"Practical" Beamshots?

[UnknownVT]

adirondackdestroyer wrote: "Ok, I really don't know what any of that ment. (Sorry). Can you please explain that to me.
I want to get a Q3 and use Rechargables, if there is anything I should know about different versions of the Q3, that would be nice if you could tell me."

No problems -
didn't mean any of my input to sound (unecessarily) complicated.

Short version -
Both earlier and newer versions of the Q3 appear to work well with the higher voltage - 3.6/3.7V rechargeable RCR123 - as reported on CPF.

Explanation -
the two versions of the (different DC-DC step-up) circuits are essentially by-passed with a battery voltage that's higher than the Vf of the LED -
so the rechargeable RCR123 at rated 3.6V or 3.7V will direct-drive the Q3 -
ie: the circuit(s) are not doing anything and the LED is driven directly by the 3.6/3.7V rechargeable battery - hence the reported substantial increase in brightness levels (and short'ish runtimes of about 30-40mins).

Now note these are the higher voltage - rated 3.6V or 3.7V rechargeable RCR123's in the Q3.

The less common 3.0V rechargeable RCR123 would probably work more like the regular non-rechargeable CR123A batteries.

Cheapo wrote: "So the Q3 gets significantly brighter with R123s?"

Yes, very much so (at least compared to using a regular CR123A in my earlier version - that draws about 700mA) - it is very noticable - so it would seem a pretty substantial increase
- my conjecture - since the 3.6/3.7V rechargeable RCR123 is direct-driving the Luxeon III at about 740-800mA - this is putting about 3watts directly into the LED - without any losses due to the circuit - (unless my understanding about how these step-up circuits stop working is wrong)

 

[cheapo]

so you own the newer version?

-David

 

[UnknownVT]

cheapo wrote: "so you own the newer version?"

No, I only have the earlier version of the Nuwai Q3 -
which has the reverse clicky and draws about 700mA on regular non-rechargeable CR123A.

 

[ViReN]

QIII with R123 RoCkS

 

[UnknownVT]

I realized I've accumulated some more stairs shots in the course of doing reviews.

Bunch of 3watt (clone) single 3.6V RCR123 rechargeable lights from LightHound -

Nuwai Q3 on regular primary 3.0V CR123A

and just to put things into context -
SureFire 9P xenon 3x CR123A

 

[UnknownVT]

I have taken more of these stairs "practical" beamshots in the course of doing the comparison review of the River Rock 1.5w 2AA (link) (aka Aurora 1.5w 2AA) - thought I'd add them to this repository.

These beamshots should be directly comparable to each other as they are all taken with the same exposure settings -

River Rock 1.5w 2AA ........................................ Costco 1watt 2AA

Dorcy 1watt Luxeon 3x AAA .............................. Energizer LED HeadBeam - 2x Brighter

and for reference here's a MiniMag 2AA new bulb new batteries -

I've also started another thread on another varient of the practical beamshot - outdoors -

Nuwai Q3 on 3.6V RCR123

please see this separate new thread -

"Practical" Beamshots? pt.2 (link)

 

[UnknownVT]

I started to do these more "practical" beamshots because of the more powerful/brighter lights really needed more distance to start showing differences.

In the course of doing the review -

A Classic Revisited - Dorcy 1AAA

a request was made for stairs beamshot using the two different types of Dorcy 1AAA - the original and gen2 reflector type and the latest gen3 focus lens type.

Using my standardized settings for my stairs "Practical" Beamshots -

ISO100 0.6sec f/2.8 daylight white balance - lens set at 28mm (equiv)

showed virtually nothing - if examined closely one can just make out some vague details....

This is obviously in comparison to the much brighter lights I originally started these beamshots for - typically the 3watt Nuwai Q3 (on primary CR123A) and 3D MagLite.

Despite the differences in brightness levels the eyes adapt very quickly and one can see quite a lot even on a single 5mm LED typified by the Dorcy 1AAA.

So I optimized the exposure just to show the difference -
this is giving something like 5x the exposure
at +2 1/3 Stops more exposure than my standardized settings -

ISO100, 3.2sec, f/2.8, daylight, 28mm

The gen3 Dorcy 1AAA using the focus lens does NOT throw any better - unless you consider its spot is larger and a lot more even........

For typical indoors usage the older style reflector based ones - ie: gen1 and gen2 would give more and more useful light - as the reflector directs more light forward especially light that's emitted in directions other than forward. Whereas a lens focusses the already forward light into a spot and basically loses the any light not already going forward.

However the spot is pretty even and light is limited to more or less the spot - which can be a good thing for certain applications - like not disturbing others or not attracting attention.....

 

[UnknownVT]

Here's my latest batch of standardized Stairs "Practical" beamshots -

Camera settings - Standard 0.6sec, f/2.8, ISO100, daylight white balance, lens at 28mm equiv.
and where the lights are lower powered - an extra shot at +2 1/3 Stops (5x) More Exposure

Inova X1 Spot - White

Inova X5 (white)

1/2w 1AA AdvancedMart - New Twisty version SK-230A

and the older Clicky version 0.5w 1AA - AdvancedMart LED-005S

 

[UnknownVT]

The Fenix P1D-CE with Cree XR-E has raised a great deal of interest here on CPF -
in the course of reviewing the light - please see -

Fenix P1D-CE comparison Review

I also did some of my "standardized" stairway shots -

Fenix P1D-CE RCR123 High ................................ Cree XR-E in Fenix L1T/L2T RCR123 High

The Fenix P1D-CE seems about the same as the Cree XR-E in Fenix L1T/L2T in these shots -

Whereas outdoors in Post #6 and #12 of "Practical" Beamshots? pt.2 (outdoors)
the P1D-CE seem to out do the Cree XR-E mod L1T/L2T -
I suggested this could be due to the orange-peel/stippled reflector (McR18) used in the Cree mod

A light that was very impressive outdoors was the 1watt Dorcy 3D -
Dorcy 1watt 3D

and just to show its versatility that Cree XR-E mod in L1T using a single NiMH AA -
Cree XR-E in Fenix L1T/L2T 1x NiMH AA

Interesting how throw makes all that difference between indoors and outdoors -
the Dorcy 1watt 3D really makes the case in point.......

 

[UnknownVT]

I've said previously I thought the P1D-CE on high may have been brighter than the very bright/intense SureFire 9P - xenon, 3x CR123 (standard P90 module) - so using the same desaturation/removal of color technique - we can compare these "standardized" stairways shots without the distraction of different colors/tints -

Destaurated/Colors removed versions -

Fenix P1D-CE RCR123 High ................................ Cree XR-E in Fenix L1T/L2T RCR123 High

vs. SureFire 9P xenon 3x CR123

Some previously spectacular LED lights - LuxIII on RCR123....
Nuwai Q3 with RCR123 ...................................... LightHound V3 on RCR123

Cree XR-E in Fenix L1T/L2T 1x NiMH AA High

This shot is "impressive"
compare it with the previously spectacular 3watt LuxIII on RCR123 above
and the 3D Mag and the Dorcy 1watt 3D below -
and this is the Cree on a mere single NiMH AA battery.....

Here's that impressive Dorcy 1watt 3D compared to a standard 3D Mag -

 

[iholla]

Wow those P1-Cree's are MOST impressive

 

[Flea Bag]

Vincent, I'd like to echo other people's opinions that your beamshot methods are excellent! The contrast between the door, white-wall and the multi-colour charts help to illustrate hotspot intensity better any other method I've seen.

Please keep this as a standard! Also, don't move house! :lolsign:

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I've been telling myself that the P1 I got several months ago and have been EDCing is all I need....

Then I see real world comparative beamshots of the P1 Cree and I:mecry:

It ain't fair!!!

 

[EV_007]

Nice shots! Your efforts are painting the XR-E in a very good light. Pun intended of course.

 

[UnknownVT]

4sevens kindly lent me this to play with -

MicroFire Warrior II HID "flashlight" - so I thought I'd take my standard indoors stairway beamshot with it to put things into context/perspective?.....

The standardized exposure was SO bright that is basically over-exposed everything. So I used auto exposure to show the HID illumnination - that turned out to be 1/9 the standardized exposure (or - 3 1/3 stops less exposure)

I also have a 1,000,000 candle-power Spot light -

 

[UnknownVT]

CPF member DougS mod'ed some gen4 Dorcy 1AAA's (latest Spot versions) - which I have reviewed in this thread posted in the CPF Reviews section -

Dorcy 1AAA gen4 Mods

Cree Mod Spot ................................................ with reflector head

Stage 2 mod (Spot) .......................................... gen4 Stock (Spot)

on my old fashioned CRT screen I can hardly see the Stock gen4 spot in this beamshot -

The standardized exposure been optimized at a level for a typical 1 watt Lux1, and all the stairway beamshots can be compared directly with each other.

I enhanced the picture without any increase in brightness or contrast - which would artifically boost the apparent brightness - but by grossly over-sharpening the image to bring out the details -

So one can see easily that both the Stage 2 and Cree/stage 3 mods have sigificantly brighter outputs over the stock gen4 - which itself is brighter than any previous generation Dorcy 1AAA (see post#27 above to compare with gen3 and gen1/2 Dorcy 1AAA)

See also CPF thread A Classic Revisited - Dorcy 1AAA for more details and discussion on the Dorcy 1AAA and its generations.

 

[UnknownVT]

Standardized stairway shots of the Fenix L0D-CE
(note these should be directly comparable to other stairway beamshots in this thread)

The NiMH appears to be brighter than the plain alkaline - I think this stands to reason - the alkaline is not fresh out of the package - but the one used for the beamshots (only a few minutes) but it probably is just over its initial peak high.
NiMH basically is capable of delivering higher currents for more sustained periods - hence its better brightness despite having a lower open-circuit voltage.

on 3.7V Li-Ion rechargeable 10440 (NOT recommended for regular use) -
compared to the fabulous P1D-CE as a reference (see post #29 (link) earlier in this thread) -
I think we may have a new stairway champ?

Notice that the P1D-CE has a noticably more concentrated/brighter hotspot - so it will definitely out-throw the L0D-CE. The L0D-CE has a much smaller reflector - which spreads its light out more - hence brighter side-spill making it better for the stairway shot.

For the full review of the Fenix L0D-CE please see -

Fenix L0D-CE Comparison Review

 

[UnknownVT]

Fenix L1D-CE on Turbo/brightest setting for all shots -

Alkaline .................................................. ........ NiMH

3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeable 14500 .......................... Fenix P1D-CE on 3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeable RCR123

Please see full review -

Fenix L1D-CE Comparison Review

 

[UnknownVT]

Fenix L2D-CE

all on Turbo (brightest setting)-

Alkaline .......................................................... NiMH

primary Lithium AA's

for full review please see -

Fenix L2D-CE Comparison Review

 

[swxb12]

UnknownVT, this is the thread that got me initially hooked on CPF. Keep up the good work! :goodjob: