Advice on custom flashlights

[Rubecula]

Hi,
I'm a novice to the world of flashlights and have gone down the rabbit hole finding myself at your wonderful forum. I'm hoping you kind folk could help me please.
I'm looking for an edc flashlight that can combine my needs, I work mostly as a field botanist but also survey fauna so am very keen to find a multi function light with an output ajustable white light, a red light for minimising my presence to fauna and UV light for identifying bryophtes, lichens and fungi.
I'm happy with the idea of paying a bit more for something that will last a lifetime, Okluma or a similar flashlight maker greatly appeals.
I notice a couple of custom makers like Overready boss 35 and Laulima Ion had the option of a red light. Are there any custom makers or moders who would be able to make a light with uv as well?
Thanks for you help.

 

[kerneldrop]

I would do 3 separate lights
you don't have to buy a custom, but of course can if you want. The differences are mostly in the metal machining.

This site is popular: https://intl-outdoor.com/

 

[troutpool]

I agree: 3 separate lights. Check out HDS Systems, Malkoff Devices, and McGizmo to begin with. Get a high CRI emitter in the white light for accurate color rendering.

 

[Rubecula]

Thanks for the advice. They look really
good lights. The idea of seperate heads could be the way.
I was hoping to combine the 3 led colours in one light I'd keep on me ready for any situation. I have a headtorch with a red filter when i know im out night surveying or navigating at night.
Would you know anyone who could combine the 3 leds or is it unrealistic?
Thanks again for the help.

 

[kerneldrop]

Thanks for the advice. They look really
good lights. The idea of seperate heads could be the way.
I was hoping to combine the 3 led colours in one light I'd keep on me ready for any situation. I have a headtorch with a red filter when i know im out night surveying or navigating at night.
Would you know anyone who could combine the 3 leds or is it unrealistic?
Thanks again for the help.

There actually is another alternative. It's not HCRI, but it's exactly what you want in one light.

Set the Scene with the XLamp® XM-L Color Gen2 RGBW LEDs

The XLamp XM-L Color Gen 2 LEDs are Cree LEDs’ newest generation RGBW LEDs. Delivering a combination of high lumen output and great color mixing in a small 5.0 x 5.0 mm package, the XLamp XM-L Color Gen 2 LEDs feature the smallest possible distance between LED die, creating a small optical...

www.led-professional.com

I'm going to order me a couple to build. My kids will think they are awesome.

https://www.mouser.com/c/?marcom=124100588

 

[LEDphile]

There actually is another alternative. It's not HCRI, but it's exactly what you want in one light.

Set the Scene with the XLamp® XM-L Color Gen2 RGBW LEDs

The XLamp XM-L Color Gen 2 LEDs are Cree LEDs’ newest generation RGBW LEDs. Delivering a combination of high lumen output and great color mixing in a small 5.0 x 5.0 mm package, the XLamp XM-L Color Gen 2 LEDs feature the smallest possible distance between LED die, creating a small optical...

www.led-professional.com

I'm going to order me a couple to build. My kids will think they are awesome.

https://www.mouser.com/c/?marcom=124100588

Except that an RGBW package doesn't have any UV output.

It's certainly possible to build something with red, white, and UV, but for hobbyist quantities, you're talking discrete emitters per color.

 

[kerneldrop]

Except that an RGBW package doesn't have any UV output.

It's certainly possible to build something with red, white, and UV, but for hobbyist quantities, you're talking discrete emitters per color.

What driver or kind of driver, and MCPCB would you use for a red, white, and UV?

 

[Lemurian]

Greetings from Northern California, amigo! Check out darksucks.com, they have Prometheus Lights and 4Sevens. The Prometheus Beta comes in 4 different colors, including red or green. The green supposedly is easier on fauna (scary-wise), and the red is good for reading maps (including star maps), script, etc, while preserving night vision. You can also make little lightsabers out of them, which kids and nerds like me enjoy. There's a Beta in UV, great for finding scorpions around here; I use the protective goggles they recommend and am careful about the beam in general. Malkoff has some powerful reds and greens, along with other great stuff. I find the Malkoff drop-in (4000K 95 cri, three output levels) from illumn.com really nice in my Malfoff MD2. It's a warm beam, but not excessively so. I'm a high cri man, things just look nicer and it takes less effort/time to identify/differentiate stuff. The Prometheus Alphas and Deltas are awesome. The Alpha spreads the beam nicely and there are various optic choices for the Delta, along with various LED (temp) choices. Reliability is a priority for me. Also, I am going to try out a vinyl diffuser for the Malkoff to spread the beam out more. I got some from skylumen.com. I hope this helps and I hope the fauna is peaceful! Any bigfoots down there? Just curious...

 

[scalpel_ninja]

Thanks for the advice. They look really
good lights. The idea of seperate heads could be the way.
I was hoping to combine the 3 led colours in one light I'd keep on me ready for any situation. I have a headtorch with a red filter when i know im out night surveying or navigating at night.
Would you know anyone who could combine the 3 leds or is it unrealistic?
Thanks again for the help.

