Help me choose a big light

OK, I'm recently back into flashlight acquisition mode after a long hiatus. For your reference, here are my recent additions:
Toolvn
Jetbeam Mini-1vn
Sunwayman V11r vn
Noctigon m43 vn (goldilocks version)
Sunwayman c22cvn
Jetbeam RRT02

I want something considerably different that what I already have. I'm looking for a larger light with large head, lots of light (needs to be significantly more than the 6000+ lm of the m43vn) with great flood but also great throw (not spotlight though). Im looking for something that is large enough that might require a shoulder strap, but not too large to hand carry as well. I am hoping for something towards the more neutral tint even though the best throwing and brightest are known to be cooler tint. Budget is ~$500, plus/minus. Here are some contenders so far, feel free to add to the list, since I am really new to these lights:

Acebeam k60vn
Thrunight TN40 rechargeable
Fenix TK75vnQ70
(Fenix RC40vn flood edition at $700 is more than what I wanna spend and size too unwieldy?)
anything else in this category??

While, Im leaning against another popcan style light (since very happy with m43vn), I cant help but be intrigued by these 2 following. If you're recommending one of these, please make a good case why these over the ones up top:

Niwalker MM18 (vn version versus version II with XHP70)
TN36UTvn (not sure which spec for me?)

As usual, Im hoping to do the right research to get a light that I will use and not have to sell quickly since I don't keep lights that I don't use. Looking for your collective feedback and wisdom! Thanks in advance!!

The k60vn is an awesome light, love the beam! real nice..............
The Q70 is more flood and around 100kcd, but bright does not come into it...........its amazing and flexible with run time kits if needed.
The rc40 is a beast, the F is the king of output, due to the deep reflectors and design, the flood is not quite as wide or seems that way as the Q70...........not that it matter as its more than enough anyway.
The rc40vnT is awesome, love it, i mean 8000lm best part of, and 500kcd does nothing but impress with the huge hot spot.

For you, i would either go $100 more for the T version, you WILL NOT be disappointed, of another $200 above your budget(heck whats a couple of hundred bucks for the right light, why have 2nd best...........you will only spend it next month on something else anyway ;-)





Size wise with the k70vn, rc40vnT and tk75vnQ70

RC40vnT


K60vn



The k60vn gets hot pretty quick but can run still, the rc40vnT does not break a sweat and can run for long periods. Nothing for me right now can beat the k60vn beam, just too nice and still 200kcd is very useful and lots of bright 4500lm spill. The rc40vnT is of course brighter at more than 3000lm higher output, and best part of 300kcd more!!!

So imho, up the budget by $100 for the T or $200 for the F.................tough choice and depends on your preferences, all i will say is the T does have lots of spill/flood. Main advantage is actually a usable 100% output!

Ven, as usual, you're first to help a guy out! much appreciated.

for the size, k60vn really has my attention. the King, RC40 is like 30-40% bigger than the others and doesn't have a strap or easy carry method (and more expensive, too, hence causing some hesitation)...

however, your comment about heat issues and runtime is not to be ignored. my m43vn gets too hot to hold very quickly on brightest setting.

Convoy L6. The best 50 bucks you will ever spend.

The rc40vnT(or F) does have a strap so worry not!

I dont use it though, no need, yes heavy compared to other lights but well balanced and purposeful! You want performance,run time, there always has to be something you have to compensate for. IMHO its no deal killer. The k60vn is no small light either, which every your holding that hand is taken up!



Strap can just make out folded near the car charger


Little line up of some vinhs for size


You can make the rc40 look short..........


One run time kit



Box size difference with the tk75vnQ70 and rc40vnT


Welcome, if i can help i will, only my advice, does not mean i am right, but hopefully help with bits of honest info that will aid your decision and hopefully be the right one for you!

CelticCross74 said:

Convoy L6. The best 50 bucks you will ever spend.

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just looked this thing up as I've never heard of Convoy. It's pretty impressive for the price I agree. However, these are the kind of lights that I tend to buy and quickly find a place in the drawer. Main concerns being how consistent the LED tints are, the build quality and hence reliability. Im in the you-get-what-you-pay-for camp.

ven said:

The rc40vnT(or F) does have a strap so worry not!

I dont use it though, no need, yes heavy compared to other lights but well balanced and purposeful! You want performance,run time, there always has to be something you have to compensate for. IMHO its no deal killer. The k60vn is no small light either, which every your holding that hand is taken up!
Strap can just make out folded near the car charger

Little line up of some vinhs for size

You can make the rc40 look short..........

One run time kit



Welcome, if i can help i will, only my advice, does not mean i am right, but hopefully help with bits of honest info that will aid your decision and hopefully be the right one for you!

Click to expand...

Man, you have a lot of lights! didn't realize both k60 and 70!. skylumen page says not to use the extended runtime kit for the TK75 - what gives?

You're making this hard for me! I'm looking at the RC40 videos and man, I like the flood version, but $700! I think I'll just get the K60 for now, and wait for RC50 for my pinnacle light, what do ya think?

The k60vn as I say many times on many thread is pretty awesome, it's one of the nicest beams with a huge hit spot and bright spill. Defo want the de-domed xhp70 as it pushes the standard 160kcd to over 200kcd.






Huge hot spot and bright spill


Not picked up well here, Q70 does light up the field, can see where it's dark as phone just can't pick up the spill, trees at back are around 155m away and are lit up well to the eye





k70vn



rc40vnT












On what I think really depends on what uses, for more general and brighter, brighter spill and a large bright hot spot, the k60vn I prefer over the k70vn. For ultimate output and throw, the rc40vnT is the beast. The k60vn and its 4500lm does get warm quick, to hot in minutes, it will run for a decent time still.......the rc40 will run at almost twice the output for a lot logger without heat issues. Yes it eventually gets quite warm, but by then you will have had your high fix and turned it down probably anyway.

Thanks Ven, I think I've decided. "Go big or go home ". Rc40 flooder, come to papa!

We can spend $100 a time, maybe $200 chasing the "perfect light"...............never happens. Sometimes you just have to buy once and cry once, life is too short to wish you had or ponder about a stick and bulb! Just make sure you have uses for it to get value, you wont be disappointed for sure...........after all the host is the fenix flag ship light! Not a bad start for mods to suit you!










and you ill still keep chasing the perfect light !

I read lots of people's stories saying that since buying amazing light x, y or z that they were so thrilled by it that it curbed their light-buying habit. I now realize that they're just not true flashaholics!

I had wanted to gradually step up to bigger, more expensive lights. But this way, I'll have the bookends and have to fill the middle slots going forward

:laughing:

I find as time goes on we(or at least i do) get more fussy, more dedicated/specific leds and output type(flood be it mule,quad,xhp70 etc) and of course the right K .

Your in at pretty much the top for flood, bare in mind it has 2 x drivervnx2's so 1 button controls 3 leds, the other button the other 3, so timing for all to come on together .

Lumens become not as important, as most of my uses are within 50ft, so a million lumens is useless for me. Nice tint, nice even flood, no concentrated hot spot = perfect for 95+% of my use. These types are what get most use, unless you want to edc an rc40(no doubt many will if out S&R ing). But realistic, the smaller light, the ideal UI with the preferred tint(be it cool, neutral or warm) will more than likely the one you have with you or grab for ease. Bigger lights for me tend to be deliberate use, planned walks or fun etc.

Its the middle ground that is the hard part................so much!!!!!

I do like a bit of variety, keeps interest and like the different tints in use..............maybe like guns(dont have any but love them). No one has one gun, they have several to maybe 100's as they all serve a slightly different use or caliber. Different materials, weight, length for various uses.................................or simply because its comfy in hand to the fancy custom design.........in other words endless like knives too. They all just cut at the end of the day, but collectors/enthusiasts know there is a lot more to it than that. Metals, designs, sizes for different applications.
Imagine collecting watches............they all just tell the time after all

Enjoy it all, use em love em:thumbsup:

RC40VNF makes me twitch and I suspect I am a flashaholic. Ven was commenting about what makes the RC40VN a great light in another thread which got me to really appreciate what is offered with that light. So in a non-reactive non-compulsive sense, the RC40VNF is exactly everything you are asking for in your title post + more + most complete and sound package for the money. The extra $200 when already at the $500 +/- mark makes perfect sense with the given criteria and considering what RC40VNF package offers. Nice choice. I hope you are thrilled with the light.

