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Black Diamond Spot -headlamp

Discussion in 'All Other Observing Equipment' started by Pleiades, Jul 25, 2018.

Black Diamond Spot -headlamp

Started by Pleiades on Jul 25, 2018 at 5:15 AM

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  1. Pleiades

    Pleiades Well-Known Member

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    I'm buying s new Black Diamond Spot headlamp, and I'm thrilled to see that they have improved the headlamp that was fantastic to start with. Now brighter, and submersible.

    I use the red led for astronomy, and the white for everything else. I gave my last one away. I hunt, camp and fish as well as general use around home. These things are amazing. The stepless light output is very handy.
     
  2. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    I have one similar, not the same brand although. I find the red light to be too strong and harming my dark adaptation too much. For that reason, i had to build my own red lights flash lights, they are much fainter.

    I have 3 different red lights, one for reading my atlas, 3x 1.2v red leds, one for sketching DSO, 9x 1.2x red leds and 1 9x 1.2x red leds which is much stronger for general purpose things, like searching for a cap on the ground.

    The last one will affect my dark adaptation at a higher level.

    But my head lamp it's a high power red led, that a totally different thing. It's very strong.
     
  3. Pleiades

    Pleiades Well-Known Member

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    Nebula, building your own is awesome. The spot is variable power. You can find it down to nothing.
     
  4. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    This is the kind of power bellow.

    On the left is my atlas lamp, it looks strong because the head is close to the keyboard but it's a faint lamp and there is camera exposition. In the middle it's at least 4x the strength of the right one, the difference is huge.

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    The spot is variable power.

    That's a great feature then.
     
  6. Pleiades

    Pleiades Well-Known Member

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    Nebula, that's s great idea. I may have to borrow the idea.
     
  7. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    If you have nothing to do, your device might work very well. I tried to use a head lamp in astronomy and I didn't liked it very much. Usually to protect my dark adaptation, I am lighing up next to what I am looking at. To do that, I prefer to have a small flashlight in my pocket.

    Usually I keep a red one and a white one.

    Just ideas
     
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  8. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    I have an older variable-instensity (roller-switch) red or white light Skywatcher flashlight. Excellent piece of gear they used to give way with a new telescope. About the size of your hand.
     
  9. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    The right flashlight is a very important piece of gear, i tried at least 7 different type! Started with a mini-mag light with a red cap built. It was much too strong..

    Yours @Dave In Vermont it's a skywatcher brand flashlight?
     
  10. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    Not sure who actually made them originally. But it WAS branded Skywatcher. This was quite awhile back. I hope something like these are still on the market - this is my favorite out of all the one's I've tried. And that's quite a high number! The variable-light output is what makes it special.
     
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  11. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    Seems like a nice feature yes to have a variable dimmer.

    @Dave In Vermont, I tried the Mars filter tonight on the pre opposition, it's a very good filter. i am very happy with it even with the storm condition.
     
  12. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    As soon as the Red-One was ascending to where I could begin to observe - the clouds came rolling in. Of course! But my gear for this mission is ready and stays parked by the door.

    So was the "...Mars filter..." you tried last night the Celestron? I have to ask, as I have many of them! :D I'm hoping for it to be the Celestron. I did suggest it after all...:p

    Laterz -

    <POIT!>
     
  13. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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  14. kevan hubbard

    kevan hubbard Well-Known Member

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    I'd avoid the black diamond ones if you also intended to use it for hiking to dark sky places. I found that the on/off switch is too sensitive and other items poke it turning it on with the obvious results of drained batteries by the time that you discover it's on or was as the batteries might have voided by then! I bought a much cheaper one with a much firmer on/off switch and gave the black diamond to a friend.
     

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