Round 2: More questions from a newbie.

Seeing as even though I've yet to order anything new (waiting for my check, and it's painfull), you all have already pretty much destroyed my 'f--k anything but maglite' attitude.
After doing some homework and getting (lots of, this forum is great) suggestions/feedback/help I'm very close to deciding what I want, but still fuzzy on a few things.

First, is the CMG Infinity G an Ultra? The 'US government' is nifty, and the price is right, but I'd really like an Ultra.

Second, I've been looking at the Brinkman 2AA Legend as a possible replacement for my 2AA Mag. I still cringe thinking about it, but it seems to simply be better made, and there's more 'toys' for it.
So, question 2A, how well do Mag LED mods play with it? Thinking specificly about Opalec and BadBoy 400mA here.
2B, do the Legend accesories fit the Mag 2AA if the Led mods don't fit the Legend? Especially that 6" fiber optic would be _very_ handy to me.

Which leads me to question 3. Filters.
3A, I understand how they work on incan bulbs, but is there anything about LEDs that would make them dimmer with a filter (meaning between incan + filter and LED + same filter)? And out of curiosity (have no real use for it) does an IR filter work on a LED?
3B, Now that I know what thoes funny round lenses are for, and that I want one (the 30mm), does it being slightly higher interfear with filters on a 2AA Mag or 2AA Legend?

And last, How well are accesories such as these going to interact with an Arc LSH-P or an Arc LS4? If it's pretty much ok, it'll probably get the spot on my belt EDC. Again, thinking especially about that 6" fiber.

I think that's enough questions for one post. Hopefully I put it in the correct forum this time /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

After this, and my check comes, I'll be sending my first orders for my new addiction. Err, hobby. Yeah. I get the feeling I'll be wanting to try out a whole bunch of other stuff too though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

i think i can answer 1 question: i believe the infinity-g is an ultra. if in doubt, ask the dealer, they should know.

by the way, the ultra is a great light!

im about to order my first arc aaa, so i will have 2 tiny bright led lights.


Bob

Flow,

I'll try to help with question #2 without causing too much of an uproar. Despite trying to convince myself that the Brinkmann is the better choice, I still like the Mag.

First, the machining in the threads of the Mags I have is nicer than the Brinkmann I got. Much smoother.

Second, you'll read a lot around here about the tailswitch for the Legend. Honestly, I like the Mag with a Kroll far better than the Legend. The Kroll provides a much more tactile feel than the Brinkmann.

The Brinkmann does have two o-rings behind the threads on the head end of the body, which I like, but I haven't tried any sort of water-resistance testing on either flashlight for comparison.

As far as the LEDs go, the Opalec works flawlessly in the Mag. Easy installation, regulated, great battery life, don't have to be concerned about screwing the head all the way down onto the body and damaging the LEDs. I just got a BadBoy 400 Q3L from Wayne, and it also excellent in the Mag. Again, easy installation, regulated, and bright! It seems as though the emitter on the MadMax could be damaged by screwing the head down too far, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but a Kroll switch resolves this issue. The BadBoy is also a great candidate for a Brinkmann, and if you have to have it, you can use the guts from the Mag and use the Opalec in a Brinkmann, however the BadBoy is probably the better candidate for the Brinkmann.

I'm not sure about Brinkmann accessories on a Mag other than the pocket clip. The dinky little pocket clip that comes with Mags isn't worth much.

While you're at it, you might check out replacement lenses from http://www.flashlightlens.com. Great response time, great products. He's got 22.6mm lenses to fit both the Mag and the Brinkmann, in a variety of flavors.

Hope this helps.

Flow, the LS series has a 1 inch bezel so the 6inch fiber optic attachment you are talking about will work (I have tried it myself). It will be a bit loose with the current LS, whereas the LS4 will be a bit more snug. In either case you can adjust the snugness with some tape.

Peter

ewick, nice to hear. I'm still not quite sure I'd be comfortable with a brinkman anyway.

pedalinbob, yeah I suppose I could just ask them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

Gransee, Ahhh, nice. I'm probably going to wait for the LS4. If it's still loose, a bit of tape on the head is no prob. And so far it seems the LS would just replace my Mag or Brinkman anyway /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I have my badboy 400 in a mag with a kroll, I like the mag better than the brinkman because you can turn the mag off at the head & the kroll switch this way it is much less likley to turn on in a pouch or when packed. The 2aaa brinkman does not have a lockout tail switch & I have had them come on in the pouch. thats my 2 cents worth. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Heh, all the 2 cents worth I've gotten on this forum already would probably put me at a pack of smokes, and I love a good smoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
And yeah, I would be pretty confused with the switch at the tail anyway.
Anyone have anything on my other Q's?

Actually, nevermind. I know I'm going to wind up getting at least one of everything anyway, I may as well stop lieing to myself and just give up the concept of having $ left in my wallet.
I'll have a more impressive sig at least /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hello Flow,

YOU have SEEN THE LIGHT!!!

