CMG Ultra vs Arc AAA

LLLean

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I'm fairly new to LED flashlights. Just purchased the ArcLSH (which i love), and now, i'm eyeing the smaller lights.

I'm curious how different these two flashlights are, particularly the beams: the CMG Ultra and the Arc AAA. I've seen pix of the flashlights and their beams, but haven't seen any comparison pix. Any beam comparison pix will be very useful. Much thanks.
 

Wits' End

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I don't have a way to take and post pics but side by side the Arc LE and the Ultra are about the same brightness. The arc has a nicer (to me) color and a slightly tighter beam. Keep in mind that this is the LE not the standard I had both Arcs and gave away the standard as I liked the color and beam on the LE better.
The Arc has more cool factor and its smaller size is a factor in EDC. I carry both, the Ultra on its lanyard around my neck and the Arc in my pocket. Hope that helps.
I have removed my comments about LL's sig line and following his example will keep my off-topic opinions (well some of them) in PM. I appologize for what this stirred up and will try to keep myself in line
twak.gif
 

FalconFX

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LLLean, main differenc between the 2 is size, with runtime being a second and price a distant third. Both are about the same in brightness, with maybe the Ultra ever so slightly squeaking by a hairline brighter. Remember, this is comparing the Arc AAA LE versus a CMG Infinity Ultra. Otherwise, if you compare the original AAA, the Ultra would win.

Whereas the Ultra has an approximate 20-25 hour runtime on a single AA, the LE has an 8-10 hour runtime on a single AAA. The Ultra is approximately twice the size (width-wise) as the LE. Arc LE has a varying price range from $28-$42. Ultra has a range from $25-$35. If there's other price ranges, feel free to correct me on this.

I'd say get both. But if you must decide, the 3 main points above should be considered. And if you still can't decide by then, flip a coin... Personally, I love the size of the Arc LE.
 

RonM

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I think you'd be hard pressed to decide between them just based on beam quality or brightness. The decision is between size vs. runtime, it's a personal decision. They're both small, just a matter of how small you want for an EDC.

PS - Your signature line is in poor taste. If you don't like hunting, fine, but there's no need to stir things up with every message you post. But you already know that don't you. Perhaps you should learn to talk to the animals like Dr. Doolittle, then you could instruct the other carnivores out there about how wrong it is for them to hunt and kill their prey. I'm sure the wolves, lions and other animals will see your wisdom.
 

RAH

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Speaking of signature lines in poor taste, it seems to me that Wits' End is the champ. I'm not even a Christian and I find it pretty offensive. Or perhaps I'm misinterpreting it?
 

ikendu

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Wow...kinda unusual on this forum to see discussion of one's opinions outside of the lighting world... (and I think the forum has been better for it).

As to this question...

Ultra vs. ARC (AAA)

Much depends on your needs.

I own an Ultra, ARC AAA and a Photon for this "single LED" application.

I use them for different things.

I used to carry an ARC on my keychain but have gone to the Photon III (white) instead. It is smaller, lighter, more scratch resistant, less "scratchy" (from the ARC's sharp knurling) and more versatile than the ARC (P3 has modes). My ARC sits on a shelf now, except when I go camping when I trade it for the Photon on my key chain.

Yet...I think the ARC is a great light!

It's all about usage.

My keychain light is carried for small spots of light, here and there, now and then; keyholes, play programs, looking under my desk, in the glove box, etc. What I refer to as "occasional use". Which this usage, the coin battery will last 2 yrs (or more).

If I used it all the time, as my primary light walking around at night, the battery would last far less as long and the inexpensive, easy to change AAA would be way more of a factor in favor of the ARC. That is why I carry it when I'm camping (on my keychain).

Although, when I'm camping, my Ultra (or regular Blue-Green Infinity which I like just about as well) is always in my pocket or around my neck on its very nice lanyard (for hands free). The Ultra is brighter with a broader, smoother beam and with a longer lasting battery. The Ultra also comes with a nice clip that works great for clipping to a ball cap also for hands free work. The Infinity also will take a lithium AA for cold weather work. I got mine from TTS ($16).

So...I use two lights in this "space". The Photon for on the keychain and the Ultra for in the pocket or around the neck or on a cap.

But...(having said all of this), if you can only or are only going to buy one small LED, you CAN NOT go wrong by buying an ARC AAA!

My ARC just sits on the shelf due to having two other lights that fill various needs better for me.
smile.gif
 

RAH

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Originally posted by ikendu:
[QB]Wow...kinda unusual on this forum to see discussion of one's opinions outside of the lighting world... (and I think the forum has been better for it).
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I agree with you, but this signature (which I've noticed many times) was directly above a posting suggesting that another (much milder) signature was in poor taste. It was too much of a temptation for me to let it pass. Sorry.
 

