Pittsburgh Arts, Regional Theatre, New Work, Producing, Copyright, Labor Unions,
New Products, Coping Skills, J-O-Bs...
Theatre industry news, University & School of Drama Announcements, plus occasional course support for
Carnegie Mellon School of Drama Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni.
indefinitelywild.gizmodo.com: Last year, Surefire released an innovative new line of “WristLights.” But, at $800, they were way too expensive for most people. This new 2211X costs just $170 and is just as bright. How’s it work?
10 comments:
Emma Reichard
said...
Sunfire had the right idea in creating this for the police force. The wristlight seems very effective for anyone using wide range, precision based, hand held objects. There's a lot of use for this item regarding tasks where your goal is to keep your hands steady and use primarily your fingers. This being said, I can't really see the practical application of this in my life. When completing tasks in the dark, I typically prefer headlamps, just because I'm often moving my hands around too much to keep a light steady. This is especially true when writing notes, or tying knots. This light also presents a problem the moment its user bends their wrist. Their own hands can get in the way of the light, which to me is one of the biggest disadvantages. Sunfire did have the right idea though, as this can be very useful for some purposes. It also solves the issue of headlamps getting tangled in headsets, which is so often a problem in my life. Overall, I think this object is helpful, but in my life, not worth $170.
I think the Surefire 2211X WristLight would be useful in theatre. I personally do not like headlamps at all because I think they look ridiculous. Yes they are helpful because you are hands free, but it is more likely that light will spread with a headlamp. If it is on your head you can easily forget it is on and then walk around backstage shinning your light everywhere and there will be a better chance that the audience will be able to see it. Having a light on your wrist seems like a very good solution. It is hands free and you are able to control the direction you are pointing the light in better. It is easier to shine a light in a small space on the ground instead of bending down to put your head where the light needs to go. Though there seemed to be flaws with this product since it is for guns, I think it could be altered for a more everyday use and be good to use backstage.
I honestly would use one of these over a headlamp any day of the week. I hate head lamps with a passion. This is very vain, but my hair is really fussy to maintain, and so I like to avoid putting anything on my head which could mess it up. I also just hate the idea that I have to move my head to see in the dark. I turn my eyes more than physically moving my head in normal light. Why should I have to move my head in darkness? Another problem is that people always blind me when wearing a head lamp. I have sensitive eyes to light because I have a lazy eye and when someone shines a flashlight straight in my eye, it’s not very pleasant. Although, I do see the downsides to wrist lamps… Pointing my arm in the general direction of where I want light isn’t always practical. When someone lifts something and their wrist is not pointing forward, how are they going to know where they are going? I don’t think headlamps will be replaced due to people’s vanity, but I can hope.
Let me start by disclosing that I think Surefire is an amazing company with some of the best portable illumination tools on the market. Surefire is the largest supplier of illumination tools to the U.S. Army and their products are all seriously ruggedized and of the highest quality for the harshest conditions. As soon as you hold or even see a Surefire, you know immediately the level of quality you are dealing with. I currently own two of their products: the Surefire E1B (flashlight), and the Surefire Minimus (headlight). I have owned the E1B since my Sophomore year of high school and the Minimus since starting college. They both work just as perfectly as the day I purchased them. All that being said, the 2211x is definitely not for everyone. I think the section of the market that literally wants a device in-between a headlight and flashlight is rather small in the grand scheme of things, firearm users aside. I feel like it would be rather awkward to have to point your arm at the thing you are looking at to illuminate it, especially in a theater where you may or may not be looking up a fair amount of the time. I can see how if it is late at night and you are outside walking for whatever reason how this might be more useful than either a flashlight or headlight for temporary illumination.
