The Worlds Best Flashlight.

Siftah · Dec 28, 2009

Hello, first post

Rather than an introduction I thought I'd just start with something - the worlds best flashlight (IMNSHO).

- Powered by a single 18650.
- Adjustable beam focus (like the Maglites of old - good throw or wide spill).
- Form factor of the Fenix TK11, cigar ring etc.
- 500+ Lumens.
- Excellent build quality.
- Clicky tailcap switch with 5 brightness modes.
- Double click to change modes.
- EDC style clicky - ie: remembers the last-used mode.
- Sub $50 price.
- Pressure switch, red filter and diffuser included.
- Stands on it's tail (for use with the diffuser).
- Fully regulated and possible to swap the body for a 2 or 3 cell replacement.

Ok, so that's my wishlist for a great flashlight.

Now a quick introduction:
I have a Fenix TK11 which I bought about a year and a half ago and has done me good service. I bought the red filter and diffuser for it and it now mainly lives in my car for emergencies.

I also bought a Spiderfire SSC P7 about 8 months ago which was intended to be used for camping. Comparing it to the Fenix it's a brilliant light, especially for the price I paid (Deal Extreme!).

I've also got a Maglite 3D which has had a LED conversion (I forget which). That's a good torch even when run on AA's in converters. But the LED conversion is crappy and it tends to flicker and dim with prolonged use - this one stays in the house near the back door, more for clubbing intruders than use as a light

I guess my ideal flashlight is a combination of those three lights - one day someone will make one like that, I hope!

Gunner12 · Dec 28, 2009

I think there are better ways to make a focusing light. The maglite way has a good hotspot, but flood leaves some to be desired. A two LED light could be good. One for flood, and the other behind a focusable optic.

For you, the price range would be hard to achieve.

I'm sure you can get someone to make your perfect light, it would just cost a lot more.

Do you have the MagLED drop-in? That has almost no heatsinking, so the LED could be dieing. A good drop-in will fare much better.

:welcome:

recDNA · Dec 28, 2009

Darn! When I started reading I thought there WAS such a flashlight!

Burgess · Dec 28, 2009

Why put a Price Limit on it ?

The world's greatest ANYTHING seldom has a "too-good-to-be-true" price.

:shakehead
_

Light11 · Dec 28, 2009

I agree $50 is too good to be true...

Zeruel · Dec 28, 2009

:welcome:

World's Best Flashlight = $50?
Let me know if you find one, I want a few too.

Either that or omit half of your requirements (or more).

dirtech · Dec 28, 2009

Its like trying to find a unicorn or sasquatch. My opinion changed quite a bit once I started buying some nicer lights.

e-ville · Dec 28, 2009

Siftah said:
I guess my ideal flashlight is a combination of those three lights - one day someone will make one like that, I hope!

no they wont, thats the same reason nobody ever makes the perfect car or the perfect video game.. the ability is there, but then they would put everyone including themselves out of business

Siftah · Dec 29, 2009

Gunner12 said:
I think there are better ways to make a focusing light. The maglite way has a good hotspot, but flood leaves some to be desired. A two LED light could be good. One for flood, and the other behind a focusable optic.

That would be pretty cool. I agree the focusing does leave a bit to be desired on the Maglite. It only really works well on a single setting, everything else the beam pattern is a bit wonky.

I'm not very bothered by the beam pattern though, as long as it spreads the light where I need and is reasonably consistent I'm fairly happy (I'm maybe not a torchophile, just yet).

Gunner12 said:
For you, the price range would be hard to achieve.

I'm sure you can get someone to make your perfect light, it would just cost a lot more.

I'd probably be flexible on the price, aren't we all when something is must-have?

Gunner12 said:
Do you have the MagLED drop-in? That has almost no heatsinking, so the LED could be dieing. A good drop-in will fare much better.

:welcome:

The LED drop-in I have is the TerraLUX with poor heatsinking. After about 5 or so minutes of run-time it seems to start flashing high-low, presumably to keep itself cool. The outside of the Maglite stays cool so it's clearly not shifting the heat much.

Thanks!

recDNA said:
Darn! When I started reading I thought there WAS such a flashlight!

Sorry mate, I thought it'd be a better introductory post if it grabbed peoples attention! :twothumbs

If I come across one I'll be sure to let you know

e-ville said:
no they wont, thats the same reason nobody ever makes the perfect car or the perfect video game.. the ability is there, but then they would put everyone including themselves out of business

Well, everybody has a different opinion of what perfect is, hence there's such a wide variety in the marketplace (of either cars or torches).

