The problem of choosing LEDs is acute due to their wide range and unlimited price range. The production technology and parameters of LED lamps are accelerating very quickly. It is difficult to keep up with new products, and it is even more difficult to figure out which diode is better, which is newer, and what should be bought in this or that case.
Of course, you should choose a light source based on your needs. If you're a fanatic of new products and love to test the length and width of the beam in the company of like-minded people, naturally you need the latest super-bright new products. For hunters, fishermen, divers and other lovers of active pastime, the brightness, focusing or scattering of the beam, and its color tint are important.
Decoding bin codes of LEDs
When producing LEDs, they are assigned bin codes. At first glance, this abracadabra does not mean anything. Only knowing the classification, it becomes completely clear which diode is in front of you. The LED bin includes data about the housing design, color subgroup, color shade, brightness code. There are additional digits related to the internal production code; they are of no value to the user.
For example:
XPGWHT-L1-1C0-R5 is a diode with an XPG housing, color - WHT (white), subgroup L1 - white, 1C0 - shade according to the ANSI table, R5 - brightness code (139-148 lumens at 350 mA).
Cree XLAMP XR-E
A common but rather outdated LED. It is a small crystal with a protective glass lens mounted on a substrate, which acts as a heat sink and serves as the basis for contacts.
The luminous output depends on the brightness code and ranges from Q2 (87.4 to 93.9 lumens) to R2 (114 to 122 lumens) at 350 mA. As a rule, a diode of this class is used in inexpensive flashlights. The maximum temperature of the light-emitting crystal is up to 150 ° C, when operating with a maximum current of no more than 1 A and a voltage of no more than 3.9 V.
Available in colors:
warm white - 2700-3600°K;
neutral white - 3700-5000°K;
cold white -5000-10000°K.
Cree XLAMP XP
- XPE. This series is especially popular due to the combination of reliable design, increased light output characteristics and reasonable cost. Externally, the crystal is larger than previous series, the reflector is shallow. Maximum temperature 150 °C, current 1 A, voltage 3.4 V. Cree XPE has a wider temperature color scale, the “Outdoor white” shade has been added to the scale with a range of 4000-5300°K. This is a more natural cool white color. Luminance bins: N4, P2, P3, P4, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, R2, R3, this is 144-280 lm. Luminous efficiency 19-34 lm/W.
- XPC. This series is a modification of the XP-E with a current of 0.5 A and a voltage of 3.5 V. Color shades and luminous flux power are in the same range as the prototype. The luminous efficiency is higher (35-59 lm/W), accordingly we can talk about clear advantage by this parameter. XPE and XPC are used in small-sized hand-held flashlights.
- XPG. A new generation LED that is super bright and efficient. It has a relatively large crystal area and can withstand up to 1.5 A. The luminous efficiency leaves far behind its predecessors and ranges from 90 to 139 lm/W. Maximum luminous flux 346-534 Lm. The color shade is divided into 4 groups. Luminance bin classification: Q4, Q5, R2, R3, R4, R5, S2, S3 - determined at a current of 700 mA. Diodes of this class are used for powerful hand-held and sports flashlights. For long-range, super-bright flashlights, use the latest XP-G2 system, which has greater light output with standard performance.
Cree XM-L
Very powerful LED (10 W), used in professional flashlights and stationary lighting sources. The crystal has dimensions 2.5 times larger than XPG, which provides a wide beam of light. If you use a shallow reflector, you get a large flood spot from the flashlight. The luminous flux at a current of 3 A can reach 900 Lm. The maximum luminous flux, depending on the brightness bin, is 1008 lm. The classification of brightness bins is determined at a current of 700 mA, using: S6, T2-T6, U2, U3 (analogous to Cree J-A5).
Which diode to choose?
If light characteristics are important to you, then you don’t have to look at the LED brand, since it only determines the design features. There is no need to buy a powerful Cree XM-L diode for a keychain flashlight; XPE is sufficient here. For powerful and reliable light sources, XP-G, XP-G2, XM-L, XM-L2 are better suited.
The color group is a matter of taste. The best options are neutral or natural white. The exception is professionals who use LEDs in their optics and the spectral shade is important to them.
The power of the flashlight depends on the power source, but the brightness directly depends on the bins. At a current of 350 mA, the brightest will be Q5 and R2, at a current of 700 mA - T6, S3 or U2, U3. When choosing brightness bins, keep in mind that some of them, for example, U, can only work in the cold spectrum, so for flashlights with soft, warm light it is better to choose something with T coding.
When purchasing or assembling new LED flashlights, you should definitely pay attention to the LED used. If you are purchasing a lantern only to illuminate a dark street, then there is a huge choice - choose any one with a bright white LED. But if you want to buy a portable lighting device with characteristics for more complex tasks, an important point here is the choice of the appropriate luminous flux, that is, the ability of the device to illuminate a large space with a powerful beam.
Main characteristics
LEDs are responsible for the quality of light that the flashlight emits. The stability of lighting depends on many characteristics, including current consumption, light flux and color temperature. Among the trendsetters, it is worth noting the company Cree; in its assortment you can find very bright LEDs for flashlights.
Modern pocket models are created using a single LED, the power of which reaches 1, 2, or 3 W. The indicated electrical characteristics are the properties of various LED models from well-known brands. The intensity of the light rays or luminous flux is an indicator that depends on the type of LED and the manufacturer. The manufacturer also indicates the number of lumens in the characteristics.
This indicator directly correlates with the color temperature of the light. Light-emitting diodes can produce up to 200 lumens per watt and are produced today in different temperatures to glow: warm yellowish or cool white.
Lanterns with a warm white tint produce a pleasant light to the human eye, but they are less bright. Light with a neutral color temperature effectively allows you to see the smallest elements. Cool white lighting is usually typical for models with a huge beam range, but can irritate the eyes during prolonged use.
If the temperature reaches approximately 50 °C, then the life of the crystal can be up to 200,000 hours, but this is not justified from an economic point of view. For this reason, many companies produce products that can withstand operating temperatures of up to 85 °C, while saving on cooling costs. If the temperature exceeds 150 °C, the equipment may completely fail.
The color rendering index is a qualitative indicator that characterizes the ability of an LED to illuminate a space without distorting the actual shade. LEDs for flashlights with a color rendering source characteristic of 75 CRI or more are a good option. An important element of the LED is the lens, thanks to which the angle of dispersion of the light fluxes is set, that is, the range of the beam is determined.
In any technical specification of an LED, the angle of radiation must be noted. For any of the models, this characteristic is considered individual and usually varies in the range from 20 to 240 degrees. High-power LED flashlights have an angle of approximately 120°C and generally include a reflector and an additional lens.
Although today we can see a strong leap in the production of high-power LEDs consisting of multiple crystals, global brands are still producing LEDs with lower power. They are produced in a small case that does not exceed 10 mm in width. In a comparative analysis, one can notice that one such powerful crystal has a less reliable circuit and dispersion angle than a pair of similar elements simultaneously in a single housing.
It would not be amiss to recall the four-pin “SuperFlux” LEDs, the so-called “piranha”. These flashlight LEDs have improved specifications. The piranha LED has the following main advantages:
- the light flux is distributed evenly;
- no need to remove heat;
- lower price.
Types of LEDs
There are many flashlights with improved features available in the market today. The most popular LEDs are from Cree Inc.: XR-E, XP-E, XP-G, XM-L. Today the latest XP-E2, XP-G2, XM-L2 are also popular - they are mainly used in small flashlights. But, for example, Cree MT-G2 and MK-R LEDs from Luminus are widely used in huge models of search lights that can operate simultaneously from a pair of batteries.
In addition, LEDs are usually distinguished by brightness - there is a special code thanks to which you can sort LEDs by this parameter.