This thing seems like a great tool for someone else on the crew to have handy. That is to say that it is an absolute waste of money but it could come in handy in about one project every three or four shows. For $170 you could buy like five similar performance headlamps, wear one and throw the other four at the ground around where you're working to accidentally cast light on any angle that would otherwise be easier to use this wrist lamp for. While it may be applicable to certain situations such as law enforcement it seems as though for the majority of theatre applications it's use is at best a novelty and at worst an outright hindrance to the work you are trying to do. In general I think this device is trying to fulfill the role of a $20 handy tool that sits in the back of the shop for months before someone remembers it is hiding there and joyously runs to use the fancy new toy and after searching frantically for it in the pile of dust covered shiny metal things arrives to save the day for the next five minute task. Unfortunately until the price point drops from $170 I don't think I would ever consider this device. Maybe someday when the price is more in line with it's usefulness I will take the jump and see how much use I can get out of it but until then I'll stick to my trusty headlamp.
For only the most aesthetic theatre technicians, there is finally a light that doesn't mess up your daily coif! Personally, I'm not huge on headlamps, I think they are particularly unwieldy for tall people such as myself, who end up craning their head anyway when they are up in a genie trying to get the perfect focus. Mounting the light on the wrist allows for the light to shine directly onto the work area from the human instrument actually performing the work. What a novel idea. At the same time, it would be similarly easy to tape a mini LED flashlight to your wrist and turn it on, but for those who care about the health of their arm hair, this is a tricky proposition. Unfortunately for the average technician, the price is prohibitively expensive, especially when you can just grab a flashlight of amazon for 1/10th of the price that will do the same job with only a tiny bit less convenience.
Beam me up when this Star Trek/Theatre Tech hybrid becomes a little cheaper.
I think conceptually this wrist-light is an amazing idea and I have to admit that I am very impressed with the power it already possesses. However, the size and prize do not impress me one bit. I remember being 13 years old and going to bar mitzvahs and getting those mini LED finger lights that are now super popular at raves, and would much prefer one of those when doing handwork than having this big clunky thing on my wrist anyway. Maybe if the two ides could be combined or if they could do something with angles to the reflector to make the wrist piece more flat and watch-like it would be a more appealing concept (think of Kim Possible’s multi-purpose kimmunicator watch). All negatives aside, I think a wrist light could definitely be a direction to go in for future worksites, leaving the head unencumbered by gross, sweaty headlamps.
I actually find it really interesting that we haven't invented a wrist light before. I feel like it is something that should have happened years ago. However, it makes sense that it hasn't happened because with a wrist flashlight you have to always have one had posted where you want to see and usually if you are using a headlamp type light it is because you need both your hands. Also, like the article said, when you are running or even walking, your arms are going to be swinging by your sides instead of up in front of you, held steady, so you can see. I’m also honestly a bit flabbergasted by how much the original model cost. $800 seems like way, way, way too much for what is essentially a strong flashlight attached to your wrist. Even the new, lower price of $170 is ridiculously high, no matter how bright it is. After a certain level of brightness a flashlight is just too bright and becomes useless except for seeing really, really far ahead. Anything closer would be illuminated into a white blob.
Like it is written in the article I think that the 2211x is great for the small jobs that need to happen, like work outside at night or jobs that need to happen in small confined areas. However, when it comes to theatre, specifically stage management, I don’t think this product would be a good substitution for a headlight. As stage managers we work with our hands a lot running around with props and set pieces and things like that; so to have the light on our wrist while we grab a prop doesn’t help us see the area where we are but rather just the one prop in front of us. A headlight doesn’t get in the way and flashes on the whole area we are looking at. A wrist flashlight does sound more comfortable but in the end it would just get in the way and not shine where we would want it to.
I really like the idea of the 2211x, in no small part because I'd much rather have a light in my hand than attached to my head. That being said I don't think its really the way to go for working back stage. Turning on at 300 lumens every time is going to destroy your night vision really fast. Also since it's a flood light its going to light up more area than you want or need it to, worst case scenario it lights up the whole backstage area and spills on stage. In addition while a light mounted to your wrist would definitely be hard to lose it would also be a pain to quickly lend to someone else. If I'm working on a run crew I'd like to be able to hand my flashlight to someone else should the need arise, if its tethered to my body like this that isn't really possible. In the end I think the 2211x is probably very useful for the people it was designed for, law enforcement officers, the military, and other hand gun users, or in other words people who are keeping their hands steady and firing weapons. Now in my experience that is not normally a concern of a backstage technician. A cheaper handheld light (or headlamp if you prefer) makes a lot more sense.
