The Ultimate Floodlight? Lumapower DX-1 P7

shomie911 · Aug 18, 2008

The one big thing missing out of my light collection is a floodlight, so I'm looking to remedy that.

I was thinking a P7 (or multi-emitter CREE) based light would probably be the best bet.

So far I've seen the following:

- Lumapower DX-1 P7 $140 ( I bought this one.)

- Elektro Lumens 3D Mag P7 $130

- Lumapower MVP Quad Q5 $200

- Any others?

I think the Lumapower ones might be the more convenient because of the smaller size and the fact that 18650 batteries charge faster than Ds.

I'm not looking for throw or a tight hotspot as I already have an Aspherical Mag for that purpose. I'm just looking for an absolute wall of light to use outdoors and in urban areas. (It may have a hotspot but as long as the light has a huge amount of bright sidespill.)

Also is there any diffusers for a head as large as the Lumapower DX-1?

I'm trying to keep a budget of around $200 at the max for this light.

Thanks in advance.

shomie911 · Aug 18, 2008

Re: The Ultimate Floodlight?

*Reserved for review*

shomie911 · Aug 18, 2008

Re: The Ultimate Floodlight? P7 or Multi-CREE

Well, I ordered the Lumapower DX-1 P7.

I'll write up a review and post some beamshots when it gets here.

Big Bad · Aug 19, 2008

Re: The Ultimate Floodlight? P7 or Multi-CREE

shomie911 said:
Well, I ordered the Lumapower DX-1 P7.

I'll write up a review and post some beamshots when it gets here.

I got one and am thrilled with it.

It's just a wide thick wall of light, I can't explain it better than that, but wow. It has beat out my SF Guardian as best light and replaced my 6P with Malkoff M60 drop in as my new bump in the night, bedside blazer. It has no problem lighting up a very wide swatch of yard out to the short 100yd or less distances I need and in the house it simply kicks butt.

For tactical, I don't mind the one mode operaton, but a dual swith with some low's would be an improvement and bring it more into the all around light catagory. Costruction, balance, fit in the hand are all good, and for me the CR123 or 18650 is a plus. Not sure about run times yet, but I'll do some testing in the next week or so.

shomie911 · Aug 19, 2008

Re: The Ultimate Floodlight? P7 or Multi-CREE

Big Bad said:
I got one and am thrilled with it.

It's just a wide thick wall of light, I can't explain it better than that, but wow. It has beat out my SF Guardian as best light and replaced my 6P with Malkoff M60 drop in as my new bump in the night, bedside blazer. It has no problem lighting up a very wide swatch of yard out to the short 100yd or less distances I need and in the house it simply kicks butt.

For tactical, I don't mind the one mode operaton, but a dual swith with some low's would be an improvement and bring it more into the all around light catagory. Costruction, balance, fit in the hand are all good, and for me the CR123 or 18650 is a plus. Not sure about run times yet, but I'll do some testing in the next week or so.

What did the light come with, I remember reading that it came with two kinds of clickies and a couple other extras?

I'm getting a light that takes rechargeables and is better than the M6 Guardian, at a third of the price, sounds good to me. :twothumbs

I can't wait till it gets here.

Big Bad · Aug 19, 2008

It comes with two tubes for either 3 CR123's or 2 18650's. You can fit four CR123's in the longer tube, but it's over the 10v the light is rated for and I think would do damage or fry the board.

Yes, two switches a twist/momentary and a clickie, spring started a bit hard on the twist/momentary, but has gotten better with just a little use. The clickie is a reverse clickie and I'm not a big fan of clickies, but I tried it and it's easy to switch them out.

Didn't come with insturctions, but it's rather self explanitory.

Overall, I'm very happy, I think you will be too. Main thing I keep doing is lighting up my rather large and wide living room and saying wow. The bright is a noticable wow, but what gets me is how wide and clean a chanel of light it cuts. I've played with some multi Cree lights and don't remember them being that wide and clean.

Just for the record, it dosn't beat a MN21 lamp for throw, maybe not even the MN20 so if your going for distance, it'll fall short. But, for me living in flat Florida and only needing to see to the next house or down the street, it is a dazzler. And at 50 yards, I get to light up a whole house well and not just a tight hot spot.

shomie911 · Aug 19, 2008

Big Bad said:
It comes with two tubes for either 3 CR123's or 2 18650's. You can fit four CR123's in the longer tube, but it's over the 10v the light is rated for and I think would do damage or fry the board.

Yes, two switches a twist/momentary and a clickie, spring started a bit hard on the twist/momentary, but has gotten better with just a little use. The clickie is a reverse clickie and I'm not a big fan of clickies, but I tried it and it's easy to switch them out.

Didn't come with insturctions, but it's rather self explanitory.

Overall, I'm very happy, I think you will be too. Main thing I keep doing is lighting up my rather large and wide living room and saying wow. The bright is a noticable wow, but what gets me is how wide and clean a chanel of light it cuts. I've played with some multi Cree lights and don't remember them being that wide and clean.

Just for the record, it dosn't beat a MN21 lamp for throw, maybe not even the MN20 so if your going for distance, it'll fall short. But, for me living in flat Florida and only needing to see to the next house or down the street, it is a dazzler. And at 50 yards, I get to light up a whole house well and not just a tight hot spot.

I actually live here in South Florida too

I guess we both didn't lose power becuase of that tropical storm.

Anyway, I have an aspherical mag, so throw isn't really a concern for me, I just wanted a huge wall of light and I think the DX-1 P7 fits that bill.

Plus incandescent torches usually throw farther anyway.

The funny thing is, in all honesty, I don't even think I have a real use for this torch other than *click* "holy sh*t, woooww" :laughing:

Here's a PDF of the Lumapower lights in a urban setting: LINK (Scroll down to the DX-1 P7.)