When comparing some diodes with others, it is worth paying attention to their dimensions, or rather, to the area of the light-emitting crystals. If the area of such a crystal is small, then it is easier to concentrate its light into a narrow beam. If you want to get a narrow beam from XM-L LEDs, you will need to use a very large reflector, which negatively affects the weight and dimensions of the housing. But with small reflectors on such an LED, a fairly effective pocket flashlight will come out.
Application area of LEDs
Mostly, when choosing flashlights, consumers choose models with the maximum beam of light, but in many cases they do not need this option. In many cases, such equipment is used to illuminate a nearby area or an object that is no more than 10,000 m away. A long-range flashlight shines at 100 m, although in many cases with a rather narrow beam that poorly illuminates the surrounding area. As a result, when illuminating a distant object with such lighting devices, the user will not notice those objects that are located in close proximity to him.
Let's look at a comparison of the tonality of light produced by LEDs: warm, neutral and cold. When selecting the appropriate flashlight light temperature, the following important points must be taken into account: LEDs with a warm glow can minimally distort the color of the illuminated objects, but they have lower brightness than neutral-spectrum LEDs.
When choosing a powerful search or tactical flashlight, where the brightness of the device is an important point, it is recommended to select an LED with a cold spectrum of light. If a flashlight is needed for everyday life, tourism purposes, or for use in a head-mounted model, then proper color rendering is important, which means LEDs with warm light will be more advantageous. A neutral LED is the golden mean in all respects.
Not taking into account the cheapest flashlights, which only have a single button, many flashlights have a couple of operating modes, including strobe and SOS modes. The non-brand model has the following operating options: the highest power rating, medium power and “strobe”. In addition, the average power is basically equal to 50% of the highest brightness of the light, and the lowest is 10%.
Branded models have a more complex structure. Here you can control the operating mode using a button, rotating the “head”, turning the magnetic rings and a combination of all of the above.
Boruit heavy duty headlamp. For lighting during fishing, hunting and household work.
It’s one thing if you occasionally need to organize additional lighting in the basement or closet, and quite another thing if you constantly use the flashlight in extreme wild conditions. In the first case, almost any non-branded flashlight will do: you can completely rely on your own intuition. However, if you plan to use the device for a long time, try not to purchase the cheapest options.
If your professional activity or favorite hobby is related to military or search operations, buy only flashlights from well-known brands. Nothing is as valuable as a good name: manufacturers value their brand and maintain its reputation by constantly introducing technical improvements to their models.
When choosing a mobile lighting device, you need to take into account a number of different factors, for example, such as the body material, power sources, but the heart of a modern flashlight remains LEDs - semiconductors that are capable of emitting a bright optical glow if an electric current is passed through them in the forward direction. Types of LEDs and their characteristics are what you need to put first when choosing a flashlight.
It is difficult to imagine that such an important practical invention as LEDs was used for a long time only as a light indication. The first LED was patented in 1927 by O.V. Losev, but widespread practical use was frozen for a long time due to the low level of development of semiconductor technologies. At this stage, modern manufacturers use a variety of types of LEDs for flashlights. How to understand them?
Subtleties of choice: modern types of LEDs and their characteristics
95% of new flashlight models use Cree LEDs, which are produced in different series. In a short time, this enterprising manufacturer practically eliminated all competitors from the market.
The main difference between LEDs is related to the maximum brightness and size. Of all the diversity offered, it is worth highlighting the following main series:
- XP-E and XP-E2 have standard dimensions of 3.5x3.5 mm, are designed for a current of 1A and a power of 3.5W. As a rule, they are used in keychains and small models.
- XP-G, XP-G2 with similar diode sizes, the power is 4.9 W, the current is 1.5 A, and the brightness is up to 490 lm. Used in small lanterns, like the previous series.
- XM-L and XM-L2 with dimensions of 5x5 mm provide 10 W of power, 3A of current and 1040 lm of brightness. Such diodes in the amount of one or several pieces are used in medium and large flashlights.
LEDs, which are additionally marked with the number 2, are distinguished by the fact that they produce a brightness that is 10-20% higher.
Recently, Nichia 219 LEDs are also gaining popularity, which have practically made a breakthrough. They differ from Cree in better color rendering, which is pleasing to the eye.
Important light parameter: brightness bin or light temperature
Types of LEDs for flashlights have different glow temperatures. Be careful: the most comfortable spectrum of light is selected individually, and reputable manufacturers can produce one model with different LED options in different shades.
Manufacturers divide them into main groups, which are quite easy to distinguish thanks to standard labeling:
- Warm White - warm colors. Such LEDs are more expensive because they produce less distortion of natural colors.
- Neutral White - neutral. They are the golden mean. Like LEDs with a warm spectrum, they are optimally suited for household purposes.
- Cool White - cold. As a rule, they are mounted in more budget models; they somewhat distort natural colors due to a bluish tint, however, compared to warm ones, they provide higher brightness. Used in powerful tactical and search flashlights.
LED drivers: current stabilization
In all high-quality models, the LED is powered not directly from batteries, but through a stabilizing device - the driver. In addition to saving battery power, the presence of this component provides a number of such important additional functions, as the possibility of stepwise regulation of the brightness of the glow, blinking mode, temperature control, battery discharge, operating modes.
When choosing the optimal types of LEDs for flashlights, you should remember that the larger the area of the LED, the easier it is to create a wide beam with its help and vice versa. The more lumens the flashlight produces, the brighter the light stream and the shorter the battery life.
LED operation is based on semiconductor knowledge and practice. They have been known to mankind for almost half a century. Moreover, all the raw materials for the manufacture of such lighting devices have been familiar for more than 20 years. However, it was only recently that we succeeded in connecting them correctly and obtaining impressive LED characteristics. This lighting represents an innovative breakthrough, making diodes quite efficient and environmentally friendly. It is believed that such accessories are much more economical than classic incandescent lamps. They can be used in various areas of human life, not only because of ease of use, but also due to the desired glow temperature.
Characteristics
In order to understand the principle of operation of the devices, you need to know the following characteristics of LEDs:
1. Luminous flux. This parameter is measured in lumens (Lm) and shows the amount of light that the lamp produces. The higher this indicator is, the brighter it will shine.
2. Power consumption is measured in Watts (W). The smaller this parameter, the more economical the energy consumption.
3. Light output, its unit of measurement is considered to be Lm/W. It is central to the operation and efficiency of the entire lighting device.
4. Radiation direction diagram. Parameter of the luminous intensity curve, due to which the fluxes emitted by the diodes are distributed.
5. Color temperature (shades of white light). It is measured in degrees Kelvin in the permissible range from 2700 to 7000 K. The shade of a warm color is considered the most favorable for the eyes, which varies up to 4000 K, and all indicators that are higher are usually referred to as “cool white”. Most often, lamps with warm light are much more expensive than those with cold light, since this is directly related to the features of their production.
6.Color rendering index. This value shows how truthfully the color of an object illuminated by the selected lamps will be displayed. The higher this parameter, the more truthfully the shade of the original object is conveyed.
7. Performance of lighting devices. The most correct decision is to choose branded manufacturers, since such companies can provide more accurate technical characteristics of LEDs, thanks to which the device will last the stated operating time. Also, such lamps provide protection against voltage surges and overheating.
8. Device size. There is no need to judge the advantages and disadvantages based on the size of the crystal. It does not matter whether the LED is large or small, the most important thing is its power.
Considering these characteristics of LEDs, you can choose exactly the device that will give the maximum effect from its intended use.
Quality indicators
The quality indicators of an LED product can be judged based on the following criteria:
- manufacturer (preferably products from well-known companies that publish open data on the reliability of their devices);
- the use of a specially designed design and shape for the fastest possible heat removal, regulating the temperature during operation of the chip;
- optical (lighting) specifications of the LED lamp, which can be obtained from an independent laboratory or manufacturer;
- high-quality guarantees;
- results of long-term tests of the functioning of devices.
White varieties
Most often in everyday life, for decoration and lighting, white LEDs are used, the characteristics of which depend on their tone.