10 comments:
Sunfire had the right idea in creating this for the police force. The wristlight seems very effective for anyone using wide range, precision based, hand held objects. There's a lot of use for this item regarding tasks where your goal is to keep your hands steady and use primarily your fingers. This being said, I can't really see the practical application of this in my life. When completing tasks in the dark, I typically prefer headlamps, just because I'm often moving my hands around too much to keep a light steady. This is especially true when writing notes, or tying knots. This light also presents a problem the moment its user bends their wrist. Their own hands can get in the way of the light, which to me is one of the biggest disadvantages. Sunfire did have the right idea though, as this can be very useful for some purposes. It also solves the issue of headlamps getting tangled in headsets, which is so often a problem in my life. Overall, I think this object is helpful, but in my life, not worth $170.
I think the Surefire 2211X WristLight would be useful in theatre. I personally do not like headlamps at all because I think they look ridiculous. Yes they are helpful because you are hands free, but it is more likely that light will spread with a headlamp. If it is on your head you can easily forget it is on and then walk around backstage shinning your light everywhere and there will be a better chance that the audience will be able to see it. Having a light on your wrist seems like a very good solution. It is hands free and you are able to control the direction you are pointing the light in better. It is easier to shine a light in a small space on the ground instead of bending down to put your head where the light needs to go. Though there seemed to be flaws with this product since it is for guns, I think it could be altered for a more everyday use and be good to use backstage.
I honestly would use one of these over a headlamp any day of the week. I hate head lamps with a passion. This is very vain, but my hair is really fussy to maintain, and so I like to avoid putting anything on my head which could mess it up. I also just hate the idea that I have to move my head to see in the dark. I turn my eyes more than physically moving my head in normal light. Why should I have to move my head in darkness? Another problem is that people always blind me when wearing a head lamp. I have sensitive eyes to light because I have a lazy eye and when someone shines a flashlight straight in my eye, it’s not very pleasant.
Although, I do see the downsides to wrist lamps… Pointing my arm in the general direction of where I want light isn’t always practical. When someone lifts something and their wrist is not pointing forward, how are they going to know where they are going?
I don’t think headlamps will be replaced due to people’s vanity, but I can hope.
Let me start by disclosing that I think Surefire is an amazing company with some of the best portable illumination tools on the market. Surefire is the largest supplier of illumination tools to the U.S. Army and their products are all seriously ruggedized and of the highest quality for the harshest conditions. As soon as you hold or even see a Surefire, you know immediately the level of quality you are dealing with. I currently own two of their products: the Surefire E1B (flashlight), and the Surefire Minimus (headlight). I have owned the E1B since my Sophomore year of high school and the Minimus since starting college. They both work just as perfectly as the day I purchased them.
All that being said, the 2211x is definitely not for everyone. I think the section of the market that literally wants a device in-between a headlight and flashlight is rather small in the grand scheme of things, firearm users aside. I feel like it would be rather awkward to have to point your arm at the thing you are looking at to illuminate it, especially in a theater where you may or may not be looking up a fair amount of the time. I can see how if it is late at night and you are outside walking for whatever reason how this might be more useful than either a flashlight or headlight for temporary illumination.
This thing seems like a great tool for someone else on the crew to have handy. That is to say that it is an absolute waste of money but it could come in handy in about one project every three or four shows. For $170 you could buy like five similar performance headlamps, wear one and throw the other four at the ground around where you're working to accidentally cast light on any angle that would otherwise be easier to use this wrist lamp for. While it may be applicable to certain situations such as law enforcement it seems as though for the majority of theatre applications it's use is at best a novelty and at worst an outright hindrance to the work you are trying to do.
