So who likes flashlights/torches? My little story of my collection....

[-JP]

Flashlights are a secondary hobby to watches for me. In the last few years I noticed how amazing flashlights have become. Growing up I was use to those huge Maglights and typical Home Depot 20 dollar lights. Nowadays there are some fine makers who make lights that are smaller then your thumb and are more powerful then the old school lights that took nearly two hands to hold. Modern higher end lights also are much more energy efficient. Most can go for days if not weeks on low settings!

Like watches, they also come in some very interesting colors, styles and materials. Like watches you can spend 20 dollars and go into the thousands of dollars for custom flashlights. They have production models and models made by actual makers and some have some amazing details and finishings.

They have different ways of turning on, different setting from blinding bright to candle light. Some higher end ones I have even have a sapphire crystal for a lens! Some are water resistant and could even go underwater.

Here are a few of mine. They all have an individual purpose. Some are flood lights, meaning they have no hot spot. You know, that really bright center when you turn it on. Floods just fill the room with light. Some are EDC, small every day carry lights for multi tasking. Some are great for home protection and self defense.

Why 100+ dollars for a flashlight? Well, you can say the same about watches and we all know the answer to that. Personal preferences, craftsmanship, exclusivity etc. Higher end lights also produce a better quality light. Making it more natural like sun light would be. It's great for night photography or just appreciating things in dark environments in the best way possible.

This is my Olight. It is a higher end production light. It is my emergency/self defense home light. It is what is known as a thrower. It is called that because the beam that comes out of this flashlight can reach nearly a mile away!




Here is a picture I took a few weeks back during a rain storm using this thrower you can see how the beam just shoots into the sky.






Next up is what I call the Grand Seiko of flashlights. The finishing and details on this light are just as great as my Grand Seiko. It is made by a company called FourSevens and designed by a very well known and respected flashlight designer/maker Paul Kim. This one is made from high polished titanium and is about the size of my thumb. It can light up half my house easily if need be.



Here is my USA maker Prometheus Beta in copper with a custom copper bead and lanyard. This has a proprietary locking system that can pop the tail end off if you wanted to have a key ring on it you can just pop it off if you just needed a light without keys attached. You can also add clips or lanyards such as I have if you want. It's starting to develope some nice looking patina along with the bead.


Here is another copper light, this one is very reasonably priced. It's from USA maker Maratac. It takes a CR123 battery and is very bright and almost as small as the FourSevens.



This is is probably one of my most special lights. It's a Muyshondt Maus. Hand made in USA. It is extremely small and very bright. It comes in various materials. I chose aluminum in the deep Indiglo color since it's different then anything else I have currently. It's bright but has a very low setting as well. It's great when I rummage in the middle of the night without waking up anyone. Just bright enough to see in front of me when I'm doing something up close.


Here is a group shot of some, not all though, just to show size comparisons of various lights. All amazing and all special and interesting to me.



I'm leaving out a lot of information if anyone has any questions about torches/lights please feel free to post on this thread. Anyone have any interesting lights please share here. I go back and forth saying lights, flashlights or torches. I think I prefer torches for fine flashlights just like I prefer timepiece to a fine watch. I know each part of the world has a different name for them.

Hope you guys enjoyed!

[-JP]

Here are a few other pics

[underwatermechanic]

Those are great JP. I have a couple of small Fenix lights and I am very impressed with how they perform compared to the standard hardware store specials. I haven't gotten as deep into flashlights as you so far, I can't afford another hobby lol

[popoki nui]

Cool collection! I rather like flashlights too, going way back to the 60's/70's when i used to defy my parents' orders to go to sleep and stay up late reading under the covers with a little metal "penlight" flashlight. I loved those things.

I don't have a collection per se, but I do have a couple of old military flashlights that I use regularly. I'll post pics later. Mostly, though, I just use regular $20 LED for around the house, and a couple of brighter ones for geocaching.

~Sherry.

[underwatermechanic]

One of my Fenix's

[-JP]

Fenix is a very respectable brand! I know they are built like tanks also. Never handled one yet.
Flashlights bring out similar memories to me as well! Please do Sherry!

[-JP]

Hey guys, just received a very, very special custom flashlight made by a talented man called Don McLeish. His lights are called McGizmo. This is a true grail for me. Not easy to find, locate or buy (price is another thing all together)
Anyway it's simply an amazing functioning work of art, just like a beautiful piece of horology.

[Seriously]

Here is a picture I took a few weeks back during a rain storm using this thrower you can see how the beam just shoots into the sky.

Did Batman actually turn up ?
I thought he didn't respond when it was raining

[-JP]

Lol I was thinking about cutting out a Batman symbol out of cardboard and place in over the lens. Between my random watch pictures in the garden and lawn and that it would really make them wonder about me.

[Spooky]

Those are quite nice. I'm just using an old AA Maglite I bought from Wal-Mart.

Not going to lie, most of those look like light-sabers to me...