- Warm White light: its color temperature is 2700 K and it has a slight yellowish tint, similar to the flame that a candle emits. This shade is typical for incandescent lamps; it calms and relaxes. It is important to note that using a matte or transparent shade will change the shade to a softer or richer one. This type of light is not the main one, but it is perfect for additional and decorative lighting and will be ideal for installation in bedrooms. Thanks to it, you can create harmony and homely warmth in the room.
- Natural white light: Its color temperature is 4200K, it is the most popular and most commonly used. Suitable for use as the main source of lighting for both commercial and domestic premises. Can be used on all types of surfaces, such as a kitchen countertop or a desk in an office. Like warm light, natural has several shades. Fixtures and lamps with frosted dispersion will have a completely different saturation spectrum than devices with a transparent bulb. It helps produce more accurate and directional light than matte, through which soft highlights of an unobtrusive shade are emitted.
- Cool white light: its color temperature is 6000 K. It has a peculiar bluish tint. This tone is very bright and is most often used for offices and also as local lighting. It has become quite widespread in parking lots, at entrances, in local areas, as well as in parks, alleys and squares. Often installed to illuminate street advertisements, commercial signs, and more.
Types of LEDs
There are a variety of LEDs, the parameters and characteristics of which completely depend on their types:
1.Blinking: used in indicators to attract attention. This type is practically no different from the usual ones, however, for its production a built-in multivibrator circuit is used, which flickers with a break of 1 second. The main types of such diodes distribute single-color light rays; more complex ones in their characteristics can flash in several shades alternately or simultaneously, thanks to the RGB parameter.
2. Multi-color blinking LEDs, the characteristics of which are quite diverse and can be represented in two different crystals, working one towards the other, therefore, when the first one lights up, the second one goes out completely. With the help of a current that moves in the initial direction, one color appears, and in the opposite direction another color appears. Thanks to this type of work, a third color is formed, since the two main ones are mixed.
3.Tri-color LEDs, the parameters and characteristics of which consist in the presence of several light-emitting diodes, not connected to each other, but combined in one housing. They work separately, they can light up at the same time, but their controls remain completely different.
4. RGB light emitting diodes with blue, red and green elements, which use a connection with four wires and a single common cathode or anode.
5. Monochrome displays with seven segments, as well as using starburst format. Such screens show all the numbers, and some even a certain set of letters. Using Starburst allows all symbols to be displayed.
Alphanumeric and numeric displays, which were quite common in the 80s, became less popular after the advent of LCD monitors.
Advantages of LED lighting
Being relatively new technology, LEDs are in most cases superior to many lighting sources in terms of light quality, energy efficiency, environmental friendliness and cost-effectiveness. The characteristics of LEDs are superior to those of high-incandescent lamps in almost all areas of application, but such lighting cannot yet solve all the tasks. White diodes have already proven themselves to be an excellent alternative to fluorescent tubular and high-pressure lamps. But a short amount of time still needs to pass before such technologies begin to be used in the public system.
What does the SMD marking mean?
The decoding of this indicator sounds like Surface Mounted Device, which translated into Russian means “a device that is mounted on a surface.” Such a device is a diode, and the surface in our case is the base of the tape.
Any SMD LEDs, the characteristics of which are similar to those of all other similar lamps, consist of several crystals placed in a housing with contact leads, as well as lenses that form the luminous flux. It is emitted by semiconductors and directed into a miniature optical system, which is formed by spherical reflectors, as well as the transparent body of the diode itself.
What other characteristics do SMD LEDs have? The marking, which is represented by numbers on the tape, shows the dimensions of the crystal in millimeters. The SMD-based strip bends very well in the longitudinal direction.
What does the DIP LED marking mean?
There are also LEDs on sale, the characteristics of which are very similar to SMD. According to their technical parameters, they are a cylindrical body, which is placed on an end strip. This type has good silicone protection. The numbers that are present in the marking, as well as for SMD, indicate the diameter of the diode.
To illuminate furniture, you can use such crystals, only for glass shelves. Unlike the previous tape, this type bends very well in the transverse direction.
Parameters of a high-quality LED flashlight
Today, you can buy a large number of conventional flashlights on the market, but they are being actively replaced by LED ones. This happened primarily due to the fact that the latter give much brighter light.
In order to choose the right LEDs for flashlights, the characteristics of which are very diverse, it is necessary to take into account all the basic requirements of the buyer when choosing. What you need to pay attention to is the type of beam, it can be wide or narrow. Which type to choose depends on the future application. For example, in order to be able to see objects at a distance of 30 meters, it is better to choose a flashlight with a wide beam, while models with a narrow beam can illuminate distant objects well. Most often, such lighting is provided by tactical devices used by tourists, hunters and cyclists.
Another important factor affecting the operation of the flashlight is the type of power supply. For the simplest household appliances, ordinary AA or AAA batteries are used, but for strong and powerful devices this volume will not be enough. In this case, you need to use lithium-ion batteries, which can work continuously for 5 hours.
It is worth paying attention to LEDs for flashlights, the brightness characteristics of which differ from each other by no more than 40%. The quality of the selected devices is guaranteed by the presence of markings. In cases where it is absent, we can talk about an uncertified product, most often made in China.
LEDs from CREE
This company specializes in the manufacture of high-quality and bright diodes. She was one of the first to develop new white light bulbs, thereby setting a new milestone in the industry.
CREE LEDs, the characteristics of which are presented, remain competitive in their industry:
They have record luminous flux values reaching 345 lumens at a current of 1000 mA;
- thermal resistance at a low level;
- relatively wide angle of study;
- miniature, evenly distributed crystal;
- maximum current reception up to 1500 mA;
- improved silicone lens instead of glass;
- maximum crystal operating temperature 150 °C.
As you can see, such technologies are just coming into force and bring exceptional benefits from their use. Every day new discoveries are made, LED lamps become more economical and brighter, thanks to which they rightfully begin to occupy a leading place in the lighting arena.
Features of SMD 5050 tapes
LEDs in this series have a size of 5x5 mm and a luminous flux depending on color, which ranges from 2 to 8 lumens. They can also be divided according to the degree of moisture protection - IP20 and IP65, since they have two different types of coatings, namely polyurethane and silicone. The former can only be placed indoors, while the latter, accordingly, are suitable for the street, since they are not afraid of excessive humidity.
5050 LEDs, whose characteristics and properties help create bright light, consist of three crystals with different or identical diodes in one package. Multi-colored lamps are called RGB (red-green-blue), after connecting controllers, you can get a variety of colors in them.
Main technical characteristics are:
Transparent and rigid polyurethane coating;
- high-quality soldering;
- the number of LEDs per 1 meter is 60 pieces;
- cutting ratio - 3 crystals, which is 50 mm;
- width, length, height in mm 10 x 5000 x 3;
- the power supply is connected to 12V or 24V DC.
Features of SMD5730 tapes
Adopting high-efficiency 5730 LEDs, the characteristics and properties of high thermal conductivity and low resistance ensure a long service life of the device. They are resistant to vibration, high environmental humidity and temperature changes. They are small enough, have a wide luminous angle and are perfect for any surface for installation. They can be purchased in reels and tapes.
Many people like to use 5730 LEDs, the characteristics of which are suitable for use in various devices, which is very convenient for both ordinary users and designers. They are indispensable for lighting trade and office premises, where not only high energy efficiency is considered important, but also comfortable light transmission.
For those who use LEDs, markings, characteristics and properties are of no small importance. They have a number of advantages over their predecessors, namely:
Phosphor white LEDs with a nominal power of 0.5 W are distinguished by a significant service life, stable performance and high-quality performance;
- high resistance to temperature changes, vibrations and high environmental humidity;
- degradation of the luminous flux - no more than 1% for 3000 hours of operation;
- the body is made of high-quality heat-resistant polymer that can withstand up to +250 °C;
- LEDs are fully suitable for reflow soldering.