Tom

[ QUOTE ]
Flow said:


First, is the CMG Infinity G an Ultra? The 'US government' is nifty, and the price is right, but I'd really like an Ultra.



[/ QUOTE ]

I shouldn't answer this as I don't know for sure, but I've got 2 of them and I love them. Great lights, very bright. In my case identical to the brightness of my ArcAAA which means that they are equivalent to the Ultra. YMMV

[ QUOTE ]

Second, I've been looking at the Brinkman 2AA Legend as a possible replacement for my 2AA Mag. I still cringe thinking about it, but it seems to simply be better made, and there's more 'toys' for it.
So, question 2A, how well do Mag LED mods play with it? Thinking specifically about Opalec and BadBoy 400mA here.
2B, do the Legend accesories fit the Mag 2AA if the Led mods don't fit the Legend? Especially that 6" fiber optic would be _very_ handy to me.


[/ QUOTE ]

I am a huge fan of the brinkman lights. I think their fit and finish are great. My experience hasn't been completely without trouble as I did have some metal shavings get in the way of my installing a BB500, but they are easily cleaned off before the install if you know you should do it.

Specifically an Opalec will not work in the Brinkman, at least that is my understanding from other posts, without cutting off it's legs. I do plan to try this someday, but I haven't yet. However, I think that the brinkman is a superior host for the drop in pills like the BB400 and others. I have read a lot of posts about the acrobatics that people go through to get them to function reliably in the Mag and none of that was necessary in my Brinkman 2AA. Also the hole is just a little bit larger in the top which makes it less likely that you'll have problems with the LED leads shorting against the body. I really do recommend the brinkmann's for drop in use. I really like their tail switch, in my use it's superior to the kroll, but thats personal preference.

Go with a brinkman for the BB400 and the Mag for the Opalec.

[ QUOTE ]

Which leads me to question 3. Filters.
3A, I understand how they work on incan bulbs, but is there anything about LEDs that would make them dimmer with a filter (meaning between incan + filter and LED + same filter)? And out of curiosity (have no real use for it) does an IR filter work on a LED?
3B, Now that I know what thoes funny round lenses are for, and that I want one (the 30mm), does it being slightly higher interfear with filters on a 2AA Mag or 2AA Legend?


[/ QUOTE ]

The light from the LED is not full spectrum. There is very little red in it so if you put on a red filter it would cut down considerably on the light. If you used a blue filter you would see a lot more. The lights put out little if any IR so that filter wont do anything at all.

Do you mean the 30mm collimator that Electrolumens is selling? I don't think those will fit into a brinkman or maglight 2AA will they? The regular optics that come with the pills fit perfectly so anything larger will not work I don't think.

Welcome to the board, you're going to enjoy yourself, except when balancing your check book at the end of each month /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Oop, sorry. I meant Mag C & D's, and looking I can't find filters for them anyway. A moment of confusion

And wow, you chewed right through my questions /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Thanks /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As my last post though, I think I'm just going to get one of each. My wallet will hate me, but I really want to see them for myself. And my collection won't be as pitiful to boot /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Flow,

My 2cents worth. Compared my "G" to 4 Ultra's that I have, the "G" is brighter and whiter than anyone of them.The only down side is that on my particular "G" there is puke green spots on one side of the beam, this is just common to some leds or LS. Luck of the draw as it were. The difference between "G"s and Ultra's is that they(G's) are supposed to have handpicked leds for brightness and whiteness as opposed to the Ultra's. If mine is the norm, then the brighter and whiter is true but I believe they only pick those leds for brightness and whiteness but not for any absence of green. "G"s are just Ultra's except for this choice of bulbs.

Opalec will work in the Brinkmann except that you will have to remove the two plastic legs on the module. I have converted 4-2AA Brinkmann's, 2-3AA Brinkmann's and 1 Sears Craftsman over to the NewBeams and they all work without any problems at all.

I also perfer the Brinkmann for the Badboys modules over the MM's. Switch diameter is slightly larger than the MM so no problems with body metal shorting anything out on the module. Since you are not screwing down the head to switch off, there will never be any damage to the module also. The enclosed "c" clip with the Brinkmann with also ensure that the module will never fall out as you change batteries. There are other advantages to the Brinkmann over the MM but eventually it's up to you. BTW, I have about 6 MM bodies that are just sitting here doing nothing. Maybe I'll use them for target pratice some day.

T

Seems to be fairly split as to brinkman vs. minimag, hehe.
I'm just going to go ahead and get one and see how I like it to my mini, and an extra opalec while I'm at it (just in case).
I'll be getting an (2)opalec, a badboy 400, and a magmaled, and see how I like the diffrent combinations pointed at my wall and how much abuse they can take. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif