A portable lighting device for providing illumination includes a body dimensioned and sized to the held by one hand, and adapted to contain a power source therein. A head on the body has a recess in which a light source in the recess is electrically as connected to the power source. The recess and the light source are configured to generate a unidirectional light pattern. A switch enables the light source to be selectively energized by the power source, and a volumetric optical unit is configured for attachment to the head over the recess and the light source to generate an isotropic light pattern.