As a rule, when the thought of buying a flashlight comes - whether out of necessity or “just in case” - few people understand that the modern flashlight is no longer what it was before. Therefore, in the minds of most people, a flashlight is still just a tube with a weak light bulb and batteries that do not last long.
Lantern in human daily life
In fact, lighting fixtures have changed a lot. Technological progress in this area is proceeding by leaps and bounds, and over the past few years a large number of models have been released that are radically superior to their predecessors. Many features have appeared that determine the reason why this flashlight is better in some conditions, and another in others. Let's take a closer look at what a modern flashlight is and what you should pay attention to when choosing.
I. Purpose and methods of using flashlights
This “baby” will be practically invisible on a bunch of keys, but will be able, if necessary, to illuminate the area for several tens of meters
Initially, you need to understand for what purpose the flashlight is being purchased. It’s unlikely just to “see in the dark”! What do you need a flashlight for: for work, for home, for search and rescue operations, hiking, scuba diving, hunting or exploring all sorts of secluded and dark corners, such as mountain caves or the depths of city sewers? Depending on the purpose of the flashlight, you can determine which of its functions are really needed, and which will only result in additional financial costs or a useless increase in weight and dimensions. For example, as a lantern for a dacha or at home, the simplest sample will suffice - not even necessarily an LED one, but even an incandescent lamp, powered by D-size alkaline batteries, because large dimensions and weight (within reasonable limits) are not in this case, a decisive or even significant factor. For tourism, the best option would be a multi-mode LED flashlight on modern lithium batteries/ batteries, since not only brightness is important here, but also the minimum weight of batteries that you will have to carry with you. If you need to free both hands, a flashlight with a head mount will come in handy. Let's look at the main capabilities of all types of modern flashlights from the perspective of an ordinary consumer. types of LEDs for flashlights and the benefits of each. Flashlights produced by Olight will be presented as an example.
Flashlight-keychain, or “keychain”, as the name suggests, is attached to a bunch of keys. This flashlight is intended for use at ultra-close distances - for example, to illuminate your feet or find a keyhole in the dark. For these purposes, one mode of operation with a glow intensity of 3-5 lumens is quite sufficient (this, of course, does not mean that it is impossible to be brighter). For such flashlights, the main requirements are lightness and compactness, so a simple 5 mm LED and lithium batteries in the form of thin disks (the so-called “tablets”) are usually used, and the body of the flashlight itself is made of plastic. Recently, a good alternative to such flashlights are products of a traditional cylindrical shape, but very small and lightweight, using AAA batteries/accumulators for operation (in common parlance - “little fingers”). The body of such flashlights, like those of their more “adult” counterparts, is made of aluminum with protective anodizing of high hardness, less often - of polished stainless steel and titanium alloys. They often have a modern, powerful LED and several operating modes, as well as full protection from moisture. Control of the operating modes of such flashlights, as a rule, is carried out by rotating the “head”, and not by a button, since the latter noticeably increases the dimensions of the flashlight - and for the “switch”, as a backup, “just in case” flashlight, this is absolutely useless. An example of an excellent “turnkey” is the Olight i3S EOS (see).
The choice of a flashlight is primarily determined by its future purpose.
EDC flashlights(Every Day Carry- English "everyday wear")- one of the most popular categories with a wide variety of choices. There are both the simplest cheap single-mode devices and branded, expensive and multi-mode devices. As a rule, flashlights in this category are very compact, often equipped with a clip for attaching to a pocket or belt. Such lamps are used mainly in the city; their application options are very diverse, since they are already capable of providing a fairly decent brightness of the luminous flux. Multi-mode flashlights are good because at the minimum brightness mode they are convenient to shine under your feet, and the maximum glow will be quite enough to illuminate the road several tens of meters ahead. The power of such flashlights varies on average from 3-10 lumens in minimum mode, and the maximum brightness of the glow will depend on the batteries and LED used. Typically, such flashlights on one AA battery produce a maximum of about 120-150 lumens - on lithium batteries, usually two to three, and sometimes four times more. In addition, such flashlights often additionally provide flashing modes - more precisely, SOS mode (low-frequency light pulses) and strobe mode (high-frequency flashing - suitable, for example, for defensive blinding of an aggressive person, an angry dog or a suddenly arriving tax inspector).
The most popular power supply for EDC flashlights is AA batteries/accumulators, sold on almost every corner; There are also options for lithium batteries/accumulators: CR123A, 16340, 14500, less often - 18650 or two CR123A elements.
Compact EDC flashlights + switch
For EDC flashlights, the body material is usually aluminum alloy with high hardness anodizing. Thanks to this, the flashlight has a sufficient margin of strength for most conditions of use, and the hard anodizing protects it well from abrasions and scratches. In addition to aluminum, stainless steel and titanium alloys are also used - however, the thermal conductivity of these materials is lower, so it is better not to use such flashlights often at maximum modes. But the appearance of polished “stainless steel” or titanium is very solid, and the latter is also almost as light as aluminum, although noticeably more expensive. The shape of the light spot for EDC use is desirable with a wide “hotspot” (central bright spot) - this will make it much more convenient to illuminate objects at close distances, for which such flashlights are intended.
An excellent example of EDC flashlights is the Baton series from Olight: S10, S15 and S20 (see -).
By putting such a diffuser on the “head” of a hand-held lantern, you can get a good replacement for a camping lantern.
Tourist lanterns- also a popular type of lighting fixtures, largely similar to the previous one; but here increased brightness is already very desirable - as well as, and this is important, increased battery capacity. Lanterns for tourism must have several operating modes, thanks to which you can easily illuminate a forest path, a table at a campsite, and the interior of a tent. For hiking or cycling, an important point to pay attention to is the balance between the energy intensity of the power source and its weight, so the best option for a hiking flashlight would be to be powered by 2-3 lithium disposable AA batteries (alkaline AA batteries are also possible, but lithium ones are lighter) - or from one high-quality 18650 battery with high capacity. The use of batteries of sizes D and C for hiking is highly questionable due to the poor weight/energy capacity ratio. Flashlights with 4-8 AA batteries or 2-3 18650 batteries can, of course, also be suitable for travel purposes - but, as a rule, it is easier to take an additional power supply for a more modest flashlight. The light spot in tourist flashlights, as in EDC, is preferably wide - due to the increased power, such a flashlight will easily illuminate fairly distant objects. It is also useful when choosing a tourist lantern to pay attention to security - especially moisture resistance. The security of the flashlight is described according to the international IPxx specification, where the first of the numbers “XX” indicates the level of protection from foreign objects (usually dust), and the second - the level of protection from moisture. Maximum protection corresponds to the IP68 index - this is ideal for a travel lantern; however, IP67 will be quite sufficient, but less is no longer desirable. Manufacturers produce a variety of accessories for tourist-type flashlights, thanks to which you can significantly expand the range of capabilities of your flashlight. For example, there are diffuser attachments that scatter light - thanks to which, instead of glowing with a narrow beam at close distances, the flashlight will illuminate the space around it like a regular light bulb or candle.
Universal (tourist) lanterns
An example of successful lantern models that can be confidently used for tourism purposes:
- Olight ST25;
- Olight R20 and R40 - great for tourism, as it is equipped with a microUSB port for charging from external sources: power bank, solar panels or car cigarette lighter (see i).
Also suitable for tourism is the Olight S20 Baton series (see).
Tactical/Hunting Flashlights designed specifically for use in combat conditions, most often in conjunction with weapons. There are flashlights designed for installation only on short-barreled weapons (pistols and revolvers), and there are options for long-barreled weapons (shotguns and rifles). Such flashlights are used to illuminate the target, as well as to blind and disorient the enemy.
