HDS Systems EDC #21

[kaichu dento]

It's because they have been working on the Optisolis. Currently, they are not bright enough, but Nichia is working on the possible release of a high powered one hopefully sometime next year. They are estimating 99-100 CRI. I read a paper on them in Japanese (Hogo has bizarre skills). Will it become a reality? I don't know. Obviously Nichia thinks it will.

I'm really looking forward to the Optisolis and also more 3500k emitters. You'll be letting us know when/if they hit the market I'm sure?

 

[kaichu dento]

Personally, I keep my clicky in program mode 24-7...as you say, I'm the only one using it...makes it only a double-click and hold to change the presets as I wish for different situations.

Ditto, I never leave programming mode.

That's how I've always left my Clicky's, permanently in programming mode so that I can fine tune the levels depending on how I'm using the light at the time. Love the way Henry thought all this stuff through, to our benefit.

 

[maukka]

Just got my sw45k rotary. Smooth beam and very nice rosy tint as expected!

Some CRI and tint measurements from three parts in the beam. Hotspot, corona, middle of spill.

 

[Random Dan]

I just got a chance to test drive my new 3000K and 4500K 9080, and ... I still think the old 4000K 9050 is my favorite. The 3000 is the clear winner for evening walks in wooded areas where it makes everything warm and friendly looking. The 4500 is marginally superior to the 4000 during daylight due to its higher cct. But overall the 4000 provides the best balance of making everything look nice. Of course that's based off of one day/night of use so I may change my mind later.

 

[F89]

That's how I've always left my Clicky's, permanently in programming mode so that I can fine tune the levels depending on how I'm using the light at the time. Love the way Henry thought all this stuff through, to our benefit.

I like to keep it locked out. Once I've set my four levels I'm done and like the security of no accidental entering of programming.
While I like customisable drivers I pretty much treat them all the same, fine tune to my liking then I'm done.

 

[F89]

I just got a chance to test drive my new 3000K and 4500K 9080, and ... I still think the old 4000K 9050 is my favorite. The 3000 is the clear winner for evening walks in wooded areas where it makes everything warm and friendly looking. The 4500 is marginally superior to the 4000 during daylight due to its higher cct. But overall the 4000 provides the best balance of making everything look nice. Of course that's based off of one day/night of use so I may change my mind later.

The thing about the sw45k is that it renders white far more accurately than any of the others and the overall clarity and huge boost in CRI, for my eyes anyway, is a great difference.
A cosy tint from a lower K emitter with the corresponding warmer coloured tint is always nice in the bush etc.
For me the sw45k is like the truth meter of light because of its clinical like rendering. It's particularly good matched to a complimentary reflector which makes a good thing go to the next level.

 

[F89]

An R9 of 98 in the spill. Impressive stuff muakka.

 

[kaichu dento]

I like to keep it locked out. Once I've set my four levels I'm done and like the security of no accidental entering of programming.
While I like customisable drivers I pretty much treat them all the same, fine tune to my liking then I'm done.

Been carrying a Clicky on and off for years now and never suffered any problems with leaving it unlocked, and for some of us it is a very real benefit being able to tweak level settings on the fly. YMMV.

 

[F89]

Been carrying a Clicky on and off for years now and never suffered any problems with leaving it unlocked, and for some of us it is a very real benefit being able to tweak level settings on the fly. YMMV.

I'm not denying what's good for you, just commenting on my use.
I find that I have no need to alter any of the four levels once I've set them to my preference. Same goes for other settings, once I've chosen what I like it's locked in.

 

[kaichu dento]

I find that I have no need to alter any of the four levels once I've set them to my preference. Same goes for other settings, once I've chosen what I like it's locked in.

For settings it's exactly the same for me too. The times I want to alter the set levels it's always among the lowest three and I tend to never touch the top selected level.

 

[F89]

For settings it's exactly the same for me too. The times I want to alter the set levels it's always among the lowest three and I tend to never touch the top selected level.

