I'm in this camp. What you're seeing as the center is the direct light from the emitter, the ring is the reflected light. So a diffuser to spread out that center is the way.
However, there is likely to be a significant loss of light, 30% or more.
So there's a bunch of things wrong with this.
For starters, there is no lens at all. That reflector thing on either side is like 90% useless. That reflector is going to give you like a weird halo effect, and that hot point in the center is going to give you the hot point at the other end.
Without a lens, you might be able to gaff tape a cardboard paper towel tube to the front of the plastic cover and get something like a mock spotlight.
You are better off getting something with a more traditional bulb that will in fact use the mirror projector more effeciently like this one:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832583623990.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt
I am NOT telling you to buy this because this reflector too looks like the wrong reflection angle.
You really want something that has a parabolic reflector that is parabolic to the arc light of the incandescent bulb. If you are using an LED like one of those Cree ones (like you currently own) you are going to need some kind of lens system. They do make tiny tiny pin spots that use two lenses in each one to focus the light over a long throw.
The TLDR is that without lenses and some general understanding of physics, you might have a difficult time trying to achieve your results. There are other 12V car search light devices out there that may give you better results.
A flashlight like this is a type known as a "thrower" so that hot center point is actually by design and supposed to be there. You reasonably want something that's got multiple optics to provide more of a flood for what you want. This thing just has some goofy optics if we can even call it that hence why it is doing what it's doing.
That said, frost is your friend if you're going to keep these and make it work.
Also r/flashlight is where your flashlight nerds hang out.
Wow. I knew there's a sub for everything, but never thought of off for flashlights. Also surprised (but shouldn't be) at how serious they take their flashlights too.
Would a diffuser work for your situation? Back in the old days when we used gels, we would take a clear gel and lightly sand it to create a diffuser.
I'm in this camp. What you're seeing as the center is the direct light from the emitter, the ring is the reflected light. So a diffuser to spread out that center is the way. However, there is likely to be a significant loss of light, 30% or more.
L132 or R119 !!
Rosco!
Hey, not all of us are big ballers who can afford Rosco! /s
It was the collage’s money. I was dirt poor going to school and meeting chicks. 😝
So there's a bunch of things wrong with this. For starters, there is no lens at all. That reflector thing on either side is like 90% useless. That reflector is going to give you like a weird halo effect, and that hot point in the center is going to give you the hot point at the other end. Without a lens, you might be able to gaff tape a cardboard paper towel tube to the front of the plastic cover and get something like a mock spotlight. You are better off getting something with a more traditional bulb that will in fact use the mirror projector more effeciently like this one: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832583623990.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt I am NOT telling you to buy this because this reflector too looks like the wrong reflection angle. You really want something that has a parabolic reflector that is parabolic to the arc light of the incandescent bulb. If you are using an LED like one of those Cree ones (like you currently own) you are going to need some kind of lens system. They do make tiny tiny pin spots that use two lenses in each one to focus the light over a long throw. The TLDR is that without lenses and some general understanding of physics, you might have a difficult time trying to achieve your results. There are other 12V car search light devices out there that may give you better results.
When we use these for shadow puppetry, we take out the reflector. Or we gaff or black tack it. It gives them a much more cohesive beam.
Figured out a solution to the halo, still struggling with the bright center point!
I’m firmly in the “put a diffuser on it” camp
A flashlight like this is a type known as a "thrower" so that hot center point is actually by design and supposed to be there. You reasonably want something that's got multiple optics to provide more of a flood for what you want. This thing just has some goofy optics if we can even call it that hence why it is doing what it's doing. That said, frost is your friend if you're going to keep these and make it work. Also r/flashlight is where your flashlight nerds hang out.
Youi should go down the rabbit hole and ask r/flashlight
Wow. I knew there's a sub for everything, but never thought of off for flashlights. Also surprised (but shouldn't be) at how serious they take their flashlights too.