The focus thing on MagLites - is it laziness?

Chicken Drumstick · Feb 16, 2012

Now let me start off by saying I'm a huge MagLite fan, I own many and plan on buying many more. :sssh:

But this is something that over the years has often baffled me and more so in recent times with LED versions.

Why the adjustable focus? What does it actually offer, as in what benefit to the user?

I can't see any at all, it's not a flood to spot setup like Led Lenser or any other adjustable light (budget or premium). All it does is either optimise the beam or ruin it.

Having upgraded several of my Mag's; 3D, 6D and Mini's that have all retained the focusing ability. It is plainly evident that they are highly capable of nice smooth artefact free beams. But it's a Boolean action. It's either focused or you have a donut, you don't gain any flood or spill ability, you just lose throw and an even light distribution across the hot spot.

All other light makers seem capable of locating the LED emitter the right distance away from the bottom of the reflector in order to maximize the beam. Are MagLite just lazy in forcing the user/owners to do this pretty much every time they use the flashlight?

Now that I've got a tail clicky on my Mini Mag I'm tempted to lock-tight the head in place to prevent having to keep re-focusing it all the while!

What do you guys think?

127.0.0.1 · Feb 16, 2012

it is legacy. everyone knows mags big selling point from the beginning was incans that focus

if the average consumer cannot get a mag that focuses, they feel ripped off

Robin24k · Feb 16, 2012

Manufacturing tolerance shouldn't be that significant for it to be the reason (after all, the XL-series has a decent beam pattern and it can only be de-focused).

While the de-focused beam isn't pretty, it's useful for reducing glare (ie. for close work or reflective surfaces) and works better than decreasing brightness. On a light like the XL200, focusing is unobtrusive because you can always leave the head tightened. I can see how it could be annoying on the Mini Maglite though...

127.0.0.1 · Feb 16, 2012

mag also made a big deal about being late to the LED game with excuses like...we're gonna do LED but
we have to make it focus first, only then will we release one.

Stmor · Feb 19, 2012

Chicken Drumstick said:
Now let me start off by saying I'm a huge MagLite fan, I own many and plan on buying many more. But this is something that over the years has often baffled me and more so in recent times with LED versions.

Why the adjustable focus? What does it actually offer, as in what benefit to the user?

I can't see any at all, it's not a flood to spot setup like Led Lenser or any other adjustable light (budget or premium). All it does is either optimise the beam or ruin it.

Having upgraded several of my Mag's; 3D, 6D and Mini's that have all retained the focusing ability. It is plainly evident that they are highly capable of nice smooth artefact free beams. But it's a Boolean action. It's either focused or you have a donut, you don't gain any flood or spill ability, you just lose throw and an even light distribution across the hot spot.

All other light makers seem capable of locating the LED emitter the right distance away from the bottom of the reflector in order to maximize the beam. Are MagLite just lazy in forcing the user/owners to do this pretty much every time they use the flashlight?

Now that I've got a tail clicky on my Mini Mag I'm tempted to lock-tight the head in place to prevent having to keep re-focusing it all the while!

What do you guys think?[/QUOTE

You seem to know your mag lights. I was considering the 200 led but I have experienced the donut you talk about and I am in need of a bright light that has a sharp focus within an inch of the light. I buy rough gem in Africa and need a small light with good battery life.
Steve

ragweed · Feb 20, 2012

I have used a Mag at work for around 15 years. The flood for me was useless & anemic. I put it on spot & never had to re focus the spot at all. I only had to replace 2 switches in all that time.

T45 · Feb 21, 2012

ragweed said:
I have used a Mag at work for around 15 years. The flood for me was useless & anemic. I put it on spot & never had to re focus the spot at all. I only had to replace 2 switches in all that time.

I do the same thing with my maglites and I think that is probably the same tactic most maglite owners use for their flashlights. I would like to see Maglite at least offer an Orange Peel or Modified OP reflector and at least one model WITHOUT the focusing ability.

As an aside about customizing, I just recently learned that swissbianco is in fact located right here in the US, Georgia to be exact, and would love to see some of their work on a maglite. However, for best results, it has to be from the machine with bare aluminum. See their web site for examples of their excellent work in custom anodizing. 4Sevens had a number of Nitecore D10's done.

rumack · Feb 22, 2012

I have always considered the focusing attribute of Mag-Lites an annoyance, using incan or LED. For me, de-focusing one does not create a useful flood it just creates an awful beam pattern.

I used to buy Mini Mag-Lites even though I hated the UI, but now that I have found other AA lights (thank you, CPF!) I don't buy Mini Mag-Lites any more.

Robin24k · Feb 22, 2012

I've got to say though...the focus on the new Mini Maglite Pro/Pro+ is actually quite useable. At the point where the light turns on, it's a fairly floody beam. As you give it another quarter of a turn, you can see the spill being condensed into the hotspot.

fyrstormer · Feb 22, 2012

I don't think I've ever used the focusing feature on any Maglite I've held in my hands. On the ones my dad owns, I installed LED modules, replaced the tailcaps with clicky switches, and glued the head in place so it would never move again. I don't know how anyone can stand to use a light that has to be refocused every single time it's used. A simple rotary dimmer switch on the tailcap would be far more useful.

The focus thing on MagLites - is it laziness?

Chicken Drumstick

Flashlight Enthusiast

127.0.0.1

Flashlight Enthusiast

Robin24k

Flashlight Enthusiast

127.0.0.1

Flashlight Enthusiast

Stmor

Newly Enlightened

ragweed

Enlightened

T45

Enlightened

rumack

Enlightened

Robin24k

Flashlight Enthusiast

fyrstormer

Banned

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