Most throw out of conventional AA, C, D, or CR123

dfz24

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 16, 2012
Messages
2
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
__X__I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.

2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest! :)
__X__Less than $150.

3) Format:
__X__I want a flashlight.
__x__I want a portable spotlight.

4) Flashlight-specific format/size:
____Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
_x___Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).
____Holster carry.
__X__I don't care.

5) Emitter/Light source:
_X___LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
____HID (known for max output, but often at the expense of size)

6) Manufacturer:
__X__I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.

7) What battery type do you want to use?
____I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today's most powerful lights)
_X___I intend to use lithium primary batteries (CR123, CR2, Energizer Advanced/Ultimate Lithium AA/AAA)

8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
__X__I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).

9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.
____50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)
__X__150+ yards (I want maximum throw possible)

10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).
____30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
_X__90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
__X__Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).

12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
__X__I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
__x__I don't care.

13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
__X__A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
____I don't care.

14)Material/Finish/Coating
____Plastic/composite body
__X__Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III
____Stainless steel
__x__I don't care.


15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.
__X__ If included good, if not I don't care.

Thank you,
V/R

updated,
X : Primary
x: Secondary


CPL Fung
USAR
 
Last edited:

LEDninja

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
4,896
Location
Hamilton Canada
2+ weeks and no reply means you have asked what does not exist.

AA, C, D flashlights are for conventional people. That means ~15 lumens and 30 feet (10 meter) throw.

Spotlights come with rechargeable LEAD ACID batteries. They are HEAVY and have SHORT RUNTIMES (~20 minutes). They are bright enough but if the bulb is not focussed does not throw.

Specialty flashlights tend to need the extra power of specialty batteries - 18650 or 26650.

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Do you need bright or throw? A laser can throw for miles but the spot is so small it is useless as a flashlight.
MiNi-AA2-vs-Dorcy-180-lumen.jpg

Both these flashlights are the same brightness at 180 lumens. The wider beam of the MiNi AA2 on the left is more useful indoors while the more concentrated spot of the Dorcy (see below) is more useful outdoors.
-
The FL1 spec for flashlights is the distance where the light equals moonlight, not very useful. Suggest you divide the quoted distance by 4 for a useable distance.

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Let us look at some available options for flashlights using locally bought batteries.

C & D
Maglite ML100 2C LED Flashlight $44.99;
MagLite 2D LED Flashlight 388 M $27.69. Make sure you get the latest version. Some 1st generation with 1/4 the performance is still listed at Amazon.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?304266-Maglite-LED-now-using-Cree-XP-E
C & D batteries do not come in lithium. Alkalines leak so you have to store them outside your flashlight.

AA
Dorcy 41-4750 180 Lumen LED flashlight 4AA (plastic) 275 Meters $24;
Fenix LD 40 4AA 207 M $61.95.

CR123A
Dereelight DBS-T with Nightmaster aspheric head and 2MT-M pill. 600M Note the 2*CR123A pill can not be used with 1*18650 battery setup.
Dereelight's website is a disaster made worse by mid transition to the T series. If you are in the US contact Flashcrazy at flashlightconnection. (You do NOT want to get the 1*18650 version by mistake!)
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...BS-T-XR-E-R2-EZ900-Aspheric-First-Impressions
(The XML versions of the Dereelight DBS is more than twice as bright but does not throw as far. Do you need bright or do you really need throw. The aspheric reaches so far you need binoculars.)
 
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