LRI Photon Freedom

[lampeDépêche]

Yeah, I think it's an extremely clever UI, and I am surprised that more companies have not copied it.

What I'm referring to in particular is the ability to switch between the momentary-on switch mode and the constant-on switch-mode.

The placement of the disco-modes is nice, too--it takes some work to get to them, as it should (if you encounter disco modes every time you cycle through the levels, then it gets annoying).

The infinite ramping I am more mixed about. It works fine in the Freedom, but in my larger lights I prefer discrete increments so that I know what level I am at and how much power I am consuming. If I let my eyes decide, they will almost always prefer more lumens, but with discrete levels (e.g. on a ZL), I can say, "I'm on M2; that's giving me 20 lumens, that's enough for this application."

It's a bit like the difference between portion-control and unlimited food in dieting. If I put out the whole bag of M&Ms, I'm going to eat the whole bag of M&Ms. So I'd rather put out controlled amounts that let me ration the total usage.

But that's a relatively minor defect in the Freedom UI, and since all of the levels are pretty low, it does not mean burning through a cell in an hour.

Then there's the PWM, which is pretty egregious if you move it or if it's raining. Yeah, I cannot make excuses for that one.

But the UI is really well-designed!

 

[gurdygurds]

Success. I found a Photon Freedom with the white led. Funny I don't remember picking this one up, but I do remember sending back a covert because the nose cone didn't block the side spill at all and had a funky wide ring in the beam. Anyway, played with this one for a bit and then grabbed some 100 grit sandpaper and went to work on the emitter. I have to say, what was once very ringy and blue, is now relatively smooth and quite a nice neutral-ish tint. Very pleased. Yes the PWM is hilariously slow but it doesn't make me ill or anything so I'll consider it part of the Photon's charm. I should've done a before and after of the beam. The sanding makes a world of difference just like on the E01. I may bump Carrot's 5mm Challenge thread and put everything away but this little Photon for a few days and get to know it. I'll try to add a beam shot tonight.
Untitled by Six Pound Cat, on Flickr

 

[flashfan]

Still a fan of the Photon Freedom, and carry two of them in my everyday gear bag. I especially like the covert unit and the clip, which I always carry when I travel. I clip the light onto my glasses and can read without bothering neighboring passengers on red-eye flights. The clip also is magnetized, for additional versatility. Newer, brighter lights are the on market now, but the Freedom is a keeper. Tiny, but with a "thumb" switch that is easy to use, and I don't recall a single incident of accidental activation (unlike newer lights) over the years since this light debuted. By far however, the "piece de resistance," is the user interface. I have yet to find another light that works as simply and as well.

Other than the now-defunct Photon Rex, that is. Same user interface, but larger and brighter. When the Rex first debuted, I didn't like the size and styling (compared to the Freedom), but it became my most-used light...function over form! Used almost daily, I went through two Rex lights over a period of years. I then tried to buy a new one, only to find that it had been discontinued. Still hoping Photon comes up with a replacement...

 

[CandleLite]

I have a covert red Freedom on a lanyard that I used for several years when I was outdoors with my telescope. It was around my neck and extremely handy to use when I didn't want to lose my night vision. Tiny, useful and adjustable from barely there to quite bright. It was the best portable flashlight to use for amateur astronomy, hands free if you held it with your lips. I have had it for 12-14 years and it still works like new. A great invention that was well executed.

 

[gurdygurds]

Beamshots. First one is Titanium Keylight on the left and sanded Photon Freedom on the right. 2nd is Sanded and sharpie modded E01 left and Photon on the right. Really surprised by how well the beam cleaned up.
Untitled by Six Pound Cat, on FlickrUntitled by Six Pound Cat, on Flickr

 

[gurdygurds]

One last beam comparison. On the left is my tint lottery winning E01, best tint I've seen on an E01. All I did was sand the led. Right is the Photon. Untitled by Six Pound Cat, on Flickr

 

[this_is_nascar]

One last beam comparison. On the left is my tint lottery winning E01, best tint I've seen on an E01. All I did was sand the led. Right is the Photon. Untitled by Six Pound Cat, on Flickr

It was just the LED you sanded or did you sand the reflector as well?

 

[gurdygurds]

On my E01s I use 100 grit and mash it in there and sand the whole thing. Led and reflector.

It was just the LED you sanded or did you sand the reflector as well?

 

[Tixx]

I wear a Photon Freedom Covert on my neck for the past few years. Most useful EDC I have ever owned.

The light weight

The UI

The size

It just needs an emitter upgrade to something more neutral and nicer.

 

[lampeDépêche]

It just needs an emitter upgrade to something more neutral and nicer.