When used for its intended purpose, a specialized tactical flashlight has to withstand considerable tests - this includes recoil when fired, and various shocks, vibrations, etc.; therefore, such lanterns must have increased body strength and threaded connections, as well as a more reliable “filling”. The bodies of “tactics” are made of aluminum alloys, less often - of steel and special composite materials. Previously, incandescent lamps were used as light emitters, which have now almost completely given way to powerful LEDs. Modern LEDs create a luminous flux with a brightness of several hundred lumens, making it possible to effectively illuminate targets at a distance of hundreds of meters. The “tactical” beam, as a rule, is very narrow - and this is done in order to avoid blinding the owner of the flashlight by the reflection of light from nearby objects falling into the light “cone”. A tactical flashlight usually has a direct switch button - the flashlight begins to shine before the button is locked in the on position, thanks to which you can very quickly turn the flashlight on and off, as well as give a “blinking” signal. In addition, the “tactician” can be equipped with an external button for remote activation, which allows you to quickly control the flashlight mounted on the weapon: thanks to the presence of such a button, the shooter is not distracted from observing the target.
Tactical flashlights are often equipped with a steel bezel in the form of a toothed ring, so that the flashlight can be used as an impact tool - for example, to break window or car glass - as well as an impact weapon without the risk of damaging it.
Initially, tactical flashlights usually used a pair of relatively capacious, but rather expensive and disposable CR123A batteries, but thanks to the proliferation of 18650 batteries, tactical developers began to use them as the main power supply. As rare exceptions, there are tactical flashlights powered by AA and even AAA batteries.
Examples of excellent tactical flashlights from Olight: M18 Striker, M20SX-L2 Warrior, M21X-L2 Warrior, M22 Warrior, M3X Triton
(see 10–15).
Search lights- as a rule, they are quite large and weighty, with a short glow time, but at the same time with very high brightness. Basically, there are two types: those that shine relatively close, but with a wide beam, and, conversely, long-range ones with a narrow beam of light (the effective lighting range of the latter can reach a kilometer or more). To power the LED, either several 18650/26650/36650 batteries or special non-separable battery packs are usually used here. Typically, such flashlights are used in professional activities - for example, by rescuers, huntsmen or the military - therefore they meet the most stringent requirements for product reliability and security. Examples of such flashlights from Olight: SR Mini Intimidator, SR52 Intimidator, SR95S UT Intimidator, SR96 Intimidator, X6 Marauder (see 17–20, 23).
Search lights
Headband Olight H15S Wave interesting, first of all, by the ability to turn it on and off “hands-free” - due to a special touch system
Headlamps by analogy with telephone headsets, they are also sometimes called HandsFree, since the owner’s hands remain free when working. This type of flashlight is well suited for many areas of use - including as an auxiliary “close combat” flashlight to the main “blaster”.
One of the most important parameters of a headlamp is its weight, which is why such flashlights are usually made from a lightweight aluminum alloy, often in combination with polymers or composite materials. There are, of course, forehead covers made entirely of plastic - but these are, as a rule, the cheapest models; Such budget products, as a rule, have serious drawbacks - either the brightness of the glow is too low, or the strong heating caused by the operation of a powerful light source (which cannot be avoided due to cooling problems in the plastic case), as a result of which the flashlight quickly fails. The optimal power supply for a small and lightweight headlamp is AA and AAA batteries/accumulators, as well as CR123A. If you need a flashlight that is more powerful or has a larger energy reserve, you will have to sacrifice wearing comfort, since the use of an 18650 battery or several AA batteries (less often AAA/CR123A) leads to an increase in the size and weight of the flashlight, and this makes its use less convenient. However, the complex problem of user convenience and the availability of a large energy reserve is being solved - for this purpose, headlamps with separate blocks are produced; The emitter of such a flashlight is traditionally mounted on the forehead, and the battery pack is located on the back of the head - thereby ensuring uniform weight distribution and comfortable operation with the flashlight.
The typical lumen output of headlamps is 30-150 lumens. There are also models with a brightness of several hundred lumens or more - but they are already quite weighty (from 100 g without batteries - and even more with a separate battery pack). The shape of the beam of the “headlamp” can be different and is chosen for specific tasks: if it is necessary to shine mainly at close distances, then a wider beam is desirable (it is even possible to use a uniform flood light), and if the flashlight is to be used instead of a hand-held one to illuminate medium and long distances, then This is where a narrow beam comes in handy.
Headlamps
Options for good headbands from Olight:
H15S Wave - powered by original Li-Ion battery or from 4xAAA, and due to the standard light diffuser it can create both a narrow and wide beam (see 21);
H25 Wave - is powered by a remote battery pack, which can be put in a pocket/backpack or placed on a belt under clothing (which is especially important when using the flashlight in cold weather). Another feature of the flashlight is contactless on/off and a “power bank” built into the battery pack, which will come in very handy if necessary to recharge, for example, a mobile phone (see 22).
Underwater, or “dive”, flashlights, are used by swimmers when diving (diving) to significant depths during the day or at night, as well as during underwater hunting. The main requirements for such lanterns are complete waterproofness and sufficiently high brightness. Such flashlights are most often controlled by a large lever/button or a magnetic ring, which makes it easy to turn on the flashlight and switch its operating modes even when wearing diving gloves. Power supply - high-capacity lithium batteries of standard sizes 18650, 26650, 36650; built-in batteries are also often used, and sometimes several AA batteries. It is important to remember that it is undesirable to use an underwater flashlight - especially a high-power one - in the maximum glow mode in air, since the design of such flashlights is designed for normal cooling only in water; In the air, the underwater light can overheat and fail.
Zexus ZX-500: 300/150 lm, operating time 72 h/144 h, 3xD power supply, dimensions 100x180x85 mm, weight 420 g
As the name suggests, they are designed to illuminate a campsite or any other wide area. Most often, camping lanterns illuminate everything around them with flood light - like a candle or light bulb - but there are also options with a wide, but directional light. The main criterion when choosing a camping lantern in most cases is not the brightness of the glow, but the time it operates on one set of batteries. It is also useful for such a flashlight to have several operating modes - including the SOS distress signal mode. In addition, for a camping lantern, as well as for a hand-held tourist one, the weight and size characteristics are extremely important - a lantern with 3-4 D-size batteries is unlikely to be comfortable to carry on a hike, but a lantern with 3-4 AA (AAA) batteries or one 18650 battery is quite . Powered by D or C batteries, it is suitable for stationary use - or for camping. The body material of camping lanterns is usually plastic, metal is used less often. There are camping lanterns with built-in chargers - mechanical (you need to turn a handle, like old trucks) or solar-powered (in this case you need direct sunlight) - with which you can recharge a dead battery. Examples: Zexus ZX-500 (see).
Flashlights with adjustable focus (zoom), also known as “lens lenses,” are specially allocated to a separate category because they are somewhat popular in the ultra-budget class, but due to their design features they are not the best option for purchase. The design of such flashlights is based on a scheme with a variable distance between the lens (usually aspherical) and the LED, thanks to which it is possible to obtain a beam both in the form of a very wide light cone for short distances, and a very narrow and long-range beam (and without side illumination). Such flashlights have both advantages and disadvantages - and there are many of the latter. Designs with a movable “head” are usually poorly protected from moisture, dust and sand; moreover, the movable head part with the lens can become “loose” over time and stop being fixed in the desired position. In turn, designs with a moving LED (movable inside a fixed housing) are bad because over time the wires between the control board and the diode break off; In addition, these flashlights usually have insufficient heat dissipation, which also does not add to the reliability of the flashlight. Another significant drawback is that up to 50% of the light is lost at a long focus. Of course, there are also branded lens flashlights that are made much better than budget flashlights - however, they retain the fundamental features of variable focus. Of course, “lens cameras” also have advantages - flexibility of use; Sometimes it is useful to be able to switch from a narrow beam, used to illuminate deep dark spaces (such as tunnels or wells), to a wide flood light, which is useful, for example, for economic activities at a rest stop.
