Success at a Smooth(er) P1D CE beam

Blindasabat

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I had a nice pronounced "ring" in the beam of my P1D CE, so I cut a round piece of mild diffusive contact paper (used to line the surface of shelves and drawers) and applied it to the glass lens (yes, I'm calling it a lens, "window" never sounded right to me).

Result: Success! the beam is now very smooth like previous Fenii, but with a little more corona around the main beam, a result I am very pleased with. I always preferred the smoother Q3 style beam to Fenix's focus on a hotter spot with no corona. I may have lost some throw, but it appears not much, the spot is still bright. It is a mild diffuser.

I don't have beamshots yet, and don't want to take the diffuser off yet to do a "before" shot, but I will do that soon.
 
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Re: Success! Smooth P1D CE beam

Blindasabat said:
I had a nice pronounced "ring" in the beam of my P1D CE, so I cut a round piece of mild diffusive contact paper (used to line the surface of shelves and drawers) and applied it to the glass lens (yes, I'm calling it a lens, "window" never sounded right to me).

Result: Success! the beam is now very smooth like previous Fenii, but with a little more corona around the main beam, a result I am very pleased with. I always preferred the smoother Q3 style beam to Fenix's focus on a hotter spot with no corona. I may have lost some throw, but it appears not much, the spot is still bright. It is a mild diffuser.

I don't have beamshots yet, and don't want to take the diffuser off yet to do a "before" shot, but I will do that soon.


Use some glass etch cream to frost the glass window.
 

matrixshaman

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Re: Success! Smooth P1D CE beam

I started a message thread somewhere here a few days ago suggesting this idea for the XR-E rings. I made a half way attempt with some film used for laminators but didn't have much luck. Glad to see it has worked for you and that the idea wasn't all that bad. I was thinking that if needed a special lens could be made more easily or cheaply than a custom reflector for an XR-E mod - that is to mod an existing light with the XR-E might become easier with just a lens swap out that has a frosted ring on it to smooth out the Cree 'ring'.
 

Blindasabat

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Re: Success! Smooth(er) P1D CE beam

I wanted to try something more reversible before etching. If I can get a couple of spare lenses, I may etch some to different degrees, but I can't get the head apart to change them anyway.
The diffuser paper method probably cuts down on overall light as some is undoubtedly absorbed by the layer of contact paper, but I can now do some experimentation to see if some particular area of the reflector is contributing to the 'rings' I see.

A lightly orange peeled reflector would be the best solution, but again the Fenix head is too hard to access. For mere mortals such as myself, at least.

I took the sheet of paper off to take before beamshots, then re-applied it for after shots, so now it is a little wrinkled and not as smooth. the hot spot is a tiny bit oblong (almost un-noticeable, but I was looking for beam issues) and I have a touch of a dark spot on one side, so I may have to make a new filter. It still looks better to me.
 

Blindasabat

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Re: Success! Smooth P1D CE beam

matrixshaman said:
I started a message thread somewhere here a few days ago suggesting this idea for the XR-E rings.
I remember your thread and your diagram proposing that a ring of diffuser around the outside of the lens while leaving the center portion clear. I will try that if I can cut it cleanly.

matrixshaman said:
I was thinking that if needed a special lens could be made more easily or cheaply than a custom reflector for an XR-E mod - that is to mod an existing light with the XR-E might become easier with just a lens swap out that has a frosted ring on it to smooth out the Cree 'ring'.
As hard as it looks to open the P1D head, I think either one is difficult, but existing reflectors are often cut down to fit in smaller lights. Milkyspit does it to make the Milky ML1. Of course, if a lens of the right thickness were to be cut in the right diameter by a lensmaker, then it would only need etching.

Of course, if the thing can be opened, then removing the metal ring around the emitter would help too. Someone posted results of that in another thread.
 

EngrPaul

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Re: Success! Smooth(er) P1D CE beam

Blindasabat said:
I can't get the head apart to change them anyway.
the Fenix head is too hard to access. For mere mortals such as myself, at least.

Exactly. :ohgeez:
 

ukmike

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But surely if you are are using a diffusing paper it will stop some of the light getting through? I hope that is not like abrasive paper
 

yaesumofo

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I use the 1 inch diffuser thingy from SurefireIt fits over the top of the a19 an modded PD perfectly.
It creates a perfect smooth an very bright very soft beam.
This light makes short work of anything close up.
The idea of etching a lens sounds like it would work great.
My wife was etching glass some time ago. I will ask her about the gel she uses. Maybe a partial etch maybe around the edge of the window or a circle smack in the middle of the lens would do something cool.
Have fun.
Yaesumofo
 
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