CPF Misconceptions

TyJo

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I feel there are some common misconceptions on CPF. Please add and/or correct my OP.

1. Red LEDs are better at preserving night vision.

I was wrong. Red LEDs are better at preserving night vision. They allow you to see with your cones (cells that perceive colors), without ruining the night adaptation of your rods (which are extremely sensitive to light and take a while to adjust back to night adapted vision, but they are not sensitive to red light).

2. ____ emitter = ____ tint.

Completely different. Emitters are rated on both flux bin and tint bin. Flux bin is separate from tint bin. Flux bin is completely different from tint bin. Tint bin is rarely advertised and is separate from flux bin which is usually advertised all over the light and box. Flux bin is rarely noticed/perceived, tint bin is usually complained about on CPF.
 
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ganymede

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Misconception: Flashlight is our ONLY hope!

Some CPFers are so attached to their flashlights, at times they are so lost if without their flashlights! They even forgot about lighting up a fire, candle, fire on a stick, open the window to let in the sun or moon during a blackout.
 
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mvyrmnd

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There is no such thing as HA II anodizing.

There is no emitter called a "Cree R5" it's a bloody XP-G. R5 is the flux bin.
 

GulfCoastToad

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Some CPFers are so attached to their flashlights, at times they are so lost if without their flashlights! They even forgot about lighting up a fire, candle, fire on a stick, open the window to let in the sun or moon during a blackout.

Or reaching over and turning the light switch back on.
 

Lucciola

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"I'll just buy this ONE more light and I'll be happy. This is definitely the last one." :fail:
 

sadboy

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Misconception: Flashlight is our ONLY hope!

Some CPFers are so attached to their flashlights, at times they are so lost if without their flashlights! They even forgot about lighting up a fire, candle, fire on a stick, open the window to let in the sun or moon during a blackout.
I think I was sort of the opposite, where I had gotten used to not relying on a flashlight. All I can say is, it's definitely become one of the more important tools I keep with me. Like, up until two months ago, I was using a camcorder light to check out my backyard in the dark. I got what I needed done, but looking back, it was pretty wild.
 

Monocrom

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"Lights become obsolete in about 6 months, at most."

Would be true, but it's not as though darkness gets darker in a race to compensate with flashlight technology advances.
 

Cypher_Aod

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I feel there are some common misconceptions on CPF. Please add and/or correct my OP.

1. Red LEDs are better at preserving night vision.

Red LEDs can increase contrast on certain colors from my understanding, but... Red LEDs aren't better for night adapted vision then any other color (comments are welcome but neuroanotomy suggests otherwise). Red LEDS may be more efficient perhaps but I have not read anything reliable that says red LEDS are better at night. If you are concerned with night vision you cannot distinguish colors at a very low output, although your brain makes it seem as if you have the ability to do so.

Actually, Red light causes less "flashbulb" of your photoreceptors meaning that they don't oversaturate and stop working compared to the same intensity of white light.
In addition, red light causes considerably less contraction of the pupil allowing you to maintain dark-adapted-vision much better with red light than with equal intensity of white.
 

TyJo

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Actually, Red light causes less "flashbulb" of your photoreceptors meaning that they don't oversaturate and stop working compared to the same intensity of white light.
In addition, red light causes considerably less contraction of the pupil allowing you to maintain dark-adapted-vision much better with red light than with equal intensity of white.
The difference between perception and activation of receptors didn't occur to me, this wasn't explained in my texts either. Even though they aren't responsible for colors, rods aren't activated at red wavelengths or longer. I'll change my OP, thanks for the correction.
 
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H-Man

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It is not a matter of perception, but a matter of saving the rods (there is a pigment in the rods that is photosensitive and takes about 30 minuets to fully regenerate, it happens to not react to red as much as blue or green.) Using a red light gives you the advantage that you don't sacrifice your dark adapted vision to the LED gods for the privlage of seeing a bit better.
 

LEDAdd1ct

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The humble opinion of this LEDAdd1ct is that the night vision topic was covered at its best in this thread here. It is the one I keep saved and frequent when a question about red light/night vision/dark adaptation springs to mind.
 

TyJo

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It is not a matter of perception, but a matter of saving the rods (there is a pigment in the rods that is photosensitive and takes about 30 minuets to fully regenerate, it happens to not react to red as much as blue or green.) Using a red light gives you the advantage that you don't sacrifice your dark adapted vision to the LED gods for the privlage of seeing a bit better.
The difference between perception and activation of receptors didn't occur to me, this wasn't explained in my texts either. Even though they aren't responsible for colors, rods aren't activated at red wavelengths or longer. I'll change my OP, thanks for the correction.

EDIT: Thanks for the link LEDAdd1ct.
 
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