RCLumens
Enlightened
Modified M20X W/aspherical lense & custom optics Compared beamshots - Very Pic heavy!
Greetings! Was messing around with an aspherical lens that I purchased to fit with my M20 SX. Below is some documentation and beam-shots I'm hoping will be useful to those who have interest.
First, the aspherical lens is a 27.2mm lens that I purchased from las3r here on the forums. Quality is solid, and it was shipped immediately and arrived well packaged with US tracking. I shared this same feedback on the cheers section – and any interest in these lenses can be found here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?328374-Aspheric-Len-s-sale-USA-Canada
Now moving forward, I'll post what I've found and am totally open to an pointers on what I can do to get an even tighter focus from my set-up. I found that I got the distance focused quite well, but at 100 yds or so, the 'square' beam really opens up. I was hoping for a tighter square – but perhaps it's because I'm running it through an xml??
The next pics are a quick description of quickly rigging the light for temporary purposes – but I must say that it was very easy and is actually quite secure. I wouldn't advise however taking the light into any water as the threads towards the top are only about 1.5 turns onto the thread…
Here's the light itself:
DSCN6139 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Next is a shot of both reflectors, the aspherical lens, and an inner spacer made from duck tape that the aspherical lens sits on top of, as well as an outer piece of duck tape that goes around the inside of the lens to secure it inside the light.
DSCN6142 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
This is the inside of the M20 with the reflector removed
DSCN6184 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
The top section of the olight with the strike bezel removed
DSCN6193 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Removing the lens nut with a small screw driver
DSCN6194 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Popping the lens out -
DSCN6195 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Placing the lens on the top/outer side of the flashlight where the strike bezel would be – it rests on top and there's a little room for the lens nut to go on top and get just enough turns to secure it in place
DSCN6198 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
DSCN6199 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Next, I took the inside duck tape spacer which is a little larger to give the aspherical lens the proper height from the led so that it's focused and placed it inside the olight. I cut it to fit the diameter – then placed the aspherical lens on top.
DSCN6186 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
DSCN6189 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
DSCN6190 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
I then took the other piece of duck tape that I cut to size and put it on the outside edge of the aspherical lens and tucked it inside the flashlight so that the lens would be secure.
DSCN6191 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
DSCN6192 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
I then screwed the modified top piece back onto the body. I made sure not to tighten too hard…
DSCN6200 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
So… How did it work??? Well I don't see this as a deft – but then again, maybe I can do a better job of focusing, or perhaps combining it with another reflector, etc… again any suggestions welcomed. I thought it certainly did better than with the smooth reflector alone – but my findings say that the custom optics that I rigged, focused the beam a bit better and it was in the form of a circle.
The first set of beam shots are of a car at about 100 yards. Any LEO's can get some representation of how much you can actually see. I set the ISO to 200, but on my camera, I can't adjust the shutter speed… Looks like time for a new camera. Anyway, in my opinion, the actual light that I saw was a bit brighter than what these photos represent, but they're not too far off.
Also to note – all flashlights are running off of 18650 batteries – fully charged. I'm not doing lumens testing with instruments – it's what the eye can see. All lights set on max modes & rated as follws:
M20 SX = 500 lumens
Zebra Light SC600 – 750 lumens
Jetbeam RRT 3 triple XML – 1950 lumens
M20 SX with orange peel reflector – 100yds
DSCN6177 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 SX with smooth reflector – 100yds
DSCN6175 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 SX with aspherical lens – 100 yds
DSCN6165 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 SX with custom optics – 100 yds
DSCN6167 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Zebra light SC600 – 100 yds
DSCN6164 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Jetbeam RRT3 triple XML 100 yds
DSCN6176 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
In the next series, we're looking at around 50 yds to where the two smaller trees which are just behind the larger tree. All of these are of the M20 Xs with the different configurations.
Orange Peel
DSCN6170 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Smooth reflector
DSCN6168 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Aspherical
DSCN6173 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Custom Optics
DSCN6172 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
For the next and final group of beam shots – we're looking at approx: 35 yds. These definitely show the beam profiles at such a close range.
M20 Xs w/orange peel reflector
DSCN6181 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 Xs w/smooth reflector
DSCN6180 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 Xs w/aspherical lens
DSCN6178 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 Xs with custom optics
DSCN6179 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Zebra Light SC600
DSCN6182 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Jetbeam RRT3 triple XML
DSCN6183 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Last few shots are of the lights lined up & of the reflectors. Thanks for looking – hope this was useful!
