I guess I'm a little jaded with LED's...

[samuraishot]

...so I recently got a purely stock Surefire E2E in a trade and was ready to do a 'catch and release' and let it back into the wild over at the MP. It was still daytime when it arrived, so I tested it for functionality, and tossed it in my glove box. But I waited 'til dark fell and wanted to test it out, thinking it'll just be boring since I was so used to monster lumen packed triples, etc. that always bring a smile to my face.

I tried neutral and warm LED's that were nice, don't get me wrong, but I quickly sold them.

However, I realized that an incan is quite pleasant - soothing, if you will. Well, at least for this E2E. I loved the hotspot, but then the reflector let the light illuminate everything in my perimeter with a soft glow, just enough light.

There was a time I was into having a nice incan set up of my own and then scrapped the idea - now I'm back on that mission! Wish me luck!

 

[jellydonut]

There is nothing like a regulated incandescent. I advise you to buy an A2, pronto.

This will lead you down the not-so-dark path of the PhD-M6, multiple heads, bulb setups, bipin adapters.. until you arrive at the old 4 and 5D mags, scrounging for bi-pin sockets and the PhD-D1s out there!

Have fun.

 

[archimedes]

.... I realized that an incan is quite pleasant - soothing, if you will....

There was a time I was into having a nice incan set up of my own and then scrapped the idea - now I'm back on that mission! Wish me luck!

There is nothing like a regulated incandescent. I advise you to buy an A2, pronto....Have fun.

Yes, get an A2 ... hurry

 

[samuraishot]

I guess it's time, I've always wanted one anyway

 

[Monocrom]

It's a classic. I have one, along with 3 spare SF bulbs for it.

 

[Mikeg23]

There was a time I was into having a nice incan set up of my own and then scrapped the idea - now I'm back on that mission! Wish me luck!

Sounds to me like you already got one of the best!

 

[kaichu dento]

However, I realized that an incan is quite pleasant - soothing, if you will. Well, at least for this E2E. I loved the hotspot, but then the reflector let the light illuminate everything in my perimeter with a soft glow, just enough light.

I love both my E2E and E1e. Bought the latter just to have an incandescent Surefire, and the E2E because of the price. The pleasant surprise was how much enjoyment I get from them, as long as the output level is appropriate. Usually like to carry mine on nighttime walks.

 

[LGT]

Glad you like it samuraishot, it's been one of my favorites since I bought it about a year(or so) ago. While it's generally used in stock form, I'll also use replacement LF incan bulbs because they run on rcr batteries. Mostly to save the SF bulbs.

 

[kelmo]

I always have batteries in my E2O. Love the MN02 LA!

 

[samuraishot]

I've got an A2 on the way Woohoo!

 

[gravelrash]

Because of this thread I now have four A2s, two custom LED rings, and a new appreciation for incans. Y'all are really hurting my budget. I don't know if I should thank you or curse you (but I'm leaning toward the former).

A2 = Awesome.

 

[archimedes]

Congrats, new A2 owners ! ... :twothumbs

 

[samuraishot]

Congrats, new A2 owners ! ... :twothumbs

Thanks! After reading Calipsoli's thread, I noticed you have a pair of red/blue and cyan/amber rings. How are they working out with the incan beam? I'm considering warm white ring, but it seems a bit boring

 

[archimedes]

Thanks! After reading Calipsoli's thread, I noticed you have a pair of red/blue and cyan/amber rings. How are they working out with the incan beam? I'm considering warm white ring, but it seems a bit boring

Hmmm ... "buy both" ? ...

Actually, it's funny, recently I've found myself wanting a (multi-mode) warm white ring. I already have a koala Onion Ring (single-mode) in warm white, though, so I haven't yet added the MM-WW calipsoii ring.

As for the multi-mode/multi-color rings, they are just fantastic !

I have some preference for the CY/AM, since I find output range of the the cyan a bit more useful in low-light than that of the red (of my RD/BL ring).

If you get a MM-RD ring with only a single red LED, be aware that the red output is rather low, even adjusted to maximum. I find that a bit too low to comfortably read by, with my old vision. Additionally, the tints of both the cyan and the amber are just really pleasing to the eye, whereas the red and blue are the routine sort-of-expected tints. The cyan emitter also has remarkable throw, when compared with many of the other color LED options.

If you were interested in making a super-low-light-special torch, maybe the best combo might be an MM-CY(x1)/RD(x2) ring .... the single cyan would have more throw, good output, and better general color/detail rendition (near the most sensitive portion of the visible spectrum), while the double deep-red would be more floody and could still be adjusted very low, but have a bit more useable top-end output.

The color LEDs, of any color, don't really "match" the incandescent lamp of course ... not like the warm white LEDs. But they do offer specialized features, and there aren't all that many multi-color flashlights available (at least compared to the number in plain "white").

Lots of fun options to consider, in any case -

 

[Mark@LF]

Yes, indeed.
Get the A2 while you still can, you will be glad you did.
The size and output is just right for any situation even when stock.

The A2 is one of my favorite lights along with the E2e.
I personally like the older generation E2e with the round head and the last generation body, it is my EDC together with the A2.

 

[mat_the_cat]

it is my EDC together with the A2.

I guess this bodes well for future availability of LF lamp assemblies for the A2

 

[samuraishot]

Well guys, my first A2 finally arrived I'm glad I nabbed one. It has calipsoli's UV ring and man is it one awesome light - both the LED's and, of course, the incan beam! The UV's are no joke! I thought the output was weak (granted there was ambient light), but when the lights were all off and I did a quick burst in my living room, everything in the room that could fluoresce lit up! Now to try out the green LED's...

But, that A2 incan beam is oh so nice - now I know what the fuss is all about when members rave over the beam!

 

[StorminMatt]

Speaking of incandescent vs LED, one one use for which I have found incandescent to be noticeably better is photography. Specifically, light painting. Last night, after getting a Christmas tree up in the hills, I went to an isolated road where I tried some rudimentary painting. I tried two lights - my ROP 6D Maglite and my Coast HP550 XM-L. Although I don't find anything objectionable about the light from the HP550, things look MUCH different in a picture. The ROP produces a warmer image with far better color rendition. And by comparison, the HP550 looks overly green (even though it doesn't appear to be green to me in person).

 

[mat_the_cat]

Well guys, my first A2 finally arrived

There's a certain inevitability about that remark...

 

[SemiMan]

Speaking of incandescent vs LED, one one use for which I have found incandescent to be noticeably better is photography. Specifically, light painting. Last night, after getting a Christmas tree up in the hills, I went to an isolated road where I tried some rudimentary painting. I tried two lights - my ROP 6D Maglite and my Coast HP550 XM-L. Although I don't find anything objectionable about the light from the HP550, things look MUCH different in a picture. The ROP produces a warmer image with far better color rendition. And by comparison, the HP550 looks overly green (even though it doesn't appear to be green to me in person).

No, you made a comparison of Incan against one specific LED with one specific set of color settings on your camera. It would be highly dependent on the color setting of the camera and/or if you picked auto mode which without much light may default to a more incan setting as traditionally low interior light is incan.

If you compared to a high CRI warm white LED, you may not have noticed as much of a difference or you may have preferred the LED. That said, with the camera color settings, there is the possibility to do "anything". A 4000K high CRI LED would potentially be far superior as the incan lacks color gamut and while it may be good for painting rocks and similar brown items, it could find itself lacking for the green of the trees. I prefer my greens green, not warm browny green.

Semiman