The DX-1 P7 looks perfectly suited for that type of environment I'm going to be using it in.

EDIT:

I was thinking about buying/making a removable diffuser for the DX-1, do you know of any? Otherwise I need help to make one of my own, what materials would I need?

Ziva2006 · Aug 19, 2008

I was just reading a post yesterday, either on CPFMP or here, about someone making their own diffuser. I dont currently have the link, but I'll try to explain it the best I can.

They took a 2 Liter pop or soda bottle (clear unless u want colored), cut the top and bottom off, so all you have is the smooth cylindrical shape left over, cut a line from top to bottom, then cut out the correct diameter circles that fit your bezel, final steps are to gently sand down one or both sides of the plastic (depending on how much u want to diffuse) with a fine grit sandpaper, clean it up, and see how it fits. I thought this was a pretty smart idea. Credit to the OP.
I got my DX1 the other day but dont think I really need to for it. Maybe for another one of my throwers...

Hope this helps,
Adam

shomie911 · Aug 19, 2008

Ziva2006 said:
I was just reading a post yesterday, either on CPFMP or here, about someone making their own diffuser. I dont currently have the link, but I'll try to explain it the best I can.

They took a 2 Liter pop or soda bottle (clear unless u want colored), cut the top and bottom off, so all you have is the smooth cylindrical shape left over, cut a line from top to bottom, then cut out the correct diameter circles that fit your bezel, final steps are to gently sand down one or both sides of the plastic (depending on how much u want to diffuse) with a fine grit sandpaper, clean it up, and see how it fits. I thought this was a pretty smart idea. Credit to the OP.
I got my DX1 the other day but dont think I really need to for it. Maybe for another one of my throwers...

Hope this helps,
Adam

That's pretty smart, I'll have to try that.

I haven't even gotten mine yet so it might have enough of a diffuse beam stock.

EDIT:

I was looking at a gallon of milk and I noticed it already uses a opaque type plastic, and it has flat sides, so I could probably use that to make a diffuser.

Go ingenuity! :laughing:

neilp1 · Aug 19, 2008

The problem with the milk carton material is that it cuts a lot of light, and what does come through is a horrid orange colour. Something do do with the chemistry of the plastic. Much worse than the yellow of a halogen. Ill be trying out the soda bottle idea- seems much more useful.

shomie911 · Aug 19, 2008

neilp1 said:
The problem with the milk carton material is that it cuts a lot of light, and what does come through is a horrid orange colour. Something do do with the chemistry of the plastic. Much worse than the yellow of a halogen. Ill be trying out the soda bottle idea- seems much more useful.

I'll stick with the soda bottle idea then.

Big Bad · Aug 19, 2008

shomie911 said:
That's pretty smart, I'll have to try that.

I haven't even gotten mine yet so it might have enough of a diffuse beam stock.

EDIT:

I was looking at a gallon of milk and I noticed it already uses a opaque type plastic, and it has flat sides, so I could probably use that to make a diffuser.

Go ingenuity! :laughing:

Not sure you will need a difuser on this thing and I hate to loose lumens with a filter, actualy you get a lot of bounce with this light off walls and ceiling.

shomie911 · Aug 19, 2008

Big Bad said:
Not sure you will need a difuser on this thing and I hate to loose lumens with a filter, actualy you get a lot of bounce with this light off walls and ceiling.

Well, the point would be to soften the intensity and output of the light, that way it would reduce the amount of light that bounces back indoors by distributing it more evenly.

But I'm sure for tactical use this thing is going to be incredibly effective outdoors.

Ziva2006 · Aug 19, 2008

I think you'll be happy with the stock reflector. The only way I can think you will need a diffuser on the DX1 is for ALOT of light up close. But then if that were your goal, I"d just suggest another flashlight for that use. :poke:

As for outside use, this thing is great. I can light up five back yards in front of me very well while looking for lost keys (or whatever...) on the ground with just the spill of the light at the same time.

shomie911 · Aug 19, 2008

Ziva2006 said:
I think you'll be happy with the stock reflector. The only way I can think you will need a diffuser on the DX1 is for ALOT of light up close. But then if that were your goal, I"d just suggest another flashlight for that use.

As for outside use, this thing is great. I can light up five back yards in front of me very well while looking for lost keys (or whatever...) on the ground with just the spill of the light at the same time.

I like that description, maybe I should put the DX-1 on my keychain and have the most overkill "finding the keyhole" flashlight =D.

Quick question DX-1 owners, how nice is the finish on the light, does it look and feel nice in person?

shomie911 · Aug 19, 2008

I have a request, can anyone who has a DX-1 P7 take a video (or beamshots) of it in use?

I would appreciate it a lot and it would make the waiting a little more bearable. :laughing:

MrGman · Aug 19, 2008

I was the original poster on using the clear plastic soda bottle as diffuser by sanding them down. If you have an orbital sander and 320 or finer grit sand paper its way too easy to do. You can also cut slots in it to have some of the raw beam come through and make it proportional to how much diffusion versus focused beam you want. I have made 4 different versions so far, Only takes a few minutes, good scissors and a little imagination. Nothing gets sticky, no problem with removing it off of the lens or bezel housing, you can clean them with alcohol. Don't use acetone. Works great.

Big Bad · Aug 19, 2008

shomie911 said:
I have a request, can anyone who has a DX-1 P7 take a video (or beamshots) of it in use?

I would appreciate it a lot and it would make the waiting a little more bearable. :laughing:

Here is are review with pics. And for the previous post, the finish looks good to me, well done, nice threading and fit all around.

http://edcforums.com/index.php?topic=19301.msg227631

The Ultimate Floodlight? Lumapower DX-1 P7

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