Brightest/whitest

Ok, what's the brightest whitest longest throwing LED flashlight available today ?

I'm intriqued by the L6. I prefer longer throw than spill. Also hoping there's a head for the 8x/8nx series out soon

if you want the longest throwing, brightest and whitest LED flashlight, i believe you're looking for the space needle II. i just got one, and its incredible. mrbulk doesn't do any more runs, but if i remember correctly you're an LEO so he's likely to make one for you. alternatively i think hotbeam might still have one for sale /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

the L6 isn't actually that bright...if i'm not wrong it puts out 65 lumens, whereas an "average" space needle II puts out 216 lumens /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

na ah Chameny. SF are just being conservative /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Actually, any 5W was rated at least 120 lumens. MrB drives his lux much harder than L6, so that might be why the discrepancy.

Anyway, if you want brightest AND whitest, then SN2 is the way to go (or PK1 rather? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif). Mr-X is a good choice also.
BUT if you want longest throwing, then 3W lux will serve it for you.

I agree, the 5 watt will give you more overall light. But the luxeon III will give you the brightest possible spot. As a comparison, if you had two 3D mags one 5w the other luxeon III, the luxeon III would easily superimpose it's hotspot over the 5 watt, this also means it would throw allot further.

Yep, 100% agreement with chamenos, Mr. Bulk's SNII is the way to go. Charlie was kind enough to offer me a single build for a SNII... and no grovelling on my behalf was involved! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The SNII is hands-down my most used LED light in my arsenal, and probably used as often as my favorite incans. I would certainly describe it as having a clean (white), bright, and ridiculously long throw. All this in a small 3C package.

Let me put it this way... the SNII that Charlie built for me is a close runner-up to the light output from my SF M3 with its HOLA. The sidespill may not be as effective as the M3's HOLA, but the SNII's hotspot (to my own perception) is nearly identical. I know, I know... but seeing is believing.

Didn't Mr. Bulk get a lumen count on one of his average SNII's and get close to 203+ lumens? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

-Jim

Actually it's a 2C package, even smaller than a 3C /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

D'oh /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif - you're right... I stand corrected. Thanks paulr.

By the way I always meant to ask you, what does "pie that corner" mean?

Stop it guys, you guys are making me regret selling my SNII /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif ( What was I thinking! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif)

I kind of regret not buying one. They do show up on BST sometimes.

While I haven't seen any of these lights in action, but I have however, seen photos in one of the threads of the 'Photon King' that was recently auctioned off. Would the SNII ouput be similar to that?

Yeah, the PK1 was PK's effort to outdo the SNII. It was like an SNII only more so. Of course the PK1 needed a heck of a lot of custom machining and reflector making, while the SNII is a modified Mag 2C from the hardware store. The SNII does a little bit less output than the PK1, but at 1/15th the price it's mighty fine.

the SNII can be said to the poor man's LED M3. i still have trouble believing its an LED light everytime i turn it on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif its -that- good /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

shiftd: the luxeon III might throw further, but a hotspot any smaller than what my SNII throws might be too small IMHO. the SNII already throws very far, though when focused to a spot, you get the donut hole that the 5W luxeons are famous for. btw the SNII can also be focused to a flood beam similar to that of the HOLA on a surefire M3, which really puts out a wall of light /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

jim: charlie did send an "average" SNII to be tested in an integrating sphere, and he got the figure 216 lumens /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

stanley: if i'm not wrong the output should be similar, but the PK-1 is probably slightly brighter, with a longer runtime since its powered by 6 batteries in a parallel 9v configuration. the SNII can't be beat for its price though...maybe if mine had a luxeon III you could see the beam in the sky from KL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
V8TOYTRUCK said:
Stop it guys, you guys are making me regret selling my SNII /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif ( What was I thinking! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif)

[/ QUOTE ]

And I thank you for it!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thank you guys. I am also considering the L6. But I'll keep an eye out for a space needle II in the BST forum

{From a Voyager episode} The hierarchy concurs.
The Space Needle II is the brightest LED light you can get today. I believe I measured 3,130,000mcd on mine. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
I don't think Space Needles are currently being made, but if you ask Mr Bulk nicely, he might make one for you.
Or you could just keep an eye out on the B/S/T - Lights forum for one, as they occasionally show up there.

The LED Museum - "3,130,000mcd" ?! Yikes...

Chamenos - ahh, that's what it was... thanks, I thought I remembered something about a trip to a (Streamlight?) laboratory integrating sphere - or something to that effect. 216 lumens from a 5W LED is indeed impressive.

paulr - the "pie" is a reference to "slicing the pie" when clearing an obstruction (corner, door frame, etc) - yep, I'm an oddball for using that as a screen name. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Now all this talk really makes me regret missing out with a final bid on Charlie's last and one-of-a-kind X3T SNII with a double dose heat sink. Damn... what was I thinkin'?! Note to self: next time, just bid, don't think...

-Jim

Pie, yes, I know the term comes from a tactical maneuver around a corner but don't understand what "slicing the pie" means. And does the heat sink in your SN2 actually get hot enough that the double one seems likely to help?

Hmmm... I've run my SNII for some lengthy periods at a time, and although it's warmed up quite a bit (but fine to handle), I can only imagine the heat buildup on the heatsink itself. To be honest, I've never really put too much thought to it - other than what I perceive to be a little added protection for the luxeon, especially a rare one such as an X3T. Ahh heck, I dunno what I'm talking about - all I know is, it sure looked purdy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

...and the "slicing the pie" part... - think about vertical planes of a sight picture as you arc an obstruction, one piece of a pie at a time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif ...hmmm mmmmkay, going to the Shot Show? It's better explained in person. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sleepy.gif
-Jim

There is a X3T dropin auction at the moment... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif