u/Garikarikun

The long-awaited F150R specification has finally arrived. This makes it easy to adjust the gasket, even without a 3D printer.

https://convoylight.com/products/convoy-3x21d-sbt90-2?

While searching the web for flashlights that might catch my interest, I came across this one.

"Link to the manufacturer/distributor's website"

https://www.daisaku-shoji.co.jp/p_nightstar_jp.html

It would be suitable to keep in the glove compartment or a similar spot in your vehicle as an emergency backup flashlight.

It would also prove useful in situations where restoring the power grid after a natural disaster takes a long time.

Since it relies on capacitor storage, it is not designed for prolonged use.

The site of a castle in the center of Akita City. During the day, I enjoyed activities like birdwatching there while waiting for nightfall. There was a water-filled moat where lotus flowers were in bloom.

Since it was the rainy season in Japan and the skies were often overcast, I took photos during the day but also decided to try shooting at night.

Since the lights used to illuminate the scene were not originally designed for photography, color rendering is poor. The flashlights used for the shoot are as follows:

Wizard C2 Pro MAX & LR

Elf C2 Max & LR

Astrolux WP3

At sunrise, I headed out early with the binoculars I mentioned in a previous post to observe squirrels, wild birds, and other wildlife.

As I passed near the woods, I noticed a patch of dense, dark undergrowth deep within the forest. Since bears sometimes lurk in such places, I decided to use my Astrolux WP3 to illuminate the dark area. That’s when a thought crossed my mind.

In the country where I live, there are creators who post videos about LEP flashlights, but most of them focus solely on demonstrating the "pencil beam" characteristics and long-range throw capabilities of these lights. Some even argue that LEP flashlights have no practical utility whatsoever.

In this article, I would like to introduce one of the practical applications of LEP flashlights.

"The binoculars I had brought with me"

https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/comments/1usy5vn/i_found_the_perfect_companion_for_my_throwbeam/

https://kenkoimagingusa.com/products/vc-smart-cellarto-15x42-wp-image-stabilization-binoculars

I use 15x image-stabilized binoculars that run for 28 hours on a single AA battery.

I was just using them to scan for animals a short while ago; I spotted a reflection from an animal's eyes—specifically the tapetum lucidum—and initially thought it was a stray cat, but upon checking with the binoculars, I discovered it was a fox.

These 15x image-stabilized binoculars look set to become an indispensable companion for the Astrolux WP3 and L21B.

I was certain they wouldn't reach 2,000 lumens, and indeed, the output of these resin flashlights was around 40–50 lumens.

Its light-focusing performance is also terrible. Even when shining the light onto textured ceiling wallpaper, the texture remains clearly visible. It is abundantly clear that achieving a "blown-out" white effect with the focused beam is utterly impossible.

I bought these just to pass the time while purchasing other items.

I hope this post is helpful.

I confirmed this at the dam lake I visit irregularly for beam tests.

When using the diffuser filter this time, I was unable to get the camera settings quite right, causing the beams of light to appear brighter in the image than they actually were. Consequently, I adjusted the image using an app to bring the brightness closer to what it looked like to the naked eye.

I used a clear scope lens cover, modified it slightly, and then gave it a try. Its opacity is comparable to that of an opaque document folder.

The WP3 used is a late-model version.

The advantage of using this filter is its extremely wide spill angle—subjectively over 160 degrees; while the brightness may feel slightly lacking, it is sufficient to see where you are stepping, even in total darkness.

I hope this serves as a helpful reference for attaching a cover like this to an LEP flashlight.

These images were taken at the dam reservoir used for long-range verification.

As the photos were taken with a smartphone, the image quality is not ideal; however, the camera's white balance and exposure were set to neutral values.

The shutter speed is 1/8 second. The ISO is set to 800.

For the WP3, however, using those settings made the beam appear brighter in the photo than it does to the naked eye, so I set the ISO to 100 instead.

Both the SFT-25R and SFT-42R models feature a double-spring design and utilize the RS50 battery.

The SFT-25R model employs a carefully selected reflector to maximize beam collimation.

L21B (SFT-25R) peak candela: 567K(cd)

L21B (SFT-42R) peak candela: 492K(cd)

L21B (SFT-90) peak candela: 384K(cd)

The peak candela of the Astrolux WP3 has not been measured.

I repainted the lens cover, which I purchased from AliExpress, using clear red and clear orange spray paint intended for model kits.

Upon checking the color of the driver's PCB board, it was black, so it appears to be a later model. This product is a later WP3 model with improved output, so I intend to use it carefully, paying attention to the turbo output.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256812167110810.html?

The lens cover size is 60mm.

Since it's daytime where I live, the beam shot images will be taken at night. I plan to post the beam shots along with a comparison video.

Both lights were set to Main3 brightness and were photographed with both lights on simultaneously. Exposure and white balance were set to medium settings, and the ISO was set to 800.

Both are White Beam specifications.

On the street in my residential neighborhood, where there are few streetlights, I shone my flashlight on the road and was able to spot a frog. Thanks to having a flashlight, I was able to avoid taking this little life.

At that time, I was carrying a Convoy M21K (SFT-90).

The image quality isn't great, but the white balance and exposure were set to medium settings for the photo.

Please check the link for details.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ConvoyFlashlights/comments/1szsb7w/the_score_for_the_l21_series_reflectorsmooth11mm/

With this adjustment, the collimation adjustments for the SFT-25R and SFT-42R have been completed.

It was the last day of our short trip. The weather cleared up during the night, so we went out to look for wildlife. I went to a place overlooking the mountains in the middle of the night.

The locals had warned me that it was dangerous to go there at night because of the presence of wild animals like bears, but I decided to explore the vast park built on the site of an old castle.

I spent several hours exploring, but I couldn't find any small or medium-sized animals, not even a bear.

Then I went to the observation deck which was modeled after a castle, and because I was angry, I used the flashlight I had with me to shine it on the castle, as if to say, "How's that! Are you happy to be illuminated so brightly, you bastard!"

I'm at home right now.

I'm still traveling right now.

Unfortunately, it's raining, but I'm thinking of having a drink and getting some sleep starting at 4 PM.

Yesterday, I got some information about bears and other animals from a local at a bar. After leaving the bar and returning to the hotel, I walked around the area for about three hours late before dawn, but I didn't see any bears, or even small or medium-sized animals.

However, I did see a few wild birds near the river that weren't part of my search…