Photon II vs. Pulsar II?

I came across a sale of Princeton Tec Pulsars and bought a few. Not a bad little LED. I noticed the company is now offering the Pulsar II, which has constant-on switches. How does the Pulsar II stack up against the Photon II?

I'm not crazy about the Photon II. It starts flickering after a while, sometimes it gets stuck permanently on, and changing the batteries is a pain in the neck (little tiny screws to take out, etc). I haven't tried the Pulsar. If I get another Photon it will be a Photon 3.

If it matters, since getting an Arc AAA, I've mostly lost interest in coin cell lights except maybe as a lightweight way to have multiple colors of LED handy. Red for night vision, IR and UV for James Bond stuff, etc. I wish someone would make a small light with one of those RGB three-color LED's and selectable color.

I've played with a Pulsar II and I have a couple of Photon II's--never saw much difference (if any) between the two. But I'm still a flashlight newbie so you can take that for what it's worth.

paulr--Can you explain why you would take the Photon III over the Photon II? I hate my Photon III--it would always be dead when I took it out of my pocket. It would always turn on in my pocket and then die. They say it has an auto off, but if it actually does work, it didn't help at all. I'm assuming you just meant that you'd choose it because it's easier to change the batts on the III, but wondering if there was something else I'm missing.

I also have really taken to my Arc AAA. The size of the Photon is great, but the Arc blows it away.

I haven't yet tried a Photon 3. I figured between its electronic controls (no flickering) and its easier battery changing, it would solve the 2's problems. It hadn't occured to me that it could turn on in my pocket more easily than the 2 does. I might pass on it for that reason. Thanks.

I have a photon III that I carried all the time with my keys (untill i got my arc of course). I never had a problem with it turning on in my pocket. The auto off isnt automatic. You have to set it there. (by holding down the back of it you cycle through the modes.) However, i have found that if you throw the photon on the florr really hard, it looses its memory of which mode it was on last. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif Other than that i like it alot. I want to get a pt eclipse to compare it to though...

get the II, the III is just a gimmick.

I can't speak for either the Photon II or the Pulsar II, but I've had a Photon III for quite some time and am happy with it. It is a bit gimicky (flash modes), but the power settings are nice as is the auto off mode. Usually I just leave it in the low power mode which is just adequate for night navigation, and have the option of a quick push for a burst of high power. I imagine the Eclipse is also pretty nice, but it seems really bulky in comparison.

I've had a bunch of II's and haven't been happy with them. They are too flaky and it's too hard to change the batteries.

I agree the III's features are mostly gimmicks, but it does seem (at least on paper) to fix the II's problems.

Maybe the days of $20 keychain coin cell lights are over anyway. I went to Walgreens this evening and they had coin cell LED lights with an on-off slide switch for $2.99. The build quality was nowhere near as nice as a Photon, but who cares? If I want to spend $20 on a keychain light, that's what the Arc is for.

The Photon III's extra features are for those who would use it to dance or rave, and showing off. Most wouldn't even care for those extras. I got the III because of its crystal and covert housings. The crystal is really cool. It makes the LED seem "brighter". In addition to the normal hotspot found in the other Photons, it spills the light of the LED to the sides. If you are in a dark room, the whole room will be lit up.

Two words:

Inova Microlight.

With the constant on switch, OC.

[ QUOTE ]
LEDmodMan said:
Two words:

Inova Microlight.

With the constant on switch, OC.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you point me toward a thorough review?

Craig

One thorough review at your service:

http://thelightsite.cruxial.com/reviews/inova_microlight.htm

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BTW, I need to update that review - the new clips hold well and can be removed easily if you want to replace it with split rings (I do...).

IMHO recommendation: For a super lightweight inexpensive keychain light, get the Inova. Larger constant on switch, moderate pressure required to activate.

Photon 2: Tiny constant on switch
Photon 3: Turns on in pocket and battery dies if in any mode but auto-off.
Pulsar 1 / 2: too little pressure requred to turn it on - squished in pocket or pack = dead battery

I took my red photon III out of my pocket one day and it was on. I pressed down to lowest output, and left it there. Good for walking around at nite in house, and won't drain battery as easily if it codme on in pocket. I check it ever so often. No problems so far. I have white III also, and leave it at lowest setting.

I don't like the idea of having the LED exposed where it can be easily damaged. So I went with the Photon III with any of the two housings. I never had a Photon III turn on in my pocket, or any battery drain problems. And for the Inova Microlights, its beam isn't as smooth as the Photons, and the body feels a bit cheap.

I have the PII, PIII, and the Inova. I like them all. The Inova is great because you don't have to fiddle with screws like you do on the PII. The PIII is nice because of the modes and you also can change the batts easily. But I did find the PIII on when I took it out of my pocket once.

If I didn't have a Leatherman Squirt also on my keyring with my PIII, I'd rather have the Arc AAA on it! But as it is, one of those three coin lights won't steer your wrong. Its personal preference. I think the Inova is probably the best deal of the three.