Waiting for the SureFire LX1...

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I will surely get one, but I wish it had a third really low low mode... It would be perfect. 😉
 
yuk said:
I will surely get one, but I wish it had a third really low low mode... It would be perfect. 😉
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Personally I had questioned Surefire's ability to add a really low mode as a third setting, but after much thoughts I realized that SF did the best with this design. Having to add a third stage would make the light hard to operate and impractical as well because the user would have to rotate the tail cap many times to get to the highest mode. Of course, SF could have given you a very low setting as a first stage and maximum setting on second stage but what is there to cover the medium setting? I thought maybe SF could reduce the amount of rotation on the tail cap just to add in a third stage but that would compromise the momentary on feature as any slight pressure from your thumb could cause the light to go into medium or high mode which may not be your intended usage.

I think the low mode provided currently is a good compromise being that it is not too low for anything and not too high that it is blinding. In fact, I think the low mode on both my LX2 and L1 (which I just sold to my friend) to be good enough for 90% of my usage.
 
I agree. A timed transition from low to high like the Arc6 and EX10/D10 would be great.
My ideal UI:
1) Press lightly to start on low-low.
2) If you linger there for over 0.25 second, then you press full to get medium.
3) If you press right through to high in less than 0.25 sec, you get full blast high. That would rock.
Milky, if you can mod a UI to do that, I'll send you at least one light to mod right away.
yuk said:
I will surely get one, but I wish it had a third really low low mode... It would be perfect. 😉
Click to expand...
 
How then would you get back to low mode? I believe SF intended the light to be operated fast on the momentary on mode. Press lightly to see something, and if it is not enough then press all the way for max power. The idea of a UI like what you have described sounds cool but may be too complex for everyone to fully appreciate. Like for example, if I had depressed al the way in less than 0.25 secs for full power, how do I go back to medium or low mode fast?

I love the Nitecore D10 for it's multiple stages from lowest low all the way to 120 lumens high. I love the UI a lot but when I lend the D10 to my non-flashaholic friends, 10 out of 10 had problems understanding the UI even though I explained it to them a few times.

Surefire, IMHO, had made a very good UI targetted at professional users all the way down to flashlight idiots, and I believe that is the aim of Surefire. Anyone could pick up the light and use it without too much of cracking their heads.
 
pjandyho said:
Personally I had questioned Surefire's ability to add a really low mode as a third setting, but after much thoughts I realized that SF did the best with this design. Having to add a third stage would make the light hard to operate and impractical as well because the user would have to rotate the tail cap many times to get to the highest mode. Of course, SF could have given you a very low setting as a first stage and maximum setting on second stage but what is there to cover the medium setting? I thought maybe SF could reduce the amount of rotation on the tail cap just to add in a third stage but that would compromise the momentary on feature as any slight pressure from your thumb could cause the light to go into medium or high mode which may not be your intended usage.

I think the low mode provided currently is a good compromise being that it is not too low for anything and not too high that it is blinding. In fact, I think the low mode on both my LX2 and L1 (which I just sold to my friend) to be good enough for 90% of my usage.
Click to expand...
There has been some conversation in the past regarding whether the L1/L2 lights could have a three-stage switch. Regarding the engineering aspect, doing a third stage mechanically could be possible but would require something like 2x the parts inside the tailcap, with the resultant increase in complexity possibly impacting reliability (?). I think that having a solid-state load cell inside the tailcap would be an interesting option (which would operate on force, rather than displacement as with the current configuration). A spring could be present to provide some displacement feedback to the user, but the driver would use the data from the load cell to modulate output power. The two advantages would be reliability (fewer moving parts & fewer electrical connections) and the opportunity of easily adding more output levels as required.

Regarding the travel of the tailswitch for multimode operation, for a long time I thought that the travel of the L1/L2 switch was optimum for my uses, but after Milky modded a few SF tailcaps with the McGizmo two-stage switch for me (which have somewhat less travel in their stock configuration), he included two tiny washers he made that provided a small amount of additional travel, simulating the ‘full’ travel of the L1 switch. Of course, I had the option of removing them, obtaining a shorter travel (both by pressing the button and by rotating the tailcap) and began to prefer the shorter travel of the stock McGizmo switch. I have also had no difficulty regarding the possibility of the modes being (mechanically) too close together (and no unintended operation or getting to the undesired mode by accident).

