Two vs Three mode

You have two high-power LED flashlights on a desk in front of you.
One has a high mode and a medium-low mode. The other one has a lower low and a medium mode thrown inbetween. They are both reverse clickies. The interface is as follows:

click - high
click - medium (omit for the light without medium mode)
click - low
click - off

They are completely identical in everything but the modes.

If you absolutely had to choose between one of the two, and couldn't take both, which one would it be and why?

Edit: crap, wrong forum. Could a mod be so kind as to move it to the "LED flashlights" board? Thanks

High and low, medium just slows me down switching between the to.

For 3 modes, I prefer
1.)Medium 40 to 50 % of max setting
2.)High max brightness
3.)low 3 to 5% of the max brightness


For two modes, I want just Med and high.

For indoor use, I would prefer 3 modes. As for outdoor, 2 modes are all I need.

If I must select only one, I'll take the 3 modes.

3 mode. I would probably end up using the middle mode most, as that generally gives the best combination of runtime/output for 90% of my uses. I also like the idea of a lower low with the 3 mode because it is more likely to be a useful low suitable for either closeup work, or possibly even low enough to use with night adapted vision.

I would like the 3 modes better since sometimes I find either the low mode too low for normal work and sometimes or rather most of the time you don't need high mode so I usually use medium mode for most of my work.

2 modes without a heartbeat. If I must have a reverse-clicky multitap UI(nothing I prefer), it can't be more than two modes.

3

It all depends...

If the manufacturer actually took the time to properly design a light with a LOW low, a useful medium and a blazing high then 3 mode all the way IFF the UI is intelligent... click scrolling is not intelligent anymore.

If I'm forced to click thru modes than less is better... provided again that the manufacturer took the time to make a low that has decent runtime.

So based on the specific example of click then I vote 2.
If it were a better UI and properly adjusted light output I'd have voted 3.

PhantomPhoton said:

It all depends...

If the manufacturer actually took the time to properly design a light with a LOW low, a useful medium and a blazing high then 3 mode all the way IFF the UI is intelligent... click scrolling is not intelligent anymore.

If I'm forced to click thru modes than less is better... provided again that the manufacturer took the time to make a low that has decent runtime.

So based on the specific example of click then I vote 2.
If it were a better UI and properly adjusted light output I'd have voted 3.

Click to expand...

So clicking 1 extra time is a hardship that outweighs having a useful medium level that gives good light and good runtime? Not for me it isn't.

Neither.
Don't like soft touch mode changing. Twisties are worse. That is why I use the crappy Ultrafire 602C as my goto EDC and the Fenix L0D CE as backup.
I prefer 3 modes but settled for the 2 level L1T v2 RB80. I was shown and liked the Surefire U2 (6 levels by rotating the bezel ring) but it is an incandescent, uses uncommon batteries, and terribly expensive.

I just tied it up for the two-mode team. This one looks like it'll be a nailbiter!

Three mode... I like the convienience of a medium level.

Two modes, 20% and 100% of the total output, preferably with the low coming on first.

:wave:

Two mode for me.While the medium seems usefull I never use it with my Fenix lights.I either use the low or the high on my P2D or LOD CE skipping the medium every time.Since the P2D is 6 mode I do use the Turbo of course.If the light was set up as low,high then turbo I might choose the three mode.

I like 3 mode best of all. I like a very low low with a good useable med and a strong high. One of my prefered UI is the Jetbeam cle with med low high sequence. I do not like the mode memory.

I prefer single mode lights, so I guess I won't be voting, lol. I'd rather carry 2 lights of different outputs than a single light with lots of modes.

For example:
low mode = EL1
high mode = 2x18500>P91 or EO-9.

3 level for sure.
But I don't like clicking through the levels either, so my favorite light in it's class right now is the CL1H with 3SD module.

The reason that it's my favorite of class is because Deree incorporates a "memory" feature in their digitals that allow you to set the level you want it to come on the next time you turn it on.

I use the medium level mostly, so unless I intentionally change the setting, I have in effect a single level light as long as I want it to be.
Then if I want to change it, I just cycle to the level I want and it will be the new "single level" I get every time I turn it on.
No cycling through levels unless I want to.

3 modes, 2%, 25%, 100%.

The modes have to be set separately, and the last one be memorized.
Be forced to cycle thru modes is the dumbest interface I can think of, especially if it is controlled from a reverse clicky. This is why I stopped to buy Fenix, I was getting upset every time I *REALLY* needed light.

Anthony

Kilovolt said:

Two modes, 20% and 100% of the total output, preferably with the low coming on first.

:wave:

Click to expand...

+1 :thumbsup: