Why I love LED's, And Won't Use Incandescent.

Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

I'll preface this by saying I have zero scientific knowledge about flashlights, LED or otherwise.


I remember the first time I got my hands on a real LED flashlight. It was about a year ago in the form of the surefire l4. I will never look at flashlights the same again.
I took a kayaking/rafting trip over the course of several weeks last summer in BC and Oregon. I brought with my my L4, L1, and new M6;eager to test them all out in the great outdoors.
The second day of my trip I was bragging to one of my guides how tough my flashlight was (M6[And no, i didn't tell him how much it cost]) I gently rapped the bezel against a soft piece of water logged wood--about as hard as you'd feel comfortable tapping your fist against a glass window, (to demonstrate the "shock proof" bezel) when the bulb popped.
popped.
I was now sitting there with a 400+ dollar flashlight that was completely useless because I did not have another 30 dollar bulb to put in it.
I wasn't so much embarassed as I was completely shocked and dissapointed. I know surefire markets these lights mainly to "Military/Law Enforcement" members. I'm not a cop, nor am in in the military, but I should like to think that these guys put their lights through a little more punishment then a water soaked branch.
It's funny to me that I always see people saying "for self defense, I can only trust incandescent" They then cite possible ambient light drowning out the led as their rationale.
I think a broken bulb is a pretty bloody serious reason not to trust a light as well.
As it is, I don't feel comfortable with incandescent lights anymore , in a tactical scenario, as well as everyday use. Bulbs cost money and I don't want to be light-less while another one gets shipped out. My L4 saved my butt on that trip (until i lost it in a river, another story)
I'm interested to hear other people's opinions on LED's. I see them as the future of flashlights. Once they figure out how to really get them to throw, I see no benefit of incandescents. They allow an amazing spectrum of real colors to be seen, and they have no bulb to burn out or break.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

cut me a break, the thing cost $400 and it doesnt have a spare bulb in the tailcap /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Its designed for a weapon, and the bulb pops when you drop it? what kind of weapon, BB gun?
you can "go after terrorist" with it, if you can get it done in less than 30 minutes? Mr, terrorist will you hold on just a moment while i change batteries.
i guess if your carrying lead ammunition, you can carry a spare ammo case , with little tiny batteries in it.
does it come with an extra "clip" even /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif

i am not against incadescents, in my experience the LEDs are only 2X as efficient, unless they are the ones that dont last very long anyways 5mm.
the little white hot filiment is great for a tight reflection of it, and so FAR if you want potent throw, that is what you get.

i have SEEN a reflector, that is almost completly FLAT, that will send a LED to a very tight spot, that wouldnt require 7 feet of reflector, but still havent seen it used.

just depends, different things for different uses, incadescent lights are 7$ , leds are 8$ more /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

some kinda HID sounds like a good thing to me, but how durable would that be, and the bulb costs, and they dont turn on and off quickly. but the efficiency, AND the clean usable light might be what i would pay 200$ for.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

[ QUOTE ]
glock_nor_cal said:

They allow an amazing spectrum of real colors to be seen, and they have no bulb to burn out or break.

[/ QUOTE ]

I totally agree ............ mega dittos ..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif

This flashlight stuff can be intoxicating ..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy23.gif

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

I started liking Led Flashlights better when the Luxeon
was born, I very rarely use Incandescents

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

I got an EL TSP because I wanted the nice secure feeling of not worrying about a bulb when fishing at night or early morning. Unfortunately if there's the least bit of mist or fog, the reflection makes it useless. It's a great light for clear conditions, and the runtime is good, but for dicey conditions it's nice to have an incan.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

Greetings!

This is my personal experience - take it for what it is and please don't flame me, I'm just trying to be honest here. For years I considered flashlights to be a necessary evil and carried maglights everywhere - my car, my pocket, kept a few in drawers in the house, etc.

I always cringed when turning them on... it seemed like I was playing some sort of perverse gambling game where I would usually win (bright light) but sometimes lose (bulb flash or never lit up). Sometimes the relief that the flashlight had actually lit would be replaced a few minutes later with anger and frustration as the bulb would die during the middle of a repair under the kitchen sink or trying to find the back door in the middle of a dark rainy night... I learned to truly HATE incandescent flashlights.

LED's have changed all that for me. They have actually made me love my flashlights, and look forward to using them... my first was an Inova 5 LED light (before the X5, the old ones with the rounded longitudinal flutes down the length of the light), and it took me several weeks of using it before my apprehension was replaced by amazement. I still have that flashlight, and it is still going strong and bright! Before LED flashlights, I considered the $20 an AA Maglight (I now call them "Maggotlights") would cost me to be a poor investment in something that I would need, but wouldn't enjoy or treasure. I now spend over $100 for a Surefire and just KNOW that it is one of the best investments I can make, and that I will love and treasure it as long as I live.

My flashlight hatred has turned to flashlight joy... all because of the LED. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Best wishes,
Bawko

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

Wait, you didn't have the tactical battery and bulb holder? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I've been pretty rough of my incandescents and don't break bulbs THAT easily. Bad luck, maybe? Not that I don't have or love LEDs, now, don't get the wrong idea. .

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

[ QUOTE ]
Atomic_Chicken said:

My flashlight hatred has turned to flashlight joy... all because of the LED. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

More mega dittos ..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif

This flashlight stuff may be intoxicating ..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy23.gif

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

I carry LEDs, but still have more fun with incans. The huge amount of light coming out of a little 2D WA-1166 modded mag is amazing. LEDs aren't even close (at least yet) when it comes to throw.