I would also look into Emisar lights that have dual channel capabilities. It would at least reduce your lights from three to two. Like a D4V2 or KR4 could combine two lights into one. One channel could run two of the four LEDs as high CRI emitters, and the other two could be red emitters. The owner of the company (Hank) does take custom orders and they aren't too expensive. Perhaps he might be able to even combine a third light by making the auxiliary emitters UV?

Here's the store page: https://intl-outdoor.com/

Dual channel lights aren't listed, but you can certainly email him with the request.

 

[Rubecula]

Greetings from Northern California, amigo! Check out darksucks.com, they have Prometheus Lights and 4Sevens. The Prometheus Beta comes in 4 different colors, including red or green. The green supposedly is easier on fauna (scary-wise), and the red is good for reading maps (including star maps), script, etc, while preserving night vision. You can also make little lightsabers out of them, which kids and nerds like me enjoy. There's a Beta in UV, great for finding scorpions around here; I use the protective goggles they recommend and am careful about the beam in general. Malkoff has some powerful reds and greens, along with other great stuff. I find the Malkoff drop-in (4000K 95 cri, three output levels) from illumn.com really nice in my Malfoff MD2. It's a warm beam, but not excessively so. I'm a high cri man, things just look nicer and it takes less effort/time to identify/differentiate stuff. The Prometheus Alphas and Deltas are awesome. The Alpha spreads the beam nicely and there are various optic choices for the Delta, along with various LED (temp) choices. Reliability is a priority for me. Also, I am going to try out a vinyl diffuser for the Malkoff to spread the beam out more. I got some from skylumen.com. I hope this helps and I hope the fauna is peaceful! Any bigfoots down there? Just curious...

Kia ora,
No bigfoots that I've heard of but there is talk of a Fiordland moose. I do like those crypto zoology stories.
The faunas very tame in comparison to the states, I guess wild pigs or rutting stags would be the only danger but not really.
I did see the prometheus lights and thought they looked great, i didn't notice the beta uv. It could be a good small option if i can't combine the lights. Thanks for the tips.
I hadn't heard green is better for wildlife, we're told to use red out here as kiwi aren't supposed to see it, i wonder if they can see green? Red green is supposed to be on a spectrum.

 

[Rubecula]

I would also look into Emisar lights that have dual channel capabilities. It would at least reduce your lights from three to two. Like a D4V2 or KR4 could combine two lights into one. One channel could run two of the four LEDs as high CRI emitters, and the other two could be red emitters. The owner of the company (Hank) does take custom orders and they aren't too expensive. Perhaps he might be able to even combine a third light by making the auxiliary emitters UV?

Here's the store page: https://intl-outdoor.com/

Dual channel lights aren't listed, but you can certainly email him with the request.

Thanks, I'll have a look into it

 

[desert.snake]

NITECORE SRT7GT - white, green, red, blue + UV led. Unfortunately he is not custom and not high CRI . But the company has been making fairly reliable lamps in recent years.

Red light seems to be invisible to many arthropods, but mammals, reptiles and amphibians perfectly smell a person and his body heat.

 

[kerneldrop]

NITECORE SRT7GT - white, green, red, blue + UV led. Unfortunately he is not custom and not high CRI . But the company has been making fairly reliable lamps in recent years.

Oh dang, I didn't know such a light existed. This is definitely the most practical option.

To the OP:
Custom lights for the most part have the same internals as any other light. They just have nicer metal work. And people mostly use custom lights to take fancy photos with, not use.

 

[Lemurian]

Kia ora,
No bigfoots that I've heard of but there is talk of a Fiordland moose. I do like those crypto zoology stories.
The faunas very tame in comparison to the states, I guess wild pigs or rutting stags would be the only danger but not really.
I did see the prometheus lights and thought they looked great, i didn't notice the beta uv. It could be a good small option if i can't combine the lights. Thanks for the tips.
I hadn't heard green is better for wildlife, we're told to use red out here as kiwi aren't supposed to see it, i wonder if they can see green? Red green is supposed to be on a spectrum.

The beta in uv is the purple one, the beta qrv2 365uv. The Prometheus Alphas and Malkoffs are burly. I've had cheaper lights fail sitting in a glove box or drawer, barely used. I can't afford to have a light fail where I am. Also, I don't skip on batteries or chargers. For spare batteries, check out the delrin battery lockers (countycomm.com) for spare lithium/lithium ions etc. I also have battery caddies for NiMh batteries. I even have some paleblueearth.com aa's and aaa's for stuff requiring alkalines only or more extreme weather.

 

[Lemurian]

Footage of people having strong batteries in the pants pocket with loose change can be pretty brutal...not my kind of weenie roast!

 

[Rubecula]

NITECORE SRT7GT - white, green, red, blue + UV led. Unfortunately he is not custom and not high CRI . But the company has been making fairly reliable lamps in recent years.

Red light seems to be invisible to many arthropods, but mammals, reptiles and amphibians perfectly smell a person and his body heat.

Awesome, thank you, that's what I've been looking for.

 

[Rubecula]

Scary, you've convinced me about spare batteries lockers.
Thank you all for the help.