M20 Xs with custom optics attached
DSCN6202 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Lot 1
DSCN6203 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Lot 2
DSCN6204 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Greetings! Was messing around with an aspherical lens that I purchased to fit with my M20 SX. Below is some documentation and beam-shots I'm hoping will be useful to those who have interest.
First, the aspherical lens is a 27.2mm lens that I purchased from las3r here on the forums. Quality is solid, and it was shipped immediately and arrived well packaged with US tracking. I shared this same feedback on the cheers section – and any interest in these lenses can be found here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?328374-Aspheric-Len-s-sale-USA-Canada
Now moving forward, I'll post what I've found and am totally open to an pointers on what I can do to get an even tighter focus from my set-up. I found that I got the distance focused quite well, but at 100 yds or so, the 'square' beam really opens up. I was hoping for a tighter square – but perhaps it's because I'm running it through an xml??
The next pics are a quick description of quickly rigging the light for temporary purposes – but I must say that it was very easy and is actually quite secure. I wouldn't advise however taking the light into any water as the threads towards the top are only about 1.5 turns onto the thread…
Here's the light itself:
DSCN6139 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Next is a shot of both reflectors, the aspherical lens, and an inner spacer made from duck tape that the aspherical lens sits on top of, as well as an outer piece of duck tape that goes around the inside of the lens to secure it inside the light.
DSCN6142 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
This is the inside of the M20 with the reflector removed
DSCN6184 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
The top section of the olight with the strike bezel removed
DSCN6193 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Removing the lens nut with a small screw driver
DSCN6194 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Popping the lens out -
DSCN6195 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Placing the lens on the top/outer side of the flashlight where the strike bezel would be – it rests on top and there's a little room for the lens nut to go on top and get just enough turns to secure it in place
DSCN6198 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
DSCN6199 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Next, I took the inside duck tape spacer which is a little larger to give the aspherical lens the proper height from the led so that it's focused and placed it inside the olight. I cut it to fit the diameter – then placed the aspherical lens on top.
DSCN6186 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
DSCN6189 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
DSCN6190 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
I then took the other piece of duck tape that I cut to size and put it on the outside edge of the aspherical lens and tucked it inside the flashlight so that the lens would be secure.
DSCN6191 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
DSCN6192 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
I then screwed the modified top piece back onto the body. I made sure not to tighten too hard…
DSCN6200 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
So… How did it work??? Well I don't see this as a deft – but then again, maybe I can do a better job of focusing, or perhaps combining it with another reflector, etc… again any suggestions welcomed. I thought it certainly did better than with the smooth reflector alone – but my findings say that the custom optics that I rigged, focused the beam a bit better and it was in the form of a circle.
The first set of beam shots are of a car at about 100 yards. Any LEO's can get some representation of how much you can actually see. I set the ISO to 200, but on my camera, I can't adjust the shutter speed… Looks like time for a new camera. Anyway, in my opinion, the actual light that I saw was a bit brighter than what these photos represent, but they're not too far off.
Also to note – all flashlights are running off of 18650 batteries – fully charged. I'm not doing lumens testing with instruments – it's what the eye can see. All lights set on max modes & rated as follws:
M20 SX = 500 lumens
Zebra Light SC600 – 750 lumens
Jetbeam RRT 3 triple XML – 1950 lumens
M20 SX with orange peel reflector – 100yds
DSCN6177 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 SX with smooth reflector – 100yds
DSCN6175 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 SX with aspherical lens – 100 yds
DSCN6165 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 SX with custom optics – 100 yds
DSCN6167 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Zebra light SC600 – 100 yds
DSCN6164 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Jetbeam RRT3 triple XML 100 yds
DSCN6176 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
In the next series, we're looking at around 50 yds to where the two smaller trees which are just behind the larger tree. All of these are of the M20 Xs with the different configurations.
Orange Peel
DSCN6170 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Smooth reflector
DSCN6168 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Aspherical
DSCN6173 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Custom Optics
DSCN6172 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
For the next and final group of beam shots – we're looking at approx: 35 yds. These definitely show the beam profiles at such a close range.
M20 Xs w/orange peel reflector
DSCN6181 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 Xs w/smooth reflector
DSCN6180 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 Xs w/aspherical lens
DSCN6178 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
M20 Xs with custom optics
DSCN6179 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Zebra Light SC600
DSCN6182 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Jetbeam RRT3 triple XML
DSCN6183 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Last few shots are of the lights lined up & of the reflectors. Thanks for looking – hope this was useful!
M20 Xs with custom optics attached
DSCN6202 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Lot 1
DSCN6203 by RCSHAR, on Flickr
Lot 2
DSCN6204 by RCSHAR, on Flickr