which arc aaa do you recommend?

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makar

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hi,
i'm planning to buy an arc aaa. i'm a little confused which diffrent kinds of arc aaa there are.
i know of a standard and a premium version.

i'm from germany. there is one dealer: toolshop
the price for the standard version is 33 Euro = 36.05910 US Dollar
the premium is 46 Euro = 50.26420 US Dollar
do you think it's a better deal to buy a used one or a new one from the us? if i'm going to buy a used one. of which things should i take care? (i think of diffrent versions or updates and so on)
greetings, marc
 

PieThatCorner

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Hi Makar-

I'm not an Arc expert, but I play one on TV... sorry, humor. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif

From what I've read on Peter Gransee's posting on his 2003 Arc Catalog, I believe the following applies:

[*] The current Standard Arc AAA has a natural color Hard Anodized finish on the housing. The Nichia LED is R-S flux with a B2-B3 tint.

I just ordered a Standard Arc AAA. So I haven't tried it out yet.

[*] The Premium Arc AAA is pretty much the same as the Standard Arc AAA, from what I've read, but the LED binning is S flux, B1-B2 tint - a brighter/whiter light. It has "Premium Edition" engraved near the bottom of the housing.

[*] There's also the Limited Edition Arc AAA, which I have come to understand is the Premium Edition equivalent, but simply in limited run, hence its name. "Limited Edition" is engraved on the bottom of the housing as well. This LE comes with a hand picked SB1 rank LED. Again, whiter/brighter (Premium Edition quality).

I have the Limited Edition Arc AAA - it's absolutely fantastic and puts out very useful light for such a small package. The Hard Anodized finish is terrific on this LE. It's the reason why I ordered a Standard Arc AAA. I never thought I'd use a AAA backup to a AAA backup. Hmmmm....

Good luck on your purchase(s) - I doubt you could go wrong with either the Standard or Premium. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

-Jim
 

darkgear.com

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Marc,

Once you do decide which you want. I have...

Black Anodize White LED
Black Anodize White LED Unmarked
Black Anodize Turquoise LED
Natural Anodize White LED
Natural Anodize White LED Limited Edition

I guarantee I can beat the prices of your German dealer. Even including shipping. email [email protected]

Just trying to help out our overseas flashaholics. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Best regards,
Randy
 

Sigman

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[ QUOTE ]
darkgear.com said:
I guarantee I can beat the prices of your German dealer. Even including shipping. email [email protected] Just trying to help out our overseas flashaholics. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Best regards, Randy

[/ QUOTE ]
--------------------
<font color="blue">"Now that's service!"</font>
 

makar

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@Jim: thanks for this introduction in the diffrent series of the arc aaa. it's so nice to know that you can always count on the cpf-members...thanks a lot!

@Randy: thank you very much for your offer. e-mail sent.

@sigman: i agree completely.

I will now wait for the prices of randy and in the meanwhile I'll check if someone has a used one. so I can see the price difference and then decide if i'm going to get a new one - which i prefer.

of course i'm pleased to hear other opinions so feel free to post:)

thanks so far for your help,
marc
 

itsme1234

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I'm in Germany too; the prices for Arc-AAA are somehow still ok, but you should see the prices for surefire G2 (~80 EUR) or CMG Infinity (~35 EUR) ! We should do something !
I was thinking about ordering over the ocean, but there are at least three problems:

1. Shipping (esp. for small packages): should be very expensive. Arc charges 8 $ for USA->USA; I would expect at least double from USA to Germany.
2. Exchange rate. Right now EUR > $$$, but I found no cheap way to send money overseas. Recently, I had to send 50$ and there is NO WAY to pay 50 EUR (in total) to send 50 $ (= less than 46 EUR) ! This problem is bigger for smaller amounts, too.
3. Taxes. Usually you don't have to pay taxes (VAT + customs) for small personal packages. But sometimes you do. A friend of mine paid about 50 DM (taxes for 3 stupid CDs !!! ~ 25 EUR) about 3 years ago.
 

Francois1

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Hello makar,
Stefan Mueller from toolshop is a good guy to deal with, quick to answer to customers requests. But there's one point worth mentioning: these arc-aaa-premium are in fact
LE's (apparently from a good batch because the two i got recently are perfect). No problem with that as their quality and specifications ate the same as premium's, but I think you should know it. I agree with itsme1234 concerning surefire's prices in europe: horribly high. It's more economical to buy them from the us, even including taxes and shipping costs.

François.
 

Frenchyled

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Hello François !

Sorry for all in this thread, just one or two words in French...
Enfin un Français qui s'intéresse aux lampes :)) Et en plus qui s'exprime en anglais bien mieux que moi ! Ca va remonter la moyenne. J'ai moi même commandé chez Stefan Mueller et je me suis fait la même remarque concernant les arc-aaa-premium. Je suis collectionneur, si tu veux en parler avec moi tu peux m'écrire directement. A+

I just want to say that I agree with François1 on there toolshop's good opinion. For the moment I haven't see a new Arc-AAA Premium, but I have two different models of arc AAA LE's, one with clip and one without. Are they any other difference ?

Pascal
 

Francois1

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Hello Pascal,
I've sent you an email. Normally, I think that the LE comes with a clip, as do all arc-aaa's, but I'm no expert.
Concerning the difference btw premium and LE's, I was told exactly what Jim said: same haIII anodizing and hand picked
sb1 rank led.

François.
 

Seth

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[ QUOTE ]
darkgear.com said:
Send me an e-mail at [email protected] or ask a fellow CPF German 'Seth'. I can provide both the Arc AAA and the CMG Infinity Ultra delivered to Germany at a reasonable cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just did a little bit of math...

Randy´s prices + s&h are actually lower compared to toolshop´s prices + s&h /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

And as an added bonus, Randy is a great guy to deal with ( I know this belongs actually more to "cheers&jeers" )...

Ordering at darkgear is IMHO the easiest and least expensive way to get an Arc if you´re located overseas.

Seth

P.S.: Randy, you really have turq. AAA´s in stock??? At least one ??? It´s mine !!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Seth

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[ QUOTE ]
itsme1234 said:
2. Exchange rate. Right now EUR > $$$, but I found no cheap way to send money overseas.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do a little creative thinking...
Take an envelope, fill it with $$$ and send it as snail-mail... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Sometimes, sending ca$h outperforms Credit-Cards, paypal et al /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Seth
 

PieThatCorner

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Hi Pascal-

The Arc AAA LE's now all come with a removable clip. However, the Premium Arc AAA will apparently be replacing the limited run LE's. They both share the same quality LED for brightness/whiteness (hand picked) with very minor tint variations in the Hard Anodized III finish. I'm not sure when the Premiums will be shipping to authorized Dealers, if they're not already out there.

Hope I got that all correct... remember, I'm not an Arc expert, just a reasonable facsimile. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Jim
 

darkgear.com

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I hate to beat a dead horse but it seems this message is not getting through to most Arc customers.

from this thread

[ QUOTE ]
Arc-AAA

Standard. Natural color HA housing. Nichia LED. Binning (R-S flux, B2-B3 tint). All the latest improvements. Standard engraving. Some tint variations in HA, lighter/darker. Minor blemishes in HA permitted. Available through dealers and direct web. $28.95 list. Ready to order by February.

Arc-AAA Premium

Same as above except binning is S flux, B1-B2 tint only. Less HA tint variations and blemishes permitted. Engraved "Premium Edition". $39.95 list. Direct sales only. Ready to order by March.

Arc-AAA thoughts...
The LE (SB1 rank) has been frustrating for all concerned. Availability has gotten worse. Even the standard Arc-AAA bins have been difficult to find at times. The color LEDs don't move as fast and dilute our manufacturing growth. Most people prefer the natural HA so it will become the standard. By providing a range of ranks, we should be able to ensure more consistent availability.

