Testing ZOOM lights for dedicated caving headlamp

[Barbarin]

Hope you like them. The last caver is at 20 meters. All the pictures have been taken with a U-04 ZOOM with the "zoomer" and without it. (exception made of the carbide one, of course).

The idea was to test at the same time the configuration "1 LED no optics+ 1LED different zoom degrees" (two LED lighting at the same time) as it is being discussed here ...(but one of the protos did not worked and that testing will come soon).

The most impressive is how a simple CREE with no optics (just a thick protective lense) @ 900 mA is enough to beat a 4 cm carbide headamp.


Javier

 

[Barbarin]

Another composition, this time comparing U-04 and U-15 too.

Javier

 

[gillestugan]

The most impressive is how a simple CREE with no optics (just a thick protective lense) @ 900 mA is enough to beat a 4 cm carbide headamp.
Javier

But then you dont get the wonderful smell from opening the carbide container.

The beam looks very uniform in the pictures, is it?
Would it be possible to for you to post a picture of the zoom optics, or is it a manufacturing secret?

 

[Barbarin]

No secrets at all, is an aspheric matched to do the job, on placed on a sliding tube, witha friction o-ring to keep the position. You can find pictures here.

Regarding the magic smell of carbide (yes, I love it too) you can place a small carbide rock into a goretex bag and keep it hanging from you neck. That should do the trick to keep that taste of good old caving while avoiding explosions if exposed to splashes. (not that bad idea...)

Javier

 

[Tobias Bossert]

Congratulation, Javier,
the flatness of your zoomable beam is beautiful and the edges are less anoying as I was afraid of.
You seem to have optimal aspheric lenses ...
Those I tested so far are either good for very narrow beam or for very wide beam but not optimized for both.
I'm very eager to see now the combination of flood and zoom and especially how performs the transition area at the edge of the zoom beam when the surrounding flood is present!
How much smoothness will be achievable with that approach?
Impressive work!
Tobias

 

[Barbarin]

Unfortunately I won't be able to post LED+LED pictures this week, but the next one.

Meanwhile you have a bonus picture about what can be done with a decent camera, a nice room on a cave, and some flashlights...

Believe it or not, pictures are UNRETOUCHED!!!!

Javier

 

[Yucca Patrol]

I am really looking forward to seeing what you end up with for your dedicated caving headlamp. I've recently ordered the Serv-Light, but since I have two helmets, there is room for another high performance dedicated caving headlamp in my life.

Certainly your experience making dive lights will ensure that your headlamp is bombproof in the caves.

Great photos too!

 

[Daylight]

Unfortunately I won't be able to post LED+LED pictures this week, but the next one.

Meanwhile you have a bonus picture about what can be done with a decent camera, a nice room on a cave, and some flashlights...

Believe it or not, pictures are UNRETOUCHED!!!!

Javier

Wow!! beautiful pictures Javier!

 

[276]

Cool photo's!!! how far under are you

 

[BluGav]

Beautiful photos Javier and I'm loving the lamps too.

Looks like you have the zoom working really well, I can't wait to get my hands on one!

Gavin

 

[Yucca Patrol]

any update on the availability of your headlamp?