headlamp/torch

[GTB_an_Owl]

wife bought me the headlamp/torch from Aldi today

at $14 i am impressed

geoff

[Steffen]

I saw those. How bright is the red light? Is it dimmable?

[GTB_an_Owl]

bit bright and no dim
7 red leds - 2 settings - on and flashing
7 white leds - bright
torch - high and low

magnetic adjustable end

usb charging

geoff

[blindman]

Kmart - 5$ , 4 settings

[Hoges]

I've bought quite a few of Hank Wang's D4v2's from his website. I also just picked up a couple of his right-angled versions and head bands that work really well for head lamps. You can specify a deep red sst20 tint for astro and they'll go from a really low moonlight to very very bright and anywhere in between. They're a tad on the bulky side and it might take a bit of head scratching to get your head around the Anduril operating system but they make for a very good light. Website here: https://intl-outdoor.com/led-flashlights/emisar-dw4-right-angle-1-18650-work-light.html Liteshop in Sydney have some really good lights too - I'm quite liking the Royvon E3 as a little cap light with red/white led's.

[GTB_an_Owl]

i think it would be easy enough to block out how ever many leds you wanted to

geoff

[michael_qrt]

Damn, now I'm looking into the dual channel version of the DW4 right angle/headlight with the deep red and white light modes. Could be a great light to cover all needs for camping and astro.

Can you have it start up on the lowest mode? Have you tried the dual channel models?

[Hoges]

Yes to the first - either it will remember the last setting you had it on and turn on at that mode, or press and hold from off until it comes on - that will be moonlight mode. If you keep pressing it, it will start to ramp up in brightness until you release. Most good led torches will go straight to moonlight mode when pressed and hold from off.


I don't have any dual channel lights but it's a good idea. The Osram W2 is generally the brightest leds if you're going for flat out brightness but I think my favorite is the 4000k sst20 - a slightly 'golden' light that shows colors reasonably faithfully (hi Color Render Index). And I rarely find myself using these lights on turbo very often - they get too hot after 20 seconds or so.

[michael_qrt]

That's good to hear, a lot of cheap torches have to go through bright modes before getting to low or red (and the low often isn't really low enough).

For the LED choice I was thinking the exact same thing, the 4000k 95cri LEDs for the white light mode should be pretty much ideal and as you say the high/turbo mode is only going to be used very occasionally.

My only concern at the moment is if it's a bit too big for a general purpose headlamp

[Hoges]

And that is my only criticism of the DW4 - it is a little bulky. I grabbed a couple of headbands when I ordered mine and the light sits pretty snugly in it. For walking around and general use it doesn't feel too heavy to me but I would probably opt for something lighter if I was taking it bushwalking or running. Although having the right angled head and getting the magnetic tail cap does make for a handy light non the less. This seemed a pretty fair review: https://youtu.be/YxWbk-RB_G4

[Hoges]

Something I haven't used till tonight is manual memory mode - by default these lights will come on at their last used level. But, when you've got it at your preferred brightness, click 5 times and then the light will always come on at that level. While on, 5 clicks and hold the last click will put it back in auto memory mode.

[michael_qrt]

Fair enough, maybe I was getting a little over excited thinking it would be one light to do it all but it's probably bigger than I'd like for general use. Everything else seems just about right and it's good to hear you can set it to always start on low. I'll have to have a think about it.

Looking at other options I've also found the Sofirn D25LR with a single white and red LED. It's a bit smaller and looks more balanced as a headlamp, uses the same type of deep red 660nm LED (most cheap red torches and headlamps seem to use shorter wavelength red/orange LEDs that aren't as good for maintaining night vision) and has moonlight modes for both red and white. It's also cheaper but the available modes other than the moonlight mode are weighted more to brighter settings than I'd like. Realistically when out observing the red moon mode is the only one you'd want to use so maybe it'd be fine.

[Hoges]

Might be worth doing a search for Anduril flashlights - Anduril is the software that some lights use - it's this that gives you a infinitely variable brightness along with a whole host of settings that would rarely get used. Also consider if a right angled light could clip into a shirt/jacket pocket on the chest and be useful rather than on the head.

[michael_qrt]

Yeah, it looks like a very flexible UI and if they had that on the D25LR it would suit my needs very well I think. For my use if its going to be a multi-purpose light it's going to have to be a headlamp as that's 90% of my use of a light and size/weight are also an issue.

Currently I use a Zebralight AA size headlight on the lowest (~0.2 lumens) mode for astro and it seems ok but I'm wondering if a true deep red light might be a bit better. Might stick with that for now but keep my eye out for anything that better hits my quite specific requirements.

[Hoges]

This one has four levels of brightness on a red led and is cheap enough to be worth a punt..... https://www.sofirnlight.com/products/d25lr-rechargeable-headlamp-with-lh351d-5000k-white-led-and-sst20-dr-660-nm-red-led-micro-usb-charging-port?spm=..collection_1e687207-64a3-4368-97a2-7aa1082d1b81.collection_detail_1.2&spm_prev=..index.header_1.1

[Irish stargazer]

If anyone is interested in a slightly more expensive light I have been using one of these for around a year now. It has a one lumen low red light mode with a dedicated red light button (no modes to switch through), USB rechargeable and weighs almost nothing. Its s good general purpose light for other activities such as general camping, fishing etc...Awesome light.
Nitecore NU25.

https://www.amazon.com.au/NITECORE-NU25-Rechargeable-Headlamp-Black/dp/B078PH9DCB/ref=asc_df_B078PH9DCB/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=341792260070&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1780066977814857290&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9069158&hvtargid=pla-487455989214&psc=1

[michael_qrt]

Yep, that's one I've been looking at, in fact I've gone ahead and ordered one so I'll post up some impressions when it arrives.