Great throw/ tight spot 2xAA or 4XAA

Hi there,

I am looking for a 2 or 4xAA flashlight with really awesome throw and a nice tight beam to spot items at long distance. No reason in particular, but I would use it hunting or for some searching in the woods at night. Brighter is better. Focusable might be nice, but not necessary. Just looking again for a super tight beam for longest possible throw and a really nice high setting. Fenix LD41 gets 520 lumens on high, and that is awesome. I just don't really know how its throw compares to other lights out there. As stated in a previous post, I only have much experience with Fenix. 1 more requirement is waterproof (which is why I went with fenix in the first place), and rugged.

Preferably <$100

Do higher lumens translate to greater throw?

Additional items, not primary concerns, but would be nice:
several modes (including strobe)
super low (moonlight mode) for battery efficiency and camp chores
prefer tail cap switch
uses any type of AA (alkaline, LION, rechargeable...)

I am willing to branch out from fenix for sure, I just haven't had any recommendations.

Thanks a bunch guys. Great forum here.

-Danny

Dman008 said:

Do higher lumens translate to greater throw?

Click to expand...

Not always. In the three Fenix 4AA models, the E40 has the lowest lumens but the longest throw:
Fenix LD41 520 lumens, 200 m, 10000 cd
Fenix LD40 248 lumens, 207 m, 10733 cd
Fenix E40 220 lumens, 260 m, 17500 cd

I would look at the E40 instead of the LD41 for camping. I have the LD41 and, while very bright, I don't find it to be throwy. The E40 has better throw although not as bright. The only downside of the E40 is the low is 34 lumens albeit for 31 hours. High lumens does not necessarily translate into throw (intensity). I hope that helps!

Lumen is overall output, while throw is measured in lux (lumen per meter). For example, a laser has very low output (low lumen) but lots of throw (high lux).

The Fenix E40 has the most throw, but it also has the narrowest beam, so you'll have to figure out what will work best. There's also the Jetbeam PA40.

4seven's Quark Turbo should have good throw for a 2 AA light, but the 4 AA lights have a bigger reflector and can throw further.

So is a light's 'throw' or lux strictly a result of the reflector? If so, could I modify the awesome 520 lumen ld41 by replacing the reflector? Thus resulting in enormous throw.... or am I missing something?

Thanks for the replies guys, this is all really helpful

Usually, larger reflector (wider) = narrower beam = more throw (assuming the same output). You can make the LD41 throw a lot more, but not without some work (opening up the light, making a new head to fit a bigger reflector, and then putting everything together and hope it all works). Another option is to replace the reflector with a lens, but you'll still need to open up the light and find a lens that fits and has a short focal length and find a way to fix the lens at the focal length. You might loose water resistance with the last method.

Throw also has to do with the size of the emitter. For example, in the same reflector, the Cree XP-C with it's 0.7mm x 0.7mm die will create a narrower beam then a Cree XM-L with it's 2mm x 2mm die. At the same output, the XP-C will have much higher surface brightness (Lumen/emitting area) then the XM-L, giving the XP-C a narrower beam and more throw. The XP-C can't take as much current as the Xm-L though due to it's smaller die.

The amount of throw and the tightness of the beam is a affected by the size of the light emitter, the size and properties of the reflector/optic/lens, and the output of the light source.

Not sure on Lox readings - but I just sold a sunwayman M40A with the new XMLu2 - I thought it was a great throwing light for 4aa... The UI was rotary which didn't work well for me - but other than my personal preference on that - I thought it was one very well built, high-quality light.

Dman008 said:

So is a light's 'throw' or lux strictly a result of the reflector? If so, could I modify the awesome 520 lumen ld41 by replacing the reflector? Thus resulting in enormous throw.... or am I missing something?

Thanks for the replies guys, this is all really helpful

Click to expand...

Its the reflector and the LED. The new XP-G2's throw more than the regular XP-G even though they are the same size. The problem is manufactures thing of 2 AA lights and EDC or for people than aren't into flashlights enough to have CR123's so they don't make supper throwy ones.

I can think of either the Nitecore EA2, Quark AA^2 Turbo (with XP-G2) or the Deree light javelin with 3AA extender.