New Flashlight from Lightwave - the lightwave 2100!

I have Lightwave 2000's, 3000's, and 4000's. The 2000 is the twist-on type, with no circuitry. If I had to guess, the new 2100 looks like a slimmed-down 3000/4000 type case with the pushbutton off/on switch. Probably has the circuitry inside as well.

I much prefer the off/on button, and the 3000 has become one of my favorite regular flashlight replacements, handy size, etc. I will be getting a couple of the new 2100's when they are available.

not regulated AGAIN??? awww man!

Clearly, with the 4000 LW started a new line of rugged-appearing lights. The 2000 was widely (and justifiably) praised as an excellent general utility light. Next, they took on the high brightness market niche with the 3xD 4000, competing indirectly with the Trek Expedition (7 LED x 3C), 1400 and 1900 while introducing their rugged look. The 3000 is a direct competitor to the Expedition and the 1400. The next logical step was to retro-convert the 2000 to the new look, thus establishing a three member family of excellent, tough lights.

I would expect the 2100 to equal or slightly surpass the brightness of the 2000. Until LED efficiency markedly improves I am not eager to sacrifice runtime for brightness, especially in the big "survival" type LED lights. So far,the brighter the LED the more voracious its energy appetite and the shorter the runtime. Sure, it's great to have Luxeons and 5 watters, but the real revolution will come in the efficiency sweepstakes. then we can work on super bright LED's that will burn forever on a couple of AA's.

Lambda, Daniel Ramsey and others (please forgive any omitted names) are genuine innovators. Do they have the imagination and technical know how to put their creative energies to work in helping to develop a truly efficient LED? Or are such achievements usually associated with major labs with large resources backed by a corporation, as is Paul Kim with Surefire?

Forgive my off-topic wanderings, but recently the non-LED world sems to be progressing more rapidly in this dirction with the development of HID, Tunsten Lattice,
and other technologies. In addition, as DestructiveLight laments: "not regulated AGAIN?".... Unless regulation really is counterproductive in most instances, why aren't we seeing more of it, at least in higher end lights?

End of rant, stepping off soapbox.

Brightnorm

Brightnorm,
Your words are not off-topic wandering. It's been a concern of mine for a time already.

We, the members of CPF, and particularly the fans of the LED lamps, are a unique breed so to speak. We may purchase a LED light that is brighter simply for the sake of a brighter light. But we are not typical of the buying public. The original attraction to LED lights, at least for me, and I would suspect the general buying public is not simply a lifetime lamp that never needs replaced. I'd suspect that the general public doesn't use their flashlights enough to replace the lamps with any regularity anyway. The ridiculously long battery life was another attractant. Our efforts to match the performance of the incandescents has pushed us near the same point of inefficiency. We feed the lamp so much power that we have to find a way to deep six the wasteful heat.

Me thinks we be going in the wrong direction. The public will never buy a flashlight for the same reason we do. While CPF has grown beyond what was imagined, there are still not enough of us to support an industry of near hundred dollar lights that offer only an incentive of never having to buy a two or three dollar replacement lamp.

I hope all the innovators, talented modders and R&D'ers continue to push the way they have. But, efficiency must take first place, rather than better ways of draining off the wasted heat.

Thanks, Brightnorm. I consider those thoughts some of the best presented recently.

Sigh. The part the bugs me the most is that this light will incorporate "Space Age circuitry." Can't we get out of the 1960's?

And now a wee bit off the main topic, but on Brightnorm's:

Efficiency and regulation are my two biggest wants as well. I figure the reason that huge strides are NOT being made in these fields is the age-old one: Cost. The higher-end lights like Arc and SF *ARE* paying attention to these things, thankfully. But efficiency of LEDs needs to start well before the flashlight mfg stage, of course. I'm sure it will come, but right now brightness is king in the LED world while LEDs try to prove themselves against incandescents.

In all fairness, look how far LEDs have come in a short time. A year ago, Arc AAAs had 4800mcd (I think that's right) LEDs, now they have 5600 (again, I think that's right). And here I just took delivery of a bunch of 8000 mcd whites (not in Arc's, mind you). As far as I can tell, there is no difference in current draw between the 4800 and the 8000. How amazing is that for a year's advancement?

Yeah, I probably have my numbers wrong, but at least I hope my main point holds up... I see a great future for LEDs in both important areas: Brightness and efficiency. If we can get the flashlight mfgs on board with great regulation, we should have some awesome product in the near future.

