Lenses: Difference between revisions

59 bytes added ,  2 March 2013
(add picture of AR coating demo by relic38)
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'''Sapphire''' Another choice is a sapphire lens made of synthetic sapphire (not actually glass) which is stronger than tempered glass and very resistant to scratches. Due to it scratch resistance, sapphire is often used for watch crystals, but is also available as a flashlight lens.
'''Sapphire''' Another choice is a sapphire lens made of synthetic sapphire (not actually glass) which is stronger than tempered glass and very resistant to scratches. Due to it scratch resistance, sapphire is often used for watch crystals, but is also available as a flashlight lens.


'''Anti-reflective coating''' For the same reason telescopes, binoculars, and camera lenses have coated lenses, better flashlights include a coating on the lens surface that allows more light through by preventing light from the emitter from reflecting off of the lens instead of going through it. A typical loss for uncoated glass is 4% as light enters the lens and another 4% as it passes through back into the air. However high-end coated lenses might only have a total loss of 1%. For LED's this is like getting an extra bin of brightness from a light. Because an AR coating improves transmission of only a narrow wavelength of light, multiple layers of different thicknesses are used to get improved transmission of more wavelengths of light. Coated lenses are available from [http://www.flashlightlens.com/str/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=prodshow&ref=ucl_lens FlashlightLens.com] and [http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=9064 KaiDomain] also has some of the most common sizes, including 28mm for many [[P60]] hosts.
'''Anti-reflective coating''' For the same reason telescopes, binoculars, and camera lenses have coated lenses, better flashlights include a coating on the lens surface that allows more light through by preventing light from the emitter from reflecting off of the lens instead of going through it. A typical loss for uncoated glass is 4% as light enters the lens and another 4% as it passes through back into the air. However high-end coated lenses might only have a total loss of 1%. For LED's this is like getting an extra bin of brightness from a light. Because an AR coating improves transmission of only a narrow wavelength of light, multiple layers of different thicknesses are used to get improved transmission of more wavelengths of light. Coated lenses are available from [http://www.flashlightlens.com/str/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=prodshow&ref=ucl_lens FlashlightLens.com] and [http://www.kaidomain.com/Search/SearchResult.coated%20lens KaiDomain] also has some of the most common sizes, including 28mm for many [[P60]] hosts.<ref>[http://budgetlightforum.com/node/1026 BLF Thread</ref>


==Aspheric lens==
==Aspheric lens==
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