A little advice please.

[Gareth]

OK, I'm rather taken with the look of the Eagletac D25A clicky, mostly as it has these important features:
 
Single AA
compact size
pocket clip
tail switch
Multi mode (though I'm still not sure I understand how the D25A UI works )

Are there other lights that I should be looking at that would be similar?

[Taxi Dad]

i don't claim to know about torches (or 'flashlights' , for our colonial cousins) but i love the led lenser P3
tickes most of your boxes i think and only cheep. and the batteries last forever 

[Gareth]

A nice though mate, but I'm really looking for a 1xAA light rather than a 1xAAA right now.

[Millhouse]

I don't have one, but they do look quite nice. I'm not a fan of reverse clicky switches, so that will prevent me getting one.

[Mr. Whippy]

Although I only have the CR123 versions, I really like my Zebralights.  I know they recently came out with a AAX1 light with tail and side clickie.

Travis has them I believe.

[nuphoria]

Yes, anything made by ZL is worth a look

Also have a looksee at the Nitecore D11.2 http://www.nitecore.co.uk/nitecore-d11-v2.html

[enki_ck]

Is there a specific mode sequence you prefer? Like low-mid-high or mid-low-high, ... I personally don't like lights that start on high. 

[Gareth]

Is there a specific mode sequence you prefer? Like low-mid-high or mid-low-high, ... I personally don't like lights that start on high.

A good question.  I'm not a fan of being forced into going through Low mode every time I turn on a light, most of the time I need a torch I'm looking for more than 5 lumen. 

With that in mind I like to have one of these UI's; mode memory, physical selector or user programmable levels.  Failing that I like a med-low-high sequence, but that's a lesser choice.


Can't believe I'd stopped looking at the Zebralights and I'd forgotten about the piston drive Nitecore's. Good suggestions both. 

[Millhouse]

Nitecore MT1A.

2 mode light. With the head tightened, the light always comes on in high. With the head slightly loosened, 6 user selectable modes, with memory.

[Gareth]

Another good looking light Milhouse.  Probably a little bulkier than I was thinking TBH, but very nice none-the-less.

[Gareth]

BTW if ThruNite did a clicky version of my T10 I'd be a very happy man.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Is there a specific mode sequence you prefer? Like low-mid-high or mid-low-high, ... I personally don't like lights that start on high.

A good question.  I'm not a fan of being forced into going through Low mode every time I turn on a light, most of the time I need a torch I'm looking for more than 5 lumen. 

With that in mind I like to have one of these UI's; mode memory, physical selector or user programmable levels.  Failing that I like a med-low-high sequence, but that's a lesser choice.


Can't believe I'd stopped looking at the Zebralights and I'd forgotten about the piston drive Nitecore's. Good suggestions both. 

I think the UI on the D25A is a linear loop; you half click to change modes and it cycles around through the modes.  IIRC, cycling through all modes twice in rapid succession takes you to the blinky modes, which you don't normally have to deal with unless you do the rapid two cycle thing to access them.

The Zebra UI is very unique; it will seem odd at first, but give yourself some time and you'll get used to it.  It's actually a lot more complicated on paper than it is in use.  Simply put, from off, click and hold to cycle through the modes from low in high.  From off, a quick click turns the light on in high.  From off, a slow click turns the light on in low.  From off, a quick double click cycles quickly through high and into medium.  In any mode, double click to access the alternative level for that mode; it will remember the sub-level in each mode.  To program the second sub-level for the modes that have them, double click seven times in that mode to access the options for the second sub-level.  Just turn off when done, and wait a few seconds and the sub-level choice is memorized.

Okay, maybe that wasn't easier than Zebralight's instructions... oh well, I tried.   

[nuphoria]

It does become quite easy, compared to a lot of other types of UI out there!

I especially like the ability to turn on in low mode

[Gareth]

Actually Heinz that does make sense.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

It does become quite easy, compared to a lot of other types of UI out there!

I especially like the ability to turn on in low mode

That's the beauty of the Zebra UI; instant access to either high or low from off.

The old NiteCore D10's used to have a similar UI, but it was changed when they updated it to the D11.  IIRC the enraged outcries of incensed users over the 'new' UI prompted them to release the D11.2 which is very similar to the old UI. 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Actually Heinz that does make sense.

Cool!  Glad it helped. 

[nuphoria]

It does become quite easy, compared to a lot of other types of UI out there!

I especially like the ability to turn on in low mode

That's the beauty of the Zebra UI; instant access to either high or low from off.

The old NiteCore D10's used to have a similar UI, but it was changed when they updated it to the D11.  IIRC the enraged outcries of incensed users over the 'new' UI prompted them to release the D11.2 which is very similar to the old UI. 

Yeah, I have an EX.11.2 which is like the old UI - it's for sale but no-ones wants it

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

It does become quite easy, compared to a lot of other types of UI out there!

I especially like the ability to turn on in low mode

That's the beauty of the Zebra UI; instant access to either high or low from off.

The old NiteCore D10's used to have a similar UI, but it was changed when they updated it to the D11.  IIRC the enraged outcries of incensed users over the 'new' UI prompted them to release the D11.2 which is very similar to the old UI. 

Yeah, I have an EX.11.2 which is like the old UI - it's for sale but no-ones wants it

I'd buy a D11.2 if they made one with a neutral emitter.   

[Cupboard]

What about a Fenix? They've got a bit of a range of single AA lights, mine's an LD10 which replaced an LD10 that got nicked which replaced an LD01 that got nicked

[enki_ck]

What about a Fenix? They've got a bit of a range of single AA lights, mine's an LD10 which replaced an LD10 that got nicked which replaced an LD01 that got nicked

You shoud stop hanging around with that Nick guy. I think he has sticky fingers.

