Best Overall Reflector, Beam-Pattern

[:)>]

I'm curious to know what you think is the LED / reflector combination that produced the best beam pattern.

For me, I think the following are at the top and pretty much a tie:

1. The HDS w/XP-G
2. The Ti-PD w/Seoul P4

I'm a big fan also of Surefire's MaxBeam like in the Tactician but still think it would be a close second to the ones I mentioned.

 

[richbuff]

For me, 'best' depends on my mood. Sometimes it is single small die emitter in a large reflector. Sometimes, it is single large die emitter in a small reflector.

Sometimes it is lots of multiple emitters in a small head diameter, and sometimes it is a small number of reflectors in a large head diameter light.

Sometimes I like orange peel, sometimes smooth, sometimes tir. So far, no hid or lep for me. Only led, yet.

 

[bykfixer]

I push button, light comes out, I'm happy. Warts, rings and all.

But the XP-G2 in an M61 module puts out my favorite LED beam. That and whatever LED Pentagon used in their L2 flashlight. The Pelican 2390 beam appears about the same. And I really like the 320 lumen version SureFire G2x Pro beam.
Oh and I really, really like the beam from a PKDL FL2.

My favorite incan beam is probably a Maglite 2 cell xenon in a PR base from a 2D medium head Bianchi B-Lite circa 1977.

 

[fivemega]

Apply some small round Scotch tape on center of flashlight lens.
Different size (diameter) of tape will give you different beam pattern.

 

[badtziscool]

I absolutely love the McR20 reflector with the XPL-hi led. Very good throw with a quick but smooth transition from hotspot to corona and just the right amount of spill to not distract you too much in the near field.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Apply some small round Scotch tape on center of flashlight lens.
Different size (diameter) of tape will give you different beam pattern.

Interesting. Compact EagTac with an SST-20 has a ring outside the corona. Is there a way to get the ring to go away with scotch tape on the lens? What pattern on the lens?

 

[pnwoutdoors]

I absolutely love the McR20 reflector with ...

One of my favorite.

Have a number of the Malkoff LED's. My own preference is for a solid amount of fill/flood but with a nicely-focused beam pattern and central hot spot. The McLeish reflectors do this well.

 

[Beamhead]

McR-18 with a Lux III

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

Convoy S2+ smooth reflector and Nichia 219C. The sizes are a match made in heaven.

 

[:)>]

McR-18 with a Lux III

Isn't that almost exactly like the McR-20 with the Seoul🤪 Also… I di remember being quite partial to the McR-27 with the UV1J Lux III😎

 

[:)>]

Convoy S2+ smooth reflector and Nichia 219C. The sizes are a match made in heaven.

Is the tint even with the smooth reflector?

 

[:)>]

I absolutely love the McR20 reflector with the XPL-hi led. Very good throw with a quick but smooth transition from hotspot to corona and just the right amount of spill to not distract you too much in the near field.

Which light has this combo? A Spy?

 

[:)>]

Apply some small round Scotch tape on center of flashlight lens.
Different size (diameter) of tape will give you different beam pattern.

I'm going to try this on my Minimus with the fresnel lens… i want to get rid of the artifact rings🥴

 

[thermal guy]

Got to say I'm still in love with the old 18650 hound dog "4000K Cree XP-L" tint, beam, everything.

 

[Owen]

I'll see the McR18 w/LuxIII(also a favorite), and raise you a McR38 with a 5 watter😃
In more modern lights, Zebralights with 11-12° spots and bright spill are quite nice.

Perfect how, though?
I like a big beam, either a wide flood up close, or large spot at a distance, so lean toward diffused beams and optics, respectively. I tend to carry a reflectored light only for EDC, as a kind of general purpose tool. At home, though, where I can grab whatever, it's usually an old Malkoff M60WLF(lood) for indoors, and Malkoff Hound Dog XP-L N for spotlighting stuff outside.
I'm also very partial to F(loody) model Zebralight headlamps for working or hiking by.
"Perfect" in a beamshot(which I equate with a symmetrical, clearly delineated spot with even spill) sounds good, but what I really want in actual use is a big blob of light on whatever I'm looking at.

 

[Beamhead]

I'll see the McR18 w/LuxIII(also a favorite), and raise you a McR38 with a 5 watter😃

Great choice, the McR-38 with a Lux III, well with Lux III most if not all the McR series were flawless with one exception the 19.

 

[badtziscool]

Which light has this combo? A Spy?

There are no stock lights that came with this led reflector combo. However, Sigma Customs McRegulus, when it was offered, was built using the McR20 and could be optioned out with xpl-hi. Also, the Ti PDS and similar McGizmo lights had the McR20 reflector, and there is a fine gentleman here on CPF that performs an upgrade service on those lights. I had mine fitted with an xpl-hi u6 5a3 and it is near perfect.

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

My Synergy2 with the 3500K 219b is pretty good, plenty of flood & throw!!

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

Is the tint even with the smooth reflector?

With the 4000K 219C, there is a very slight tint gradient, barely enough to notice if you're hunting white walls. In real life use, I never notice it.

 

[nbp]

Man, that is tough. A couple that always stood out though were HDS Clicky with SSC P4, one of my early high end lights. Prometheus Alpha with MCE and Ledil Boom reflector had a wonderful smooth floody beam. The new slate blue Quarks with Nichia 319 is absolutely wonderful as well. Very smooth artifact free beam with lots of flood and medium throw, which is always my preference. Also the McRegulus Devin just built me with SST20 and McR18 reflector has a spectacular EDC beam. A little throw but plenty of even spill with no artifacts or rings at all. What a thing of beauty.