[/ QUOTE ]

I may be wrong on this and please Peter correct me if I am, but the OLD LE only had B1S LEDs. Which is the reason many people waited up to 4 months for one. The new premium, per above, may have a B1S or B2S.

Pure speculation but with the readily available premium AAAs and unless Nichia somehow increased production and availability, the new AAAs most likely have the B2S LED. I read that nichia was going to stop or limit the ability to order only a certain bin type. That only adds to this guess.

I would suggest that the old LE would be better than the Premium. Unless you got one that has the over drilled, then filled hole(cosmetic difference).

The same logic applies to the standard AAA. The old black anodized ones are probably better than the new natural ones.

I have expressed this opinion many times over email this seems like an appropriate time to express it here.

I really don't get the attraction to the LE or premium AAAs. It must be a CPF status thing. $15 more buys you a difference that you can only see if you shine the 2 together on a white wall. I think just the 'Limited Edition' tag infers that it might be better and brighter. :p It's a small tinting difference and that's all. Some people have even reported back to me a noticeable variance in flux(brightness) and that some regular AAAs have been brighter than the LEs.

But hey that just my opinion. As a dealer I say "BUY EM ALL!"

Best regards,
Randy
 

pyramus

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Does the LEDs have to be checked by manufacturer for tint(B1,B2,B3)? Is this why they charge more for a Premium? I asked a similar question at CPF recently with little response. If the orders of LEDs arrive at the manufacturer with various tints, and the manufacturer has to hand test/select brighter tints, then I could see where that could justify a higher price. If this is not the case then maybe brighter tint LEDs just cost $15.00 more. If light manufacturers do have to test LEDs; why is there such a variation in one batch of LEDs from the supplier? I bought some premiums, not for status, but because they produce the whiter light that I personally prefer.
Thanks,
Mike
 

koala

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Luxeon leds are ranked total light output, temperature xxxxK and forward voltage(Vf) they come in reels if you buy in bulk and the bin information is printed on the reels. The catch is that you are not allowed to order by bin so receiving them is abit like Russian Roulet. - Quoted from Henry Schneiker 2003.

I am not sure if this goes for nichia as well but I know ARC crews have trained eyes to tell which is which. Amazed?! Nah /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif they probably use some sort of light measuring devices. So buying ARC lights you are actually paying more or less money for the quality of LED.
 

SRB

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For my money, The AAA UV is certainly the most interesting. I gave my LE to my son and he keeps bugging me to use th UV. I have a relatively recent LE and I am not sure it was an SB1. It is three weeks old and I'm wondering if thats not the Premium we've been hearing so much about. It is still noticably whiter and a little brighter than a Photon III. It compares well with my Mag solitair but burns brighter alot longer than the Mag does.

SRB
 

radellaf

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I've had a couple of standards come through here, most on their way to friends as gifts (not always enthusiastically accepted, but sometimes), and apart from status, my LE was not worth the extra. Definitely not now, as the natural HA was the main reason I bought it.

The tint is the only obvious difference, in the corona...the center is blue-ish in all of them. I think I prefer the standard's bluer corona to my LE's greenish-yellow one. Nitpicking, though, they're all great lights. Though, I didn't appreciate having to lube the last batch myself...Arc left that out for some reason. Holiday crunch time I assume.

If the newer LEDs are worse maybe what I say is misleading, I don't know. I ordered the last batch of AAA from darkgear before the new designations.
 

PaulW

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I recently bought one of each. Both appear to be equally bright and to have the same beam pattern.

Only the color seems different. Both have a light blue beam center, although the LE is whiter. Regarding the corona, the standard is light blue, and the LE is very close to white - only a little green, no yellow.

I like'm both, but I prefer the LE's color a little more.
 

makar

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cyrus from vicomptel

cyrus made me an offer for an arc aaa limited edition for 29,60$ SHIPPED to germany.
today i received it and i'm totally happy with it.
thanks to cyrus!
bad thing: i like it so much that i don't want it to get scratched on my keychain /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif (hope the hard anodized finish will work)

greetings and a big thank you to cyrus,
marc
 
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