I'm thinking about getting an Eternalight, such as the EliteXray, I'm a little concerned about the lights from the leds since they are exposed. For those who have seen or owned them, how distracting is the light in your eyes from the leds when one uses it? I plan on using the Elite Xray around the house doing repairs when I need light and both hands free. Was just thinking about the Eternalight when I was working on a drain in the bathroom; I thought "it would be great if I had a small light right about now!".
A question about the Eternalights
- Thread starter mapson
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Flying Turtle
Flashaholic
I have an Eternalight Derringer and have not had a problem with sidespill being particularly distracting. In spite of the unusual design, I don't think this should be of great concern.
If you really, really don't like any sidespill try wrapping some masking or duct tape around the top. It'll stay put but come off easily.
Eternalights are very neat and the different lighting options make them versatile - a great around the house light.
Eternalights are very neat and the different lighting options make them versatile - a great around the house light.
SilverFox
Flashaholic
Hello Mapson,
If you hold the Eternalight a little ahead of you, the spill is not a problem. Another option is to shield the light with your hand. You can wrap your finger and thumb around the light and shield it quite effectively.
I have had no problems with spill light or ruggedness of the LED's over the last couple of years.
Tom
If you hold the Eternalight a little ahead of you, the spill is not a problem. Another option is to shield the light with your hand. You can wrap your finger and thumb around the light and shield it quite effectively.
I have had no problems with spill light or ruggedness of the LED's over the last couple of years.
Tom
Pellidon
Flashlight Enthusiast
It doesn't seem too bad to me and I have heightened sensitivity to lights.
Stanley
Flashlight Enthusiast
The eternalights are great little tools, I reckon. I use my Ergo3 for camping, and the 'backsplash' of the Leds is of minimal concern to me, as its not that bad... unless you're looking directly into the light. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif
However, if you need both hands free while doing your work, I'd suggest a small, compact headlamp like the Petzl Tikka plus or Zipka plus, both have 4 Leds each, and you get light wherever you're looking at.
However, if you need both hands free while doing your work, I'd suggest a small, compact headlamp like the Petzl Tikka plus or Zipka plus, both have 4 Leds each, and you get light wherever you're looking at.
I stayed away from the EternaLights for a long while because of sidespill concerns. When I finally got one I saw that it wasn't too bad. I now have two (ErgoMarine, EliteMAX) and they are among my most used flashlights. That said, an EternaLight with LEDs recessed in some sort of reflector would be even better.
I was in the market for an Eternalight too for some time, but when it came to it, their form factor and lack of regulation was something I just didn't want to live with. Having said that, their newest model (the 4Z - EliteMax) did introduce regulation at a later stage.
So what did I do instead? I purchased a Photon Fusion for $50 (The EliteMax were $100 at the time). The main benefits over the Elite are:
1) Adaptable form factor. The LED head can be screwed onto the end of the battery case and it's just like a regular torch. Alternatively, the head can be screwed onto the side of the battery case and with the (supplied) headband, it can be a headlight. It has multiple LEDs and - like the Elite - these can be encouraged to dim, flash, etc.
2) There is a "hood" over the light so there is no side spill.
3) Additional RED LED which can be used to simply boost light output or to provide an always-on or nightlight feature – depending on how you regulate it's brightness.
4) Just 2 Buttons to control everything.
To make this a little more balanced:
1) The form factor of the Elite – albeit fixed – may suit you application more
2) The price of the Elite is now about $75 and maybe less elsewhere on the web
3) It has a magnet which could be a good alternative to the headlight capabilities of the Fusion
4) I haven't tried them, but I would hope the button activation on the Elite is easier than the Fusion
Check out http://www.techass.com/el/elm4z/ and http://www.photonlight.com/fusion/index.html for more details on the Elite and Fusion respectively. As ever - /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif - The LedMuseum - http://www.ledmuseum.org/ - has tests on these lights if you would like to see more.
So what did I do instead? I purchased a Photon Fusion for $50 (The EliteMax were $100 at the time). The main benefits over the Elite are:
1) Adaptable form factor. The LED head can be screwed onto the end of the battery case and it's just like a regular torch. Alternatively, the head can be screwed onto the side of the battery case and with the (supplied) headband, it can be a headlight. It has multiple LEDs and - like the Elite - these can be encouraged to dim, flash, etc.
2) There is a "hood" over the light so there is no side spill.
3) Additional RED LED which can be used to simply boost light output or to provide an always-on or nightlight feature – depending on how you regulate it's brightness.
4) Just 2 Buttons to control everything.
