Which flashlight has the smoothest beam?

Or is a diffuser the only way to get a really nice , no rings , no holes , smoooooth hotspot to spill transition?

There are quite a few once you find out what they are, but as a general rule you have a very good chance of finding what you've stated with most any SSC P4 or XP-G equipped light.

Even the infamous XR-E emitter is very smooth when coupled with the right reflector, as any Drake or Draco will immediately show.

Also the LF2XT with it's XP-E is very smooth because the reflector was chosen perfectly for it's transmission pattern.

the malkoff "F" modules are the smoothest beams I have ever seen. No spot and no abrupt cutoff at the sides.

I'll second the vote for the LF2XT along with the LF3XT. Also, my L1 Surefire has a smooth transition using an optic.

Geoff

jacktheclipper said:

Or is a diffuser the only way to get a really nice , no rings , no holes , smoooooth hotspot to spill transition?

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Just take the reflector off any flashlight. That is how the older Zebralights get their smooth beams. But if you want some kind of hot spot, the SSC's are really good.

Pretty much any reflector made by McGizmo will produce the smoothest beams you have ever seen. One of the most inexpensive ways to experience "McGizmo magic" is by buying a Malkoff M61 and an appropriate host for it.

4sevens and their Quark lineup also has really done very well, but are not quite the same level of perfection as McGizmo. If I could not afford a McGizmo, Quarks have a very good beam.

Surefire also is very good at making excellent, incredibly superb beams, however, the smoothness depends on the model and is not assured throughout the entire lineup.

kaichu dento said:

There are quite a few once you find out what they are, but as a general rule you have a very good chance of finding what you've stated with most any SSC P4 or XP-G equipped light.

Even the infamous XR-E emitter is very smooth when coupled with the right reflector, as any Drake or Draco will immediately show.

Also the LF2XT with it's XP-E is very smooth because the reflector was chosen perfectly for it's transmission pattern.

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I gotta go with Pete on this one. Even though the P4 is 'old' technology, it is probably my favorite emitter for this reason. Nice tints usually, and awesome beams. My BitZ, Ra clicky, and Ra twisty all have this emitter, and they are some of my favorite EDC lights as I feel they have a beam pattern that is ideal for indoor task lighting and outdoor short-range illumination, free of rings and artifacts, with decent hotspot and lovely spill.

LF2XT and LF3XT. This is due to the reflectors that have the finest dimpled texture I've seen. Of course, if you want a flood profile, get lights that come without reflectors, like Zebralight H501.

LiteFlux LF2XT and my incans :devil:
my edc EZAAw is one of them, but from what I've seen, mine is the exception rather than the norm. :shrug:

The Eagletac P20C2 MKII with textured reflector is very nice to.

Also the LF2XT with it's XP-E is very smooth because the reflector was chosen perfectly for it's transmission pattern.[/QUOTE]


Ah , so maybe I should have asked which reflector goes best with which emitter......

carrot said:

Pretty much any reflector made by McGizmo will produce the smoothest beams you have ever seen. One of the most inexpensive ways to experience "McGizmo magic" is by buying a Malkoff M61 and an appropriate host for it.

4sevens and their Quark lineup also has really done very well, but are not quite the same level of perfection as McGizmo. If I could not afford a McGizmo, Quarks have a very good beam.

Surefire also is very good at making excellent, incredibly superb beams, however, the smoothness depends on the model and is not assured throughout the entire lineup.

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Do you know if the Quark and the Mini share the same reflector? That is, when comparing equivalent emitters are the beams identical?

The Mini has a shallower reflector than the Quark Line. The spill ends up being wider that way, so no they are not the same. I find in the Quark the XP-G has a wider spot but the transition is sharper than the XP-E, but that may because they didn't change the reflector to match the newer LED.

The Ra lights have a much smoother transition than the Quark lights. The RA/HDS have some of the best production flashlight beams, but have lower emitter efficiency.

The newer small emitter Crees (XP-E, XP-G) are nice, but the old Lux and SSC P4 had smoother transitions from spot to spill if matched up with a good reflector. The Cree XR-E had a dark donut ring around the spot, that I am glad to see gone. I have put med diffusers on almost all my remaining XR-E lights.

Flashlightlens.coms sells a diffuser lenses for some lights. It is a medium diffuser about half that of the F04. If you buy a lens the same size as the one in the F04 it gives you some flexibility options, by exchanging them.

My favourite beam comes from the EX10 SP. It's just so smooth and creamy.

I just wish it was an 18650 light for the extra size and runtime.

DX P7 module is also a smooth master with some good throw as well. There's virtually no hotspot, just bright fading to less bright with no hard edge.

It's my dog walking light for that very reason.

One of the smoothest beams I've seen came from a cheap 3aaa Brinkman Cree with a vacuum textured reflector. No Cree rings and smooth transition from spot to spill.

I was comparing the beams of my Quark AA (running on a fresh 14500 on turbo) and my MD2/M61 (running on a fresh 18650) and I have to admit that both beams look identical to my eyes (the M61 being like 1% brighter). I always thought that the M61 would be brighter than my Quark!

All in all, really nice beams, and I still give the edge to my M61 I love this light!

You sure have some accurate eyes with a 1% differential :laughing:

:thumbsup:

Smoothest beams of my lights without using a diffuser are:
TK45
E0
Malkoff MC-E neutral drop-in with 20 degree optics (expensive, but 400 lumen): smoothest of all, but the optics pretty much is a diffuser

ToNIX said:

I was comparing the beams of my Quark AA (running on a fresh 14500 on turbo) and my MD2/M61 (running on a fresh 18650) and I have to admit that both beams look identical to my eyes (the M61 being like 1% brighter). I always thought that the M61 would be brighter than my Quark!

All in all, really nice beams, and I still give the edge to my M61 I love this light!

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Are you talking brighter lux, or brighter meaning more overall output (lumens). If lumens, then your Quark AA on turbo is pushing 250+ lumens.

Bill

I suppose the reason why I ask is because a smooth beam has become a very important factor for me , more so than color rendition , throw , or overall brightness . When I'm walking through the woods at night I don't want a root or some other obstacle to be lost in a ring , hole or some other beam artifact . I like flood And throw for night hikes in fairly rough terrain .

Which flood -to-throw flashlight has the smoothest beam?

Thanks for your input .

JacktheClipper