A couple of LED flashlight questions...

Hi,

Just getting into this stuff /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif . I have a SF L4 and a KL1 on an e2e body.

I like the "wall of light" that the L4 puts up and I like the (projected) runtime of the KL1.

I really would like a single focusable variable intensity light.

Is it possible to have a led light that allows you to vary the beam spread sorta like the mini mag, or is there some inherent problem with trying to this with led based lights?

Is it possible to throttle the light output of a led to increase the run time? ( The answer must be yes 'cuz of the SF L1 ).

Thanks for any illumination on this topic /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

--Jerry

I too would love to have a light like that!

The focusing wide to narrow beam is the hard part. A few manufactures say it isn't possible. Oh for sure Maglight and marketing types will tell you their has it, the're wrong. Until you can change the actual shape of the reflector all your gonna get is Maglight results, which is DEfoucusing a beam. Although alot of people are perfectly happy with that.

GregR

The SL TL-3 LED is allegedly focusable. The incandescent is also and is more focusable. All I got was a hole when I focused the LED version.

I, too, have the L4 in my pocket and the E2e/KL1 in my bag.

Cheers,

Richard

I agree with Double A. The only real way to get a wider beam (as opposed to a de-focused beam) is to use some sort of beam spreading lens. Just look at any luminaire for film studios. They typically have 4-6 beam spreading lenses to produce different beam spread without the "rings and holes" typical of de-focused beams. I have not seen any of these kind of lenses for flashlights! Must be their cost. But if moulded in PMMA or polycarbonate, it should NOT cost the earth? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

You could try the EverLED in a Mag? Admittedly the Mag reflector is not the ideal profile.

The only way to get a smooth focusable beam, is to use a stochastic reflector (Scorpion, Legend LX). This gives smooth flood and smooth tight focus, with no black hole.

The only way to get a tighter hotspot in the L4 is to reshape the reflector. This is due to the fact that the 5 watt emitter is 4 times the size of the 1 watt emitter. A one watt HD luxeon in the same reflector, would give a much tighter hotspot.

Surefire doesn't have a focusable light, that I know of.