II. Characteristics and indicators that determine the level of the flashlight
The most popular “ultra-budget” lenses
There are a huge number of different flashlights on the market - and when you want to buy a good flashlight for a specific purpose (or for all occasions), you ask the question “Which one is good?” After all, you want the lantern to never let you down when it comes down to it. So, if you need to buy a really good flashlight, it should be a brand name. Well-known flashlight manufacturing companies value their image very much, so they usually take full responsibility for their product, strictly observing warranty obligations and often even providing post-warranty service. In addition, branded flashlights usually have a huge variety of control options and operating modes, so such flashlights are much more pleasant and comfortable to use. Non-brand flashlights are captivating mainly due to their price - however, in this case the buyer inevitably gets a pig in a poke. Using a flashlight of unknown origin can reveal a whole bunch of problems and shortcomings - these are low-quality materials, poor threads, poor heat dissipation, lack of moisture protection, an unpleasant “bluish” spectrum of light, poor soldering of electronics, etc. In addition, indicators of the brightness of the light and the beam range of non-brand flashlights, as a rule, is seriously overestimated - often by several times, or even orders of magnitude. Such “marketing” is designed primarily for uninformed buyers who, in addition, have poor eyesight, so that the extra zeros assigned to the characteristics do not arouse suspicion. They rivet non-branded products - no matter what Germany, Switzerland or America appears on the labels - mainly in China. Actually, Chinese origin is no longer an unambiguous synonym for low quality - many serious American and European manufacturers have been either using components made in the Middle Kingdom for quite a long time, or have completely transferred production to China; in addition, many Chinese companies have already achieved recognition of the high quality of their products on the world market - and lanterns are no exception. However, there is a fundamental difference between the products of a specialized plant, equipped with the latest equipment with strict quality control and staffed with well-trained and responsible personnel, and the products of some garage-basement workshop, whose employees received technical education by dismantling stolen mopeds, and to stimulate the flight of thought of designers Only gaoliang moonshine is used. However, the staff of the latter enterprises also need to feed their families - this is precisely what explains the abundance of lanterns of unknown brands and origins on sale, the quality of which varies not only from name to name, but even from copy to copy of products of the same name. It is clear that purchasing such a flashlight is clean water lottery. Hence the conclusion: if you need a flashlight extremely rarely (for example, to go down to the cellar for potatoes or to find a switchboard when the light suddenly goes out), then perhaps a non-branded flashlight will suffice - as long as it is not the cheapest. If the flashlight is planned to be used for more or less serious tasks - for example, hiking in places remote from civilization, exploring some abandoned corners, speleology, diving, hunting, search and rescue or military operations, where the quality and reliability of the flashlight can depends on the life and health of the owner and people close to him, you need to choose only a branded product, it will more than pay for its price.
Type of light source - all about LEDs
Back in the 1920s, Soviet physicist Oleg Losev, while studying the phenomenon of electroluminescence, predicted the appearance of solid-state, that is, not requiring a vacuum, and small-sized light sources with a very low (within 10 volts) supply voltage, and later received two copyright certificates for the device , which he called a “light relay” - here what is LED. However, the poor development of semiconductor technologies has led to the fact that for a long time LEDs were used only as indicators - luminous points of various colors. In recent years, there has been a real revolution in this area, which has led to the creation of super-bright LEDs. Before their appearance, the source of light for lanterns was incandescent light bulbs, but now LEDs have replaced them almost completely. The fact is that lamps have very significant disadvantages compared to LEDs: first of all, they have a short service life (especially in situations involving extreme conditions, frequent vibrations, shocks), as well as low efficiency - with the same electric current consumption The lamp shines much weaker than the LED. True, lamps also have their advantages; one of the most significant is the correct temperature spectrum - due to which the colors of objects illuminated by such a lamp, unlike LED lighting, are not distorted. Another advantage of incandescent lamps is the absence of additional electronics, which could potentially fail and let the owner of the lamp down at the most inopportune moment; although, of course, in high-quality flashlights the likelihood of this is minimized.
Types and varieties of LEDs
Manufacturers of LEDs, like any electronics, are constantly improving their products, so on the flashlight market you can find different types of LEDs, which are quite difficult for the average user to understand. The most popular LEDs from the American company Cree Inc.: XR-E, XP-E, XP-G, XM-L, as well as the newer XP-E2, XP-G2, XM-L2 - these LEDs are most often installed in small lamps ( except for the XM-L and XM-L2, which are very versatile and suitable for both compact EDC flashlights and powerful search engines). Cree MT-G2 and MK-R LEDs, as well as Luminus' SST-50, SST-90, SBT-70 and SBT-90 LEDs, are typically used in large, powerful multi-battery searchlights. In addition, LEDs differ in brightness bins - special codes systems for sorting LEDs by brightness. Cree LEDs have a alphanumeric designation; for XM-L(2) diodes the most common bins are T5, T6, U2, for XP-G(2) diodes - R4, R5, S2, for XP-E(2) diodes - Q5, R2, R3, for XR diodes -E - P4, Q3, Q5, R2.
Therefore, if a manufacturer or seller indicates that “a flashlight uses a T6 diode,” he means the XM-L T6 diode.
types of LEDs for flashlights, brightness
If we distribute the popular ones according to a conventional brightness scale, as they increase, it will look like this: P4-Q3-Q5-R2-R4-R5-S2-T5-T6-U2.
One of the main differences between diodes is their size, or more precisely, the area of the light-emitting crystal. The smaller the crystal area, the easier it is to focus its glow into a narrow beam - and vice versa. Therefore, the old XR-E LED is the easiest to focus, and a fairly large XM-L will shine much wider under the same conditions. If you need to get the narrowest possible beam from the XM-L LED, you will have to use a rather large, wide and deep reflector, which will negatively affect the weight and dimensions of the case. But with a small reflector on such an LED you will get a very successful pocket flashlight with a wide low beam.
Price-quality ratio
When choosing a flashlight, naturally, you should read description of LEDs and take into account the brightness of its glow. It is measured in lumens - the more lumens in the luminous flux of a flashlight, the brighter it shines and, accordingly, the faster it “eats” the energy reserve of the batteries. When comparing branded flashlights, you can more or less confidently rely on the values of their brightness declared by the manufacturers; however, things are not always so perfect. Previously, some manufacturers were somewhat disingenuous when calculating lumens in their flashlights, often not taking into account light losses in the optical system at different temperature conditions, etc., as a result of which the declared characteristics turned out to be somewhat overestimated. Nowadays, to equalize the characteristics of flashlights from different brands, a special unified standard is used that defines methods for measuring brightness and range (ANSI FL1) - and if the characteristics were measured according to the ANSI standard, this will be indicated on the packaging. Often there is a kind of “strategy”: some time after starting to work at maximum power, the brightness of the flashlight automatically decreases. It's called Step Down (English: “one step lower”); Such an operating algorithm often serves only to provide the manufacturer with the opportunity to indicate the maximum possible brightness value on the packaging. However, in some cases, “stepdown” is really useful - thanks to it, the batteries do not run out as quickly as they could if the flashlight was constantly working at maximum. It also happens that a product with a more focused beam, but lower brightness according to the ANSI standard, can outperform a more powerful flashlight with a wider beam in terms of range - the optical system and the LED used play a role here. In a word, branded flashlights can be safely selected and compared according to the brightness specified by the manufacturer, if it was measured according to the ANSI standard - but it is also advisable to take into account the features of the flashlight’s optical system, as well as the presence of a “stepdown” in some models.
Reflector/aspherical lens/TIR lens - all these devices are needed to focus the light emitted by the LED; simply put, they form a light beam.
A reflector is the best option. Thanks to it, a bright central spot and noticeable side illumination are obtained. This structure of light is very convenient for orientation in the illuminated space - both at close and long distances. In addition, the reflector can be smooth or textured (with an inner surface that looks like an orange peel). Due to the smooth reflector, the flashlight will shine further, so this option is useful for long-range flashlights, while the textured one has another advantage - thanks to it, the transition from the central spot to side illumination occurs more smoothly, so this form of light is more convenient for close distances, which is important for EDC lights.
