What a difference in 3 1/2 years

When I registered in April 2001, the Incandescent posts outnumbered the LED posts by about 2 to 1 if I recall correctly. Now I see it is nearly an 8 to 1 differential in the other direction. Back then Surefire ruled the Incandescent forums with photons, pal lights and the Tek products getting a lot of time in the LED forums (this was just prior to Arc). I bought my first LED lights at www.glowbug.com as they were one of the first dealers to offer a decent selection of LED lights but shortly moved on to Texas Tactical Supply for incandescents and some LEDs as his prices were (and still are) very reasonable. The Trek 7 at $60 was the most powerful LED light you could buy. Brock and Craig's sites were instrumental in early days of LED light education. Now so much has changed in 3 1/2 years that I can't imagine the rate of advancement will continue but then again, I said the same for computers 15 years ago.

I think it is going to continue- maybe not to Moore's law. Now we have SureFire making LED lights, and even they have competition. I think everybody is waiting on Lumileds for the next raising of the bar.

Larry

I think I have been here 3.5 years...It sometimes seems like along time ago and sometimes it seems like just yesterday.

It is amazing how much has changed. This addiction shocks me as well. It has been a really fun ride.

I can't imagine the rate of advancement staying like this either. My *serious* guess is that it will accelerate. We've just barely scratched the surface for LED lighting as far as I'm concerned. Very few automobiles come standard with LED lighting - there's a huge market. And LEDs in flashlights have just barely made it to the masses. I think we're in for a wild ride, and we're at the tip of the wave (I'm sure there's a far better surfing term, but we'll have to wait until Don finds this thread). Maybe we're shooting the curl, or in the tube? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

2.3 years here. Just beginning to get a little gray in my non-existant beard.

Lot's has changed from my view but I'll name two things.

I'm having a blast, over amping Mags. I always knew it could be done. Reading CPF HotWire posts gave me the knowledge to do it.

Exotics enthrall me. This is due in large part to a mentor that helped me early on to cultivate an appreciation for them. This year I bought one, along with all its' conversion components for over $300.00 and know I got a good value.

Things that haven't changed:

I still EDC an ARC AAA. I still have my $60.00 blue trek 7. Darell is still one of the smartest people in the world. A State-of-Flashlightdom post from Darell still enspires me. I'm never giving up bearing torches or the quest for the best. I spell battery barrel, battery barell.

So who all will invest in Lumileds if it ever goes public? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Mark

Three years and I have never been as covetous as I have been in the last 2 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif
The ride is only going to get wilder /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
And I'm slowly learning to not read the threads that make me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drool.gif
And thanks for a great community of friends here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif

It's been a wild ride in the short time I've been posting here. actually I found cpf looking for info during ARC LS first run's intial offer of 100 lights. but was not hooked at that point.

Now it's hopeless...

Can't comment on 3 1/2 years as I've only been here like 7 months. But the changes in even 7 months have been awesome. From very few and expensive Luxeon models - many with variable tinting - to $14 ones at Costco with pretty reliable tinting and very sound construction. This is a very rapidly evolving market.

I think the near term pivot point of the market is the accelerating penetration of the Chinese manufacturers - now building sound designs of pretty good quality - into the mainstream world markets. This will put considerable pressure on the middle/low end of the market which will, as always, be good for the consumer and bad for the manufacturers.

I can certainly imagine 3W 2AA Costco luxeons for the same $14 price within the next year if the current ones sell well, and we are helping them sell well. 5 watters in bodies bored out for 3x123's can be done cheaper by the factories than by modders if the factories perceive enough of a market for them (probably not).

The high end boutique lights will probably be spared, but the middle-high end Chinese lights will I think shrink the performance differential between them and the high end lights as time goes by, while increasing the price differential.

I'm glad I'm not magl*te.



/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

When I signed up in the Spring of '02 the hottest led lights were the Lambda Illuminator Pill and the MadMax Sandwich!

[ QUOTE ]
Icebreak said:
Darell is still one of the smartest people in the world.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's a good point, Jeff. I guess some things just aren't changing as fast as I think they are. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Back when I first got on here, my EDC was a 2AAA UK pocket light. What a difference a few years make, for sure! Now I have a Q-III on my belt. Output is no comparison! But I believe I found this place via the LEDMuseum. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I started reading CPF back in the fall of 2002. Back then, the Luxeon lights were just coming out. But your only options were either the Arc LS (out of many people's price range, and still in the Rev. 1 stage) or the POS Reactor.

Yeah, I must say, my TV hasn't had to work as hard since I found CPF! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Darell said:I think we're in for a wild ride, and we're at the tip of the wave (I'm sure there's a far better surfing term, but we'll have to wait until Don finds this thread).

[/ QUOTE ]

i think you're looking for 'Tip of the Iceberg'???

neg

I should point out that there was a time when Darell would post to if and anything just to get his post count up. Now he only posts to subjects of his liking, ha, ha.

Truthfully, the introduction and evolution of different personalities here at CPF has meant more to me then the helpful and very knowledgeable flashlight related posts.

I remember when I signed up on 09/29/02 with my first account, folks were just getting into the ZXSC300 chip for LEDs as I recall.

Reference tread

There has been a massive increase in LED lights just in the past year and they have came a long way.

Edit: Link shortened to stop horizontal scrolling - Empath

Newbie or some moderator please fix Newbie's link!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif I wanted to read this thread but I don't have panavision on my monitor!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

EDIT: I managed to read this anyway. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

To liken the LED and illumination tool revolution to surfing, I would say we are just learning to ride and having fun on some small ankle biters, inshore! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Outside there are bigger waves on the horizon .....

I would suspect that CPF has changed me more than most of you and by a large margin!!! I was reluctantly suckered into joining here having ignored a "Forum about LED's" for many months if not more. I was having fun making stuff and messing around with LED lighting. Little did I know that CPF would directly and indirectly provide the catalysist to get me to combine a bunch of unrelated interests into what has become a completely engrossing and time consuming avocation for me! I have made some great friends and actually joined a small community which is pretty amazing for a loner like myself! I am in way over my head and having a ball trying to stay afloat! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

For my part I truly hope that the ride will slow down a bit ... progress is cool, but we have barely the time to appreciate a new light and whoooops .... the next generation is sucking on our wallet.
On the other hand .... in no way I'll let go now ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
bernhard