6P vs. 5D MagLite

on the picture at the bottom the 6p outclasses easily the 5D Mag in beam intensity and beam quality . But how far do the 6p or the (better!) the E2 throw their beams ? As far as the 5D Mag ?
By the way, I don't have any SureFire yet. therefore this Question may sound laughable to SureFire owners.

I have both, but I don't have an origional 5D mag lamp. Using a brighter lamp in the Mag the Mag is still dimmer then teh P60 lamp. Now you can spot down the Mag to make it have a tighter beam then the Mag is brighter, but smaller. At the same size beam the Surefire wins out, even the E2 at the same beam size is brighter. Of course the 5D is going to run over 10 times longer, and the D batteries are much cheaper in the long run.

And how far reach the beams of the E2 and P60 ? My 5D Mag with Standard Bulb and tight focused beam and fresh batteries throws the beam about 130-150 meters.

Ghost, are you sure that the Mag-Lite in the picture is the 5D? Looks more like a 6D to me. I could be wrong though.


Greetings,
Velcro

Velcro, I am not sure. These are not my Hands in the picture I am proudly owner of a 5D . I consider to buy a SureFire, but i am not sure if the E2's beam reaches far enough. It would be enough if it equals the 3D mag or the Streamligh 3c.

I own two 3D Maglites....just get yourself a Surefire....believe me, you will be satisfied! I haven´t touched ma Maglites since then.....one is lying in my car, for when somebody tries a carjacking, I can beat him with the Maglite...thats where it is better than my Surefire......On distances you normally use a flashlight, the Surefire outclasses even a 5D Maglite. On greater distances the focussable Maglite might get more light on one tight spot, but the quality of the beam is so poor an that distances....

That's a good point. At the distance the Maglight's "focused" spot can reach further then a SureFire such as the E2, will it be any use?

Get yourself an 8AX and KT5 - you'll know what quality light projected further means!

The M3T with MN16 will be even more, but it's size comes at the expense of runtime. (If that's an issue for you)

You'll understand what quality light means when you use SureFires. You see more. You see more quickly.

Al

I have compared a Sure Fire 6P with the P61 lamp, a Sure Fire 9P with the P91 lamp, and 3D and 4D Mag Lights with the Carley Xenon Star lamp.

The Mag Light is slightly dimmer than the 6P and a lot dimmer than the 9P, IF the Mag Light beam is adjusted to the same size as the Sure Fire lights. However, if the Mag Light is focused tightly, it is brighter than the SFs. Beyond 25 feet or so, the Mag Light will locate objects which are not visible with the Sure Fires. I was looking at an owl in a walnut tree the other night; I could locate the eyes with the Sure Fire, but it took the Mag Light to make the outline of the owl distinguishable.

For long range use, there is no contest; the Mag Light wins hands down.

Walt

Walt, do you mean from the 3D upwards [using the Carley Xenon Star] ?
Just that I love my ULTRA-RELIABLE Mag 3D.

[Though I will still be buying the SF 6/9P, Al ...... to keep the peace ......]

[Mag]Lite-Lover

Ps - Off-topic, Walt, in season do you get the walnuts from that tree ?

I agree with Walt the Carley's help a lot. The problem for me is still the beam quality. Mags have lots of rings and dark rings, and again the Carleys help that, but don't get rid of it. Granted for the $ the Mag is great. After using Surefires and Streamlights, I just can't get past the rings. I would really like to see Mag start using a faceted reflector. I have even tried sanding the lens to smooth it out, but it dim the light quite a bit.

I could take one for you, but I am working 2 12 hour days. I bet Craig or someone will come along and post one or point us to an image of one. Basically it is sort of dimpled like a golf ball, but much smaller, almost like gains of fine sand, but mirrored. Some reflectors have an almost frosted look to them. In any case it evens out the beam almost eliminating the common rings. It makes the reflector cost more and you usually loose a tiny bit of light (maybe that is why Mag doesn't do it?), but it is more then worth it in my opinion.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Brock:
[QB]I would really like to see Mag start using a faceted reflector. [QB]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Brock, I happen to be looking for a picture of a faceted reflector. Do you know where I can find one?


Greetings,
Velcro

Ok, I found an image of a faceted reflector.

I would call that one Mottled or Diffused maybe. Not sure what its real name is though.
Faceted, to me, are the ones with numerous small flat sections, like a whole bunch of teeny tiny flat mirrors moulded into the reflector surface. Take a look at my homepage (the banner below will get you there) at the picture of the two MR16 reflector lamps, top right. They have faceted reflectors, you can see the reflector surface of one of them. A bigger clearer image (plus some waffle about them)is here

Brock and Chris, thanks for the picture(s). But now I am a little confused, which one is truly a faceted reflector?


Greetings,
Velcro

Actually Chris is correct. I throw all the non mirror finishes in to one group, but really they are differnt. A faceted reflector would look more like a tiny mirrorball then the reflector above. Lots of individual mirror like specs. The reflector above is the more common kind found in Streamlights and Surefires. In either case it tends to smooth out the beam and helps eliminate rings, although faceted probably isn't as nice as this style.

try searching "faceted reflectors" on this forum. i've seen them mentioned a few times. i've also seen them in $1 2 dcell plastic "cheapo" flashlights. they work well in incandescent and led lights, virtually eliminating any rings but i havent seen a focusable flashlight with this type of refector. craig's review of quantum 2000 shows a faceted reflector.

I know the Streamlight Scorpion is focusable and uses a reflector similar to the one I posted an image of.

Velco

Here is a pic of a faceted reflector



This is from a Light and Motion underwater video light, 50 watt bulb.

The thing about this reflector is,
there are no rings, no hot spots
The beam is perfectly even, edge to edge!

Unfortunately, very pricey

Ted, thanks for the picture.



So this is also a faceted reflector?

I have a Philips flashlight that has a reflector that looks exactly the same, only it has slightly bigger "mirrors" (or so it seems). I must say it gives out a nice, evenly distributed beam of light.


Greetings,
Velcro