1 button vs. seperate bright control UI

What do people think are best/most user friendly switch designs for enabling easy brightness adjustment? Here's how I see it: ANY single button UI is a compromise. You have to remember button presses (like I have brain cells left for that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sick2.gif) or at least have to toggle through settings to turn off/get to one you want. It is especially unfriendly to new users who are borrowing/have never used the light. Most will turn on full bright and you'll have to instruct the user on how many clicks/etc to change it or else have them wasting your batteries. For me, I vastly prefer a seperate switch that can adjust the brightness BEFORE it's turned on. Granted, there are 2 main drawbacks to this method: more moving parts equals more things that can break, may let in water, or may cost more to produce; you may have to switch hand postition or use 2 hands to change brightness. Still, for me, being able to turn on and off a light seperately from a switch that lets me instantly adjust brightness to what I want before and during use- or just leave in a prefered setting, with a tactical switch that allows momentary in any of the selected brightnesses, seems like the best method to me. I hope we'll eventually see more lights like this other than the VIP and U2.

I think 2 buttons is best, like the Streamlight 3C-XP.

The most functional system I know is the L2. There is some natural easiness to it to reach all the functions.

The second best is the U2. The only disadvantage is the necessity to use both hands or switch holding style. However, I have never been in a situation where I really needed to change the brightness level with one hand.

No 1-button-multiple function system as of now convinced me enough to spend the money. Those lights aren't cheap, and for this money I want something that convinced me right away.

My ideal would be either a second button, or one, maybe even two, selector rings (like on lenses for SLR cameras) on the tailcap (or close to wherever the button is located). This should be doable, but probably isn't cheap.

I was thinking- what about some kind of slide switch that can also push at any certain postition. Some MP3 players have this kind of control. Slide along to the desired brightness, push to activate. Once on, sliding will take you through the brightnesses. This way, you could do it all with a simple thumb movement. I'm sure this type of switch would be hard to develop to make it durable, but with enough R&D, I bet it could happen. Are you listening Surefire? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

I'm undecided on this one. I have a U2, and like the selector ring (the overall light is another story). I've also had an A2.

I assume you're referring to the hds/arc series of lights. Double click/triple click/single click/double click-press..... yeah I can see this getting confusing.

I am a recent owner of a mag mod with an n-flex in it. I'd say this is very close to the perfect single button interface. Press on, press off. Hold to change levels. Low AND high can be selected regardless of what level the light is set to turn on at. I think this is the circuit in the lionheart, or an iteration of it.

turbodog- The only light I can afford with a similar interface is the Photon Freedom. I find it as good/simple as a 1 button gets, but it's a little wasted on a coin-cell 5mm. The five or more quick presses to get into momentary mode is a nice touch. The only other 1 button set up I don't mind TOO much is the way the PT Aurora/EOS works (although I wish it went from low to high). Using short periods of time as the switching factor, the light can be quickly shuffled through levels and still be turned off almost immediatly w/o toggling to other modes.

I think someone should build a decent cost light around the nflex with a 1w or 3w emitter, powered by aa cells. Not sexy.... just functional.