That's just my version of 'perfect', I'm sure others will have different requirements

Ok, the $50 price limit was a bit wishful thinking, I'd definitely pay a lot more for that torch

yaesumofo · Dec 29, 2009

Based on your post the TK11 is pretty close as it is. OK the output is about 1/2 of the 500 you are looking for.

One thing is for sure. If you wait around long enough the light you want at the price is only a matter of time.

The Fenix lights which we see today have specs that cost 10x as much before they became available.

Emitter technology has (IMHO) outpaced light design.
The new cree emitters are amazing. Look at the P7 (an "old" emitter)

Fit a P7 with the right driver into a host like a 6P or the TK-11 and you have your dream light.
Yes it will cost more than $50.00.

Oh well.
Have fun.
I say make it yourself.
yaesumofo

Siftah said:
Hello, first post

Rather than an introduction I thought I'd just start with something - the worlds best flashlight (IMNSHO).

- Powered by a single 18650.
- Adjustable beam focus (like the Maglites of old - good throw or wide spill).
- Form factor of the Fenix TK11, cigar ring etc.
- 500+ Lumens.
- Excellent build quality.
- Clicky tailcap switch with 5 brightness modes.
- Double click to change modes.
- EDC style clicky - ie: remembers the last-used mode.
- Sub $50 price.
- Pressure switch, red filter and diffuser included.
- Stands on it's tail (for use with the diffuser).
- Fully regulated and possible to swap the body for a 2 or 3 cell replacement.

Ok, so that's my wishlist for a great flashlight.

Now a quick introduction:
I have a Fenix TK11 which I bought about a year and a half ago and has done me good service. I bought the red filter and diffuser for it and it now mainly lives in my car for emergencies.

I also bought a Spiderfire SSC P7 about 8 months ago which was intended to be used for camping. Comparing it to the Fenix it's a brilliant light, especially for the price I paid (Deal Extreme!).

I've also got a Maglite 3D which has had a LED conversion (I forget which). That's a good torch even when run on AA's in converters. But the LED conversion is crappy and it tends to flicker and dim with prolonged use - this one stays in the house near the back door, more for clubbing intruders than use as a light

I guess my ideal flashlight is a combination of those three lights - one day someone will make one like that, I hope!

yaesumofo · Dec 29, 2009

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.21033

or just buy one of these and be under budget....
Yaesumofo

Gunner12 · Dec 29, 2009

Do you mean the Cree MC-E or Seoul P7? Last I checked, there was no Cree P7. Either way, both are quad die LEDs. Or are you thinking of the XP-G?

Either way, I don't think output is the problem, I think the focusing would be harder to do while still keeping a smooth beam pattern and spill in full focus.

Siftah · Dec 30, 2009

yaesumofo said:
Based on your post the TK11 is pretty close as it is. OK the output is about 1/2 of the 500 you are looking for.

One thing is for sure. If you wait around long enough the light you want at the price is only a matter of time.

The Fenix lights which we see today have specs that cost 10x as much before they became available.

Emitter technology has (IMHO) outpaced light design.
The new cree emitters are amazing. Look at the P7 (an "old" emitter)

Yeah, I'd definitely agree the emitters are getting better at a much faster pace than the actual designs of the torches themselves. The interfaces and driver designs still seem quite basic. Clicky buttons interfaces etc are a bit hit and miss.

It would be great if the manufacturers standardised - open source torches.

Then you could just purchase the body, battery type, emitter, reflector and driver/interface seperately and just bolt them together. That would be awesome!

yaesumofo said:
Fit a creeP7 with the right driver into a host like a 6P or the TK-11 and you have your dream light.
Yes it will cost more than $50.00.

The head design on the TK11 is too shallow to get the spill I'd want in my dream light - if they made a TK11 which would focus to a wider spill then it'd be an acceptable replacement

For now I just carry the TK11 and the Spiderfire SSC P7 depending on what I'm doing.

yaesumofo said:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.21033
or just buy one of these and be under budget....

Interesting light, not sure it's different enough than my TK11 or Spiderfire to be worth purchasing though - I'm being tempted by the Jetbeam M1X at the moment, that looks lovely.

Too many gadgets, too little time and money

The Worlds Best Flashlight.

Siftah

Newly Enlightened

Gunner12

Flashaholic

recDNA

Flashaholic

Burgess

Flashaholic

Light11

Flashlight Enthusiast

Zeruel

Flashlight Enthusiast

dirtech

Enlightened

e-ville

Newly Enlightened

Siftah

Newly Enlightened

yaesumofo

Flashlight Enthusiast

yaesumofo

Flashlight Enthusiast

Gunner12

Flashaholic

Siftah

Newly Enlightened

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