Well put Impossible lumens, when spending that amount you really dont want a 2nd best choice and although $200 is a lot of money.................. that can be easily spent on a couple of smaller lights.

Nothing worse than say spending $500 and thinking "what if i had just go the ..........."

I know the rc40 host can handle 8000lm very well, so you know that at say 30% output, you can run for extended times and have plenty of flood out front if needed. Then turn night to day when needed!

ven said:

Well put Impossible lumens, when spending that amount you really dont want a 2nd best choice and although $200 is a lot of money.................. that can be easily spent on a couple of smaller lights.

Nothing worse than say spending $500 and thinking "what if i had just go the ..........." Yes, this light is way to tasty an option to overlook at the price point.

I know the rc40 host can handle 8000lm very well, so you know that at say 30% output, you can run for extended times and have plenty of flood out front if needed. Then turn night to day when needed!

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I'm delving into the don't know precisely what I'm talking about spectrum here but It makes me wonder if the XHP70s may run more efficiently than the XMl2 in the given configurations and thus produce less heat per lumen. Or maybe the other way around with the two different configurations having different emitters. I guess it's all good in the end as they're both great lights and I'm just one who drools.

I was trying to reply with regards to two of your points on one of your comments ven. But it wrapped all the text up my first reply within the field of your original post and then put my second reply outside of all that wrapped up text. I'm actually new to online forums and will have to learn the interface. Is actually fun though

The xhp70's are 4 die on the one foot print, 8.4v so need 2 cells in series to feed(unless a specific driver). From the k60vn which is a single xhp70(4 die)
Can make it out here


On the k60vn, its around 7a iirc, either way its 4500 OTF lumens which might be 5000lm at the LED, even on that light which is on the large side, heat is very obvious after a few minutes. Checking the info on crees spec sheet for the LED will give an idea to the efficiency or not.
http://www.cree.com/LED-Components-and-Modules/Products/XLamp/Arrays-Directional/XLamp-XHP70

150lm per W

The xml2
http://www.cree.com/LED-Components-and-Modules/Products/XLamp/Discrete-Directional/XLamp-XML2
170lm per W

Difference in crees specs, the xhp70 max W is 32w@4022lm, the xml2 max is 10w@1052lm

xhp70 6v-4.8a and 12v-2.4a
xml2 3a max

Of course we know they can be pushed higher, this will all change as the xhp70 may not suffer at 7a as much as an xml2 would at say 5a...............just examples and not my area of expertise(not that i have one :laughing: )

Impossible lumens said:

RC40VNF makes me twitch and I suspect I am a flashaholic. Ven was commenting about what makes the RC40VN a great light in another thread which got me to really appreciate what is offered with that light. So in a non-reactive non-compulsive sense, the RC40VNF is exactly everything you are asking for in your title post + more + most complete and sound package for the money. The extra $200 when already at the $500 +/- mark makes perfect sense with the given criteria and considering what RC40VNF package offers. Nice choice. I hope you are thrilled with the light.

Click to expand...

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread, I now have my RC40vnF and wanted to give you all that update and closure (for now). This light is a beast! I have been using the shoulder strap and slinging it messenger bag style carry on my walks around the property at night and the beam and spectrum of light output has been super useful. The tint of the xhp70's is just great, no blue, yellow, green etc to my eyes, just white. Now the quest continues. even though I am still intrigued by K60 (and maybe k70 just for different flavor with more throw), I will try to avoid another big light for now. I am off to the races to explore unknown territory in the P60 dropin and hosts space and will need all the help I can get!

Congrats and glad happy
p60's are fantastic and new -ish to them myself tbh as they have been going for years! .

The flexibility for me, swap in your p60, be it throw,flood or anything in between ! Lots of host options




I love my triples and quads, huge hot spot of usefulness..........for me anyway.


Big output is always fun and does have its uses..........however being a small-ish host, heat will always win out. Drop in wise, tint is key(your preference) as the p60 will never be the furthest throwing or floodiest due to design/size.

thanks Ven, you were super helpful tbh. I too, am very picky about tint and love warm to neutral and rather sacrifice output for better color rendition. Is there a tool that I need to get to be able to install these retaining rings and bezels? I know ppl say just get a pair of pliers...