In general I think this device is trying to fulfill the role of a $20 handy tool that sits in the back of the shop for months before someone remembers it is hiding there and joyously runs to use the fancy new toy and after searching frantically for it in the pile of dust covered shiny metal things arrives to save the day for the next five minute task. Unfortunately until the price point drops from $170 I don't think I would ever consider this device. Maybe someday when the price is more in line with it's usefulness I will take the jump and see how much use I can get out of it but until then I'll stick to my trusty headlamp.
For only the most aesthetic theatre technicians, there is finally a light that doesn't mess up your daily coif! Personally, I'm not huge on headlamps, I think they are particularly unwieldy for tall people such as myself, who end up craning their head anyway when they are up in a genie trying to get the perfect focus. Mounting the light on the wrist allows for the light to shine directly onto the work area from the human instrument actually performing the work. What a novel idea. At the same time, it would be similarly easy to tape a mini LED flashlight to your wrist and turn it on, but for those who care about the health of their arm hair, this is a tricky proposition. Unfortunately for the average technician, the price is prohibitively expensive, especially when you can just grab a flashlight of amazon for 1/10th of the price that will do the same job with only a tiny bit less convenience.
Beam me up when this Star Trek/Theatre Tech hybrid becomes a little cheaper.
I think conceptually this wrist-light is an amazing idea and I have to admit that I am very impressed with the power it already possesses. However, the size and prize do not impress me one bit. I remember being 13 years old and going to bar mitzvahs and getting those mini LED finger lights that are now super popular at raves, and would much prefer one of those when doing handwork than having this big clunky thing on my wrist anyway. Maybe if the two ides could be combined or if they could do something with angles to the reflector to make the wrist piece more flat and watch-like it would be a more appealing concept (think of Kim Possible’s multi-purpose kimmunicator watch). All negatives aside, I think a wrist light could definitely be a direction to go in for future worksites, leaving the head unencumbered by gross, sweaty headlamps.
I actually find it really interesting that we haven't invented a wrist light before. I feel like it is something that should have happened years ago. However, it makes sense that it hasn't happened because with a wrist flashlight you have to always have one had posted where you want to see and usually if you are using a headlamp type light it is because you need both your hands. Also, like the article said, when you are running or even walking, your arms are going to be swinging by your sides instead of up in front of you, held steady, so you can see. I’m also honestly a bit flabbergasted by how much the original model cost. $800 seems like way, way, way too much for what is essentially a strong flashlight attached to your wrist. Even the new, lower price of $170 is ridiculously high, no matter how bright it is. After a certain level of brightness a flashlight is just too bright and becomes useless except for seeing really, really far ahead. Anything closer would be illuminated into a white blob.
Like it is written in the article I think that the 2211x is great for the small jobs that need to happen, like work outside at night or jobs that need to happen in small confined areas. However, when it comes to theatre, specifically stage management, I don’t think this product would be a good substitution for a headlight. As stage managers we work with our hands a lot running around with props and set pieces and things like that; so to have the light on our wrist while we grab a prop doesn’t help us see the area where we are but rather just the one prop in front of us. A headlight doesn’t get in the way and flashes on the whole area we are looking at. A wrist flashlight does sound more comfortable but in the end it would just get in the way and not shine where we would want it to.
I really like the idea of the 2211x, in no small part because I'd much rather have a light in my hand than attached to my head. That being said I don't think its really the way to go for working back stage. Turning on at 300 lumens every time is going to destroy your night vision really fast. Also since it's a flood light its going to light up more area than you want or need it to, worst case scenario it lights up the whole backstage area and spills on stage. In addition while a light mounted to your wrist would definitely be hard to lose it would also be a pain to quickly lend to someone else. If I'm working on a run crew I'd like to be able to hand my flashlight to someone else should the need arise, if its tethered to my body like this that isn't really possible. In the end I think the 2211x is probably very useful for the people it was designed for, law enforcement officers, the military, and other hand gun users, or in other words people who are keeping their hands steady and firing weapons. Now in my experience that is not normally a concern of a backstage technician. A cheaper handheld light (or headlamp if you prefer) makes a lot more sense.
Post a Comment