UnknownVT

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OK the ArcAAA is the 2002 Lummies winner - so the "majority" of people here love it.

However nice as it is I find it a bit too big and heavy for the keyring.

On the keyring I use a yellow Photon Micro-light which lives there virtually unnoticed until used
smile.gif


For an additonal light carried in the "other" pocket - then I wanted a brighter white LED that used a common easily replaced battery - so far both the ArcAAA and the CMG Ultra filled the roles.

The ArcAAA does have the advanatge of being much smaller - but for my other light this is not such a crucial criteria.

Whereas a longer runtime of a tested 11hours at full brightness (vs. the 5 of the ArcAAA) meant much more to me in this application as well as the fact the CMG Ultra used AA cells.

I have both the Ultra-G and the standard (civilian) Ultra - my Ultra-G has a better white beam and it is dark green almost black anodized - as opposed to the much paler green of the regular Ultra.

The Ultra-G at the cpf special price is: $19 + $6 shipping

The lowest price for the regular Ultra at TTS is $15.99 +$4 shipping

I posted a comparison on cpf:
CMG Ultra-G vs. Ultra
 

krept

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Are you guys comparing the Ultra with lithiums to the ARC with alkalines? I'm not sure how much a difference the lithiums make, but for that looong runtime and slightly lighter weight, I really dig the Ultra. Don't have an ARC yet.

And about the sig line (lol@the DRAMA)... if you like eggs, go check out the places where chickens lay em. Not pretty. Eat meat? Not only are you having someone else kill the animo, but the animo frequently lives in deplorable conditions. I mean if you are a vegan and intentionally avoid any and all animal products (leather, etc.) then I can see where you are coming from. Otherwise, I mean geez... try going out and catching a fish, killing it, gutting it, filleting the meat then frying it up... as opposed to ordering fish already done up in a restaurant. The "killer" in this case has much more appreciation for the meat.

We here in Babylon forget these things sometimes. It's easier to be "above it all" in the poshness of citylife.

oh yeah...

eating = devouring previously happy living organisms (even plants) for our own selfish gain
wink.gif
Shoot well! (
 

Gene

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I don't have an "Ultra" but I have one of the old original CMG's that everyone hates but I love it especially when they were blowing them out for $5 a couple of years ago. It's fairly bright especially when I run an AA lithium cell in it. It also works well with an alkaline when I want a "candle" effect. I have an ARC AAA and like it but believe it or not, I like my old CMG's build quality better!
 

Anarchocap

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Originally posted by LLLean:
I'm fairly new to LED flashlights. Just purchased the ArcLSH (which i love), and now, i'm eyeing the smaller lights.

I'm curious how different these two flashlights are, particularly the beams: the CMG Ultra and the Arc AAA.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I just wanted to let you know that the LS with the 123 twist pack is about as small as you can get in a light.

The Infinity Ultra is basically a little longer (!), but also a little thinner. The smallest of what you have mentioned is the Arc AAA.

FYI, just like UnknownVT, my EDC key-chain light is the Photon II. It is the smallest, most unobtrusive light in existence. I don't use it regularly, so the coin battery life is not an issue. Now if I did use my EDC light regularly, I wouldn't want the Photon II in that role.

So first, ask yourself how often are you going to use the light you carry?

Then, if its use will be pretty regular and you want something that takes inexpensive standard batteries, know that the Ultra isn't smaller than your ARC LS.

The Arc AAA is the next smallest compared to the Photon sized lights, but its runtime is less than the Ultra because of the obvious battery size difference.

I will actually have both. The Ultras with Lithium AAs are in mine and my wife's vehicles respectively, for emergency lighting due to runtime and better cold weather capabilities. The Arc AAA LE is on order, well, because its an Arc! I will probably use it for around the house stuff...
Originally posted by krept:
Eat meat? Not only are you having someone else kill the animo, but the animo frequently lives in deplorable conditions. I mean if you are a vegan and intentionally avoid any and all animal products (leather, etc.) then I can see where you are coming from. Otherwise, I mean geez... try going out and catching a fish, killing it, gutting it, filleting the meat then frying it up... as opposed to ordering fish already done up in a restaurant. The "killer" in this case has much more appreciation for the meat.

