Any Photon microlight owners?

Originally posted by GlenL
How long do the batteries last for y'all? I got some cheapo LED lights and the batteries died in a month. Should I spring for the brand name lights or just get new batteries?
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This depends on which color LED you get. Some colors last 120 hours, and some only last 10-12 hours of continuous use. Here is the technical specs for LEDs copied from www.photonlight.com
Code: 
[b]
     Color Color Spec. Beam Angle   Battery            BatteryLife*[/b]

   Infrared: 880 nm.   12° (narrow) 1 x Lithium CR-2032  
        Red: 630 nm.   24° (wide)   1 x Lithium CR-2032 120 hrs. 
     Orange: 605 nm.   15° (narrow) 1 x Lithium CR-2032 120 hrs. 
     Yellow: 592 nm.   15° (narrow) 1 x Lithium CR-2032 120 hrs. 
      Green: 525 nm.   30° (wide)   2 x Lithium CR-2016 10-12hrs.
  Turquoise: 495 nm.   30° (wide)   2 x Lithium CR-2016 10-12 hrs. 
       Blue: 470 nm.   30° (wide)   2 x Lithium CR-2016 10-12 hrs. 
     Purple: 405 nm.       (wide)   2 x Lithium CR-2016 10-12 hrs.
Ultraviolet: 370 nm.   10° (narrow) 2 x Lithium CR-2016  
   White: 6500° Kelvin 20°(narrow)  2 x Lithium CR-2016 10-12 hrs.
*Spec listed is for continuous use. Under normal (intermittent) use, the battery life may vary. Just for comparison, a Solitaire mini Mag-Lite we tested gave about 4 hours of continuous light.


Mike
 
Originally posted by Medic1210
If you are concerned about preserving your night vision, then green is the best color to get....It is the brightness of the light that ruins night vision, not the color.
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I thought that red light dilated your pupils less than other wavelengths. Astronomers, for example, use red lights to look at their star charts without destroying their night vision.
 
I have a red Photon II on a neck chain. It is always with me. I use it 5-10 times a day. Love it. Will most likely be switching to a PhotonIII in green pretty soon.

Just wish they were water proof.
 
I have 2, a blue light and a blue green light. Very bright lights I might add. When I first got mine I looked directly into the light and needless to say I never repeated that again.:eek:
 
I have 2, a blue light and a blue green light. Very bright lights I might add. When I first got mine I looked directly into the light and needless to say I never repeated that again.:eek:
 
I bought a Red Photon II in Feb. '99 from James Mattis.
It's been on my key ring ever since and still shines bright.
I use it for reading star charts when out with my telescope or binoculars.
 
Cheap, cool toys!

I have a couple Covert Photon I's - red and white, and a Photon II - tourquoise.

The White Covert Photon I is part of my EDC.
 
Originally posted by tribalbeeyatch
I thought that red light dilated your pupils less than other wavelengths. Astronomers, for example, use red lights to look at their star charts without destroying their night vision.
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I can't explain it as well as this article can, so I'm going to direct you there. Be sure to also check out the link at the bottom of the article entitled "Seeing Red" by astronomer Doug Kniffen as it goes into even better detail. It also mentions how green is better for star charts.

Here is the Article

RVO3VOM- You might also benefit from reading these articles, as you mention your interest in astronomy. BTW, is your name supposed to be "Moveover" spelled backward?

Mike
 
Medic1210 -- Very good! Most people have to see it in their rear view mirror before they understand. You see, it's my license plate.

Thanks for the links! I'll check them out this evening.

Keep 'em sharp,
~Drew
 
I always have a light with me. It used to be the green Photon II, then I carried both the Photon II and Arc AAA for a while. These days, it is pretty much exclusively the Arc. Both great lights and useful as heck.

I give them as gifts too. They are a lot like knives - people don't realize how handy they are until they start carrying them. Then they can't figure out what they did without them.
 
Mike,

From your link:
a brighter green light will generally have a more negative effect than an equally bright red light
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Unless I'm reading this wrong, your link seems to confirm that red lights are better for retaining night vision.
 
Yes, the article does state that at the same level of intesity green will damage your night vision more than red. However, the point is that you use a much lower light level with green than with red. This is due to the fact that the human eye is more sensitive to green.

With the Photon III you can adjust brightness. Therefore you will get better results from green then with red because you can lower the light level.
 
Going to order a few Photon IIs, because of the continuous on switch, soon.
One observation about the ASPs: A white LED/clear body Mirage, clipped to a belt loop, went through a wash AND dry cycle, and still works!
 
Yep, Photons are great little lights. I've got them scattered all over the house.

I had one go through the washer and dryer and still light up!

I even have one for my dog. A small black dog at night just disappears...clip a photon to her collar and just follow the dot on the ground. Keeps her in my sight and any cars.
 
R.W.Clark -

Then I wonder why the U.S. military
switched to green after all those exhaustive studies they did in the 80's.

AET ( former 11Bravo US ARMY )
 
Originally posted by tribalbeeyatch
Mike,

From your link:Unless I'm reading this wrong, your link seems to confirm that red lights are better for retaining night vision.
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What it says is, it really doesn't matter what color you use, it's the brightness that can protect or ruin your night vision. Red lights have to be brighter in order for you to be able to see what you are doing. This level of brightness will damage your night vision. As far as the green is concerned, you can use it at a much lower level and it is still effective, yet not bright enough to damage your night vision. Yes, if you turn the green to the same level as the red, the green will have more of a detrimental effect on your night vision. The article states that you should only use just enough light to see what you are doing. This means the green is better than the red because the red has to be turned up to a level that is bad for night vision, whereas the green can be kept at a level that doesn't damage nigh vision.

Mike
 
Originally posted by Allen E. Treat
R.W.Clark -

Then I wonder why the U.S. military
switched to green after all those exhaustive studies they did in the 80's.

AET ( former 11Bravo US ARMY )
Click to expand...

Read the link I posted above. It clearly states that green will damage night vision if it is too bright. The reason green was switched to was because it could be used at a much dimmer level that doesn't damage night vision. Any color light will damage night vision if it is too bright. R.W. Clark was stating that, comparatively speaking, if the green and red light are both at the same brightness, the green will have more effect on night vision, whereas the red will give poorer visibility due to the fact the human eye is less sensitive to the red.

Mike
 
Great little lights. One saved our bacon on a float tubing/ flyfishing trip in Baxter State Park in Maine. We stayed for the late hatch and my buddy's large flashlight's batteries died. The LED light on my key chain lead us out of the woods for two+ miles through a narrow, bouldery, branch filled trail in total darkness. It would have been a very long night without that light. My one complaint was the lack of the on/off switch on the LED. My thumb was exhausted by the time we got back to the truck!! :(

I always carry one in Alaska too. Less need in the summer due to our long daylight hours, but still very handy for illuminating dark nooks and crannies.

Akwacko
 
I have to agree with everything that's been said about these Photons and more. No weight, fits on your keychain without any bulk and bright enough to get you through an emergency. Not a bad idea if you ever find yourself with a flat tire or in a building where the power suddenly goes out. And you've always got it if you've got your keys. The Photon II's have a constant on switch if needed.

I might even go as far to suggest that the red color could be used to signal for help if someone ever found themselves in the ditch by the side of the roadway for whatever reason. Good attention getting color and the Photons can actually be seen from a pretty good distance.

For what these lights cost, there's really no reason not to have one. SK
 
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