# Frosted vs. Stippled vs. Diffusion lens



## pertinax (Dec 19, 2005)

Anyone actually compared these side-by-side? I need enough throw to look around under houses, but enough flood capability for room lighting. There's a happy medium between the UCL diffusion lens (from flashlightlens), and a smooth reflector. I'm using a Mag85 or "Mag31" with 1331 (for more run).

There are three techniques:

Lens: Kills throw, but works. Not sure how much output is lost.

Stippled reflector: Waiting for them to be available. Have high hopes for this, because I suspect this is the least lossy technique.

Frosting Bulbs: Sounds like it works, but details aren't clear. Which part to frost? All of it? Just the top? Just the bottom? Band around the middle? Seems to me that frosting up to the top of the filament makes the most sense, but before I start frosting $9 bulbs, I'd love to get some guidance.

Feel free to regale me with the results of your experiments.

Thanks!

Pertinax


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## cmacclel (Dec 19, 2005)

Pertinax<<<<<<<<What he said . Also where do you buy the acid to frost the lamps?


Mac


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## Luna (Dec 19, 2005)

cmacclel, You can get a safer etching gel from the local hobby store like Micheals or Hoby Lobby (frosted glass area) 

pertinax, All forms of diffusion will hinder throw. You have to experiment to find the best frosting technique based on the filament size. Sometimes top, sometimes bottom, sometime both, you get the picture.

IMHO think the best technique is holographic diffusion film in the form of a flip off filter.


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## NikolaTesla (Dec 19, 2005)

I have all of the above. I have also hand stippled reflectors with acrylic. 
IMHO a stippled reflector in conjunction with a frosted bulb works best. Light loss is minimal. Some throw is sacrificed for a great deal of beam improvement. Makes a Mag into a SureFire type beam. Surefire lights use both techniques to get their legendary beam quality and you can have it on a Mag too.:ironic:


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## SJACKAL (Dec 19, 2005)

My personal view on the subject is that lights are either properly focused or out of focus. In other words focused to the tightest hotspot with sidespill corona, some artifacts is ok, otherwise its out of focus.

Frosting bulbs and diffusing lens always feel unnatural for me. If incandescent lights is a religion, them frosted bulbs and diffusion lens is a blasphemy. I will always go for a appropriate reflector.


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## Luna (Dec 19, 2005)

That is why I like the flipoff diffusion filter. When you want max throw, you have the Mag smoothe reflector to fall backon and really dont care about artifacts. When you want to light the joint up nicely you can. 

Even better with a custom designed film you can correct for oblong projections of the filament such as we see with some of the hotwires and create a perfectly round image. Basically think of the film as being able to bend light at every point in a particular direction. Rather than random scattering you have a great deal of control.


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## NelsonFlashlites (Dec 19, 2005)

Luna said:


> That is why I like the flipoff diffusion filter. When you want max throw, you have the Mag smoothe reflector to fall backon and really dont care about artifacts. When you want to light the joint up nicely you can...



Sorry to hijack the thread, but where can you get a flip off diffusion filter for a Mag?


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## Luna (Dec 19, 2005)

You can try a UCL-LDF or maybe a SF FM24 but I havent I don't know how well it fits

The real solution is to be found with the likes of a custom film from www.poc.com look at this example of its use

http://poc.com/lsd/default.asp?page=applications&sub=plse


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## CLHC (Dec 20, 2005)

My preference is for that _wannabe_ "SureFire" beam look and it doesn't matter if the lighting will be for indoors or out from my flashlights. I'll make do with them.

On the bulbs/lamps for the Mag.11 and MagLite Rechargeable, I "misted" it from the crown down to just past the filament. With the aluminum LOP reflector for the M.11 and stock reflector on the MC, I got the desired light dispersion pattern I was looking for and am content with its intended purpose—Illumination!

Besides, let's say that the modded flashlight of projects the light 3 miles down the road, and having either a frosted, stippled or diffused lens will "demolish/destroy/devastate/kill" (or whatever choice word one chooses) the throw and now it'll only spotlight 2 miles down. . .I can say that my eyes cannot see that far. I would have to use binoculars or a telescope just to see what's being highlighted. But the flashlight still "_throws_" nonetheless. . .


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## webley445 (Dec 20, 2005)

Not to be off topic, but I'd likr to know what a 'frosted" glass lens would do.


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## CLHC (Dec 20, 2005)

webley445 said:


> . . .I'd like to know what a "frosted" glass lens would do.



I did that just to fool-around. Now that really did "kill" the throw because there was none to "throw". Was more of a W I D E area lighting—if it can even be called that.


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## bfg9000 (Dec 20, 2005)

webley445 said:


> Not to be off topic, but I'd likr to know what a 'frosted" glass lens would do.



Imagine a frosted light bulb shaped like the lens, without any reflector at all. No focusing=no throw, just a perfect flood like a bare bulb. Ideal for reading a map.

Isn't the Mag lens already quick-change enough as it is to not need a flip filter?


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 20, 2005)

I gotta get me some some of that etching gel. I can't get an 1111 to do right any other way. A LOP reflector tames the 1185 ok.


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## CLHC (Dec 21, 2005)

Hey PlayBoyJoeShmoe! This cream works great and you've gotta try it. Be Very Careful When Using this product though!—Another alter-native is that Sand-Etcher made by the same company.

Enjoy!


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