[Gareth]

 

What about a Fenix? They've got a bit of a range of single AA lights, mine's an LD10 which replaced an LD10 that got nicked which replaced an LD01 that got nicked

I did take a look at the E11 as an option but it's still a little long for my taste right now.  The LD10 is a great light but I have a couple of lights about the same size already.

[Millhouse]

How about your original suggestion again, the D25A clicky, but in titanium.

Can't let Nuphoria have all the shiny things.

[Gareth]

Thanks for all the input folks.   In the end I've gone for the D25A Clicky XP-G R4 anyway.   I wanted to try a more neutral tinted light, hence the R4, but I also like a bit of throw, hence the XP-G.

Really looking forward to this one; could this be my ultimate EDC light?

[enki_ck]

Thanks for all the input folks.   In the end I've gone for the D25A Clicky XP-G R4 anyway.   I wanted to try a more neutral tinted light, hence the R4, but I also like a bit of throw, hence the XP-G.

Really looking forward to this one; could this be my ultimate EDC light?

Naa, you're an addict just like me. You'll buy many other lights in the future, just to try them out.

[Gareth]

sadly you are probably right.  

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Thanks for all the input folks.   In the end I've gone for the D25A Clicky XP-G R4 anyway.   I wanted to try a more neutral tinted light, hence the R4, but I also like a bit of throw, hence the XP-G.

Really looking forward to this one; could this be my ultimate EDC light?

It could be, but who are you trying to fool?   

Even if you do end up carrying it every day, like you're going to stop buying new torches?   

I think you'll find the neutral tint will grow on you... ever since I discovered neutrals and high CRI emitters, I can't stomach cool tints anymore.  It's actually a good thing too, because it keeps my torch habit in check.     After a few years of this now, I've learned that tint and beam pattern trump pure output every day of the week.

[Gareth]

Oh I totally blame this tint thing on you mate.   To get the right combo of tint and emitter I wanted I had to order it in from the US, I couldn't find a UK supplier with just the right light.

[nuphoria]

It's a bit of a rabbit hole for sure!
I do like neutral/white lights but it also depends on when and where I tend to use them.

Hope you enjoy the new one Gareth - looking forward to seeing if I get with that UI too

[Gareth]

OK, the tint thing might not be totally Heinz's fault. I also found myself with an old incan torch that was given to my daughter and thinking "that really is a nice colour of light".  Everything else was exactly what you'd expect, dull, ringy etc, but it was nice and "warm" to look at.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

OK, the tint thing might not be totally Heinz's fault. I also found myself with an old incan torch that was given to my daughter and thinking "that really is a nice colour of light".  Everything else was exactly what you'd expect, dull, ringy etc, but it was nice and "warm" to look at.

Another convert!   

The thing about warm tints is they tent to be strongest in the range of the spectrum our eyes are most sensitive to.  The long wavelength (red) cones, and the medium wavelength (green) cones have a fair bit of overlap in the range of wavelengths they're sensitive to.  The brain encodes brightness based on signal intensity, and as a result, when viewing two objectively equally intense narrow spectrum lights (measured in photons, candelas, whatever), one yellow and one blue, we will see the yellow one as brighter.  That's simply because there are a lot more cones in the eye being stimulated and therefore producing a stronger signal sent to the brain. 

Now it's true that a cool tint emitter will be objectively (and perceptually) brighter than a neutral or a warm tint emitter, but this is because of how tints are done on LEDs.  They're coated with a phosphor layer that absorbs some portions of the spectrum, particularly the higher temperature wavelengths.  So even though we're more sensitive to warmer temperatures, we still see a cool tint as brighter because it has a greater amount of total wavelengths in its power spectrum than a neutral or warm tint emitter produces.

The advantage of this, though, is that because of the medium and long cones are being stimulated more by a neutral or warm tint, it provides a stronger activation in what's called the parvocellular retinal ganglion system. 

There are actually five major kinds of different neurons in the retina, with rods and cones being only one type, the photoreceptors.  There are at least four different kinds of retinal ganglion cells, and there may be a new one that was just discovered in the last few years, but I'll have to check to be sure...  Anyway, ganglion cells are the ones that get signals from the photoreceptors and then send that information to the brain.  There are several sub-types, with the magnocellular and parvocellular being the two main types.  It's the parvocellular ones that give us our detail, acuity, and color vision; the magno cells only encode motion and changes in brightness. 

Anyway, to get back to the point, the extra activation of the parvocellular system gives us better depth perception with a neutral or warm tint.  Shadows appear crisper and darker as a result, and it's those brightness differences that also affect the magno system, which increases our sense of depth with a neutral or warm tint as well. 

The magno system does get input from the cones, but it's important to note that rods only send their input to magno cells.  Thus, when you're fully dark adapted, what's called scotopic vision, only your rods are working as those levels of light are too dim to actually activate the cones.  Rods are six to ten times more sensitive to light than cones are; it takes only a single photon of light to stimulate a rod to fire an action potential.  A cone on the other hand, requires (you guessed it) six to ten photons of light to activate and produce an action potential.  What's more, rods are maximally sensitive at a wavelength of about 505 nm, which is on the green/blue borderline of the visible spectrum, but yet that information isn't encoded by the brain, so we are literally color blind when in true scotopic vision.  This results in a simple rule of thumb to know if you're truly in scotopic vision; if you can see the color of the light, it's too bright, and you're compromising your scotopic vision. 

I guess I should just skip explaining the difference between dark adaptation and scotopic vision for now, since I've really gone off on a wild tangent here!   

Okay, brain-dump over.