Is this wrong of me?!

Every once in a while I get a light for a gift (and one for myself of course) or I double up on an order because a friend wants me to get them a light. When I receive them I do a side by side comparison and keep the one I deem as the best. I just did that with a Fenix P1 that I got for my brother and myself. There is no special reason that I got my brother the light other than he is into gadgets. I will send a light back if there is something wrong with it but I keep the best tints and smoothest switches for myself. I also deal with warranty issues for the people I get lights for.

I guess I'm feeling a little guilty today...

No it is not wrong. You are the flashaholic that is picky and wants the best. The other people probably will never notice the difference.

kelmo said:

Every once in a while I get a light for a gift (and one for myself of course) or I double up on an order because a friend wants me to get them a light. When I receive them I do a side by side comparison and keep the one I deem as the best. I just did that with a Fenix P1 that I got for my brother and myself. There is no special reason that I got my brother the light other than he is into gadgets. I will send a light back if there is something wrong with it but I keep the best tints and smoothest switches for myself. I also deal with warranty issues for the people I get lights for.

I guess I'm feeling a little guilty today...

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I agree with FlashKat , and for exactly the same reasons. There are probably plenty of things we all need to feel guilty about, but that ain't one of them!

I admit I did the same thing when I ordered 3 Fenix L2T lights, 1 to keep and 2 as gifts. I knew that the ones given as gifts were mostly just going to sit around not being used and decided to keep the one with the whitest tint. None of the tints were too bad anyway,

No complaints from the receipients - they have no other LEDs flashlights to compare the tint to....

Rob187 said:

they have no other LEDs flashlights to compare the tint to....

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nor will most have the incentive to do so....

i do that myself. i see nothing wrong.

Well, it's a good for you and a non-issue for them. That's better than a bad for you and a non-issue for them. If they're never going to notice, why not?

Absolutely nothing wrong with it!! You are giving a light as a gift and should definately keep the better one for yourself. Chances are that they wouldn't notice if you compared them side by side.

It's called choice, most people do it all the time, even with non Flashlight gifts

If you are buying a flashlight for yourself and another as a gift it's not wrong. It would be wrong to order several flashlights, knowing ahead of time that you are going to send all but one of them back. This is especially bad for the small businesses that some CPF members have. This practice is one reason for the rise of those unpopular restocking fees. In the end, the rest of us end of paying for shenanigans pulled by a few people.

I'm sorry to disagree but it's all very wrong. The best light from each batch should be sent to me!
Greg

I think its wrong to keep the best light for one self.

I ordered three inova T4 - two were for friends. I took the first light of the package as mine - no further comparison against the other lights.

Are you serious???? HOW could it be Wrong?

People that aren't into this hobby like we are will never even suspect anything to be different. If you are kind hearted enough to buy someone a gift, you deserve your pick of the litter!!

BBL said:

I think its wrong to keep the best light for one self.

I ordered three inova T4 - two were for friends. I took the first light of the package as mine - no further comparison against the other lights.

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I guess it depends on whom the other lights were for. If they were for fellow CPFers, it would be very wrong... simply not cool.

However, it sounds like we're mostly talking about the unenlightened, which means that if they didn't have you to pick the "worse" light, meaning the one with the whiter beam, better-matched HA, lower Vf, or whatever, all they'd probably get is whatever light was on sale in the nearest department store.

It would probably ease your conscience the most to actually ask those people for whom you're buying flashlights. In all likelihood, they'll be happy to let you keep the one you prefer, since unless it's a functional defect, they wouldn't know the difference between the two. Plus, they can then say that you owe them lunch or something because you got the better light.

DaFABRICATA said:

Are you serious???? HOW could it be Wrong?

People that aren't into this hobby like we are will never even suspect anything to be different. If you are kind hearted enough to buy someone a gift, you deserve your pick of the litter!!

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Yes, i am serious.

Its not about the light - its about the idea. It somehow says something - that someone intentionally gives the worse thing to the friend and keeps the best thing for himself. As said, i dont compare the lights, and let fate decide, so to say.

kelmo said:

Every once in a while I get a light for a gift (and one for myself of course) or I double up on an order because a friend wants me to get them a light. When I receive them I do a side by side comparison and keep the one I deem as the best. I just did that with a Fenix P1 that I got for my brother and myself. There is no special reason that I got my brother the light other than he is into gadgets. I will send a light back if there is something wrong with it but I keep the best tints and smoothest switches for myself. I also deal with warranty issues for the people I get lights for.

I guess I'm feeling a little guilty today...

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first off, getting a gift for someone is a very kind thing to do. so, try not to be too hard on yourself. the person receiving the gift should be grateful for either of the two lights you give. after all, what did they do to earn it? if they earned it, then it ceases to be a gift and becomes a wage, does it not?!!


probing a bit deeper...

as with many (not all) decisions we make and actions that we take, it's the MOTIVES that are often more important (not speaking of misguided motives here; there are times when people are both sincere in their motives AND are still "sincerely wrong"!).

so, ask yourself, what is your motive/motivation for doing so, and is this why you felt "a little guilty"? in other words, WHY did you do what you did? only you can answer this question for yourself. your answer will determine whether what you did was right or wrong. it may be right for one person, but wrong for another - in a matter like this, it will all come down to motive, IMO.

Is it wrong for a dealer who has hundreds of lights to manually test them on a light meter, then place a premium price on those best cherry picked ones?

Handlobraesing said:

Is it wrong for a dealer who has hundreds of lights to manually test them on a light meter, then place a premium price on those best cherry picked ones?

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i don't think it's wrong. they are charging for their SERVICE. their time should equate, if they so desire, to a mark-up on their normal selling price.

if someone feels differently and has the time, please reply and give me some insight into why you think it's wrong. maybe i'll learn something. many thanks.



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EDIT:

H,

if your reply was to me, i'm reading into your reply and wondering what would have prompted it (IF in fact, your reply was to me???). if so, and i understood your Post correctly, then i think my reply to OP was not written very clearly. i have since, after reading your Post, gone back and edited my reply to OP, hoping to be a tad clearer. in this case, attempting brevity may have resulted in lack of clarity. Many thanks for your Post which made me go back and re-read my prev. Post and recognize its deficiencies in clarity as originally penned.

Depends, If someone is paying you for one then one should be set aside without comparison. If you are giving them away for gifts then the choice is yours. You might want to make sure to give the best away if it`s a gift for a groom (good friend) at his wedding for example. You might want to keep the best for yourself if the gifts are for kids who might not care that much for example.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you...might apply. But I doubt god will send you down below on account of your choice. Might make you wait at the gate sweating it out for a bit :candle: ...just for fun...probably has a good sense of humor.

half-watt said:

i don't think it's wrong. they are charging for their SERVICE. their time should equate, if they so desire, to a mark-up on their normal selling price.

if someone feels differently and has the time, please reply and give me some insight into why you think it's wrong. maybe i'll learn something. many thanks.

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I wouldn`t like that...it would mean that if you pay normal price you have no hope of getting a top one. I would likely go with a differant dealer. Not saying if it`s wrong or right. I often ask my dealer to turn one on and make sure it`s works properly before shipping. But I don`t ask him to go thru several and send me the best...or brightest.