reducing infinity glare (salt trick)

Anyone think the infinity ultra has too much glare? It's a very bright light and looking at the led is uncomfortable, so what if one wants to be able to reduce the blinding effect? What if it was more like the sonic, which had the recessed led which made it more like a stealth light?

I glow painted the bezel of my infinity. The glow is super, but the small amount that leaked down to the base of the led is the brightest. Then I thought, "How much glow polish can I add at the base of the led without sacrificing brightness?" A simple test with salt answers this question. Fill the bezel, go into a dark room (with the infinity on, obviously), and gradually blow out the salt. You will notice that the spot is unaffected, but the spill is reduced some. Then look at the glowing salt and realize that you have solved the blinding problem. The glow polish trasmits a more difuse light than the direct led, but doesn't affect the usefulness of the spot at all.

Edit: This also solves the irritating 'uncentered led' problem by difusing the corona somewhat.

Re: using salt trick to measure sidespill angle

That is a neat trick, although I like my Ultra the way it is. That would work well for some of my other lights, though. .

Re: using salt trick to measure sidespill angle

I figured that people would be unlikely to want to spoil their infinity lights, but the results posted above were accidental so I figured I should post. I like it better than I had expected. Try looking at the led. There is a lot of glare, even at the edge of the corona. I find this annoying and don't like to irritate others when flashing my light around. The solution was easy, and the extra glow polish really glows. There is virtually no loss of light output because most of the light goes through the tip of the led anyway.

Re: using salt trick to measure sidespill angle

I need the spill for clue ID for WSAR. I do have a non-G model that I might try it with. .

Re: using salt trick to measure sidespill angle

"clue ID for WSAR" what is that?

Re: using salt trick to measure sidespill angle

Well, WSAR is Wilderness Search & Rescue. Clue ID means that I'm not out looking for people, I'm looking for stuff that they've left behind that will help me find them. This will probably sound funny, but when I go out into a field or whatever to look for something, I use the softest flood light that I can find. Basically just something to help for really dark situations, in a lot of cases I can work only by moonlight or starlight, but for those times when I need spill I want something that's not very bright and something with a lot of spill. The less spot the better, really. I tend to use a Matrix 3-LED headlamp mostly, and when I need to get a better look I use the Ultra-G. There's a little bit of spot, but in most all situations I've found it's more than enough, and I usually have to stop a minute and let my eyes readjust after using it. .

Re: using salt trick to measure sidespill angle

Is that a volunteer group? Obviously an infinity would work excellently under these conditions and you wouldn't want to sacrifice any light. A light coating of glow paint on the bezel wouldn't hurt, even if just for an experiment. In the dark it is so easy to lose your light...

Re: using salt trick to measure sidespill angle

Well, yeah, it's mostly volunteer, although some of us get paid for other stuff in some situations. The Infinity is the best light for the job, any way you look at it. .