There are countless multi-mode EDC type LED torches on the market. So you'd think that by now some manufacturer would have come up with one that could be called "perfect".
Obviously what's perfect depends on the user's preferences, but reading specs, UI setups and reviews on CPF I certainly haven't found one that comes across as perfect. Rather each one is just OK, or good, but has one or two or three things which stuff it up.
I have to admit I haven't used much of a range of LED torches myself – I hardly qualify as a "flashaholic", with a collection of a grand total of 2 torches (Fenix L2D, Jetbeam C-LE).
But here's what I would consider the perfect 1AA torch. I've tried to keep it completely realistic. If some manufacturer happens to stumble across this design and manage to make something like it, then good for them (and us).
Firstly, the LED: a Cree R4, when it comes out, to give 140 lumens from a AA on turbo with about an hour of runtime. (About what the specs say we should get.)
Now for the tricky part: the UI. Most will agree that 15 or 25 or 250 modes are too many, but really I think there's nothing wrong with having a full range of brightness levels. The problem is arranging them well so the options are there but don't get in the way when they're not wanted or needed. (I'll get to how this will be managed below.)
So how about 7 lumens, 25 lumens, 50 lumens, 90 lumens, 140 lumens - or something similar.
And those annoying strobe and SOS modes, since manufacturers can't seem to get rid of them. (Don't worry, they'll be out of the way.)
Some aspects of my idea for arranging these modes have, as far as I know, not been used yet, probably because they involve a combination of twisty and clicky switches. Therefore I'll have to describe the design of my imaginary torch to get this idea across…
The head would screw into the body (as with the Jetbeam C-LE), rather than vise-versa as in Fenix torches. The threads would be conductive as in Fenix torches, and the positive contact region of the head would also incorporate a metal ring which when coming into contact with the body would turn the torch into the 140lm turbo mode (as in a Fenix L2D-CE). Because the head screws into the body, though, the way this is achieved would be slightly different:
http://www.jas00zer0.110mb.com/torch.html
Sorry I can't embed the picture in my post, and apologies for the deplorable quality of the diagram. I hope it gets the idea across.
The red part on the head is a cross-section of the ring that would come into contact with the narrowed battery tube (conducting from the negative end of the battery). The part of the raised ring which electricity is conducted through is the sloping outer part. The narrow flat face (blue) is covered with a plastic coating to prevent reverse polarity.
It's not shown in the diagram, but the tail end of the torch would contain a regular clicky.
This is how the modes would be accessed (I tried to draw a chart, but it got too complicated):
The torch is turned on with a full click. If the head is tightened beforehand, or afterwards, it goes into the 140lm constant on mode. At this stage this is the only mode in the turbo setting: half-pressing the clicky switch will simply turn the torch off until the switch is released again. It will come back on in 140lm constant mode. The torch can just be used as a single-mode, full brightness torch.
If the head is loose when the torch is turned on, or when it is loosened from the tightened on position, the first mode it goes to is 7lm. A half-press then takes you through 25 lumens, 50 lumens, 90 lumens, and back to seven – similar to a Fenix, without the SOS.
Strobe and then SOS mode are accessed by tightening the head to turbo, and then doing a quick ½ second or so loosen-tighten. A half-press from either strobe or SOS takes you back to constant 140lm.
From 7lm, 25lm, 50lm or 90lm a quick tighten-loosen (not loosen-tighten as above) does two things:
1) It sets this mode in the memory. When the torch is turned back on it will come on in this mode.
2) It locks this mode in, making the loosened position a single-mode setting like the turbo one. The light can be flashed on and off but the mode won't change.
This locked-in mode is exited with another quick tighten-loosen.
And that's all. It might seem complicated, but really when you think about it this design enables the use of the torch as a simple single- or double-mode one, while still having 5 brightness levels and the strobe and SOS tucked away there. I think that's a close to perfect as we'll get.
Now, if a manufacturer were to make this torch as I've described it, or a similar one, with the exterior look of Jetbeam and the circuit efficiency of Fenix, and sell it for about US$60, I honestly believe their sales would go through the roof.
Reckon it'll happen - sometime?
Obviously what's perfect depends on the user's preferences, but reading specs, UI setups and reviews on CPF I certainly haven't found one that comes across as perfect. Rather each one is just OK, or good, but has one or two or three things which stuff it up.
I have to admit I haven't used much of a range of LED torches myself – I hardly qualify as a "flashaholic", with a collection of a grand total of 2 torches (Fenix L2D, Jetbeam C-LE).
But here's what I would consider the perfect 1AA torch. I've tried to keep it completely realistic. If some manufacturer happens to stumble across this design and manage to make something like it, then good for them (and us).
Firstly, the LED: a Cree R4, when it comes out, to give 140 lumens from a AA on turbo with about an hour of runtime. (About what the specs say we should get.)
Now for the tricky part: the UI. Most will agree that 15 or 25 or 250 modes are too many, but really I think there's nothing wrong with having a full range of brightness levels. The problem is arranging them well so the options are there but don't get in the way when they're not wanted or needed. (I'll get to how this will be managed below.)
So how about 7 lumens, 25 lumens, 50 lumens, 90 lumens, 140 lumens - or something similar.
And those annoying strobe and SOS modes, since manufacturers can't seem to get rid of them. (Don't worry, they'll be out of the way.)
Some aspects of my idea for arranging these modes have, as far as I know, not been used yet, probably because they involve a combination of twisty and clicky switches. Therefore I'll have to describe the design of my imaginary torch to get this idea across…
The head would screw into the body (as with the Jetbeam C-LE), rather than vise-versa as in Fenix torches. The threads would be conductive as in Fenix torches, and the positive contact region of the head would also incorporate a metal ring which when coming into contact with the body would turn the torch into the 140lm turbo mode (as in a Fenix L2D-CE). Because the head screws into the body, though, the way this is achieved would be slightly different:
http://www.jas00zer0.110mb.com/torch.html
Sorry I can't embed the picture in my post, and apologies for the deplorable quality of the diagram. I hope it gets the idea across.
The red part on the head is a cross-section of the ring that would come into contact with the narrowed battery tube (conducting from the negative end of the battery). The part of the raised ring which electricity is conducted through is the sloping outer part. The narrow flat face (blue) is covered with a plastic coating to prevent reverse polarity.
It's not shown in the diagram, but the tail end of the torch would contain a regular clicky.
This is how the modes would be accessed (I tried to draw a chart, but it got too complicated):
The torch is turned on with a full click. If the head is tightened beforehand, or afterwards, it goes into the 140lm constant on mode. At this stage this is the only mode in the turbo setting: half-pressing the clicky switch will simply turn the torch off until the switch is released again. It will come back on in 140lm constant mode. The torch can just be used as a single-mode, full brightness torch.
If the head is loose when the torch is turned on, or when it is loosened from the tightened on position, the first mode it goes to is 7lm. A half-press then takes you through 25 lumens, 50 lumens, 90 lumens, and back to seven – similar to a Fenix, without the SOS.
Strobe and then SOS mode are accessed by tightening the head to turbo, and then doing a quick ½ second or so loosen-tighten. A half-press from either strobe or SOS takes you back to constant 140lm.
From 7lm, 25lm, 50lm or 90lm a quick tighten-loosen (not loosen-tighten as above) does two things:
1) It sets this mode in the memory. When the torch is turned back on it will come on in this mode.
2) It locks this mode in, making the loosened position a single-mode setting like the turbo one. The light can be flashed on and off but the mode won't change.
This locked-in mode is exited with another quick tighten-loosen.
And that's all. It might seem complicated, but really when you think about it this design enables the use of the torch as a simple single- or double-mode one, while still having 5 brightness levels and the strobe and SOS tucked away there. I think that's a close to perfect as we'll get.
Now, if a manufacturer were to make this torch as I've described it, or a similar one, with the exterior look of Jetbeam and the circuit efficiency of Fenix, and sell it for about US$60, I honestly believe their sales would go through the roof.
Reckon it'll happen - sometime?
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