We here in Babylon forget these things sometimes. It's easier to be "above it all" in the poshness of citylife.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Bravo Krept! Very articulately stated. It never ceases to amaze me the duality and naivety some people have in this regard. The majority of animals on this planet are hunters/carnivores. While I am a "cityfolk," and don't "hunt" per se, it is certainly always in the back of my mind that should our economy be disrupted for any state of emergency, our food and water supply will be in jeapordy and I will have to "procure" protein to survive. I am sure hunting will become a "reinvigorated sport" should that happen!

IMHO, if you want to be a vegetarian, please, by all means do so. But don't have the chutzpah to tell me I shouldn't hunt or eat meat because its cruel to animals. You'd be better off focusing your fascist tendencies toward developing the scientific breakthrough that will allow those very animals to effectively communicate with humans so they can express their own feelings...
Or in the very least, teach them to accurately shoot back!
rolleyes.gif
twak.gif
 

krept

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Just wanted to chime in... I didn't mean to rip into LLLLL, just wanted to point something out in the dim hope that might not have realized the implications of the sig line.

BTW, Gun Nut, in case you haven't seen it, you should check out Oleg's new forum at thehighroad.org. Good stuff.

Cheers from Goodyear. (I can't wait for Peter to come out with the next batch of LEs also. Was thinking about swinging by the factory in Tempe the minute the next (final?) batch is made.
 

Gone Jeepin

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IMHO, both lights in question have great merits. One the one hand, you can get great run time and cold weather performance from the Ultra. On the other, you get the smaller package with the same light output and even easier EDC.

To me it boils down to the required use of the light to dictate which to use when. I EDC the "AAA" but keep my Ultra G in my Jeep console at all times. I would have to give a big thumbs up to each light, but like the Arc "AAA" more.
 

flash....

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I now have an Arc AAA and it is indeed a sweet lite. I got one of the non branded versions.
I will end up getting getting an Ultra G before long to stay with the CPF tradition of "get them both".

What I really want to know is when is someone is going to shoehorn an LS into a AAA or AA single cell light similar to both of these little gems.

To me, that would be the best personal light anyone could make.
 

LLLean

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Much thanks to all who provided info on the flashlights. They were very helpful.

Regarding my sig, i see it this way. They are 2 groups of hunters: one that hunts because they have to put food on the family table, and the other who hunts not because to put food on the family table. My sig is directed at the latter group.

When i was young, i used to fish with a friend every weekend all over. It was something i truly enjoyed and had a passion for. When i reached about 22 years old, i begin to realize that each fish i caught is made to suffer: first pain, then death. I realized then that I should try to be a better person and not fish anymore. I made myself refrain from fishing every since. The truth is that all along, i fished not because i am hungry, but because of the great excitement when you wait for the fish and when you actually catch something. Yes, we ate all the fishes we caught, but that was just a consequence of our fishing. The intent was not to fill our stomach, but to fish for the excitement of it. I have friends who hunt because they like to hunt, so i know there is a group of hunters who hunt for the kill, excitement, etc. My intention is to stir enough water so at least that type of hunters will think about what my sig says.

Sorry that i have to use this forum to post non-related issue.

- LLL
 

Empath

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The thread topic is encouraged in this forum. The side topic is far enough off that it should be taken to the Cafe. Since the thread itself is on topic, I'll not move it, but if the side issue continues I'll close the thread and let you take the "to hunt or not to hunt" topic to the Cafe.
 

Anarchocap

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LLLean,
In the interest of being short and sweet while not trying to get the topic closed, I would ask that if you truly feel the way you have stated, and to be accurate, your sig should say "Hunting for Sport = inflicting..." Otherwise you are being a hypocrite unless you are a true Vegetarian.

Eating the fish after fishing is the same as buying fish from the grocery store. Its illogical and irrational to condem the means even though the end is the same.

Taking pride in and enjoying the process of the meat gathering is of no consequence, because in both circumstances the meat is dead and providing food for your body. The end justifies itself and to assume the fish suffered less because it didn't have a hook in its mouth as opposed to just suffocating is...well...short-sighted, to be polite.

I've said my peace.

As far as lights go, to comment along Jeepin's lines, and to keep my post somewhat on topic, lights are really just tools. As is the nature of tools, not one tool does everything well. Even when we have tools of the same nature, we still get performance variations.

This is true even between the CMG Ultra and the Arc AAA. I will have both because the Ultra will take a Lithium AA, and there aren't currently Lithium AAAs. That means the CMG has the leg up on long term storage, cold weather usage, and run-time. The Arc's advantage is that you are more likely to carry it for every day use because it is smaller while having basically the same light output.

IMHO, both will fit your needs better than just trying to pick one. However, if there were such things as Lithium AAAs, I would probably just get the Arc.
 
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