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Difference between revisions of "Flashlight Basics"
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Most flashlights include a reflector around the light source to gather the light and focus it out the front. Reflectors have a parabolic shape which can take light rays emitted from a light source in the parabola's focal point and send the reflected rays all in the same direction (rays that go out the front without hitting the reflector will provide some spill). A bigger, deeper reflector is able to focus the light into a smaller hotspot and offer more throw and less spill. Smaller lights are easier to carry in a pocket but will generally have more floody light. [[Mag Instrument]]'s Maglites have a reflector that moves with respect to the light source allowing a variable focus that can yield a wider flood or a tighter spot of light. | Most flashlights include a reflector around the light source to gather the light and focus it out the front. Reflectors have a parabolic shape which can take light rays emitted from a light source in the parabola's focal point and send the reflected rays all in the same direction (rays that go out the front without hitting the reflector will provide some spill). A bigger, deeper reflector is able to focus the light into a smaller hotspot and offer more throw and less spill. Smaller lights are easier to carry in a pocket but will generally have more floody light. [[Mag Instrument]]'s Maglites have a reflector that moves with respect to the light source allowing a variable focus that can yield a wider flood or a tighter spot of light. | ||
Usually there is a flat glass or plastic lens over the reflector. Better lights have glass lenses with anti-reflective coatings that allow more of the light to pass through the lens rather than bounce back into the light (even better than plain glass). But some lights have a curvilinear lens that concentrates the light similar to a reflector. And still other lights let you move this lens and go from flood to throw, similar to Maglites. | Usually there is a flat glass or plastic lens over the reflector. Better lights have glass lenses with anti-reflective coatings that allow more of the light to pass through the lens rather than bounce back into the light (even better than plain glass). But some lights have a curvilinear lens that concentrates the light similar to a reflector. And still other lights let you move this lens and go from flood to throw, similar to Maglites. See [[lenses]] for more options. | ||
== Batteries == | == Batteries == | ||