The dim red LED flashlight project continued

[Akira]

A few days ago, I started the thread for this little DIY project of a dim red LED flashlight:

https://nikongear.net/revival/index.php?topic=8952.0

To continue the project, I made another version which can be mounted onto the hotshoe of the camera.

Here are the parts and the competed flashlight:

1. The main parts: from top right, counter clockwise: a battery holder for CR2032, a mini switch, a red LED, a 1.8k ohm resistor and a plastic hotshoe cover.

2. The completed dim red LED flashlight.

I painted the metal parts of the switch and the contact of the holder black and masked the part of the battery with the black tape to avoid the unwanted reflection of the LED light from them.

[Akira]

3. How it mounts on the camera.

4. And this is how it looks in the darkness (with X-T3 set to night mode!).

Sorry for the abysmal image quality.  These images were taken with the iPad Air and significantly cropped, and then their sizes were doubled in the editor. 

[Erik Lund]

  Quite unique  Looking forward to the next edition
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

[Tristin]

Neat, I like it!  Have you considered covering the wires with some sort of body so it can withstand being tossed in your bag?

[Akira]

Quite unique  Looking forward to the next edition
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

Thank you Erik!  The eye is also blind if the light is absent. 

Neat, I like it!  Have you considered covering the wires with some sort of body so it can withstand being tossed in your bag?

Thank you, Tristin!  To protect the wires, I may rather look for some plastic case of fitting size.

[pluton]

This is a very good idea.  I can remember many times when this device would have been helpful. 

[Ann]

Most ingenious!

[Akira]

This is a very good idea.  I can remember many times when this device would have been helpful.

Thank you Keith!  I would wonder why such a simple device wasn't produced in your professional scene...

Most ingenious!

Thank you, Ann!

[Tristin]

Was out doing some nighttime tripod shooting with my Z6 and no aperture reporting . . . found myself wishing I had one of these!

[Thomas Stellwag]

I like the 8 amp switch     enough reserve for stronger "tele" LED

[pluton]

I like the 8 amp switch     enough reserve for stronger "tele" LED

The switch could be smaller.  A push on/push off micro switch would be my choice.

[Akira]

Was out doing some nighttime tripod shooting with my Z6 and no aperture reporting . . . found myself wishing I had one of these!

Hmm...there seems to be more demands than I had imagined...

I like the 8 amp switch     enough reserve for stronger "tele" LED

You could make a better one than the "Better Beamer". 

The switch could be smaller.  A push on/push off micro switch would be my choice.

This one was intended for the operation with big hands or with hands wearing gloves.  I've already located an alternating switch of such kind, and I could make another one with it that can go right into a 135 film canister.

[Tristin]

Hmm...there seems to be more demands than I had imagined...

With FTZ rejecting aperture reporting, certainly.  You have inspired me to get something similar cooked up before I head to Poland in a couple weeks.  The concept was tantalizing back when I shot 5D w/50/1.2, but, becoming quickly accustomed to having no aperture reporting, I forgot it.  Then the D750 taught me what it was like to have aperture reporting and, thus, was I spoiled, and yearn for knowing my aperture without counting clicks.  Also it is critical for me to not be seen, as Oakland is very "diverse", so red light is just perfect.  Thanks for the inspiration Akira.

[Akira]

With FTZ rejecting aperture reporting, certainly.  You have inspired me to get something similar cooked up before I head to Poland in a couple weeks.  The concept was tantalizing back when I shot 5D w/50/1.2, but, becoming quickly accustomed to having no aperture reporting, I forgot it.  Then the D750 taught me what it was like to have aperture reporting and, thus, was I spoiled, and yearn for knowing my aperture without counting clicks.  Also it is critical for me to not be seen, as Oakland is very "diverse", so red light is just perfect.  Thanks for the inspiration Akira.

Glad to be of any help, Tristin!

If you have a normal flashlight, you could put a Kodak 89B gel filter (or some equivalent that cuts around 720nm) in front of the reflector.  89B is known to be an infrared filter but actually transmits very deep visible red, so it can turn a normal flashlight into a dim red light one which can function similarly to the first version of my project.

[Erik Lund]

Back in the good old film-days, F3, F4 and F5 aperture information was relayed through Nikon's "ADR" (Aperture Direct Readout) which was a window at the top center of the viewfinder that got its information from a micro-prism that read the small numbers at the top of the mounted lens AI and Ais lenses aperture numbers.If I recall correctly it was on/off illuminated on F5,,,