‘Docter’ Aspherilux Midi 125 torch

Being a shooter and sometimes out at very early light or dusk into darkness, it’s obvious that a good torch is an important part of the bits and bobs that have to be carried on a sortie. Torches come in all shapes and sizes and I have acquired and used a lot of them over the years, but the one that still impresses me most is this little cracker from Docter Optics – the Aspherilux Midi 125.

The beauty of this torch is in its size, shape, and performance. It is unique in many ways; the shape is like a thin pack of cards, so it fits into any pocket without a bulge and in the hand your thumb naturally rests on the switch. However it’s the quality and evenness of the illumination that it gives which makes it a cut above most other hand torches on the market today.

Measuring under 4 inches long, by just over 2 inches wide, it comes in a tough plastic housing with palm grips each side and is ready to operate the moment it is gripped in the pocket. The small slider on/off switch on the left hand side is perfectly positioned for the thumb. Pushing this slider forward switches the torch on, giving a perfect circle of light with no black spot in the middle. This is where the Midi 125 scores as an inspection light. So good is its illumination that the quality and evenness of the light shows up any defects or variation in the surface being examined. It has even been seen on television, in the drama series ‘Silent Witness’ – where it is used in the mortuary!

Docter Optics was originally part of the Carl Zeiss Jena group and so it goes without saying that quality is high on their list of priorities. The quality of this light source is brought about by its glass aspheric lens, which is unique in the torch market today, and the shape of these lenses make it very difficult to grind as you would normal lenses, so Docter Optic hand mould them and as far as I know no other manufacturer of aspheric lenses can do this. (In the photographic trade these lenses are moulded in high-grade plastics and cemented to glass elements to ensure stability.) I have found it to be unsurpassed when used as intended, as an inspection lamp at short range.

The ‘Docter’ Aspherilux Midi 125 is available in 3 colours, Graphite Gray, White and garish Pink, and comes complete in gift packaging with a set of AA batteries and a spare bulb at £29 inc P & P