I have just updated the review with some discussion on peak intensity measuring.
I realize that people are very sensitive to minor differences in raw lux @1m numbers for these thrower lights. But as with lightboxes, you can only really compare throw values to other lights tested with the same meter, under common conditions (i.e., calibrations vary, sometimes widely). Up until now, the light meter used for beam intensity/distance measures in all my summary tables has been the budget Cer CT1330B (which is generally believed around here to commonly have lower numbers than some others lux meters). I recently picked up the slightly more expensive budget-model V&A VA8050, which gives me higher lux readings.
As I have no idea which of these lux meters is closer to the "true" reading, I have recently ordered a proper NIST-calibrated and certified Extech meter. This should resolve the matter, and I will update this review with new throw measures once it arrives. In the meantime, I have re-tested the TN31 on both meters, and get 93,000 lux @1m (610m beam distance) on my standard Cer and and 117,000 lux @1m (684m beam distance) on the new V&A meter.
Note my Cer lux readings have gone up slightly from what was orginally posted up above in the table. That's likely because I didn't quite manage to find the absolute peak intensity in my earlier measure (ANSI FL-1 beam tests involve moving the hotspot around the light meter sensor manually, and recording the absolute maximum obtained). As such, there can be some variation on repeated measures.
Anyway, I will be able to provide more accurate calibrated intensity/distance values once my next NIST-certified lux meter arrives. :wave:
I realize that people are very sensitive to minor differences in raw lux @1m numbers for these thrower lights. But as with lightboxes, you can only really compare throw values to other lights tested with the same meter, under common conditions (i.e., calibrations vary, sometimes widely). Up until now, the light meter used for beam intensity/distance measures in all my summary tables has been the budget Cer CT1330B (which is generally believed around here to commonly have lower numbers than some others lux meters). I recently picked up the slightly more expensive budget-model V&A VA8050, which gives me higher lux readings.
As I have no idea which of these lux meters is closer to the "true" reading, I have recently ordered a proper NIST-calibrated and certified Extech meter. This should resolve the matter, and I will update this review with new throw measures once it arrives. In the meantime, I have re-tested the TN31 on both meters, and get 93,000 lux @1m (610m beam distance) on my standard Cer and and 117,000 lux @1m (684m beam distance) on the new V&A meter.
Note my Cer lux readings have gone up slightly from what was orginally posted up above in the table. That's likely because I didn't quite manage to find the absolute peak intensity in my earlier measure (ANSI FL-1 beam tests involve moving the hotspot around the light meter sensor manually, and recording the absolute maximum obtained). As such, there can be some variation on repeated measures.
Anyway, I will be able to provide more accurate calibrated intensity/distance values once my next NIST-certified lux meter arrives. :wave:
They are rushing the correct replacement, but even with UPS shipping, it will likely still be a couple of weeks.