Bingo. Try the Yuji 5600 for good tint, CRI, and decent output. Or the Yuji 3200 for *amazing* tint and color rendition, but somewhat lower output.

The upgrade is dead simple--just make a few bends in the legs of the LED with a needle-nose pliers or the like. No soldering, no skills required.

 

[lampeDépêche]

This is not restricted to the Photon line, but more about pure red LEDs in general.

They do something really striking with printed text, i.e. what we used to call "books". Even at very low levels, they make it vividly readable.

The other night, I had out a collection of ZL lights--my H51w, H52w, and H53c-- and my Photon red Covert. The room was pitch black, and my eyes were fully dark-adapted.

I turned all of them down to their lowest levels. That meant that the dimmest of them, the H51, hardly showed up on a wall 2 meters away. I cannot use it to navigate, it is so dim. The H52w is a bit brighter, and the H53c brighter still.

The red Photon on its lowest level was by far the dimmest of all four lights. But it was far and away the easiest one to read with.

All of the ZL lights would allow me to read if I had the light within a few centimeters of the page (as much as 10 cm back for the H53). But they make the page look milky and hazy, and it is hard to read; the type does not stand out from the page.

The red Photon has this amazing effect where the black type is deep, sharp black. And the white page around it has no glare of any kind. The letters stand out sharp and clear, even though the light is putting out less lumens than a white light that makes the whole thing hard to read.

Try it when you next have a red light that you can turn down low, and a white light that you can turn down low.

It probably has to do with the texture of book paper. It might not work as well with glossy magazine paper, because the surface is more reflective.

It's one of the reasons why I can get dozens of hours of reading from my red Photon Covert, even though it only has a 2032 cell in it--I can run it on maybe 50% mode (though who knows exactly what the level is--see my complaint above about infinite ramping).

Anyhow--for reading a book in the dark, red light is uniquely advantageous: sharp contrast with the type, little loss of night-vision, no suppression of melatonin (so no artificial wakefulness--if you *need* to stay awake, drink some coffee instead!).

 

[Tixx]

Bingo. Try the Yuji 5600 for good tint, CRI, and decent output. Or the Yuji 3200 for *amazing* tint and color rendition, but somewhat lower output.

The upgrade is dead simple--just make a few bends in the legs of the LED with a needle-nose pliers or the like. No soldering, no skills required.

Ok, cool. May try myself then. Prepping to destroy one light.

 

[Tixx]

Only sold in lots of 1000

https://store.yujiintl.com/collections/frontpage/products/bc-series-5mm?variant=962057753

 

[lampeDépêche]

I purchased a batch of 100 back when they sold them by the hundred. I'm sorry to see that they stopped selling anything less than 1000.

I gave away a bunch of these to people on this forum, free for an SASE, until I didn't have any more. I wish I could help you out, but I cannot.

However, I suspect that someone has worked out a group buy, either on this forum or maybe on some budget-oriented forum somewhere else. (I don't know if that is true, I just want to propose you might do some searching around and see what you find).

Or maybe someone who bought a large quantity will do what I did, and give them away for the good of the congregation.

 

[Tixx]

I purchased a batch of 100 back when they sold them by the hundred. I'm sorry to see that they stopped selling anything less than 1000.

I gave away a bunch of these to people on this forum, free for an SASE, until I didn't have any more. I wish I could help you out, but I cannot.

However, I suspect that someone has worked out a group buy, either on this forum or maybe on some budget-oriented forum somewhere else. (I don't know if that is true, I just want to propose you might do some searching around and see what you find).

Or maybe someone who bought a large quantity will do what I did, and give them away for the good of the congregation.

Thank you for heading me in the right direction!

 

[gurdygurds]

I'm so pleased with the tint of this one I'm not considering modding personally. Stock for me. How do you all trust the mini carbiner clasp that he photon comes with? Do you swap yours with another that you prefer and trust more. I've seen some people using the pick or nano McGizmo clips. I have a little paracord lanyard and tiny s-biner on mine for now. Lanyard for better handling and the clip for easy key carry or clipping elsewhere.

 

[this_is_nascar]

On my E01s I use 100 grit and mash it in there and sand the whole thing. Led and reflector.

Thanks and that did what? Smooth out the beam/rings?

 

[this_is_nascar]

Bingo. Try the Yuji 5600 for good tint, CRI, and decent output. Or the Yuji 3200 for *amazing* tint and color rendition, but somewhat lower output.

The upgrade is dead simple--just make a few bends in the legs of the LED with a needle-nose pliers or the like. No soldering, no skills required.

Where can one acquire these emitters?

 

[this_is_nascar]

Where can one acquire these emitters?

Nevermind.

 

[this_is_nascar]

Thank you for heading me in the right direction!

I'm definitely interested in a few.