I can imagine it could be useful to have a selection of a low spread of levels in some circumstances.
I'm not quite sure the exact levels mine are set to but it's basically a moonlight, low, medium and high type spread.

 

[peter yetman]

Both my clickies are kept out of programming mode, but my tactical is always set to be able to program on the fly. I really don't get on with the variable dial and have it set to maximum instead of variable. I like to think that I'll find a use for it in variable, but it hasn't happened yet.
P

 

[RCS1300]

AIf I'm on top of big walker mountain this year and it's -20 degrees I can click a lot easier than I can turn a knob. Guarantee it. : D

You have got to look into the Downward Draw Thors Custom Leather HDS holster with the military snap. This holster allows you to draw your light downward from your belt from under your winter coat. It provides easy access to the light and keeps the metal light warm until you need it. Real nice and highly recommended. I have one for just that purpose.




[h=5]Thor's Hammer Custom Leather[/h]June 22 ·







HDS holster that holds the light upside down and is secured by a 1 inch wide strap with military Pull-the-Dot snap. It's for someone who wants to get their light from under a winter jacket. We don't have winter jackets in Tucson. Just winter T-shirts.

 

[RCS1300]

I just got a chance to test drive my new 3000K and 4500K 9080, and ... I still think the old 4000K 9050 is my favorite. The 3000 is the clear winner for evening walks in wooded areas where it makes everything warm and friendly looking. The 4500 is marginally superior to the 4000 during daylight due to its higher cct. But overall the 4000 provides the best balance of making everything look nice. Of course that's based off of one day/night of use so I may change my mind later.

Yep, that was my take on the first night of use. Then came the next night...

As member F89 states, the R9080 4500 renders whites better than the R9050 4000 and outdoors the R9080 has less of a tan tint that makes everything look more natural including leaves, branches, grass, tree trunks, etc. I do like the R9050 4000 indoors though because it renders the brown in wooden floors, wooden furniture, and wooden staircases much nicer, warmer, comfortable.

 

[Modernflame]

Those of us who are leaving programming unlocked will probably be the first in line to get the new ramping UI, whenever the next software version is released.

 

[Lithium466]

I wish. But I don't expect it before many years. I've been reading the #16 to #20 threads these last days, and 4-5 years ago we were already talking about the headlamp, better efficiency driver, keychain light, etc. And price raises. Also the titanium rotary ! That one happened, with the flood reflector. But it was supposed to be in 2015, along with the headlamp (next step would be titanium headlamp). Is it 2015 yet ?

I'm still impressed Henry managed to tweak the firmware (2.18 version) like he did, cause 3-4 years ago the memory was said to be almost full so no new feature, and the 3 click lockout was removed initially to make space for other things (IIRC). Now looking forward to new goodies.

 

[RCS1300]

I'm still impressed Henry managed to tweak the firmware (2.18 version) like he did, cause 3-4 years ago the memory was said to be almost full so no new feature, and the 3 click lockout was remove initially to make space for other things (IIRC). Now looking forward to new goodies.

The Three click lockout and True momentary were the features that got me to purchase all new HDS lights with software version 2.18!

 

[Lithium466]

I admit that's what pushed me too

On a different matter, new vs "old" rotary battery tubes, does anyone have both and noticed the new one are much more squishy ?

 

[JKolmo]

Squishy, gritty and flashing.

 

[maukka]

I noticed some flicker on the lower levels 1-6 on my light. If someone's interested in the output behavior measured OTF, here's what it looks like. Measured levels 4 through 24. Sensor sensitivity / scope resolution not high enough for the lowest levels which also explains the low bit depth on the low levels. The snob index of 5%+ usually indicates that you can notice the flicker if you know how to search for it. 20%+ is getting to the distracting territory. The flicker on the HDS will probably never be visible in normal use.

https://imgur.com/a/vWucy5e