The aspherical lens in variable-focus flashlights creates light from a wide flood beam to a very narrow and fairly long-range beam. As described above, such flashlights are quite highly specialized and are not very convenient for comfortable use in different life situations.
The peculiarity of the TIR lens (Total Internal Reflection) is that, unlike a reflector, a TIR lens collects all the light from the LED into one beam of a predetermined width, practically eliminating side illumination. In this way, you can get a very narrow and long-range beam, necessary for search or tactical flashlights, or, conversely, a very wide beam, well suited for hiking, headlamps or EDC flashlights.
Applications of LEDs
Often, when choosing a flashlight, a consumer wants the maximum range of light from it - however, in most cases, long-range flashlights are not needed at all. Most often, a flashlight is used to illuminate nearby areas or objects located at a distance of no more than a few tens of meters. Long-range flashlights shine for a hundred meters and further - however, often with a very narrow beam that poorly illuminates the surrounding space, especially at close distances. As a result, when illuminating distant objects with such a flashlight, the user will not be able to see what is in the immediate vicinity of him - figuratively speaking, under his feet. Of course, the flashlight can be periodically moved, moving it from side to side and up and down - but in such cases it is much easier to use a flashlight with a shorter range, but with a wide beam that can perfectly illuminate everything that is needed at the same time. So, knowing quite obviously that long-range flashlights, indispensable for rescuers, hunters or the military, are not particularly useful in everyday use for everyday tasks.
The photo shows a comparison of the lighting tonality provided by LEDs of three different spectra: “warm”, “neutral” and “cold”. When choosing the light temperature of a flashlight, you need to focus on the following points: an LED with a warm spectrum of light minimally distorts the colors of the illuminated object, but has lower brightness than an LED with a neutral spectrum - and even more so a “cold” LED. For the latter, it's the other way around. Therefore, if you need a powerful search or tactical flashlight, where brightness is more important, then it is better to choose LEDs with a cold spectrum of light. If the flashlight is needed for everyday tasks, tourism, or for use as a headlamp, then correct color rendering is still more important - and, therefore, an LED with a warm spectrum of light will be more advantageous. Neutral LEDs are the golden mean both in terms of color fidelity and light brightness.
Comparison of “warm”, “neutral” and “cold” light. The first one distorts colors less, the last one is more contrasting and powerful, “neutral” is the golden mean
An ordinary AA battery with a nominal voltage of 1.5 volts with a high current consumption will not be able to produce the required voltage and will “sag”, plus the voltage will quickly decrease as it discharges - and therefore, the brightness of the flashlight on such a battery will also decrease quickly . To ensure that the brightness does not decrease along with the battery discharge, modern flashlights are equipped with special electronic power stabilizers. A flashlight with such a stabilizer will maintain the brightness mode until the last moment; and when the battery voltage drops below a certain threshold level, the automation will simply switch the flashlight to a weaker mode - which the flashlight will also stably and persistently adhere to until the battery runs out completely.
Not counting the cheapest flashlights that only have an on/off button, most modern, even non-branded, flashlights have several operating modes, including strobe (high-frequency flashing) and SOS (distress signal). Non-branded products usually have three operating modes (maximum power/average power/strobe) or five (minimum power/average power/maximum power/strobe/SOS); in this case, the average power usually corresponds to 50% of the maximum brightness of the glow, and the minimum - 10% (of course, it happens differently). In branded flashlights, everything is much more complicated. Here, operating modes can be controlled by buttons (conventional mechanical or electronic), rotation of the “head”, rotation of the magnetic ring, as well as a combination of the above. Some flashlights have a variety of sensors on board for turning on/off or changing modes - for example, a motion sensor that allows you to switch modes by gently shaking the flashlight, or an infrared sensor that turns the headlamp on/off when you wave your hand in front of it without any pressing buttons. In order to determine preferences, it is best for a potential user to try one way or another on their own, since each of them has its own characteristics - which in practice can lead, for example, to the fact that you will need both hands to control your flashlight. If this is not critical, then you can choose what you like best. Branded flashlights also have many modes of operation. Here it is worth mentioning flashlights with the ability to smoothly, steplessly change brightness or independently program operating modes. On the one hand, this is convenient because you can ideally adjust the glow mode to a specific situation. On the other hand, knowing about the operating time from one set of batteries in each of the fixed modes, you can quite accurately calculate the required number of batteries that you should keep in reserve for a particular task - in flashlights with smooth adjustment, such calculations can be made Perform only in the maximum or minimum brightness mode.
Ordinary aluminum reflector (reflector), TIR lens, aspherical lens (for flashlights with variable beam width)
The main (and best) material for the manufacture of modern powerful flashlights are aluminum alloys, the most important advantages of which are lightness, sufficient strength, excellent thermal conductivity and relative low cost. Also, thanks to the protective anodic coatings, which are hard and wear-resistant, flashlights with aluminum alloy bodies are quite difficult to scratch. Steel is also used in the production of housings for flashlights, but much less often - since the flashlight becomes heavier, and the LED, due to the lower thermal conductivity of steel, cools much less well during operation, which is why it can simply fail. However, if you do not need high brightness, then a flashlight in a polished steel case will be an excellent fashion accessory. Quite often there are also flashlights made of titanium alloys (usually with a polished body surface, but sometimes matte). These lanterns are not inferior to steel ones in either durability or stylish appearance - but at the same time they are somewhat lighter, and also usually much more expensive. Plastic in the design of flashlights is used, as a rule, as a complement to aluminum - or for the bodies of low-power flashlights, such as camping ones or simple headlamps.
Modern flashlights have a fairly durable, most often metal, body that protects glass and electronics from external mechanical influences. However, even after purchasing a branded lantern, you should not thoughtlessly test its strength by throwing it from the roof onto the concrete - it is still not intended for this. If you choose a flashlight for maximum protection from shocks and vibrations, then it will definitely be a tactical flashlight designed for installation on a weapon and can easily withstand the dynamic loads that occur during a shot. High water resistance level IPx7/IPx8 - when the flashlight can be safely dipped into water - is present in almost all branded flashlights, even fairly budget ones. Exceptions tend to be budget flashlights, variable focus flashlights, camping flashlights, and some headlamps that will safely survive only average rain.
Unlike batteries with an output voltage of 1.5 V, NiMh (nickel metal hydride) batteries produce a nominal voltage of 1.2 V - so some flashlights may not work correctly with them. However, high-quality NiMH rechargeable batteries, unlike batteries, usually allow branded flashlights to produce all of their manufacturer's stated lumens.
This type of battery is often called a “pinky” or “mini-finger” battery. Flashlights powered by such a battery are very small and light - their weight can be only 10-30 g. Maximum brightness is about 60-80 lumens, which already allows you to shine well for a dozen or two meters; However, with such brightness, the AAA battery will not last long, about 30-40 minutes - so such flashlights are usually used as spare ones “just in case”.
The AA battery is the most popular type of battery, which can be bought on almost every corner. Its capacity is 2-2.5 times higher than that of the “little finger” one, so flashlights on AA batteries will shine longer - and at a higher brightness (90-120 lm). Brand flashlights, when using high-quality batteries, produce about 140-160 lumens or more on a good NiMH battery. The dimensions of flashlights on AA batteries are noticeably larger than AAA flashlights - it’s not always possible to hang them on a bunch of keys - but they still remain quite compact (weight - in the range of 50-80 g, length - no more than 8-10 cm).
Comparison of the dimensions of popular lithium batteries (from left to right): 10440 (AA), 15270 (CR2), RCR123A, 16340, 14500 (AA), 18650
Flashlights powered by two “pinky” batteries are quite rare - as a rule, these are branded flashlights made in the form of a stylish pen in multiple color options. Their brightness is usually 150-200 lumens - however, they do not work at this brightness for long. However, due to the very small reflector, such flashlights provide a wide beam, very convenient for close-range lighting.
