# Why no new tech penlights?



## joema (Sep 2, 2005)

We're inundated with lithium-powered, regulated, Luxeon emitter flashlights of all shapes and sizes.

Surefire even makes a flashlight for pilots -- the A2, at about $185.00.

There are far more Doctors in the US than airplane pilots. If you add nurses, lab workers, service technicians, etc. who could all use a slim profile, nice looking penlight (with tail click switch), the possible customer base is very large.

Yet the only LED penlight with tail click switch I can find is the Streamlight Stylus. At least it uses an LED, but otherwise it's pretty mundane.

Doctors are still paying $40-$60 for old tech incandescent bulb penlights:

http://www.allheart.com/penlights.html

Why does nobody make a slim profile, regulated, variable output, LED (maybe Luxeon), nice looking penlight with a tail click switch?


----------



## BentHeadTX (Sep 2, 2005)

The docs I know borrow my Peak Matterhorn single AAA 3 "snow" LED light. I know Peak is working on a Luxeon version of the single AAA light, it might even come with a clickie. Would you prefer a 2 AAA body with clickie? The Stylus is OK but uses AAAA batteries which causes problems when it gets dim. 
I could see how my light with a 3 outputs would be useful, dim to check the eyes as the stock output is rather blinding. You could always email Peak and ask them if they plan on a clickie switch for the Matterhorn. You can get it in stainless steel for that medical look also.


----------



## nerdgineer (Sep 2, 2005)

Dunno. I thought the Nuwai TM-311 came pretty close

http://www.amondotech.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=720

One level - too bright to shine in someone's eye, but I really like mine.


----------



## joema (Sep 2, 2005)

Nerdgineer: you're right about the TM-311H; I forgot that one. It's pretty good, although as you stated the brighter LED penlights will need variable output for certain applications, else they're too bright.

BentHeadTX, a tail click Matterhorn might be OK. Tail click is customary and familiar for that user class -- they've always used tail click penlights.

A TM-311H or similar with a 2-level switch would be an initial step.

I really think there's a broad user class (not just medical) including lab and service technicians who'd like a nice looking slim profile penlight with familiar tail click switch.

I've seen so many using old style Eveready AA penlights, shaking and slapping them to stop the flickering. No need for that -- there's better technology available.


----------



## greenLED (Sep 2, 2005)

Color rendition is an issue in the medical field. See this thread about the use of LEDs in dental lights.


----------



## Kiessling (Sep 2, 2005)

I have the 3xAAA version of the Nuwai you mentioned:







... and I use it as a Job-EDC as a MD and it works splendidly! QUite bright and white so that a patient instantly regrets having desturbed you in the middle of the night ... :devil:


Some time ago a member who seems to have disappeared ... Chief_Wiggum made a few of those custom penlights called the Penlux for select medical personnel:






I used this one a lot untill I replaced it with the Nuwai in order not to ruin this great and handmade light.

And then there is this one:










The LedLenser V16 Chipfire (also pictured above). Very stylish and very slim and small, yet relatively dim and with strange lithium batteries (BR435 tubular cells)


Apart form that I second your request for cool high-tech penlights! There is some money to be made it seems ... at least every CPFer would need one for those official occasions where official clothes are mandatory ... I am sure you all remember those threads popping up repeatedly ...

bernie


----------



## greenlight (Sep 2, 2005)

circuit city has a 2aaa led penlight with focusing lens that is like the inova x1, just thinner and longer. Might work well.


----------



## Geogecko (Sep 2, 2005)

You guys bring up an important point, about shining the light in someone's eyes. I have a McLuxIII-PD, and even in low, 30mA, with a Luxeon 3W, it's probably still too bright to do that with. You would probably need it set to closer to about 10mA for it to be comfortable. I think the U2's lowest setting is 32mA, and that is also too bright to look at directly.


----------



## Lunal_Tic (Sep 2, 2005)

IIRC in previous threads the color rendition of white LEDs was also a problem. Personally I kind of like the Stylus. I popped a 26K LED in one and it's even better.

-LT


----------



## TORCH_BOY (Sep 2, 2005)

The Doctors I go to still use Minimags


----------



## Mike Painter (Sep 3, 2005)

joema said:


> Doctors are still paying $40-$60 for old tech incandescent bulb penlights:


Some may be paying that but most of the medical field uses disposables because they are so easy to loose or get contaminated.
If I want a pen or a pen light or a clip board or any number of other items I just ask somebody in the medical field and they give me the one the last drug rep dropped off.
Even if I have to pay a whole light only costs a couple bucks and does what is needed.

Most doctors will not bat an eye at adding $30,000 to the cost of their new airplane to make it land slower or fly faster but will question the cost of a telephone call made through their answering service (15 years doing computer suport in that field).
The lights should either be free or over $200.00


----------



## attowatt (Sep 3, 2005)

nerdgineer said:


> Dunno. I thought the Nuwai TM-311 came pretty close
> 
> http://www.amondotech.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=720
> 
> One level - too bright to shine in someone's eye, but I really like mine.




I went to amondotech and saw... they dont give dimensions on this light. Any chance someone can take a pic next to a dorcyaaa or Q3 for comparison?


----------



## LEDninja (Sep 3, 2005)

Make your own.
Most penlights come with 222 screw base bulbs.
Both Tectite and Sino Union make LED versions of these bulbs
The bummer is the luxeon versions of the Tectite bulbs use side emitters which does not work with most penlights.

LED-replacement did just that and is making money off the idea
http://www.led-replacement.com/pl222.html
Note the 2AA size which I think is too big and heavy to clip in a shirt pocket.


----------



## LeDfLaShEr (Sep 3, 2005)

I'd have to agree with Mike Painter-

There is no demand for penlights in the medical fields because they generally are free to staff, and need to be disposable. They are also used as cheap advertising for drug reps- I used ot have a collection of Viagra penlights that I'd carry around. Also, the amount of light they put out isn't an issue because you are shining them into someone's eyes or mouth from 1" away.

I worked in the medical field for 16 years and used a penlight quite a bit, but I never paid for a single light. When mine would die, I'd go get a new one out of the refrigerator in the ER- problem solved.


----------



## The_virus (Sep 3, 2005)

I'm a paramedic student and our profs recommended Mags because they're cheap and replaceable. We can't rely on drug reps yet. The "high end" recommendation was a Welch Allyn because it has perfect colour rendition so you can see eye colour, and stuff like yellow or pink patches on the eye.

Maybe I'll ask about LED lights, but replaceable is a nice quality in something that may very well end up lost.


----------



## joema (Sep 3, 2005)

The_virus said:


> I'm a paramedic student and our profs recommended Mags because they're cheap and replaceable....


The problem is a Minimag is really too big for a pocket clip, and if you holster it there are many better choices. 

The Minimag AAA is small enough to pocket clip, but the output and brightness/discharge curve are terrible. E.g, compare to the Nuwai TM-311H, which has better brightness, no bulb to blow and SIX TIMES the runtime to 50% brightness, yet still uses familiar AAA batteries in the same form factor, AND doesn't cost much more:

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/nuwai_tm-311h_2aaa.htm


----------

