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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Flashlight recommendations (1 Viewer)

Correct, running at highest setting has a considerable effect on battery life and is very much the emergency setting. In practical terms the new 7.2 versions are more technically advanced than their predecessors and generate significantly more light at the normal setting anyway.

I actually own both Fenix and Led Lenser torches and tend to use the LLs most, tending to buy the more powerful Fenix types for emergency use and moderate powered LLs for day to day. The 8 battery Fenix torches are very good but too heavy and overkill for everyday.

One side issue of bright torches is that sooner or later if you are out in a group someone is threatening to kill someone else for destroying his night vision by careless handling!

If only they produced brightly coloured dayglo versions - I am not in the military and being able to easily locate them in moonlight would be a major plus point. (Rant over)(Taping is messy for the person about to suggest it)

Anyhow the next torch I buy may well be a Mk2 version of my head torch, it sounds as if it has a more rugged power cable which was always my worry with the original.

Anyway congrats on your purchase and I hope it is everthing you need. The 'smooth skinned' P variant probably causes less wear on your clothing than mine.
 
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Correct, running at highest setting has a considerable effect on battery life and is very much the emergency setting. In practical terms the new 7.2 versions are more technically advanced than their predecessors and generate significantly more light at the normal setting anyway.

I actually own both Fenix and Led Lenser torches and tend to use the LLs most, tending to buy the more powerful Fenix types for emergency use and moderate powered LLs for day to day. The 8 battery Fenix torches are very good but too heavy and overkill for everyday.

One side issue of bright torches is that sooner or later if you are out in a group someone is threatening to kill someone else for destroying his night vision by careless handling!

If only they produced brightly coloured dayglo versions - I am not in the military and being able to easily locate them in moonlight would be a major plus point. (Rant over)(Taping is messy for the person about to suggest it)

Anyhow the next torch I buy may well be a Mk2 version of my head torch, it sounds as if it has a more rugged power cable which was always my worry with the original.

Anyway congrats on your purchase and I hope it is everthing you need. The 'smooth skinned' P variant probably causes less wear on your clothing than mine.

Many thanks,

Regards Gerard.
 
I am an engineer and often work in dark buildings so I did quite a bit of research to try to find the smallest and brightest torch that can be easily carried in the pocket. The very brightest torches now use the latest generation of CREE XM-L2 LED chips and these are ridiculously bright when running at full power (most need power-down switching for normal use). Some torches with these latest LEDs use conventional AA and AAA batteries but the smallest, brightest & longest lasting use a single 3.7 volt re-chargeable 18650 Lithium-ion battery and measure around 9cm long x 2.5 cm wide.

There is a relatively small number of sub-10cm length torches on the market, mostly quite pricey though. Some with a high quality power switching come in at £40-£50. However, the cheapest one that I found (Tiny-18650) uses a lens twist switch and sells at £20.50 ($33). See web sites below.

The twist switch on mine has become a little intermittent after 6 months use but that may only need the thread to be cleaned.

Web sites for three sub-10cm torches :

www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?
http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/explorer-series/nitecore-ec2-led-torch.html
http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/olight-torches/olight-s20-baton-led-torch.html
 
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I'm reviving this old thread as I'm thinking of updating my torch when I go the the USA in a couple of weeks.

I have an LED Lenser P14 which is good but I am wondering how much the technology has changed since I bought it in 2009.

I'd be typically using it for torching nightbirds and mammals in rainforest.

Advice welcome.

Thanks

Dave
 
I use a Fenix UC40, which is 960 lumens and has the advantage of being rechargeable via a micro USB (basically a phone charger). Certainly gives off plenty of light and is very compact.
 
The main changes in flashlights since 2009 has been yet more power from LEDs and the use of integral charging, usually via USB.

There has also been an increase in very cheap lights either in the form of out and out fakes and in no-name discount store products, a friend recently purchased a 600 lumen, multimode torch with integral charging from discount supermarket for £20!
 
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