Once you've been Thored, you'll never be bored.

best regards

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

I prefer LEDs and I haven't purchased an incandescent in years. I really like the shock-resistance of LEDs as well as the incredibly better color rendering. I frequently find myself working in dark equipment closets with scads of color coded wires and an LED flashlight makes an amazing difference in the vividness of the colors.

I EDC a Q-III and I have a Dorcy 1w headlamp, and both provide a decent amount of throw for my needs. I also have several Dorcy 2AAs scattered around the house.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

I really like LED's and use them for low to medium output flashlights. Yes I do think they are the future, but right now when I need a light that will throw 500, 1000, or even 2000 lumens on something more then 50 yards away, I turn back to incans.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

Well, I EDC luxeons only. Battery life on luxeons is superb (depending in emmitter, circuitry, ect). Incands get hot, bad battery life, yellow tint, and bulbs burn out.

-David

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

The only incandescent that I like is the A2 on high. Its regulated, and does doesn't go from yellow, to amber, and then to orange in a matter of minutes. You get a solid 45 minutes of yellow-white beam with the A2, before the amber starts to kick in. My other incandescent Surefires are degrading in tint within 20 minutes (even the ones with "1 hour" runtime bulbs). I've since put Bugout Luxeon 3 bulbs in all of my incandescent Surefires, except for the great A2.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

IMHO LEDs are now taking over the 'small' light segment because of their versatility. Four or six levels from an incan? Variable power? Won't burn out? Yup, small lights are where LEDs rule for now.

My large lights and longer-range lights are still incans. However, I ALWAYS back them up with a LED. My primary working lights are LEDs. I now find the white light of the LEDs more conducive to working and color recognition than the yellow tinted incans. Funny I didn't always think this way but I adapted to the white light well.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

I love my C3 with 2 Pilas. It doesn't seem to yellow or dim after a few minutes and it has a wonderful light with great color definition and throw...it is one of my favorite lights.

Color definition is very poor, IMHO, with LED lights. When you are outside and you aim a U2 at something, the contrasts seem poor compared to a similar incandescent which shows better contrasts and more vivid colors.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

Funny you should mention that, I just got back from a flashaholic meeting in the dark with both open water and heavy jungle cover. We had a C3 with Pilas and KT2 Turbohead there, my M2-90 (P90, 2 rechargeables) and my U2. I didn't find I was losing much with the U2. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It may be individual preference and perception affecting how we see the world. I wouldn't doubt some folks see better by incan light.

PS: BTW Atomic_Chicken - try some of the variable power LEDs and fall in love with lights all over again /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My recommendations.. Surefire U2 Digital Ultra, any of the HDS Basic/Ultimate lights, PocketMate-W, Lionheart/Lioncub series.. they'll redefine how you look at lights with the ability to choose just the perfect amount of regulated, controlled light for each job.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

always carry spare batteries and lamps...
or get yourself a LED! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif That's what's appealing to me about LEDs: long life and nicer beams (if you don't get a greenie); but you have the potential problem of electronics failing.

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

I'm glad you've had good luck with LED's, but don't think they are definitely that much more durable than incans. I've had as many LED's go out on my in the last year as I have incan bulbs blow. I had an Inova X03 go out on me after falling 2-3' to a wood floor, a shock that shouldn't have killed an LED (but it did), and I've had many incans survive much worse falls. I also had a UK 2AAA LED die on me. LED's can and will fail, sometimes as easily as incan bulbs. There are also tasks that incans ae much better suited to than LED's.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should always carry a backup light (or three) so you aren't depending on just one (*or two) lights, and use the right light for the task, no one light can do it all, and LED's aren't good for everything.

-Keith

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

I think when LEDs fail its usually due to poor workmanship. I've had a EL Blaster that had its Lux III fall out of the light five minutes after taking it out of the box. I think poor workmanship plays a role in led failures. I've also had several other LED lights fail--most of the ones that failed me were made in China (Streamlight Jr. Lux, EL Blaster/TSP/FT lights, Streamlight TTs, as examples).


I've never had an issue with well made leds, but there is always time for a first I suppose. Overall, I notice that even in well made leds the connections from the led board are often tiny, and don't look too sturdy. So, while the led itself might take impact well, the power delivering system may not be (i.e. wires).

Re: Why I love LED\'s, And Won\'t Use Incandescent.

glock

Sounds to me like you had a bit of bad luck on that trip. Blew a bulb, then lost a flashlight! Good thing you didn't drown!

As for me I find a real NEED for both LED and incandescent. I've bought thousands of dollars of lights over the last 20 years and need them in my line of work.

I find that for me, LED lights are best for EDC. They are small, easy to carry, rugged and have a more than decent output. I carry one of my Fire~Fly's (I have both I and II) everyday attached to a tritium glow ring.

BUT, at work beyond 15 feet I find LEDs don't do that well. I switch to my work issued E2e or my C3, M3, SFM6 as required.

I find the bluish tint of the LED light really really annoying. Yea really annoying. It may have some output across the whole spectrum of colors but we all know it peaks in the blue, just like Incandescent peaks in the red (infrared)

I haven't bought a light in...about a year...gasp! Ok do the new Photon Freedoms count? They are very nice by the way, especially with the little holder with the clip/magnetic base. Anyway I'm waiting for a nice bright warm-white LED. Then maybe I'll say I'm an exclusively LED man.

For me the ideal combo is a tiny 1W led EDC and an E2e