Multi brightness flashlight. What's your mode change preference?

With new controllers and drivers coming out all the time; I'm curious...

What is your preferred method of changing brightness?

High to low?
Low to high?
Mode Memory or no?
Strobe? If so, special button press or part of the sequence?

I've set up a poll... select what your preference would be. Multiple choices are allowed (obviously).

I really like most of the UI on the NiteCore D11 V2.
Up Down Ramping, Shortcuts to Low / High from on, Shortcut to Strobe from off
Just wish it started in Low every time I turn it on without using shortcuts.

I like single mode, or Hi-Lo only, always starting on Hi. Can't find a right angle light with that.

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I've fallen in love withe the Icarus driver from Prometheus.
It's fully programable to do whatever you want.
I have mine at 30% and 8% with a double click to 70%, It similar to the way I program my HDS and I can put in any light I choose.
Of the two, the HDS wins though.
P

This is an interesting question. I like the UI of Thrunite with direct access to firefly and turbomode and these are not memorized(if they are the purpose of direct access pretty much is lost). I prefer not more than 4 brightness levels. But Zebralight has a unique UI which also works good.
Rotary mode ring is also good but that does not belong to this question...

Zebralight for sure.

Single mode or high —> low only.

Or a rotary ui like HDS. I voted cake.

Zebralight doesn't have any headlamps with Hi, or Hi-Lo only. And HDS doesn't even have headlamps . So far, I have only found the Streamlight Vantage 180 X, although it's not getting that great review.

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Favourite UI is the Rotary knob on the SPY 007 but that is a niche option sadly.

Oveready have great programmability and the memory mode is useful

Forward clicky.

High -> Low or Low -> High depending on the use.

No mode memory.

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QMT93 said:

Zebralight doesn't have any headlamps with Hi, or Hi-Lo only. And HDS doesn't even have headlamps . So far, I have only found the Streamlight Vantage 180 X, although it's not getting that great review.

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Click to expand...

The lights with the newest ui could actually be programmed that way if you like.

They can also still be used as shipped at the same time with a simple choice of clicks where you can easily switch between 3 different programmed choices of levels and outputs!


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The selector ring on the NiteCore SRT7GT is my favorite thus far. I can change the mode with the light off, tell which mode it's in before turning it on, quick twist right to strobe if needed, and infinite brightness adjustment is super nice.

I wish other brands would adopt it. There are just enough glitches on the NiteCore to keep me from being totally confident in its reliability.

The Olight M2T has the UI most desirable to me, with the exception of where the secondary switch is located. I wish that it was on the tail end of the light either on the side or as Klarus and Nitecore have done, a paddle. Maybe a switch that is partly side, partly paddle or something could work.

Ideally, a two-switch UI, with:

1. Instant access to momentary-on turbo
2. Instant access to low

For me, it doesn't matter what the order is, the click-click-click-click type UIs, whether they're L-M-H or H-M-L or M-L-H or whatever else, are lazy obnoxious engineering. And it gets 10 times worse when there's even more modes. If I can start from either the lowest mode and go up, or the highest mode, 90% of my needs are met in one click.

Icing on the cake: Instant access to either last-mode (memory), or strobe.

Cake. I prefer to have direct access to modes and avoid scrolling altogether.

I like being able to choose what mode the light comes on at, which is why I love the HDS rotary. Depending on what I'm using it for, I may want it to turn on at high, low, or somewhere in between. I usually leave the rotary set to high, but if I want something lower I just rotate the end to about where I want it before clicking on. if I'm using it on low, but want it to come on at high, I don't have to go to that mode before shutting it off.

If it is a fixed changeable setup I prefer it start on low like my automobile where I can add more if needed. How low? Well generally enough to be useable in most situations. Say 10-20 lumens.

I grew up with light bulb'd flashlights that were generally putting less than 20 lumens. So I find around 20 to be adequate pretty often.

I can definitely see the virtues of a rotary system and have some rotary lights like lanterns and headlamps. Yet they are set to come on at about the same output as a 2 cell bulbed light.

My 2200 lumen Streamlight starts at 60 lumens and rarely goes to the medium 600 or 2200 high. But boy is it nice to be able to sometimes.

For me, nothing beats the Malkoff high low switch. Simple is good.

How about a Malkoff with a ramping driver

my favorite UI atm has no button, just the SteplessRotary on my Original Jetbeam RRT-01.
(PM me if you want to get in on a group buy)

I respect that people have other preferences, be that button, button plus rotary, or the basic click steps on most lights

Im not a fan of the Electronic ramping UI of the D4 and FW3a
Im not a fan of memory, cause I always forget what I set it to last

Im not presently using any twisties, but when I do I like MLH and MHL better than LMH

I definitely value a sublumen level as one of the options

my favorite clicky UI is on my Olights

I also enjoy the HDS clicky UI, but prefer the Rotary HDS UI, although I dislike the 24 hops, I wish the ramp was smooth like my Jetbeam

you did not ask, but, I think lights with LVP are really useful.. HDS/Novatac are two that come to mind