PT Apex - Want flood!

Hi,

I've had the PT Apex (80lm) for some time now and have recently started looking for a way to make it suit my needs better. What I'm looking for is FLOOD. The 4 nichias are worthless to me, I never use them. Mainly because they're too blue and too focused (with lots af artifacts).

Yesterday, just for the fun of it, I opened the lamp and simply removed the stock lens, leaving the "black reflector". This was SUCH an improvement if you like flood:



It's hard to tell from the picture due to reflection, but it's extremely homogeneous with NO HOTSPOT, just as I like it.

Now to my question. I realize that I loose a lot of overall output by doing this, primarily because of the black matte reflector absorbing more light than any ordinary optics. So obviously I want to know what optics (lens or reflector) to use in order to achieve the same result (flood).

I've been looking to purchase the SSC P4 from photonfanatic http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showpost.php?p=1005311&postcount=1, so the best thing would be to use some of his optics.

Alternatively, if you could recommend some other 5mm white LEDs with more flood (and output) to replace the stock nichias. This way I could still choose throw over flood should the need arise.

Let me know if you need more information in order to properly help me. Thank's in advance!

Hi John :welcome:
I have a 17mm stippled Khatod (available from PhotonFanatic as well) in 2 of my EOS. One with a Seoul,the other with a Cree.
Great for flood.
Someone should be able to tell you if these reflectors will fit your lamp.

Cheers
Dom

one more vote for the stippled reflectors - awesome floody beam.

The 17mm reflector will fit, but there will be a bit of open space around the reflector. You'd probably have to glue it in place, too. I think Cave Dave uses a 17mm reflector?

A 20mm Khatod reflector will fit, except you will need to file down the big end of the reflector. (it's longer than the stock optic). I have a smooth 20mm reflector in my Apex, but I tried the textured reflector too - it'll probably give you the results you're looking for. The modified 20mm reflector fits well, and looks stock in in the Apex.

It's best to use sand paper to reduce the overall height of reflectors. You can use medium-grit first and then switch to finer grit as you get close to your desired dimensions.

As you sand the reflector, turn it 90º now and then and check for the top edge to be parallel to the base.

Ok, I knew the 20mm Khatods would fit after some grinding, but I didn't know whether they would provide the flood I'm looking for. Now that you have confirmed they are in fact great for flood, I'll just have to try them out myself.

Do you perhaps know of a way to make a diffuser, sort of like the one in Petzl Myo XP (best diffuser EVER, a shame the lamp itself isn't better)?

Have you considered picking up one of the zebralights? Nothing I have comes close to producing a perfectly clean and artifact-free flood.

When I am caving, I have my modified Apex and my Zebralight H50 on my helmet. The tiny little Zebralight fits nicely underneath my Apex and I just use which ever one is appropriate at the time.

Wow, the Zebralight looks really impressive AND cheap...

(did you hear that, Santa :santa
http://www.zebralight.com/index.php...ducts_id=183&zenid=1sudvlupffql9copd5iuo1to02

I'm not really sure how to justify that to my GF, though :thinking:

Thanks!