Extreme distance flashlights, what their use?

[PaladinNO]

You're talking about me aren't you? 😁

Even as a non-american, am I still allowed to plead the fifth?

I cannot speak for the bragging (unless that was the meaning of the image xD), but that one certainly was quirky and aesthetically pleasing to look at.

 

[Wits' End]

My first thought when I saw the thread...
I have a mile long driveway (or lane), running next to pasture or hay fields. If I happen to notice a vehicle driving back, then its lights turn off partway back. It disappears. A long range light will let the driver know that we are aware of their presence. They will probably move on. Or come back to see our light
Same thing spotting or discouraging dark loving, people or animals.
Just my thoughts 💭

 

[Blooglo]

They are useful for art projects where intense beams are used. Like an installation with layers of dichroic glass or multiple bounce mirrors. They are also useful or going out on a foggy night, pointing it straight up, and saying WOW!

 

[Bimmerboy]

Other than signalling to a rescue team what would the use be for a light that shines so far?

For the fun, amusement, and amazement of the tech that produces such lights.

 

[3_gun]

The thing is the spec, as said that max is a light level that isn't really useful. But a light that will do 2500yds as a max with useless light; that same light could light up 200yds like noon for hours. I have a pop can light that will hit 18000L at peak for about 3min before it gets to hot & you notice dimming. Silly but fun. Same light ran 8hrs a day at around 150L for a week & when I checked the batteries they were at 3.3V. I'd guess I could've gotten another night or two.
A bigger issue is how much farther your light can be seen by people who you may not wants to see your light. So if your light had a max of 2500 for you that would be 7500 or more yards that your light could be seen from, depending on environment. Also floody lights were easier to see than a tight [LEP] beam as the area you lit up was more visible than the source of that light at light ranges.

For a SHTF situation you should plan on using the lowest level & tightest beam that lets you get the job done.

 

[letschat7]

Here is a thought that during the whole duration of CPF the only SHTF situation that happened was hurricane Katrina and all we have to show for it is Surefire V85.

Inb4 someone says 9/11 counts because some MagLites were involved.

20-100 lumens is a great amount of light in a bad situation....

 

[desert.snake]

Long-range flashlights are very useful for inspecting equipment in dirty workshops, where soot and soot cover the equipment and absorb light, and you need to follow the path of a cable or inspect something at a height of 30-40 meters while on the ground. Also, in wet weather, additional power helps to see something on the wet ground. Once I had a flashlight with a stated 600 thousand lux, my friend and I were looking for his fallen keys on the lawn, the grass had not yet grown, that is, the ground was black and it had rained. Even this amount of light was absorbed by the earth very easily. The new LEPs are great. A friend gave me a Acebeam Terminator, a very nice little flashlight. Focusing on LEP was helpful

 

[RCantor]

I use my LEP for inspection of dark areas in broad daylight. I either have to walk right up to each one with an ordinary flashlight, crouch down, and shine it with my head and the light inside (so I can dark adapt a bit), or I can walk between them all and from 50 feet away with daylight adapted eyes shine my 1600 meter LEP in there and see everything. I can get a lot more done in an hour with a lot less work with the LEP.

I can't imagine that the "cool" market is big enough to support multiple brands of LEP lights for very long if there weren't good uses for those cool lights. My use may be rare but there are probably many people using them for a large variety of things who don't show up on flashlight forums. I wish they would because I'd love to learn about their uses.

One other use would be for light painting in photography.

 

[DaveTheDude]

I use my LEP for inspection of dark areas in broad daylight. I either have to walk right up to each one with an ordinary flashlight, crouch down, and shine it with my head and the light inside (so I can dark adapt a bit), or I can walk between them all and from 50 feet away with daylight adapted eyes shine my 1600 meter LEP in there and see everything. I can get a lot more done in an hour with a lot less work with the LEP.

I can't imagine that the "cool" market is big enough to support multiple brands of LEP lights for very long if there weren't good uses for those cool lights. My use may be rare but there are probably many people using them for a large variety of things who don't show up on flashlight forums. I wish they would because I'd love to learn about their uses.

One other use would be for light painting in photography.

I know an active duty Navy Chief Petty Officer who uses his LEP to illuminate remote areas of his ships engine spaces. Naval vessels are notoriously cramped for space, with lots of gear and pipes going every which-way. The tight beam and high lux of the LEP allows him to clearly see into spaces that are difficult to access. He says it's also useful in helping to train younger sailors by showing them exactly how tab A fits into slot B (figuratively speaking).