Considering a L1 for graffiti

First post here, so I guess it's hello.

This is kinda of a spawn of 2 hobbies that have manifested for me. I'll start with skywriting. My friend asked me soon after if I had seen some sprint commercials. I hadn't, but it's a good description of what I like to do. It's also known as light graffiti. Google will bring up some really cool examples.

Second, I'm starting to become obsessed over really cool pieces of engineering that light things up in the night. That is, I'm a growing flashaholic, no thanks to this forum . Kidding, I've been lurking for a while, and seemed now would be a good time to join.

So I'm thinking I'm going to get a SF L1 Cree for my first big tool. I need something that is fairly bright, adjustable output for various distances, a white to blue tint, and other colors. The Kroma would have been great, but 300 retail is a bit to much. So I'm going for the color filters on the L1.

I've heard great things about Surefire. I hope it lives up to it's name, since I'm going to be flinging the thing at who knows what angles. I was wondering if the color filters would stay on very well, and where the best place to get one, is preferring Paypal, since my local dealer doesn't stock the Cree models yet.

Also, does anybody here do light graffiti? Care to share?

Hey Qoose, welcome to CPF!

The Sprint commercials are great, and so are the Japanese artist group pikapika was commissioned to do them. I saw a Sprint web ad today where you could play the video game "Breakout" and the paddle, ball, and blocks were all flashlight graffiti animations. I'd love to know what kind of flashlights they use for that stuff.

About your question: the SureFire L1 is a great little light, two levels, compact, very well built. The current model uses a Cree emitter and is very bright.

The previous generations of the L1 could be purchased in other colors, red, blue, green, in addition to white. You might try looking for some of those, instead of using filters. The problem with using filters on an LED flashlight have been discussed elsewhere, but basically you don't get much output because the wavelength of light from an LED is pretty pure and the reduction by the filter just dims output without providing the desired color.

Here's a review of the new (white only) Cree L1: Surefire CREE L1 review

Here's a good review of the old old Luxeon I L1 vs. the old Luxeon III L1 vs. a modified L1 popular here on CPF called the Milky L1: Milkyspit ML-1 vs. Surefire L-1 (old) & L-1 (new)

Have fun shopping!

Thanks for the welcome.

How much would a filter dim the light? I can't find any pictures of the lights with the filters. Output isn't as important as how bright the window looks.

Also, I'm afraid of breaking the switch. Is it harmful to rapidly turn the light on and off? One of the reasons that attracted me to the L1 was the dual stage momentary, but would morse code rate flashing be bad?

LED's are designed for that (flashing etc) so that will be fine!

Qoose said:

How much would a filter dim the light? I can't find any pictures of the lights with the filters. Output isn't as important as how bright the window looks.

Click to expand...

You know, I have no idea of how a filter would affect the output of an L1. I suppose you would still see some output. The "red-filters-aren't-for-leds" mantra has been repeated a few times around here, but I haven't tested a red one, or a blue one for that matter, for myself. It would be a good experiment--people here love comparative pictures of beamshots :laughing: --and it wouldn't break the bank:

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1829
http://www.opticsplanet.net/surefire-filter-f06.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...lSearch=yes&O=deadEnd1.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t

I think the Surefire filters for the E-series lights/1" bezel should fit on an L1: by my measurement, my L1-Cree has a 1" bezel. If you don't like your results, you could certainly sell your filter on on the B/S/T forum here.

I will repeat that the colored LuxIII L1 lights are just some of my favorite things. I just like intensely colored light, and these flashlights deliver.

Qoose said:

Also, I'm afraid of breaking the switch. Is it harmful to rapidly turn the light on and off? One of the reasons that attracted me to the L1 was the dual stage momentary, but would morse code rate flashing be bad?

Click to expand...

All Surefire lights, the L1 included, are built to very high quality with a lifetime warranty. That, and military contractor overhead, are why they cost so much, I guess. The dual stage switches on the L1 are pretty burly, but if you break your switch (and I hear SF switches do fail), Surefire will replace it.

Welcome to CPF

I use a diffusion filter on my e1L (LUX) to even out the tight beam for a general purpose light and there is some loss of lntensity but that is what that filter is for the red and blue from my understanding do not dim as much as my filter not sure if it is too much as I've never done any light graffiti though I have seen some cool light shows maybe with the cost of surefire you my be better finding used L1 in colors as mentioned or even cheaper colored lights in colors how much light do you need streamlight stylus are available in multiple colors and you could get them all for the price of an L1.