The Low Down: Is no one listening about a Lower Low on multilevel lights?

I just did a CPF Google search in quotes on "lower low" and got 111 hits. Most of those seem to be statements saying something like 'it would be nice to have a lower low'. It seems manufacturers and dealers here tend to listen to us and often respond with improvements we talk a lot about. But it seems this message has never gotten through with the exception of the HDS, Novatac and Gladius and some customs using a FluPic. So this message thread's purpose is to raise awareness on this subject and also to verify with a poll if I'm right that most users of multi-level lights want a much lower low level setting.

Liteflux lights can have a low as low as you want, the LF2, LF3, LF4 and LF5 are great lights if you want a very low brightness mode.
The Eternalight is another one with a very low brightness mode.
Photon Freedoms and Proton from LRI get very low too.

Luigi

Sorry I forgot about the Liteflux and Eternalight (how could I forget a light I own at least 10 of). But in general most lights with high powered LED's that have come out lately (the last year or so) seem to be missing a real low setting and that seems to be what I read so often that people want. Thanks for pointing out the Liteflux. I guess I could add to this the Gatlight, the Surefire Titan and I think the Chameleon. Looking at the lights that DO offer a real low setting it appears most of them are fairly high end and relatively expensive lights other than the Liteflux and Eternalight. I'm not putting the Photon's into this discussion as they are mostly low level even on high. While there are a handful of lights offering a very low low the majority do not and I think it is something most users would like. So this will hopefully raise awareness of that to all the manufacturers that visit here.

Novatac listens to their customers. The Novatac 120's can do 0.3 Lumens - it's great for those dark adapted eyes, and it's the lowest low I've ever seen on a light (except for Photon Freedom Microlight, which can go even lower ~0.1 lumens, I believe)

I'd like a 4-6 lumen option in an EDC powered by lithium (primary mostly but could be R). It takes care of most uses for an EDC for me because they are close up in dim light or dark. That way, I know the batt in it will "always" have plenty of time left on it.

My other EDC use tends to be inspection of shaded parts on vehicles in direct sun where I need lots of power. However, the run times rarely exceed 30 seconds each and if I've been doing a lot of the, I'll have spares handy anyway. I typically use a Seoul-modded, 20 mm reflectored Fenix P1D-CE for that.

Its the keychain lights and smaller EDCs that really need a low low because some are already "battery-challenged". Can't see much utility for a low low on something the size of a Mag but would be interested in the reasoning if some think otherwise.

Racer7

I find the 3 lumens of my TiPD-S is the most used setting so I voted for that option. It's nice to have the low low of the HDS but can't recall ever using it in anger.

The upcoming LRI Photon Proton Pro (with Cree and red LED's) should be an interesting addition to the low-low crowd.

xiaowenzu said:

Novatac listens to their customers. The Novatac 120's can do 0.3 Lumens - it's great for those dark adapted eyes, and it's the lowest low I've ever seen on a light (except for Photon Freedom Microlight, which can go even lower ~0.1 lumens, I believe)

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Yes - the Novatac is one I mentioned in the first post and that is one of the reasons why both Novatac and HDS are my favorite lights. I believe the Novatac actually lists the lowest setting as .08 Lumens although I've seen some discussion saying it may not be that low. To my eyes it was very very low (note to self - must get Light meter).

xiaowenzu said:

Novatac listens to their customers. The Novatac 120's can do 0.3 Lumens - it's great for those dark adapted eyes, and it's the lowest low I've ever seen on a light (except for Photon Freedom Microlight, which can go even lower ~0.1 lumens, I believe)

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The STFU board in the 2d gen Spy 005 can go down to practically zero, i.e. to the equivalent brightness of a tritium marker. That is well below the Microlight.

Just some thoughts about the advantages of a low low:

* More efficiency from the LED.
* A really low light will not cause you to lose your night adapted eyes. Reflections won't be blinding with night adjusted eyes either.
* The lower the light the less other people will notice or be disturbed.
* Longer battery life, which may be important in survival situations, or for camping, or hiking, or caving, or in case you are forgetful about recharging batteries.
* A really low can be impressive as a starting point in showing the light off.
* A low with really low battery draw can be used as a night light, or beacon, or simply to help find the flashlight in the dark, without affecting over all battery life too much. (A really low blink is useful too to find the flashlight in the dark.)

xiaowenzu said:

Novatac listens to their customers. The Novatac 120's can do 0.3 Lumens - it's great for those dark adapted eyes, and it's the lowest low I've ever seen on a light (except for Photon Freedom Microlight, which can go even lower ~0.1 lumens, I believe)

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The low levels on the Novatac are not due to Novatac's doing, but rather that they used HDS technology and HDS's existing features.

Hm, The Novatec low low feature doesn't seem to be important enough for them to advertise it -

• Primary Setting: 10 Lumens
• Secondary Setting: 42 Lumens
• Maximum Setting: 85 or 120 Lumens
• Emergency Strobe Setting

i strongly support lower lows, i can read books without disturbing others or get reflection from my ereader , i think 3-4 lumens should be more than enough

To me, the ideal is a light you can "continuously variable" adjust. That'll be the future - stepless dimming and hopefully it will be a better interface than using the clicky. Some kind of rotary knob that is pushed into the body of the light after use, then another push causes it to spring up for use/rotation. Similar to a lot of car stereo knobs that you don't want bumped unless you're adjusting them. That way you can adjust quickly to the exact level you need for that given situation from barely visible to make the flashlight easily found in a dark tent to max illumination for a "bump in the night" situation.

DougM

IdahoDoug said:

To me, the ideal is a light you can "continuously variable" adjust. That'll be the future - stepless dimming and hopefully it will be a better interface than using the clicky.

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http://www.surefire.com/maxexp/main/co_disp/displ/prrfnbr/24451/sesent/00

Don't say Surefire doesn't listen to its customers....that have $500 for a 65lm 1xCR2. :candle:

I just got a Fenix L1D CE and find the low too bright. I assume it is because of the higher efficiency LEDs being used and not changing the current on low.

My MillerMods 3-level L0P has about 30mA on low and usually that is perfect (though once in a while it is too bright). My L1D CE is as bright as the L0P on medium (~90mA).

I'm tempted by some of the new small lights but I need a low low-setting.

Greg

I am very happy with the LOW on my PD-s mizer. It is LOW.
The LOW on all of the HDS EDC and Novatacs is also very low and settable.
I have a thing called a milkeycandle (i and 2) which takes USED UP cells and drains them completly with a light which can be very low, low enough to read by and maintain the sanity of the wife.

At night indoors I allways use LOW I find my current favorite the novatac to be low enough to not ruin my nightvision. I use it way more than the hi setting indors at night.
Yaesumofo

IdahoDoug said:

To me, the ideal is a light you can "continuously variable" adjust. That'll be the future - stepless dimming and hopefully it will be a better interface than using the clicky. Some kind of rotary knob that is pushed into the body of the light after use, then another push causes it to spring up for use/rotation. Similar to a lot of car stereo knobs that you don't want bumped unless you're adjusting them. That way you can adjust quickly to the exact level you need for that given situation from barely visible to make the flashlight easily found in a dark tent to max illumination for a "bump in the night" situation.

DougM

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yeah, or just twist from off to on->increase brightness->high, simple and elegant,forget about all those modes and UI

4 lumens would be perfect. I'd love to have 80 lumens maximum, and 4 lumens on low, and still have a AAA light. (L0D-RB100? :twothumbs )

My favorite ,so far is my Nuwaii Q3 flupic modded cree,simply because I use its lowest mode 1st to turn on, no other modes to blast light in the middle of the night.
If I need more light 1 or 2 quick taps to med or max,and If I push the button all the way it turns off without going thru all kinds of modes.

Flupic is still one of the best mods yet,IMO.Not only is it super programable,easy to program, flexible and it lets me use recharable lions!