Mobile phones are necessary for us, and most people use them daily. The flash on most smartphones can emit 30 to 50 lumens of light. It is a handy lighting tool that is always available.
The flashlight on a phone is generally suitable for the following situations:
• Low brightness lighting
• Short-time emergency lighting
The convenience of using a flashlight on the phone for lighting is undeniable. Even as a flashlight manufacturer, I have flashlights scattered throughout my house. However, I still often use the flashlight on my phone because it’s just so convenient. We can almost replace small flashlights, especially keyring flashlights, with our phones for lighting. However, I don’t recommend using the flashlight on your phone for long-term lighting.
As a manufacturer of LED flashlights and headlamps, we may be unable to create flashlights with the most fantastic appearance. But with 20+ years of research on flashlights inside structures, we know what a good flashlight structure should be. We don’t recommend using the flashlight on your phone for long-term lighting for the following reasons:
The heat dissipation issue
Because where there is light, there is heat. Heat is an accessory to light-emitting products. Excessive heat can increase the risk of burning out electronic components inside electronic products. Therefore, to keep the device running normally, it is necessary to dissipate heat from the device. Common heat dissipation methods include installing heat dissipation fans, heat sinks, thermal materials, and cooling plates. For example, the cooling system of a computer or air conditioner uses a small fan.
Of course, small devices like smartphones or flashlights do not require small fans and usually use heat sinks. The material of the heat sink should have fast heat transfer and be able to transfer heat away quickly. And heat dissipation requires space. For the same material, the larger the size of the heat sink, the better the heat dissipation effect.
The small flashlight beside the mobile phone camera is a small light tool. It is a fill light for shooting. If the environment is relatively dark, the fill light will automatically turn on, thereby increasing the ambient brightness of the shooting and making the photos taken clearer. Therefore, the original design purpose of the flash was to assist in mobile phone photography when the light was not enough for short-term fill light. Short-time lighting does not require high heat dissipation. Due to space limitations, the heat dissipation of mobile phones makes it difficult to meet the heat dissipation standards required by flashlights.
In fact, you must have had this experience: when you forget to lock your phone’s screen and directly put it in your pocket, your phone’s flashlight is accidentally turned on, and you don’t even know it. After two or three minutes, you will feel the phone in your pocket overheating, and the temperature of the flashlight turned on is even higher than when the phone is charging.
Therefore, we recommend you use your phone’s flashlight for lighting for no more than ten minutes. Of course, the heat dissipation function of the flashlight of each mobile phone brand is slightly different, but most mobile phones become very hot after ten minutes of lighting. Long-time high temperatures can accelerate the aging of electronic components, including the battery’s service life.
Temperature Control Protection
Most phones are designed with temperature control protection if your phone does not dissipate heat well. When you use your phone for lighting for a long time, the temperature rises to a certain warning value, and the smartphone will automatically turn off the flashlight. You cannot turn on the flashlight again until the phone’s temperature drops below the warning value. This waiting process takes at least five to six minutes when you cannot use the flashlight for lighting.
Fast Battery Drain
Of course, suppose your phone has excellent heat dissipation. In that case, the temperature control will not forcibly turn off the flashlight. You want to use the flashlight for long-term lighting. It would be best if you were prepared for the battery to be drained within an hour. Otherwise, you may be in trouble.
This is because the flashlight of a mobile phone consumes a lot of power. While lighting, it also runs other programs, and its power consumption is astonishingly fast. However, when you are outdoors, your phone’s battery is very limited. Even if you have a power bank, we do not recommend charging your phone while using it for lighting because of the heat generated during the charging process. Combined with the heat generated by the flashlight, double heat is a nightmare for the phone.
Therefore, when you are outdoors, you should keep your phone’s battery as much as possible for more important tasks, such as making calls, sending messages, and maintaining communication with the outside world, rather than using it for lighting.
Poor Lighting Experience
The flashlight on a mobile phone is a diffuse light source and cannot be focused. Its brightness is also relatively dim and cannot illuminate areas beyond five meters. It is also unsuitable for activities requiring precision, such as repairs.
Cost Issues
The cost of a mobile phone is generally around 1000 US dollars, while the price of a flashlight is around 10 US dollars. If you accidentally drop your phone on a hard floor, in water, or a hole while using it for lighting, your loss will be 1000 US dollars. In comparison, the loss is insignificant if you accidentally drop a flashlight. Using a phone as a lighting tool wastes a valuable resource.
In conclusion
Therefore, the flashlight on a mobile phone is like the spare tire on a car. It can only be used for emergencies and not for long periods. When you go out at night, you’d better rely on something other than your phone’s flashlight for long-term lighting. You must have a stable and professional flashlight or headlamp. Our lights can survive being dropped in water or on the floor. As long as you can pick it up, it will continue to serve you.
So, it’s generally recommended to use a dedicated flashlight or a headlamp for extended outdoor use, as these devices are designed for prolonged illumination and have better heat dissipation systems. If you need to use your phone’s flash as a makeshift flashlight for a short period of time, that should be fine, but for longer durations, it’s better to use a dedicated flashlight or headlamp.
