Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 months?

Hi All,

This isn't a pool or something like a contest. More of a practical question. For last 6 months I was unable to follow LED flashlight industry news so to say. So once I get back started looking for the new cool toys. Picked up a few new interesting things, and probably I've missed stuff, so hopefully I'll get more info here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Here's what I've picked up so far:
1) TnC Hyper-Lux V. (in Black-Green splash with push button). Terrific flashlight.
2) Lambda Illuminator HD Pro. One neat and real powerful flashlight for 1 watter. I like it a lot.

On Order:
1) Ordered Super LGI, should arrive sometimes within next weeks. I already have LGI, so no doubts here Super LGI will be super.
2) Ordered LS4 premium. God knows when it'll arrive but I hope it'll be a good one. That 4 page manual already is an artifact itself /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

What I am thinking is alto Elektrolumens tristar, 3x3w. Wchich will replace my Inretech 3x1w dropin Maglite. I just noticed inretech is offering similar module, 3x3w. I was wondering if anyone has compared those two? Brightness and battery time? Kindda hard to decide.

I wasn't really impressed by surefire L4, 65 lumens out of 5W luxeon doesnt' sound as the "brightest LED flashlight" out there to me, may be I am wrong?

What else is new that I've missed?

arc4!

Arc 4X

.

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

I don't think "brightest" and "most interesting" are necessarily the same thing. Asking which is the brightest flashlight is like asking which is the loudest stereo. There's more to life than that.

I'm not sure how long the L4 has been out. It may be more than 6 months. If not, I'll count it as interesting, a production 5W EDC light, wow. The Arc L4 is also interesting in that it's the first computer controlled Luxeon EDC light for rugged use. I also like the Firefly a lot.

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

Thanks guys /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Minor correction, when I wrote LS4+ I was referring to ARC L4 premium /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Pardon. Already ordered that one as listed above.

Also, I didn't mean that the brightest is the most interesting. Otherwise I wouldn't be looking @ 1 watt luxeons at all /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

As of the L4, being a software engineer I'd be curious to know what exactly "software controlled" LED flashlight means and what is the advantage. I mean, it kindda sounds like marketing gimick, or might be something worthy. The term by itself doesn't tell me much. What is that software controlling anyways?

And what's the firefly?

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

Interesting things you can do with software control include adjustable brightness levels, auto-shut-off timer, electronic switching (i.e. the pushbutton just controls a logic signal instead of the actual power, think of all the flaky power switches you've had on flashlights), emergency beacons (international distress signal = three flashes repeated once a minute), etc. Some of those things you can do without software, but software is the simplest way.

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

You might also consider the VIP, soon to be released by Mr. Bulk.

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

[ QUOTE ]
jdb2 said:
You might also consider the VIP, soon to be released by Mr. Bulk.

[/ QUOTE ]
i agree with that choice.awesume light

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

So, I guess Surefire L4 isn't softwae controlled which was my question. I read about Arc 4 software control in Arc forum.
VIP does look interesting and definitely will be in my must get list /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Thanks guys.

P.S. So, what was the firefly anyways, new flahslight or somethign else?

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

Oops, Firefly is a small 123-powered limited run light made by modder DSpeck, based on an earlier light by tvodrd. It uses a dat2zip Luxeon sandwich and a cut-down NX05 optic. It's designed to be as small as possible for a 123-powered Luxeon light, while having good thermal management to run at full power. You can upgrade it easily by swapping sandwiches. It's about the size of a CMG Infinity (a little bit shorter but a little bit thicker), considerably smaller than an Arc LSxx and more practical as a keychain light because of its small size. Nothing real high tech, but a very nice, tiny light, designed and built entirely by CPF'ers.

I don't know if the SF L4 has an internal microproessor but certainly it doesn't have nearly as many user controls as the Arc4, Eternamax, Photon III, PT Aurora, and so forth. The SF A2 does have a microprocessor inside, which handles power regulation for the xenon bulb, and also the soft-start (power ramp-up) feature that makes the bulbs last longer. However, from the user's point of view, there's just a two-level pushbutton interface.

In my view, of the fancier computer controlled lights, the main worthwhile features are adjustable levels, auto shutoff, and more reliable switching. The rest (flashing modes etc) are pretty useless. An exception might be the Photon 3's flashing modes, since Photon 3 users like to clip the lights to their clothes and wear them in blinking mode while dancing at clubs. There are actually web sites about dance moves that look good when you're wearing blinking Photon lights. But this normally wouldn't apply to heavier lights like the Arc 4.

