Alex's question answered!

In case you can't tell I'm trying to knock out some of these questions!

Alex said...
"PS... Dark does suck. My question is... is "focused beam" the way to tackle the suckiness. Maybe "make a 5 foot diameter around me feel like the day"... Just a thought."

Actually, a lot of people ask about focusing. It's one of the top five questions I think. Darn you Maglite! Here is my take (special applications aside). For general "I can't see in the dark" use, these lights are so powerful you get both long range throw and close range flood all at the same time. It basically makes focusing obsolete (special applications aside).

As four your special request, "make a 5 foot diameter around me feel like the day." Would you settle for a 10 foot diameter of day? That's all I got.

I've been a Maglite owner for many years and I found I always had mine focused to a spot. Mostly because they are so weak you don't get any usable light when it's focused to a flood beam. I've also never seen a focusable light with "acceptable" beam quality. If you've ever tried to focus a Maglite you will be familiar with the uneven rings of light and dark and the massive dark "donut hole" right at the center of the beam when at medium focus ranges.

I bought a new light the other day from one of those "well known manufacturers" that make focusable LED lights. I figured that if they put them on the shelf the must have licked the ugly beam problem. I was sorely disappointed. If anyone has a genius solution I'm open to experimenting...I'm still not convinced it's necessary. 

Aspheric lenses (as opposed to reflectors) can be of some use in this circumstance but that is another post and another project to be explored.  

Okay, special applications. Sometimes you just need to see really far...say beyond 300 feet. The current model I'm working with isn't going to be your huckleberry. I might get around to making a "thrower" some day, but the basic rule is bigger head, more throw.