perfect job, and the light is 200% more useful, and the low is still low low.

Agreed 100% - DaFAB did mine as well. Bernie (Kiessling) had his done too. HUGE improvement!

 

[Kestrel]

Attempting to get a similar shot to PSM:
(A handkerchief is on my leg since he's wearing khakis/shorts and I've got blue jeans on. )

If you are unhappy with the tint of your stock T1A, consider dropping Dafabricata a line. Not sure how often he does these mods, but I'm extremely happy with my T1A.

It's actually not that big of a deal currently (any distances more than 18 inches and the donut goes away), I'll probably use this for a year or two to make sure the driver is burned in and the light is 100% reliable (i.e. warranty concerns). Then maybe I'll go for an XM-L or something... :shrug:

 

[ninemm]

I am looking forward to your comments after you turn your T1A on. Both of mine had the focusing issue, and I sent one off to "Laser" for a fix, and a more neutral tint Seoul. Turned out really nice, but it would be nice if the fix was not needed.

Bill

Well, ran home to pick up the T1A. First off, totally crazily delighted that it came with original box, paperwork, and is in mint condition. Thanks fisk-king! :thumbsup:

My first few impressions are:
1. Wow, talk about the perfect size! When I was EDC'ing my RA Clicky I frequently felt like it was too bulky in my front pants pocket. This light I barely feel at all.

2. Is this thing on?? The low is so extremely low. I went into a bank vault, closed the door and gave my eyes a minute to acclimate. I could barely see the low setting on this light. Nuts!

3. Angry blue? My T1A is definitely not warm by any means, but I find it to be just on the cool side of neutral. The tint is perfectly acceptable to me.

The only thing that kind of bothers me is the donut in the beam when it is within 12-18 inches of a surface. My beamshot would look just like Kestrels above. I kind of want to send it to Surefire to have them fix it, but I worry about getting an emitter that has a cooler tint and/or some other issue.

Also, has anyone wished/thought the light should turn on by rotating in the opposite direction? When I'm turning it on one handed (right hand) I wish it would rotate clockwise instead of counter clockwise.

This will definitely be my EDC!