Check this out fellas,
http://www.longlight.com/products/lw_2100_1.html

I just got an email this morning about the new light. I've known about it for months, but had to keep a lid on things.
Guess the cat's out of the bag now.

Is this an AA, C, or 123 light?

It looks like the 3000 and 4000 but presumably it's smaller.

Cheers,

Richard

What is the differance between this and the 2000? Except for using the phrase "high power", it seems to have the same specs as the 2000.

added:
Yes, it does have the physical appearance of the 3000 and 4000.

I wish I knew more, but my own spec sheet doesn't say any more than the website either. It IS a 3xAA light, essentially a LW2000, fortified with LW3000-style rubber cosmetics and a pushbutton switch.

Not sure about the LEDs, but if these things are Nichias, well - it really seems that Nichia has been quietly upgrading their LEDs. To me anyway, the current batch of R ranks seems to match the S ranks in terms of output - for eg. my current model Eternalight Ergomarine is actually as bright as my first-batch Elite XRay!

I'm kinda like Roy. How does this differ from what they had, except maybe the increased price?? TX

The part the bugs me the most is that this light will incorporate "Space Age circuitry." Can't we get out of the 1960's?

If they`re made the same as the larger 3000 and 4000, that circuitry is just plain and simple resistors.

They used resistors in the 1960s to limit and "regulate" power, so I guess it`s a valid statement. Unnecessary marketing hype, but valid none the less.

True enough. But can't we still "get out of the 1960s" with new flashlight designs. See Arc, see the coming SF digital series. grumble.

Funny how so many folks use "Space Age" to mean "State of the Art" (Which can still just mean whatever state of the art you happen to be considering at the time).

You`re right, I would love to see more "smart" flashlights too. We have Arc, we have Opalec, CMG to a certain extent and not to forget the never-avaliable ActionLight (remember that one?!). SF`s digital series looks trememdous- first commercial regulated incandescents, maybe it`ll pave the way for more, cheaper lights.

Come on torch makers, sort yourselves out! It would be nice one day not to need a "Mods" forum here, cos all the torches will be made just-right from the start, with nothing needing modification....

Sure, it`s not as much fun as making your own, but I`m a Reviewer- I think differently to normal people

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chris M.:
SF`s digital series looks trememdous- first commercial regulated incandescents, maybe it`ll pave the way for more, cheaper lights.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Commercial regulated incandescents has long been available for quite awhile in headlamps like headlite III from Easter Seal and SpaceShot from Blackdiamond, just named a few off my head.

By the way, SF digital series isn't actually available in the market. I would be VERY happy if we could get one in 2002

Alan

I wonder why several of the features listed on the LW2100 pages have asterisks next to them, but no indication of what they're for.
I've seen this on the other LW products too.
? ? ? ? ? ?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I wonder why several of the features listed on the LW2100 pages have asterisks next to them, but no indication of what they're for.
I've seen this on the other LW products too. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Craig, I think those are features with caveats or some sort of condition attached. The 2100, for eg, has those asterisks on the 3-yr wtty and its water-resistance. It seems that anything that alludes to the durability and serviceability (ie. read "liability") of the flashlight has some as yet unstated T&C. Not sure if this was overlooked, or deliberate.

Personally, I'd be pretty sure not to want to buy another non-regulated multi-5mm LED flashlight. Sometimes, when I carry the LW4K with half-used batteries, I get an awful pit in my stomach feeling that somewhere around the corner, someone with minimag AA+fresh batteries is lurking - boy, would HE be laughing if ever there was a flashlight match then! Ditto even if it were a LW2100 - it'd definitely be larger than an minimag AA, but no focusability or regulation make me think, "what's the point?". I'd gravitateto the LW3K instead for all my trouble. Of course, I'm humbly speaking from the viewpoint of someone who already has several multi-5mm LED torches.

I will always have a direct-drive (like Elektrolumens Blasters) AND an incandescent light (like a SF or a Legend LX) somewhere around for their sheer simplicity (read maintainability and dependability). For all other uses, nothing less than regulateds.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Empath:
Brightnorm,

Thanks, Brightnorm. I consider those thoughts...etc.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Empath,

Thank you for your kind words. Too bad we can't establish "CPF LABS", have the board vote on the most desired new product or retrofit, get Lambda, Daniel and others working on it and fund them with voluntary contributions ($5.00 x 1700 = $8,500). We might end up with a small, very bright long running regulated little gem.

(Dream on)

Brightnorm