Basic Flashlight Tutorial - An Introduction to High Performance Flashlights Basic Flashlight Tutorial An Introduction to High-Performance Flashlights Overview: I know what you're thinking to yourself. What is there to know about a flashlight, switch it on and it lights up, switch it off and the light goes out. That's true for the most basic flashlights. When looking for a new flashlight, I discovered that there is a huge community of people that are interested in (or obsessed with) flashlights.

They typically refer to themselves as 'flashaholics'. Initially, it was difficult to understand some of the discussions on the various forums because there were so many new terms. This page is a primer.

After you understand the basics you'll better understand the discussions on the various flashlight forums (like the Candlepower forum). Note: There will be products that I recommend on this page. I receive no compensation for this. These are simply products that I have used and would recommend to my friends. Flashlight Basics Until recently, virtually all flashlights were simple on/off devices (like the one below) with very limited output. Flashlights like the 4D-cell Maglite were considered to be some of the best, in terms of light output.

Dorcy 41-4295 MG-300 Weather Resistant LED Flashlight with TrueSpot Reflector, 130. AAA-cell batteries. This flashlight. I collect LED flashlights and Dorcy. Dorcy led flashlight repair The flashlight's relatively tiny size and very bright beam make it a good choice for. How to Replace a Flashlight's Bulb With an LED.

Shop from the world's largest selection and best deals for Dorcy Flashlights with Batteries. May need to replace batteries. Dorcy 41-2968 Flashlight With.

Those flashlights used an incandescent lamp (hot wire filament producing light). Except for the cheapest flashlights, incandescent lamps are being phased out. The newer flashlights using LEDs produce much more light than most of the flashlights using incandescent lamps. Most people have never seen a flashlight that has anything other than a simple on/off switch. The newer LED flashlights have many modes and various output levels. This makes them much more versatile. If the only options for a flashlight are off and full-on and the flashlight produces an intense output, it makes it almost useless for close-up use (reading a map while someone is driving, etc.) because it's simply too bright.

Nicholas Carr Does It Matter Pdf Editor. With multiple output levels, the light becomes much more versatile. The various output modes will be described in more detail later. A quick note.

Most people think it's normal to have to beat on a flashlight to make it work. We do it without thinking. It's almost as if it's coded into our DNA. Having to beat on a flashlight is normal for older, budget lights but not for high quality lights. High quality lights switch on flawlessly EVERY time. Popular Brands There are dozens of popular manufacturers of high performance flashlights.

Names like 4Sevens, Fenix (pronounced like Phoenix), Nitecore, Surefire, Streamlight are considered some of the best. Most of these lights remain on the cutting edge and, at any point in time, produce lights that produce the most intense output possible. Maglite (a familiar example below) is another very common brand but they're not typically considered to be at the cutting edge of technology (although the new XL100 may be an exception).

That doesn't mean that they're not good quality lights but if you're looking for bragging rights (brightest light, smallest size.), Maglite isn't generally in the running. However, if you want a light that's going to be reliable and will last nearly forever, Maglite is still a very good choice. Flashlight Prices When you initially get into flashlight collecting, you may be shocked by the prices. Many people are used to buying a two D-cell Rayovac flashlight for $2 at Wal-Mart (really, $2.00, batteries included). Some spend $30 on a two or three D-cell LED Maglite. For most people, these will do everything they need them to do. If you want higher performance flashlights, you'll have to pay significantly more.

For example, there are LED flashlights that operate off of one AA or one CR123A battery that produce significantly more light than a 2D-cell Maglite but you can expect to pay at least twice as much for those tiny, high performance lights. For example, the Nitecore EX11 below sells for approximately $60. On average, small single cell high performance LED flashlights cost approximately $50. Small high performance two cell flashlights (those that use two AA or 2 CR123A batteries) can cost $100 or more.

The second image below (Maelstrom G5) is one example. It's powered by two CR123A cells or one 18650 lithium-ion cell. It sells for $100-150 and is about 6' long. Custom lights (custom machined housings with high performance emitters and custom reflectors) can cost $500 or more. High performance handheld HID search lights can cost well over $2000. Note: In the two photos above, you can see that there is a chrome bezel on the end of the flashlight.