Author Topic: Favorite Deck Flashlight?  (Read 16148 times)

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PlacesPlease

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Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« on: Jul 06, 2006, 11:22 pm »
Heading back on the road and need a new BRIGHT flashlight. The smaller the better. I saw the Inova 5 LED flashlight here and found some good deals on them but wondered if anyone has any other favorites? Mostly for deck work and looking in the grid. Thanks

Mac Calder

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #1 on: Jul 06, 2006, 11:53 pm »
Personally, I hate the colour of "White LED's" - even after I gel them, they give me an awful headache.

I love my maglite (MiniMag, 2xAA) for most tasks backstage. It is not the brightest thing arround, however if you use a decent quality battery (not cheap junk) it can easily illuminate a point upwards of 8 meters away in pitch black.

If I want to look up into the grid, I use my 10,000 candle power mother of a torch (one of those rechargeable heavy things used for 'spotlighting' when hunting. Apparently the thing can be seen from 2 miles away (although I am doubtful)) - It illuminates the grid nicely, however it is certainly not small.

I have a 'shake and shine' type torch which is also damn handy (it has 5 UBLED's and about thirty seconds of vigorous shaking gives power for close to 15 minutes) which is good in a tight spot.

Scott (formerly Digga)

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #2 on: Jul 06, 2006, 11:58 pm »
Like Mac I love the MiniMag for just about everything.  I have recently purchased a headlamp though with 2 LEDs.  Not super bright but perfect for when you need to fix something in the dark and you get tired of holding a Mag in your mouth. 

ReyYaySM

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #3 on: Jul 07, 2006, 01:46 am »
I have a pink MiniMag that works quite well for me.  And since it's pink, everyone knows it's mine and therefore it always gets returned to me. 

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #4 on: Jul 07, 2006, 02:18 am »
I also prefer the Mini-Mag, as it comes in the sidecar case with my Leatherman, for everyday uses and my Sure-Fire for gridwork.
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kjdiehl

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #5 on: Jul 09, 2006, 09:52 pm »
Scorpions are great: check Botach Tactical online for cheap prices. I keep a minimag in my bag for emergencies, but I like the brighter LEDs better. Just bought a new Inova myself. Wish it came with a pouch though for the frickin price. Also, the LED headlamps are a godsend. I freelance electrics in my spare time and I don't know how I ever got by without them. I also like to keep one nearby when teching or calling the show, for the odd complete prompt book illumination failure- makes a great backup.
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JenniferEver

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #6 on: Jul 20, 2006, 08:58 am »
I have a purple rubberpcoated minimag.

It' not the brightest thing ever, but so far it's served my purposes, it fits in my bacl pocket, it's purple, so it's an unusual color and easy to identify and the rubber is the best. If I drop it, it doesn't make a loud crash noise and it doesn't break.

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #7 on: Jul 20, 2006, 01:45 pm »
I always have the trusty Mini-Mag on my belt. After years of using them with the supplied bulbs I came to the conclusion that I could use a bit more output. One day wandering around thebattery/light aisle of the local Wal-Mart I found an L.E.D. conversion kit made by Nite-Ize. I have been using it for over a year now, and would not even think about switching back. The best part of this was that it cost me only $5 US.
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centaura

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #8 on: Aug 01, 2006, 08:01 pm »
Hmmm.. do you still get the adjustable beam on your mag after the conversion to the LED?  I've reached a point that I just wear my mini-mag constantly, no matter what, work day or day off.  I love the size, how it turns on and off (I've seen LED flashlights that you needed to hold the button down to keep them on) and the adjustable beam. 

Its gotten to be a joke around the theatre that my boss didn't hire me for me, but for my maglight.  We're constantly going to far corners of the theatre, and low and behold, we need a flashlight for something and I have my mag with.

Anyway, thanks for the tip on the LED conversion kit.  That would be worth looking into.  All the benefits of my familiar mag, but with the brighter light of a LED.

-Centaura

Mac Calder

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #9 on: Aug 01, 2006, 08:49 pm »
No, you can no longer adjust the maglights beam after coverting to LED - you are limited to simple on/off, because the LED converter removes the reflextor cone and is no longer a point source.

DavidA

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #10 on: Aug 05, 2006, 09:49 am »
I love my Surefire. 

newbielink:http://www.surefire.com/maxexp/main.pl?pgm=co_disp&func=displ&strfnbr=6&prrfnbr=888&sesent=0,0&search_id=78220 [nonactive]

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #11 on: Aug 07, 2006, 11:37 am »
I just recently bought an Inova Radiant AA Flashlight with a Luxeon bulb that is brighter than some car headlights. I also got of their Microlights which I keep on my keychain.

http://www.inovalight.com/index.html

http://www.defensedevices.com/radiant-inova-flashlight-aa.html
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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #12 on: Aug 23, 2006, 02:34 am »
I outfit my crew with blue-gelled MiniMags; I personally carry a Garrity. It's only a sinlge LED, so it's not too bright, but I mainly use it for short-range work anyway. It's about as tough as a MiniMag (three years and it's still going strong), and it has interchangeable red and blue snap-on lenses included. I find that red works really well for some things, and it's a dark enough red that it's still not visible to the audience; it also lets the crew know that it's me coming at them in the dark.

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #13 on: Sep 06, 2006, 10:55 am »
I always buy el cheapos because they have a tendency to disappear or get damaged.
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BeckyGG

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Re: Favorite Deck Flashlight?
« Reply #14 on: Sep 07, 2006, 11:25 am »
I must say, I love my new single LED light that a crew member got me as a gift (I was eyeing his).  It was fairly inexpensive and from Target.  While I love my new flashlight, I am also quite attached to my mini-mag and now will have both backstage with me.
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