Any led torchs that can focus beam

[explorer]

Hello

I am new to these forums but am looking for the ideal torch to replace my maglight.

I travel a lot to archaeological sites around the world and have always used a AA maglight. But thought of upgrading to led lights, so went for the inova x5 and its is a better torch, stronger, brighter, water proof and smaller in length. But i went into some caves with had Buddhist art painted on them, and there was a small amount of ambient light coming from the entrance. The problem was the inova did not illuminate any of the wall its light just got swallowed up by the time it hit the back wall. The maglight worked a treat as i could focus the light into a small spot which could illuminate small areas of the cave.

Are there any led lights out there that you could focus the light like the maglight.

Do any of the surelights have a focusable beam

The inova is a much better torch but for my type of work the ability to focus the beam means i may go back to the maglight.

 

[davidefromitaly]

you can use a streamlight jr luxeon if you need to use AA batts or the nitestar s1705 if you want the best output from a flashlight. only the s1705 takes 2 CR123A so it can be hard to find... but i think you can use 2 rechargeable 123A...

 

[BlindedByTheLite]

i think you'd really like a headlamp like the Petzl Myo 5 or the Princeton Tec Yukon HL. the Myo 5 utilizes 5 LED's and a xenon bulb in the same lamp-head. the 5 LED's put out about the same light as the Inova X5T when they're on high mode, but the LED's also have a medium and a low mode. the main xenon lamp is also focusable, and can be focused to a very bright spot.

the Yukon HL is similar in design, except it has 3 LED's and a luxeon for its main lamp. the 3 LED's are about as bright as the Inova or the Myo 5, because they're overdriven, but the luxeon is dimmer than the xenon bulb in the Myo 5. but the combination of LED's and a luxeon makes this headlamp completely whoop *** in the runtime department!

and hey, both headlamps allow you to keep your hands completely free while working! bonus! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

as far as focusable LED flashlights go, you'll have to move up from the ol' LED's to luxeons, and i believe the Streamlight TL2 and TL3 are focusable. tho they might've changed the design. the TL2, like its name implies, takes two lithium batteries and provides a nice combination of flood and spot in its beam. the TL3 takes three lithium batteries, and puts out more overall light than the TL2, but in a bigger flood of light. it has less of a hotspot, but probly has a hotspot as bright as the Minimag's.

Reviews by CPF member Quickbeam (you'll learn to luv him):
Quickbeam's "Petzl Myo 5" review
Quickbeam's "Princeton Tec Yukon HL" review
Quickbeam's "Streamlight TL2 and TL3 Luxeon" reviews

if i haven't brought up anything you like, then i suggest you head right on over to Quickbeam's website @ Flashlight Reviews.com, there's a ton of information and reviews on all types of lights.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

A High Dome 3W (perhaps 1W and 5W too? I know not) such as in my Lambda 3w drop in in a minim*g will shoot a pretty good hotspot with lovely spill! It will also defocus to a big soft flood.

The waiting list for those is lengthy however!

I don't have and am unaware of any other light that can do both.

I have a 1W Low Dome Madmax sandwich in another minim*g. With a M*g C/D reflctor taped over the end of the mini, it throws a spot with great spill. However it is not easily adjustable, and is somewhat fragile with an exposed plastic reflector (with a lense electrical taped to it!).

You MIGHT find that an Inova XO3 could be a good light for you. It doesn't adjust, and is said to have a pretty tight beam with little to no spill. Maybe in conjunction with the X5 you'd have what you.

Besides, 2 is 1 and 1 is none!

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Explorer,

Welcome to CPF.

In the reviews section Doug (Quickbeam) has an output vs throw chart. If you sort on throw, you will be able to see the Mini Mag's value. Any light with the same or more throw should work for you.

Tom

 

[PeLu]

The Petzl Myo XP might do, I just wrote a short 'review':
Petzl Myo XP

 

[Broadbill]

As Ryan (BlindedByTheLight) eludes to, I wish to correct his remarks regarding the Streamlights TL series. These lights are not focusable and do not include Luxeon bulbs. Luxeon 1W is the way to go and many are offered in handheld and hand-free versions. I'm a proponent of the Pelican series of LED series of light and they offer the only focus Luxeon light in the world. Their Recoil series of LEDs, the Super Sabrelight LED and M8 LED. These both possess a blinding highly focused beam that is unmatched in the industry. For a smaller handheld Luxeon 1W LED, try their very competitively priced M6 LED. This light has received the acclaim of many a CPF'er. Its as small as your MiniMag and burns with an exceptional burn rate. For hands-free, try Pelican new model 2630 Luxeon 1W HeadsUpLite. Again, killer light weight design and powerful throw and even has three power settings (to allow increase battery burn rate). You certainly can't go wrong with any of these lights

 

[asdalton]

Variable focus is overrated. You are better off getting a Luxeon light that has a good balance of sidespill and throw. Arrays of 5-mm LEDs (like the Inova X5 uses) are notoriously poor throwers, and just about any Luxeon setup will do better.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

The only focusable 5mm LED flashlight that I'm immediately aware of is the "Our Best Aluminum Flashlight" from LEDCORP.
I have an evaluation of it right here if you're interested.

 

[kubolaw]

[ QUOTE ]
Broadbill said:
As Ryan (BlindedByTheLight) eludes to, I wish to correct his remarks regarding the Streamlights TL series. These lights are not focusable and do not include Luxeon bulbs.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you may be getting the Streamlight TwinTask (TT) lights confused with the Streamlight TaskLight (TL) lights. The TT lights are dual xenon/led and only use 5mm LEDs. However the LED TL lights most definitely do use 1W Luxeons. They are not focusable, but still provide excellent throw and very usable sidespill.

If you like the Minimag form factor, another option is a drop in sandwich from Dat2Zip's Shoppe. Once again, this is not a focusable option, but in comparisons I have done, the much smoother beam and whiter light has always provided greater visibility over distance than the stock Minimag lamp.

John

 

[Kiessling]

Don did some awesome studies about this ... just look at his site!
bernhard

 

[tonyb]

I have a Solitaire with a 1watt luxeon that is focusable look here