Hi guys,
So much of our discussions relate to the specs of the various lights re: beam shape, angle, flux, runtimes, relative comparisons with other lights, etc. To varying degrees of interest and experience, we have come to know these tools here in discussion, and in hands and eyes on, evaluations. OK, we have the tools and we know and understand these tools. How do we actually use them?
The ambient level is low and we need to add light to better see a target. Is the natural response to point and shoot? If the target is a keyhole 3' away and the tool in hand a SF M6, is point and shoot effective? Is the natural response to take the M6 and point it elsewhere to use the indirect light reflected off other nearby objects or structures? SUppose you are walking on a light gray sidewalk with enough ambient light to make out your way without the need of a light but you come upon someting small that is moving on the sidewalk. Do you take your light and point and shoot? There is enough light reflected back from the light gray sidewalk to impair your dark adapted vision. Is your natural response to take the light and cover the front end with your hand and open a "shutter" of flood until you have just enough light to illuminate the moving object?
Until all of us are using varible level output illumination tools, many of us will be carrying lights that are typically brighter than they need to be for most needs. What are the various tricks some of you have learned to "spill" or block the extra light that isn't needed? If I may interject an analogy from my sailing back ground, with a given set of sails, one must not only learn how to get the max power from the sails in light air but one must learn the effective means of "depowering" when the wind stiffens. To a certain extent, I would think that a real master of an illumination tool would also have a "second nature" means of using the full power of light from his tool as well as knowing how to depower when the circumstance dictates.
Even the use of constant on versus momentarily on, as needed, seems to be all part of the effective use of illumination tools. When it's dark, I prefer adding light as needed as opposed to flooding the scene with as much light as I can bring to bear.
Perhaps I am just becomming aware of stuff that you guys have been taking for granted. I have been so busy making different lights and mods and just recently realized that I have a bunch of tricks to learn in actually using the bloody things! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif For instance, if you cover the front of the head with your hand and slowly open a gap from one side, you get a crescent of flood and all of a sudden you get a portion of the spot beam significantly apart from the flood crescent. It reminds me of a white ball hanging from a parachute. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I have found that the crescent is ideal for reading or viewing something close at hand without getting a blast of too much light. I've also found that using my shirt tail or pullover as a "filter" will allow for a quick blast of dim light.
Enough of my rambling. What are some of the tricks of using our lights that you guys have found? I got plenty of the tools and it's hightime I learn how to use them! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
So much of our discussions relate to the specs of the various lights re: beam shape, angle, flux, runtimes, relative comparisons with other lights, etc. To varying degrees of interest and experience, we have come to know these tools here in discussion, and in hands and eyes on, evaluations. OK, we have the tools and we know and understand these tools. How do we actually use them?
The ambient level is low and we need to add light to better see a target. Is the natural response to point and shoot? If the target is a keyhole 3' away and the tool in hand a SF M6, is point and shoot effective? Is the natural response to take the M6 and point it elsewhere to use the indirect light reflected off other nearby objects or structures? SUppose you are walking on a light gray sidewalk with enough ambient light to make out your way without the need of a light but you come upon someting small that is moving on the sidewalk. Do you take your light and point and shoot? There is enough light reflected back from the light gray sidewalk to impair your dark adapted vision. Is your natural response to take the light and cover the front end with your hand and open a "shutter" of flood until you have just enough light to illuminate the moving object?
Until all of us are using varible level output illumination tools, many of us will be carrying lights that are typically brighter than they need to be for most needs. What are the various tricks some of you have learned to "spill" or block the extra light that isn't needed? If I may interject an analogy from my sailing back ground, with a given set of sails, one must not only learn how to get the max power from the sails in light air but one must learn the effective means of "depowering" when the wind stiffens. To a certain extent, I would think that a real master of an illumination tool would also have a "second nature" means of using the full power of light from his tool as well as knowing how to depower when the circumstance dictates.
Even the use of constant on versus momentarily on, as needed, seems to be all part of the effective use of illumination tools. When it's dark, I prefer adding light as needed as opposed to flooding the scene with as much light as I can bring to bear.
Perhaps I am just becomming aware of stuff that you guys have been taking for granted. I have been so busy making different lights and mods and just recently realized that I have a bunch of tricks to learn in actually using the bloody things! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif For instance, if you cover the front of the head with your hand and slowly open a gap from one side, you get a crescent of flood and all of a sudden you get a portion of the spot beam significantly apart from the flood crescent. It reminds me of a white ball hanging from a parachute. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I have found that the crescent is ideal for reading or viewing something close at hand without getting a blast of too much light. I've also found that using my shirt tail or pullover as a "filter" will allow for a quick blast of dim light.
Enough of my rambling. What are some of the tricks of using our lights that you guys have found? I got plenty of the tools and it's hightime I learn how to use them! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif