Take a look at this cheapo light.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006E0QAFY/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Now, I think I already know what the problems with it would be. But I'd like someone else's opinion. I'm almost tempted to buy one, just to have a direct comparison to how it would look against a similar sized light...perhaps my Sunwayman Dolphin.
The fact that people would buy a light like this in the first place astounds me. I'm also amazed at the amount of positive reviews it gets! The stupid things zooms in and out...and when it's zoomed all the way in, the beam is actually "the shape" of the LED...completely square! And some of the reviews actually think this is great! They say..."oh wow, this is fantastic, I love this light...I sure hope it lasts". I mean...have they EVER seen a Fenix before? Do they have any conception as to what a 'good' LED beam is meant to look like? Maybe I could us a different analogy here. What if I'd never seen a TV before…ever. So someone brings me a black & white Philco set from the 60's. I plug it in and say "wow! I can see pictures and hear sound at the same time, this is amazing". Is it then the same with this $3 flashlight? And who knows if the claims on this light are even accurate or not? 300 lumens from this thing on 1 AA battery? Probably not. Then again it might with a 14500. Even so, the latest reviews are amazed at how bright it is. Could it even be much more than 100 lumens on an alkaline? The lens on it looks like a magnifying glass!
I guess I just don't understand the mindset that buying one or even two or three of these things (should one break or arrive DOA) is more cost efficient than paying $30 for a lower-end JetBeam or something equivalent.
I operate an affiliate marketing website for flashlights. I discuss their benefits, review new lights, and try to educate folks on areas they may not be too familiar with...as well as directing them to QUALITY sites and QUALITY lights. But, when I see stuff like this on Amazon for instance (and I know DX is full of them too) it just doesn't compute!!
Can anyone 'shed some light' on the reasoning behind the popularity of these Chinese knock-offs? :thinking:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006E0QAFY/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Now, I think I already know what the problems with it would be. But I'd like someone else's opinion. I'm almost tempted to buy one, just to have a direct comparison to how it would look against a similar sized light...perhaps my Sunwayman Dolphin.
The fact that people would buy a light like this in the first place astounds me. I'm also amazed at the amount of positive reviews it gets! The stupid things zooms in and out...and when it's zoomed all the way in, the beam is actually "the shape" of the LED...completely square! And some of the reviews actually think this is great! They say..."oh wow, this is fantastic, I love this light...I sure hope it lasts". I mean...have they EVER seen a Fenix before? Do they have any conception as to what a 'good' LED beam is meant to look like? Maybe I could us a different analogy here. What if I'd never seen a TV before…ever. So someone brings me a black & white Philco set from the 60's. I plug it in and say "wow! I can see pictures and hear sound at the same time, this is amazing". Is it then the same with this $3 flashlight? And who knows if the claims on this light are even accurate or not? 300 lumens from this thing on 1 AA battery? Probably not. Then again it might with a 14500. Even so, the latest reviews are amazed at how bright it is. Could it even be much more than 100 lumens on an alkaline? The lens on it looks like a magnifying glass!
I guess I just don't understand the mindset that buying one or even two or three of these things (should one break or arrive DOA) is more cost efficient than paying $30 for a lower-end JetBeam or something equivalent.
I operate an affiliate marketing website for flashlights. I discuss their benefits, review new lights, and try to educate folks on areas they may not be too familiar with...as well as directing them to QUALITY sites and QUALITY lights. But, when I see stuff like this on Amazon for instance (and I know DX is full of them too) it just doesn't compute!!
Can anyone 'shed some light' on the reasoning behind the popularity of these Chinese knock-offs? :thinking: