HDS Basic 60 or Ultimate 60?

Freedom1955

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Hello fellow CPFers,

I'm going to purchase one or the other of these lights and I need some opinions on the basic vs the ultimate. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 

nethiker

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I went with the ultimate. I don't think I will use all the programable functions very often if at all, but that one time I wish I had that emergency strobe feature is worth the extra $35.00 insurance to me.

I think the Basic would appeal to those who value the K.I.S.S. principal and just want to see in the dark.

Greg

Greg
 

Freedom1955

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The only thing the ultimate offers that I might be interested in is you can program the 4 different light levels as I'm not sure if the Primary (second highest level)setting of the Basic will be bright enough. It seems to me that there is a big jump between the highest level 60 lumen's and the primary level of 10 lumen's.
Does anybody have any thoughts on this?
 

powernoodle

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I have the Basic 60. Dont expect a giant leap in output when going from the primary (10 lumen) to high (60). Its subjective, but it looks more like a 3x increase and not a 6x increase. Something about the way we perceive things, I think. I like all of the levels just as they are. The low is very low, but in a completely dark room it is plenty, and it doesnt make your eyes hurt. Its a good level to find your seat at a movie theatre without disturbing everyone, or if you plan on spending 2 days trapped in an elevator w/ no spare battery. One reviewer said you get 40 hours on low. The primary level (10 lumen) is just fine for most daily tasks, IMO, and you supposedly get a good 10 hours at that level (tho I think that TIN only got 5 when he tested his).

The output on high is not blinding by any measure. A SF 6P is around 60 lumens, but appears much brighter than the Basic 60 on high. Seems to my eyeballs to be no brighter than (maybe not as bright as) a Q-III, but that may not be a fair comparo as the Q-III is floody and the HDS is spotty. I really dont think many folks will have much to complain about with the Basic 60.

best regards
 

voodoogreg

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kinda OT on the pwr and beam question's,',,

I love my basic 60 (non GT), enough i plan on getting a U60.
One thing i noticed on this light was how smooth the beam is, both the throw and spill. I kinda thought it wasn't really near 60 lumens. but after having a flashlight party
with my other light's, both LED and incan, The basic on high kept up with the E2d, and KL-1,( the two small light's
I know for sure are putting out 20 lm) and the throw showed a lot of defination and clarity. (the KL-1 is also very good at this)

I think it put's out pretty close to what it's rated for,
but does so with a great tint, beam, and spot to spill ratio.
it's tint seem's softer and more natural then my other led's. The KL-1 has a great bright throw, very search light looking, were the Q-III seem's to flood your eye's out from seeing what throw it has (not much) but anything my 4th gen
KL-1 or E2d could light up so could my basic.
I think Henry hit on a very good combo of beam shape, tint, and power and it sorta sneek's up on you.VDG
 

PhilElmore

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I've been carryin the HDS EDC Ultimate 60 and it's a sweet little light -- but also the most complicated piece of technology I think I own. It amazes me how many functions this thing has.
 

357

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[ QUOTE ]
Freedom1955 said:
Hello fellow CPFers,

I'm going to purchase one or the other of these lights and I need some opinions on the basic vs the ultimate. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't have the Ultimate, but I have two Basics.

My views:

The Basic brightness settings are just about perfect, out of the box--I feel no need to change them.

I do own 3 Arc-4s, which have menu settings probably similar to the HDS Ultimate. You know what, I NEVER have used any of the menu functions, other than SOS (which I only used once to test it out). To me, its extra stuff that doesn't get used. The only menu functions from the Arc-4 that appeal even slightly is SOS and the brighntess changing menu. Other than that, to me its just a bunch of fancy but unneeded extras.

In the end, you will need to decide what appeals to you, simplicity or lots of goodies. I prefer the simpler route. You're preference may differ.

Both Basics and Ultimates are good lights, no doubt. I love both my Basics (42 and 60 GT). I'm sure you'll also love whatever you choose.
 

357

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[ QUOTE ]
Freedom1955 said:
The only thing the ultimate offers that I might be interested in is you can program the 4 different light levels as I'm not sure if the Primary (second highest level)setting of the Basic will be bright enough. It seems to me that there is a big jump between the highest level 60 lumen's and the primary level of 10 lumen's.
Does anybody have any thoughts on this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, to my eyes its NOT a big jump from 10 lumens to 60 lumens. Seems more like 3x the jump, not 6x. This is most likely due to the way the human eye interprets light jumps, as IIRC it takes at least 2x a jump just to notice it. Further, the 60 lumen output of the 60GT doesn't "feel" like 60 lumens--that is, compared to my Surefires rated at 60 lumens, the HDS appears significantly dimmer. This is mostly due to being an LED and the type of beam I think, as the Surefires are incandescents and throw a wall of light. Long story short, don't let the lumen rating jumps concern you, I feels that the settings are perfectly spaced out for a great range of lighting, despite the fact that on paper they appear to be either very dim or very bright.
 

powernoodle

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[ QUOTE ]
357 said:

Actually, to my eyes its NOT a big jump from 10 lumens to 60 lumens. Seems more like 3x the jump, not 6x. This is most likely due to the way the human eye interprets light jumps, as IIRC it takes at least 2x a jump just to notice it. Further, the 60 lumen output of the 60GT doesn't "feel" like 60 lumens--that is, compared to my Surefires rated at 60 lumens, the HDS appears significantly dimmer.

[/ QUOTE ]

I said almost exactly the same thing above. Perhaps we are twins separated at birth. Are you incredibly good looking, smart, and humble like me?

best regards
 

357

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[ QUOTE ]
powernoodle said:
[ QUOTE ]
357 said:

Actually, to my eyes its NOT a big jump from 10 lumens to 60 lumens. Seems more like 3x the jump, not 6x. This is most likely due to the way the human eye interprets light jumps, as IIRC it takes at least 2x a jump just to notice it. Further, the 60 lumen output of the 60GT doesn't "feel" like 60 lumens--that is, compared to my Surefires rated at 60 lumens, the HDS appears significantly dimmer.

[/ QUOTE ]

I said almost exactly the same thing above. Perhaps we are twins separated at birth. Are you incredibly good-looking, smart, and humble like me?

best regards

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, you're right regarding the similar content.

I'm just humble and good-looking. Just average in the smarts.
 

segan

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i had the same dilemma whether to go for a Basic or Ultimate. In the end i choose to order an Ultimate because i wanted to be able to control what level the light would turn on with. I probably wouldn't use any of the advanced features, but its nice to have them there to play with /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Also, an Ultimate is just as simple to use as the Basic if all you want is to switch between primary, secondary, minimum and max brightness.
 

powernoodle

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I need to amend something I said earlier. After doing another comparo, I'd say that the 60 on high is about equal to a Q-III in flood/spill, with greater throw because of the hotspot that the Q-III doesn't have. It certainly out throws a Q-III by a large margin. I was out walking the dog with it last night and the throw from the little thing was impressive. The 60 is brighter on high than I first thought.

best regards
 

Darkstar

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Don't know if this is indeed accepted fact or even how one could prove it but my understanding is that we perceive brightness logarithmically. So in order to perceive a 2x in brightness would require a 10x in actual output.
 

TRC

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Dept. of stupid questions here....

Doesn't the HDS Basic have a setting between 10 lumens and 60 lumens? That's a HUGE jump, IMHO.


Also, for comparison, what is the generally accepted lumen rating for an Arc-LSH P?

Reading the specs on the HDS website is VERY confusing to me; and the PDF files are all but incomprhensible to me (Latch the setting, bump the battery; then press the button 14 times, to reset to 1/25th of the nominal 1/2 of ideal 4th non-default setting...) Yeah, right.

I'd like to see a SIMPLE CHART OF WHAT THE HDS LIGHTS DO, AND HOW THEY DO THEM. DID I MENTION:
>>>>>>SIMPLE<<<<<<?????? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Rant mode off......kind of....for a minute or two...
 

voodoogreg

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[ QUOTE ]
powernoodle said:
I need to amend something I said earlier. After doing another comparo, I'd say that the 60 on high is about equal to a Q-III in flood/spill, with greater throw because of the hotspot that the Q-III doesn't have. It certainly out throws a Q-III by a large margin. I was out walking the dog with it last night and the throw from the little thing was impressive. The 60 is brighter on high than I first thought.

best regards

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what i meant by kinda sneeky /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I was really impressed once i took it outside. Like I said all the eleminent's come togather in a very smooth way, that punching it on high is brighter, but it almost seem's take a way a curtain and ad defination to thing's very far away.
Were a Q-III is impressive at first, but then you start to see it's really not throwing very much and it's the spill is
that make's you think it's brighter then it is.

Sorta the same effect as when in the dead of dark, you turn on a photon, or PT eclipse walking to your car or door. VDG
 

AZLight

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Mar 18, 2003
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[quote
Reading the specs on the HDS website is VERY confusing to me; and the PDF files are all but incomprhensible to me (Latch the setting, bump the battery; then press the button 14 times, to reset to 1/25th of the nominal 1/2 of ideal 4th non-default setting...) Yeah, right.

I'd like to see a SIMPLE CHART OF WHAT THE HDS LIGHTS DO, AND HOW THEY DO THEM. DID I MENTION:
>>>>>>SIMPLE<<<<<<?????? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Rant mode off......kind of....for a minute or two...

[/ QUOTE ]

For simpleness just get the Basic 60GT like what I have. This light is truly amazing. I predict this light will be the Valentine 1 of the radar detector world. I am looking forward to the 2x123 and 2xAA battery pack options come this summer for extended runtime in 60 lumen mode and power versatility.
 

Sub_Umbra

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The Basic 60 really does everything I need it to do. Judging by how many folks who I hear are satisfied with the stock levels would seem to indicate that they were really good choices.

I was very pleased at how dim the min setting is.

Back to the question. If I had any special needs as far as levels go I would buy the Ultimate without a moments hesitation.

For example, if I still worked in technical theatre I would not only want the option of being able to program in yet a dimmer level than the Basic has, I would also want the option to have the light at the dim level at the initial power-on click. This would also be handy on the bridge of a ship. IMO this would be far more suitable than a red light to preserve night vision. I would also think that this type of setup would be good in an airplane cockpit at night.

Another example (which would be raw speculation on my part) would be some medical occupations where you may desire a fairly precise level of light for certain tasks.

As far as a concern about the added complexity goes, I wouldn't let that stop me. Perhaps someone who has an Ultimate will correct me but my impression is that once the programming is done there probably isn't much difference in complexity between the two in day to day operation.

As someone else said, it depends on whether or not you need it. If you think that you may need it, you probably do. Be good to yourself. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

Freedom1955

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Now that you guys have mentioned that the Ultimate is as user friendly as the Basic once it is programmed I would not be afraid to buy it.
I just placed an order for the Basic 60 or the Ultimate 60 GT whichever is in stock first. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif

When I get the HDS light I'm going to compare it to my U2. My U2 may be sold if there is not much of a difference.
 
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