Why don't many companies do this? Controlled 1 lumen increment increases 1-1000 level

I am aware that surefire does this (after looking at sexy TITAN!), I wish companies like fenix would do some lights with this feature. I'd like this WAAY better than having the dumb multi level switching hassle.

Unless it's a ring that adjusts it, it doesn't seem very user friendly to me.. Unless you could quickly jump from low->high to high->low and maybe middle->high (ie: More quickly get where you want to go), it'd drive me insane waiting for it to get where I want it to go.

And what if last time I used it on high, I want to use it on low (it's pitch black and I don't want to be blinded), etc.

Tapping the clickie a few times to move through a reasonable number of settings is fine with me.

I want twistys!!

Give me a knob on the tailcap a 'click-off' position and then let me adjust from 0-100% in a 3/4 turn of the knob. 85hz or higher switching rate regulator to avoid nasty flicker. Instant light at whatever level I want, stupid simple UI. I'd never need strobe or SOS, but if I wanted momentary MAX let me push the knob in (against a stiff resistance) to get it.

You wouldn't notice going from 20 to 21 lumens anyway. There's a lot of wasted levels in between.

You'd notice 1 going to 2 lumens 2 -3 but then you'd need to go to about 6 for a perceivable difference.

You'd need a near doubling of light to get a noticeable difference.

tebore said:

You wouldn't notice going from 20 to 21 lumens anyway. There's a lot of wasted levels in between.

You'd notice 1 going to 2 lumens 2 -3 but then you'd need to go to about 6 for a perceivable difference.

You'd need a near doubling of light to get a noticeable difference.

Click to expand...

Using a logarithmic potentiometer (continuously variable) as a sense-resistor, or some sort of digital circuit that mimicked the effect of using a log-pot would be ideal IMO. I have a liteflux LF2 that allows continuously variable brightness when programming the thing, but one of the gripes I have is that the variation is linear, so as the light transitions from a very bright setting to a very low setting, the apparent rate of change of brightness is at first too slow, then toward the end, too fast.

Actually, I have always like the interface on the photon freedom series, it's a one-button continuously varible light with a pretty good "gamma" setting (that's essentially what I'm taking about here).

how about a 6-10 level light.
no strobe, no sos, just light.

I dunno guys.. I just REAAALLY like the idea of having a smooth fluid motion from dim all the way up to max output.

This guy can do it



"The Titan is the world's only fully variable-output flashlight, with an operating range from zero to 65 lumens and all points in between. No preset levels; just total, seamless control—over 1,000 possible output levels."

The Titan is the world's only fully variable-output flashlight, with an operating range from zero to 65 lumens and all points in between. No preset levels; just total, seamless control—over 1,000 possible output levels."

I'd be all over a light like the Titan with this variable switch if it were a 200 lumen LED.

jasonsmaglites said:

how about a 6-10 level light.
no strobe, no sos, just light.

Click to expand...

6 levels, switching between them with a ring, switch just turns it on and off, that sound like a SF U2

By the way, how much does that SureFire Titan cost?

Oh yeah, that's right...:laughing:

tebore said:

You wouldn't notice going from 20 to 21 lumens anyway. There's a lot of wasted levels in between.

You'd notice 1 going to 2 lumens 2 -3 but then you'd need to go to about 6 for a perceivable difference.

You'd need a near doubling of light to get a noticeable difference.

Click to expand...

I basically agree with everything that 2XTrinity said.

You might not notice those small changes but ideally it would be neat if flashlights worked like this. Obviously Surefire thought it was worth their while.

Imagine of your vehicle only had 5 or 10 power levels to it and 5 or 10 levels of braking force. I know that I'd say..."now wait a minute...isn't there a better way? Can't the steps be more linear?" I'd like to start seeing lights with maybe 50 levels. The WiseLED tactical has about 15 or more if I remember correctly and I think they're off to a good start along with Surefire.

That's 999 levels too many.

Lobo said:

The Titan is the world's only fully variable-output flashlight, with an operating range from zero to 65 lumens and all points in between. No preset levels; just total, seamless control—over 1,000 possible output levels."

Didn't Gatlight have an argument with Surefire over that statement? I believe the Gatlight was out before the Titan?​

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I don't know if Lumencraft actually did anything about it, and I don't know if they even could have, because I don't believe the Gatlights were the first infinitely-variable output lights, either. There were a few custom ones before that, IIRC. Regardless of who was first, Surefire should definitely not be saying that it was them. Is the Titan even out yet, or are retailers still waiting? I haven't heard of anyone on the waiting list getting their light yet.

And yes, lumen-by-lumen control would be ridiculous at anything over 20 lumens. I believe that the reason we don't see this kind of UI very often is because it's more difficult or expensive to implement.

I like the way HDS does it. 22 levels is more than enough and spaced so you can actually see the difference in outputs.

Like 2xtrinity, I also have the Liteflux LF2. The ability to lots of output chances is nice, if you have the ability to know at what level you are at or even be able to accurately stop at the right level. On my LF2, I just set it to the lowest level, since I'm not patient enough play with it and also the lowest level is actually what I want.

This should help! I also would like something like that and here it is, made by Coast!

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/174181&highlight=7798

They are also reasonably priced, around $55-60.00!

Mike

h2xblive said:

By the way, how much does that SureFire Titan cost?

Oh yeah, that's right...:laughing:

Click to expand...

how much does surefire everything cost? Oh yah that's right

PEOPLE, some keep arguing saying that 1-1000 is unnecessary. Agreed.

let's just say that the light would change in noticeable increments as you twist it. The point is that the smooth off to full on rotation would be really nice!

I'd love a light that could do this. I'd pay another 50 if my new l2d could do it. SERIOUSLY.

Continuously variable would be best but if we use step increments, let's not forget that a light with 16 levels starting at 2/3 of a lm, with 50% light increment to each next level, ends up at close to 300 lm (0.6666*1.5^15).

TigerhawkT3 said:

I don't know if Lumencraft actually did anything about it, and I don't know if they even could have, because I don't believe the Gatlights were the first infinitely-variable output lights, either. There were a few custom ones before that, IIRC. Regardless of who was first, Surefire should definitely not be saying that it was them. Is the Titan even out yet, or are retailers still waiting? I haven't heard of anyone on the waiting list getting their light yet.

Click to expand...

Yes, it really doesnt matter that Gatlight wasnt the first, bottomline is that Titan isn't the only fully variable-flashlight, so Surefire shouldnt be boasting about that. Funny thing is, that I have a memory of Gatlight making another fully variable light, but more aimed at being a Titankiller, or was it another smaller manufacturer? Could be interesting though.


Another question I have about lights with infinite or very many levels of output, how does it affect regulation and efficiency? My knowledge about electronic circuits is very average, but it feels like a light that is designed to only use one or a couple of different currents, would be easier to make efficient?