Photon Micro-Light I or Inova Microlight?

Joined
May 17, 2002
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I can get the first generation Photons at roughly the same price as the Inova LED light. Which one should I get?
I'm not going to spend more money for a back-up keychain light (at least right now), so please don't suggest more expensive ones.

Also, which color should it be? I read in other threads that both red and green would be good choices, but which one of those two has the overall best capabilities in enabling to retain night vision as good as possible, enabling to distinguish colors and brightness?
The green version is only available for the Inova - at least at the low price I found. Thus, it would probably be a reason to prefer the Inova, if green turns out to be the best choice.

Thanks in advance for your input.
 
if you're talking about the innova's with the constant on switch on the back that would probably be a reason to choose them, otherwise the only real reason i can see other than different color choices is that the innova has a little more sheilding around the led to keep the light from getting out to the sides. the innova also gives the led a little more protection i believe. On the other hand i think the photon is a little easier to press the button, as with the innova you have to press really hard or in just the right place, at least that's been my experience with them. also i've had some problems with the innova with the constant on switch flickering, but i don't know if it's a common problem. finally for more information you might try posting this question over at candlepowerforums.com

hope this was helpful

Pete
 
Personally, between the Inova Microlight and the Photon I, I would go with the Inova since it has a switch that allows constant on operation, which can come in handy rather than having to hold down on the button. Now if it were the Photon II, I would choose otherwise.

As far as colour is concerned, I use white for everything since it is the only one that will let you distinguish true colours. It may not appear as bright as a green, but it does not distort colours.

Here's an example taken from The Light Site showing a map in NORMAL LIGHT:
orlando_normal.jpg


Here's a pic using a GREEN LED:
orlando_green.jpg


Here's a pic using a RED LED:
orlando_red.jpg


Here's one using a BLUE LED:
orlando_blue.jpg


Now, here's the same pic using a WHITE LED:
orlando_white.jpg



Now decide which light is best for true colour rendition. ;)

Check out more info on colour rendition at
http://thelightsite.cruxial.com/reviews/color_rendition.htm
 
I don't know what kind of a deal you're getting on those lights but botach.com has the Photon II's for $9.50. I have a white one and i swear by it.

I know you said not to suggest more expensive models but I these prices are much cheaper than you usually see them, in my experience.

good luck.

-John
 
Thanks to you all. Please keep it coming.

Cosmic Superchunk,
thanks for the pics! The fact that white shows the most realistic colors is obvious, however color rendition is part, but not all of what I'm concerned about.

John,
the deal I get is about as good as the one you mentioned, but from a German online dealer - buying from the US would mean taxes and increased shipping costs for me. By the way, you might wanna check GB&U for opinions about Botach's way of doing business...
 
Buy 2 - 1 in white, 1 in red (some military maps are printed to be used w/ red lights - US Military, at least).

A nice compromise is an Amber one - still very bright, good battery life, and doesn't screw up colors as much as green/red will) - I don't know if it's available in the Inova, but it is available in the Photon models.

As stated before, if the Inova is the one w/ the switch, get that one. Otherwise, get whichever one is easiest for you to use.

Another good online source for Photon's is www.vicomptel.com/vlights/
 
QS,

Sorry, didn't notice you were in Duetchland.

I've ordered from Botach twice, first time everything went smoothly, the second time not as smooth, but it was about 2 weeks before Christmas and I figured that mixups happen...

I DID check the GB&U Forum and WOW, if I had known about all the negetive comments I would have steered clear and I NEVER would have recommended them to you or anyone.

Sorry,

-John
 
Hey John, no need to apologize! My reference to GB&U was just a hint in order to inform you about most people's opinion about them. I never did any business with them, so I can't comment personally.

Oh, by the way, I have to correct myself: I can get a deal similar to one you mentioned for a first generation Photon, not a second generation one.

I think I'll go with an Inova, but I'm not sure about the color yet.
 
since money appears to be tight......

White Inova Microlight with the constant on switch over Photon Mk.1 - despite the Inova having white LEDs that tend to be distinctly blue - simply because of the constant on switch.

The Photon II is a much closer comparison,
and a much better choice over the Photon Mk.1.

However all the Photons are available in Yellow which I seem to see well with, for both definition and contrast, and the color rendition is reasonably good - best of all it does not dazzle my eyes so affects my dark adaption minimally.

(note: Red is the correct color to preserve true night [scotopic/rods only] vision. But if one can see any color then it is not true scotopic/night vision, in which case a light that does not dazzle to allow quicker recovery is desirable - yellow seems to suit this well).

Best of all Photon Yellow are advertized at 120 hours battery life (as are the Red and Orange ) - whereas the white and other colors like green and blue-green are only 10-12hours.

Just an added note - there are some who think green or blue-green preserves night vision -
this is not so - it is used in conjunction with Night Vision (NV) Equipment.
 
Quiet Storm - My advice would be to check carefully which generation Inova you're buying, because the older ones don't have the constant on switch. If I had to pick between a Photon I and the older - style Inova, I'd pick the Photon.
 
I will check if it's a constant on switch on the Inova.

This light is just a replacement for my Mag Lite Solitaire (which I accidently dropped). I need something small on my keychain and it doesn't need to be great. Good quality is OK with me here since I'm going to buy either an Inova X5T or a Surefire as a "main" flashlight. The flashlight has not yet bitten here (saves me a lot of money that I can add to the amount that I spend for knives). :)
 
Originally posted by dkochan
I prefer the translucent Inova MicroLightsbecause they look really cool.

That's what I thought too - until I used it -

It attracts attention - which would be great for signalling - or when you NEED to be seen - eg: crossing the road.

But often I do not want to disturb other people -
and even more important (for me) - the extraneous light is distracting and actually dazzles the eye -
so I kept the black solid bodied version where the LED is recessed/hooded.

I think also that's why the solid black body Inova Microlights have a US military NSN # and the translucent bodies do NOT.
 
I ordered an Inova Microlight (red LED) and received it yesterday. I like it! The button is a bit hard to press, but this is not much of a drawback since it prevents the LED from lighting accidently while it's carried in a pocket.

Thanks for your advice, guys!
 
Hello

Just an added note - there are some who think green or blue-green preserves night vision -

UnknownVT
With all due respect but Im curious where you came up with this information. From what Ive studied it does in fact preserve your night vision. Although it doesn't really serve much purpose in reading maps as shown above.

Here is something about it.
From
http://misty.com/people/don//lede.html


It explains how different colors are percieved at night.

There is photopic vision and there is scotopic vision. Photopic vision is "day vision", which sees detail and color and works better in brighter light. Scotopic vision is "night vision" which is low resolution and
black-and-white. In dimmer environments, there is "mesopic vision" where both scotopic and photopic vision are functioning.

As it turns out, photometric units such as the lumen, lux, footcandle and the candela are defined in terms of photopic vision. Two light sources with different spectral content and having equal photometric measurement will appear equally bright to a "standard human eyeball" that is in photopic mode. But in scotopic mode, human vision has reduced sensitivity to red wavelengths and increased sensitivity to wavelengths from mid-blue to mid-green. Two light sources with equal photometric measurements can have very unequal performance to a dark-adapted eye if their spectral content is different.

Most high brightness green and blue LEDs and all of the usual high-brightness blue-green LEDs have a spectrum that is greatly more scotopic-vision-favorable than the spectrum of incandescent lamps,
especially lower wattage / lower current, longer life incandescent lamps. A nightlight made with non-yellowish-green, blue-green or turquoise blue LEDs will appear to illuminate a room more brightly than an incandescent or neon nightlight with equal lumen output.


As for using Night Vision equipment with green leds that seems to kind of defeat the purpose of night vision. If youre going to give away your position with a visible light you may as well use a white flashlight and forgo night vision. A better choice would be infared light.

Ryan
 
The reason the military doesn't use red lights any more is these days the enemy is likely to be using infrared scopes, and a little red Photon shows up in those like you've set fire to Chicago. It has nothing to do with preserving dark-adaptation; red is still best for that.
 
Originally posted by Chrono
UnknownVT
With all due respect but Im curious where you came up with this information.

With all equal due respect...... :)
This was the subject of a LONG thread over at the CandlePower Forums (for flashaholics :D and some experts )

Preserving Night Vision - Colors?

Please read it and decide for yourself... even if you discard anything I have to say in that thread - I think you'll find that -

Red is the correct color not to disturb true night (Scotopic/rods only) vision - as the rods in the eyes are INsensitive to wavelengths >620nm - which is Red, so that color will not affect the rods.

Green and Blue-Green - are used to "preserve" compatibilty with NV equipment - not the eyes.

Both these wavelengths are the ones the eyes are MOST sensitive to -

Green for Photopic or daylight cone vision and
Blue-green/turquoise/cyan for Scotopic/rods vision.

So if you follow this logic any relatively bright source of light in green or blue-green is going to affect the eyes' dark adaption/night vision the most.
 
Wow that was quite a bit of reading.

Very good information over there on CandlePower Forums. Thanks for the link. I apologize for questioning your information. I guess now I'll have to add CandlePower forums to the daily read. Thanks again.

Ryan
 
Originally posted by Chrono
I apologize for questioning your information.

I'm not an authority, and I was somewhat confused myself before that thread.....

and there is still a lot of controversy over which color is best for preserving night vision........

There is a lot of confusion between

(1) being able to see by a particular (dim) colored light well
(probably personal choice - but yellow/amber does well, white gives better color rendition.)

(2) using a color light so one's night scotopic vision remains unaffected
(red is the correct one here)

(3) using a color light compatible with NV equipment
(definitely green or blue-green)

(4) using a color light to see by that affects one's dark adaption (not necessarily true scotopic vision) least - ie: gives good recovery
(almost any color - it's probably more of a function of how DIM the light is - but there are preferences for yellow/amber as one can see well with this color at low levels and the color does not dazzle - evidenced by the long time use of amber fog lights that are said not to dazzle when reflected by white fog)

and even.......
(5) what color light is the best to be seen - ie: noticable
(again probably personal choice - but anything that gives higher color-contrast to the ambient environment will tend to get noticed - and there is something to be said for Blue - hence the choice of blue for police lights)
 
Originally posted by Quiet Storm
My reference to GB&U was just a hint in order to inform you about most people's opinion about them. I never did any business with them, so I can't comment personally.

Quiet Storm,

What is the GB&U forum? I am a little dim-witted tonight and can't put 2 & 2 together. I have shopped from Botach and haven't had any problems, but like to see what other people think. You can never be to careful these days.

Thanks!
 
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