Aspheric Lens for Maglight w/Malkoff mod

Robertesq1

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Trying to get an answer from the braintrust....

I have the Malkoff U2 bin Seoul Semiconductor P4 LED Drop-in module for a 3 D cell mag light. Can I purchase the Melles Griot Aspheric Lens and just replace the factory lens, pop it in and up its throw??
 

Mjolnir

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Can you post the specific lens? It should be about 52 mm for it to fit. I know Kaidomain makes some aspheric lenses just for maglites. If the lens you mentioned is like that, then it SHOULD just go in in place of the lens.
I have a magltie with a malkoff dropin, but I don't have an aspheric lens in it, so I don't know firsthand.
 

Gunner12

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If you have the right lens, then it should work. IIRC you might have to trim the threads a bit for the bezel ring to screw down all the way(you don't have to do this).

I's also remove the reflector too unless you don't mind the artifacts it creates.
 

Sgt. LED

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Just know ahead of time that an aspheric mod based on a Seoul LED will not be quite as good as if you were using a Cree LED.
 

tx101

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Just know ahead of time that an aspheric mod based on a Seoul LED will not be quite as good as if you were using a Cree LED.

The Sgt is right
You need a Cree emitter for the best results.
The beam from a Seoul emitter with an aspheric lens looks horrible
 

Robertesq1

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Can you post the specific lens? It should be about 52 mm for it to fit. I know Kaidomain makes some aspheric lenses just for maglites. If the lens you mentioned is like that, then it SHOULD just go in in place of the lens.
I have a magltie with a malkoff dropin, but I don't have an aspheric lens in it, so I don't know firsthand.


http://shop.mellesgriot.com/products/optics/detail.aspx?pf_id=01 lag 123&From=GlobalSearch

Material : Optical crown glass
Unit Price: 28.00

Specifications: Print-Friendly Format
General Characteristics
Paraxial Focal Length (f) 37.0 ± 2.6 mm
Diameter 52.0mm
F-Number (f/#) 0.71
Back Focal Length (fb) 21.9mm
Surface Quality Aspheric side precision molded, 80-50 scratch and dig
Flat or spherical side felt polished, 80-50 scratch and dig
Center Thickness (tc) 23.0 ± 1.61 mm
Material Optical crown glass
Maximum Service Temperature 177°C (350°F)

GenLAG1.jpg
 

Sgt. LED

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That lens does not look aspherical to me.

You need a dome on 1 side and flat on the other.

That lens may indeed work but you might be running the risk of crushing your emitter while focusing it.
 

Sgt. LED

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To the point it is not worth the effort????

Oh it's not that bad, it's just that an aspheric mod is about 100% throw. You see the Cree shoots most of it's light straight out the front and the Seoul shoots it everywhere. No that's not quite it....... Just using imaginary figures, the Cree is a 10 degree beam and the Seoul is a 20 degree beam. Again I just pulled those numbers out of nowhere. So since the Asphere is all about throw most people use the LED that shoots more of it's photons straight into the lens.

I have had aspheric lights using both Cree and Seoul, the Cree shoots the light further so that is what I recommend when somebody is making a light from scratch. You will still get increased throw from using a Seoul and an aspheric lens and since you have the Malkoff already I think you ought to go for the Aspherical lens and try it out!

You'll like it and if you don't the lens will sell quickly on the marketplace anyway. :thumbsup:
 

Mjolnir

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Make sure that only one side of the lens is convex, not both. I can't really tell from the picture if one side is, or both are.
 
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