As with many things, the L1 tailswitch is a compromise, but IMO it is a magnificently-achieved one.
 
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I find the L1 UI almost perfect in concept, excellent in execution, as a bonus point, others dont waste much battery when handling mine 😀
 
Just back off the switch pressure like you do with the current L1 and you would get back to med (I think med from max is the best choice). IIRC, the Arc6 operates similar to this.
If you want added levels, you will always get some added complexity. This might be a UI for CPF'ers (maybe just me) not the general public.

Adding to the list of instructions above:
4) If you are on Max and want Med, ease off on the switch until the output drops (same as current L1)
5) If you are on Med and want Max, release fully, then rapidly press full.
6) If you are on Max and want low, release fully, then slowly press through min for longer than 0.25 sec to full press. I expect this to be less immediate need to go to low, so it takes the most time - your eyes will need it to adjust anyway.

The advantage to this method is it could be (if it's even possible) a programming or bezel upgrade only. It will likely require special hardware in the circuit to sense low current or voltage to recognize a half press. It would use the current L1 TC. It would allow immediate access to Max from off.
Possible negative: Twisting will always get you to med only unless you press quickly & hold down AS you twist on for constant (nothing's perfect). Unless you can twist REALLY quickly of course! I never need Max for THAT long, so this is OK with me and so neophytes don't run down my battery. I'm willing to press-twist if I really need max on for a long time.
Also, with three levels, the med should be higher - more like 1, 20, & 200 Lumen levels.

Advantage over the EX10/D10 is that you don't have to double or (more often for me) triple-half-press to get it to go back to low.
pjandyho said:
How then would you get back to low mode? I believe SF intended the light to be operated fast on the momentary on mode. Press lightly to see something, and if it is not enough then press all the way for max power. The idea of a UI like what you have described sounds cool but may be too complex for everyone to fully appreciate. Like for example, if I had depressed al the way in less than 0.25 secs for full power, how do I go back to medium or low mode fast?
Click to expand...
 
Kestrel said:
There has been some conversation in the past regarding whether the L1/L2 lights could have a three-stage switch. Regarding the engineering aspect, doing a third stage mechanically could be possible but would require something like 2x the parts inside the tailcap, with the resultant increase in complexity possibly impacting reliability (?). I think that having a solid-state load cell inside the tailcap would be an interesting option (which would operate on force, rather than displacement as with the current configuration). A spring could be present to provide some displacement feedback to the user, but the driver would use the data from the load cell to modulate output power. The two advantages would be reliability (fewer moving parts & fewer electrical connections) and the opportunity of easily adding more output levels as required.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a very interesting idea, and its potential for adding more modes easily is very neat (I admit I'd almost be tempted by a 3-stage interface, possibly with .5, 25 and 200 lumen levels). And my understanding of the mechanism you're describing is limited, but from the sounds of it, would it still be able to do accommodate twisting to constant-on at a low stage while having momentary high accessible? Or simply operate constant-on for a low mode at all? Pardon my ignorance on the matter...
 
I don't get it. Surefire will release this light in about 1.5 months. Since then we will have XP-Gs with twice the output at 1/3 the price of the LX1.
So, why Surefire doing this? And why I still want one? 😀
 
yuk said:
I don't get it. Surefire will release this light in about 1.5 months. Since then we will have XP-Gs with twice the output at 1/3 the price of the LX1.
So, why Surefire doing this? And why I still want one? 😀
Click to expand...



I want one too. Not twice the output, but definitely more. Also, the footprint is bigger than the XR-E R2 and the Tir optic works perfect for the XR-E R2 and it may not focus with the new XP-G.

EDIT: Defabrica has just put a XP-G behind the Surefire TIR Optic, so I guess they do focus.
 
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I tought about having 3 levels, current emitters output really call for this, and it can be done without affecting the L1 almost perfect UI:

2 levels controlled like it is right now low-high 2 stage momentary press and constant twist

the low low level, has to be separate for it to work, since it will be used for a long time and in a no stress situation or a situation where no fast reaction is required, it would work ok, i guess it could be by twisting the head or the tail in the opposite direction.

but no way in the push tailcap, just 2 levels there, if you add one more, it would be very dependant on fine motor skills, in a stress situation or in a hurry its very probable that you will miss your desired level.
 
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Still waiting... 🙄 This light is a beauty!
 
I'm looking forward to this light. Buying one when it comes out...
 
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