To make this a little more balanced:
1) The form factor of the Elite – albeit fixed – may suit you application more
2) The price of the Elite is now about $75 and maybe less elsewhere on the web
3) It has a magnet which could be a good alternative to the headlight capabilities of the Fusion
4) I haven't tried them, but I would hope the button activation on the Elite is easier than the Fusion
Check out http://www.techass.com/el/elm4z/ and http://www.photonlight.com/fusion/index.html for more details on the Elite and Fusion respectively. As ever - /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif - The LedMuseum - http://www.ledmuseum.org/ - has tests on these lights if you would like to see more.
HaulinLow
Newly Enlightened
My experience may not be as broad as some who have already weighed in here, but for an "around the house" flashlight my Elite Xray is OVER qualified! I've never been disappointed with it's performance when aiming less than 30 feet in a very dark area. The flood of light brightens your entire field of view of the room your working in, and having the leds exposed hasn't caused irritation I feel is justifiable to complain about since these leds project so much of their light straight ahead, and I can dim it down in cramped spaces. It has lived in my pocket since May, and I have taken it along on the few summer trips I could afford to take this year. It's size, impressive brightness, and useful package of extra features made it perfect for camping. If it only had more throw I would have never wound up at CPF looking for more toys. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif Be patient and work at not paying full price, however.
MichiganMan
Enlightened
Another cheer for the Eternalights. My first, a rugged black Ergo now sits in my basement office desk at work, loaded with lithiums, providing piece of mind for the periodic storm blackouts. Its replacement, an EliteMax, does varied duty as a houselight and campsite light. Its selectable brightness makes it uniquely useful for both checking on my sleeping kids and walking around outside. I too was worried about the side spill but, honestly, it hasn't been an issue at all. Nor have the exposed LEDs been a problem. Obviously the highly pocketable polycarbonate case will take pretty much anything its likely to encounter. The buttons on the Max are pretty easy arab, too easy IMO as I've pulled it out of my pack with it blinking in configuration mode. Needless to say the batteries took a hit that day. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/awman.gif Not really a flaw in the Eternalight tho' as carrying a pushbutton light tightly packed with other hard objects kind of invites something like that to happen. The buttons on the Ergo are pretty recessed which I think may have better prevented this.
There's other newer lights out there, but Eternalight remains a reliable standard of quality and versatility.
There's other newer lights out there, but Eternalight remains a reliable standard of quality and versatility.
The Eternalight, for me, was the light I was most weary to purchase -- and the wrongest about that wearyness. It's really a light you have to experience in person to appreciate.
Having 3 buttons sounds complicated but it's a whole lot easier to change functions and levels with an Eternalight than, say, a Arc 4 (Sorry Peter!). Do you try and use a computer with just 10 keys?
The only bad thing is the 'find me' feature. It works great, but people ask you why your light is on at night, then you have to explain to them that it's just flashing once every couple of seconds so you can find it -- or you have to explain PWM to them and that it's on, but very very low and the batteries will last years.
The plastic case was the part I was most concerned about. Unfortunately in this day and age Plastic has come to mean cheap (usually) -- but this is a high quality, lightly textured polycarbonate case that feels more like the plastic you would find in a high quality laptop computer, for example. Surefire gave their plastic a special name (Nitrolan) and maybe Techass needs to do that for the plastic used in the Eternalight to get over the mental block that plastic is cheap /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Technology Associates was also great to work with when I ordered an EliteXray instead of an EliteMax :doh:
Having 3 buttons sounds complicated but it's a whole lot easier to change functions and levels with an Eternalight than, say, a Arc 4 (Sorry Peter!). Do you try and use a computer with just 10 keys?
The only bad thing is the 'find me' feature. It works great, but people ask you why your light is on at night, then you have to explain to them that it's just flashing once every couple of seconds so you can find it -- or you have to explain PWM to them and that it's on, but very very low and the batteries will last years.
The plastic case was the part I was most concerned about. Unfortunately in this day and age Plastic has come to mean cheap (usually) -- but this is a high quality, lightly textured polycarbonate case that feels more like the plastic you would find in a high quality laptop computer, for example. Surefire gave their plastic a special name (Nitrolan) and maybe Techass needs to do that for the plastic used in the Eternalight to get over the mental block that plastic is cheap /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Technology Associates was also great to work with when I ordered an EliteXray instead of an EliteMax :doh:
Thanks for all the reassuring comments on the Eternalights, I'm thinking either everyone is very nice here or I'm being set up to become an addict like all of you, or both. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Maybe both /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. I have bought a lot of lights since I bought the Ergo Xray, but it is still one of the lights I always have around. It is just to versatile (Waterproof, can float with Lithium's, variable power etc) and well made to not use. Had it camping last weekend and used it as a nightlight for my daugher and one of her friends.