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

I don't have as many lights as other people here, but these are what I have.

Arc AAA standard.
CMG Ultra
InReTech blue green, orange, red, uv. (Sold the uv at a goth club)
ElecktroLumens Blaster 6
ElecktroLumens Ft-3c
ElecktroLumens 1 watt 3AA

Arc AAA is not new, but it is required, and you should know that by now. It is always in my pocket.

CMG Ultra (I "lost" it at a bar, the bartender kept it, and won't give it back, I see him using it whenever I am there. )

The ElecktroLumens 3C light is often an edc for me these days. The days are short and the nights are long. It is small enough to fit in my coat pocket without falling out, and robust enough to take whatever may happen. It takes C sized batteries, and has a good tail switch. Run it off of Alkalines, and save your nimh. The battery time is long enough that nimh will self discharge faster than you use them up.

Now for the truly revolutionary thing about it, it is quite inexpensive to purchase and then use. You get 6-8 hours out of a set of batteries, and it costs less than $1 to fill. The shipped price is less than $65 and the build quality is impressive.

The beam quality is the standard blaster beam quality, which works better on a 1 watt or 3 watt than on a 5 watt. The standard response I get when someone turns it on at night, is... Holy poop. And they are used to me and my flashlights.

This is the only light besides a Arc AAA that I would recommend to non-flashoholics.

http://elektrolumens.com/FT-3C/FT-3C.html

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

Most interesting to me have been:

VIP - nearing creation
Arc4 - probably getting one of these also
Pelican M6 LED - great value
Longbow - made in Singapore, looks to be a nice one cell 123
Inova? There is talk that Inova will be coming out with a 1W Luxeon.

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

the arc4 is definitely the most technologically advanced LED light available at the moment /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

I think the Countycomm $1 lights with the slide switch deserve a mention. They've been out a few months. I just posted a loooong review in the reviews section. They are great for non-flashaholics. You can buy them in bags of 20 and hand them out like candy.

Edit: re 3C Blaster, is that an unregulated light? I think I'd also recommend the Blaster 1R or Anglelux to non-flashaholics at least as much as the 3C. And of course the CMG Ultra is great for them.

Regarding your bartender problem, the solution is simple--just stop tipping him when you buy drinks, until you've stiffed him for enough to buy a new Ultra. You can probably find some way afterwards to subtly let him know what you've done.

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

For me, most interesting and most useful go hand in hand. The SF L4 and the McLux PR-T 917 are the most interesting and useful EDC LED lights I've recently seen and purchased. The L4 is tiny but throws an extraordinary WALL of bright, constant, near-distance light for over an hour. It is perfectly complimented by the PR-T 917 which is the first very small 2x123 LED light that can substitute in brightness and THROW for popular 2x123 incandescents. It actually throws further than the E2e and burns with constant brightness for about 1.5hrs. The total weight of both lights with batteries is 7.2oz. They make superb EDC companions to a long-burn EDC "workhorse" light like the LSH-P (2AA lithium: 4.5-5 hrs regulated.)

Brightnorm

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

For me it's the L6. I only had it for one day, but I really liked the long runtime (burned through one set of batteries) and also the beam. It's a bit on the expensive side. I'll wait for more information on the U2 before I spend that kind of money.

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

I find greatest interest in Homemade and Modified lights. I'm interested in all of them even if they are made from copper pipe, tent stakes, hair dryers or vegetables.

Lights of interest.

I like this by McGizmo. I believe FrenchyLED owns it now.



This one by Wayne Johnson of Elektro Lumens continues to generated a great deal of interest:




I actually own and love this interesting and powerful EL light:




I have great interest in anything flash.... builds.

"The contestants from left to right: TRI (Ion) Flux 3x5 Watt 6D with 9000mah Nimhs, Craftsman 3x3 4D, and my (flash's) HID MAG 4D."





I suppose this Mr. B. creation might be in the category of interesting.

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

Icebreak,

Great collection! Can you give brief descriptions and performance comparisons?

Brightnorm

Re: Most interesting LED flashlights in last 6 mon

Seriously Icebreak...wow, nice set of pics man. Gotta admit that the VIP looks sweet.