In such flashlights, the batteries are installed in series one after another, resulting in a fairly long (about 15 cm) and thin flashlight. Compared to one battery, there is already twice as much energy in reserve, so the brightness of such flashlights is also increased - and reaches 250 lumens or more; To save energy, however, you can always switch to a more economical mode. In general, flashlights with two AA batteries are the most versatile in terms of the prevalence of batteries, dimensions, weight and brightness.
One of the most popular types of power supply - both for the majority of non-branded and especially budget flashlights, and for some branded ones (at present, however, they are already structurally outdated). The main disadvantage of this type of power supply is that despite the fairly large mass and dimensions, the total energy intensity is still quite small; In addition, as a rule, such flashlights do not stabilize the brightness of the glow as the batteries are discharged.
and Flashlights powered by several AA batteries are very diverse - from tourist and simply universal ones (for 3-4 AA batteries) to long-range search and underwater ones (for 8 AA batteries). The characteristics of such flashlights are usually similar to those of powerful flashlights on lithium batteries - but they have advantages where it is easier to get AA batteries/rechargeable batteries, or for those users who prefer batteries of this size (for example, if a charger with sets of spare AA batteries is already available , but I don’t want to buy a separate charger for lithium cells and such batteries themselves).
Currently, branded flashlights using this type of battery are practically no longer found. The only exception is the very popular at one time, but already outdated baton lamps from the American company Maglite.
This type of battery is somewhat more popular than the previous one, and, in addition to Maglite baton flashlights, is also used in some models from the brand manufacturer Fenix; although, of course, this cannot be called widespread. Most often, D-batteries are now used in large camping lanterns - usually in quantities of 3-4 pieces at a time.
Two disposable batteries in the form of thin disks with a diameter of about 2 cm are used in ultra-compact key fob flashlights - usually having a plastic body and equipped with a simple 5 mm LED. Such flashlights are distinguished by their very small dimensions and weight - but the light they also produce is quite weak (however, it is more than enough if you need to illuminate a keyhole or not miss the steps in a dark entrance). For a “just in case” flashlight, such a power supply kit is through the roof.
This battery is similar in size to an AAA battery - as a result, some “key switches” that normally run on AAA batteries can also be powered by such a battery. In this case, the brightness increases by 2-3 times, but the operating time in maximum mode is significantly reduced - literally up to ten minutes. There is another serious drawback - a small flashlight with such an increase in the brightness of the glow heats up very quickly and can fail. Therefore, it is better not to use a flashlight with such a battery at maximum. The capacity of the 10440 battery is about 300 mAh, the voltage is 3.7 (3.6) V.
Flashlights powered by these disposable batteries are very rare - but the option for a “switcher” is very interesting. The CR2 element is almost 2 times shorter than 10440, but one and a half times thicker. Voltage - 3.0 V, capacity - about 800 mAh. Instead of disposable CR2 batteries, you can use a 15270 battery with a voltage of 3.0 V and a capacity of about 200 mAh.
Olight SR95S-UT Intimidator: Luminus SBT-70, 1250/500/150 lm, operating time 3 h/8 h/48 h, range 1000 m, power supply – special battery pack, dimensions 325x90 mm, weight 1230 g
A disposable lithium battery with a voltage of 3 volts is a compact and lightweight battery, and at the same time has a very decent capacity (about 1500 mAh), due to which flashlights using this battery are quite popular. Such flashlights are very well suited for EDC use, since they are very light and compact, while the brightness of the glow reaches 200-250 lumens (with an operating time “at maximum” of about an hour), almost catching up with more serious flashlights. The main disadvantage of such batteries is the cost, since instead of one CR123A you can buy 4-7 high-quality AA batteries.
Lithium batteries, similar in size to disposable CR123A batteries and designed to replace it. There are two versions of such batteries: with a voltage of 3.0 V and 3.7 (3.6) V; and if the first type of battery is absolutely interchangeable with a CR123A battery (the only difference is that the battery capacity is about three times less), then the second version with increased voltage must be supported by the flashlight itself, otherwise it may fail. If the flashlight can work with a battery having a voltage of 3.7 (3.6) V - the capacity of such batteries is greater than that of “three-volt” ones and is 500-700 mAh - then the use of this battery will provide increased brightness , reaching up to 350-450 lumens. However, it should be taken into account that with such a bright light, the body of a compact flashlight may not be able to cope with the heat removal from the LED, as a result of which the flashlight may become so hot that it is impossible to hold it in your hand and, ultimately, fail. So you shouldn’t get carried away with the maximum glow mode in such cases.
Lithium is a lithium battery, similar to an ordinary finger-type (AA) battery both geometrically and in terms of nominal voltage - 1.5 V - but its capacity is 2-3 times greater (about 3000 mAh), and its weight is 1.5 -2 times less. In addition, this battery can withstand high current loads perfectly, so a flashlight with such a battery will shine no worse than with a high-quality NiMH battery, and maybe even better. The main disadvantage of such batteries is the price; as in the case of CR123A, instead of one AA Litium, you can buy 4-7 regular high-quality AA batteries.
The battery is the size of a AA battery and has a capacity of up to 800 mAh. The main advantage of flashlights using these batteries is their versatility. When using 14500, the brightness reaches 350-450 lumens with an operating time of about half an hour; If such a battery suddenly “runs out”, then it can easily and naturally be replaced with a ubiquitous AA battery - and your flashlight will continue to shine, albeit not so brightly.
Two disposable lithium batteries installed in series one after the other. Previously, this type of power supply was most often used in tactical flashlights, less often in EDC; is now commonly used as a backup power supply for flashlights using 18650 batteries.
The most convenient type of power supply for most modern flashlights, which has gained popularity due to the best combination of overall dimensions, weight and energy intensity. The 18650 is slightly larger in size than a finger-type battery, its weight is 45-50 g, and its maximum capacity is up to 3600 mAh. Flashlights powered by this battery are very diverse - from small flashlights for EDC to fairly large tactical and search models. In general, if you don’t mind the need to buy a special charger (except for flashlight versions with a built-in charger), flashlights with this type of battery will be the best in terms of size/weight/brightness.
Thanks to the use of two 18650 batteries at once in the flashlight, an increase in the brightness of the glow or operating time is achieved, but the weight of the flashlight also increases (can reach 200-500 g) and dimensions. Most often, the batteries in such flashlights are installed in series one after another; sometimes a removable extender extension is used for this. There are also flashlights with parallel arrangement of batteries to reduce size. But in any case, such flashlights, as a rule, differ in power and range - with a “kill” range of up to half a kilometer or more.
A stylish flashlight made of polished titanium stands out among its aluminum counterparts - and will be an excellent assistant for every day.
This type of power supply is used, as a rule, in search (less often, underwater) lights using the most powerful diodes - like SST90, SBT70, MK-R or several XM-L2. The brightness of such lanterns reaches thousands of lumens, and their weight is half a kilogram or more; they can be either ultra-long-range with a maximum range of over a kilometer, or providing wide coverage at a range of up to several hundred meters. In any case, such flashlights require especially careful handling - because, firstly, they are quite massive and, if dropped, are more likely to fail than their lighter counterparts, and secondly, the cost of such flashlights is very high.
The batteries are as long as 18650 and slightly larger in diameter, due to which they have greater energy capacity. Typically used in powerful search and diving flashlights, although there are also compact “pocket” ones based on one element 26650.
In some cases this is a necessity - for example, in heavy-duty flashlights, where a large number of separate batteries would otherwise have to be used - in others it is done for greater convenience of the owner, since the charging process here is no different from charging a mobile phone, and no additional chargers are required. There is no need to purchase devices for this. Some flashlights have a “native” battery, charged by the built-in charger, you can, if necessary, replace it with a third-party one (although this third-party one won’t always be able to charge). This can be useful if somewhere along the way the “original” battery runs out, but you still need to keep the light on.
