Click on the following image if you're interested in a Photon LED light, and supporing BC4x4.COM at the same time!
March 15, 2000
Fourwheelers are gadget freaks so it's not too surprising when we come across a new product that we "need." The mark of a truly great product, however, is when non-fourwheelers want the same product just as much. That's exactly what happened when I received my order of Photon Micro-Light II flashlights from PhotonLight.com. I was opening the box in the kitchen where my wife was doing some reading. Assuming it was yet another off-road related item, she paid no attention to what I was doing. But as soon as I unwrapped one of the Micro-Lights and flashed it at her, she immediately asked, "Hey! Can I have one of those?"
Photon Light
Email: custservice@photonlight.com
Within USA/Canada: 1-877-584-6898
Outside USA/Canada: (541) 684-8704
PhotonLight.Com
200 W. 38th Ave.
Eugene, OR 97405
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At first glance, the Micro-Light II looks like one of those low output key chain lights that are given away at computer trade shows. One look into the Micro-Light's intense beam will change your mind. In fact, these micro flashlights utilize the latest LED technology improvements.
Now, in a package about the size of a stack of five quarters, you can have a lightsource equivalent to an AAA Solitaire Maglite. Not only that, but the LED bulb has a lifespan of thousands of hours and the two lithium CR-2016 batteries will provide 12 hours of continuous use. Longer battery life is expected when used in non-continuous duty.
Micro-Lights come in eight different beam colours: red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, blue, white, or infrared (military use). The battery life varies based on the beam colour. For this review, I am basing my opinions on the white beam since I found it to be the most useful for general use. However, if battery life is an important concern, the red, orange, & yellow Photons are recommended. They last around 120 hours and are powered by a single CR-2032 battery.
The quality of the Micro-Light's construction was impressive. It's not often that you find gold plated contacts in a flashlight. For the majority of the test period, the light was attached to my key ring so it spent a lot of time getting banged around and generally abused. Photon stands behind their product with a lifetime guarantee.
The real value of the Micro-Light II lies in its diminutive size. It seems obvious but many people don't consider the fact that a tool's value is nil if you don't have it with you. PhotonLight.com capitalized on that fact by making a flashlight that can travel with you at all times. So, although my AA Maglite put out more light, had an adjustable beam and had a nearly indestructible aluminum body, it saw less and less use as the Micro-Light became my light of choice because, to put it simply, it was always there. So what did I think of the Micro-Light's output? Well, under general conditions it provided excellent illumination for pretty much any task up to a distance of about six feet. After that, the light fall off was noticable. Under conditions of absolute darkness, however, the useful distance increased because my eyes were more accustomed to the dark.
One of the unexpected benefits I discovered with the Micro-Light was that it was the preferred light source when my hands were too occupied to hold the light. I was soldering the connections for a new license plate light on my Jeep and needed to illuminate the job. With one hand holding the solder and the other the soldering iron, I had to hold the Micro-Light in my mouth. Its small, flat shape made this a comfortable task and I was able to aim it with great precision. In contrast, prior attempts at holding my AA Maglite in my mouth left me drooling. Ok, let's take a deep breath and loose that imagery, shall we? On to the battery life. Twelve hours may not seem like a lot but when you consider the usage pattern for most flash lights, that's actually a pretty long time. I'm guessing that I will have to change batteries perhaps once a year. Since the batteries are lithium, they have an extremely long shelf life so you will be able to get full use from them, unlike conventional batteries which can discharge on their own.
After three weeks of testing, I have to give this product my absolute highest recommendation. Right now I'm wondering how many more I should buy. Let's see, one for my glovebox, one for my survival kit, one for my camera bag, one for...
NOTE: There is a distinct difference between the original
Micro-Light and the Micro-Light II models. The II's are much
brighter and can be locked in the ON position, unlike the original models
which require that you press a button for as long as you want the
LED to illuminate. For that reason, the II models cost almost
twice as much (US$19.95) as the original. I have seen the original
Micro-Lights in local stores but NOT the Micro-Light II's.
Click on the following image if you're interested in a Photon LED light, and support BC4x4.COM at the same time!
...lars
