rickypanecatyl
Enlightened
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2009
- Messages
- 915
I just got a T20C2 Mk II and loved it. It quickly became my favourite "all around" light. Being the nice guy I am though, I gave it to a friend and am looking for another all around light. I may just get the same one, but was curious what else there was out there to try. Here's my pro's and con's on the Mk II.
Pros:
- I love the efficiency of the light! Nearly 2 hours at 300 lumens and over 100 hours at about 15 lumens. (I know the specs say something like 5 lumens – but I'm sure the low is at least 15 – much, much brighter than my 10 lumen Streamlight Nano.
- I love the 3 light levels. Basically multiples of 5 – 300/60/12. They are far enough apart that you can tell you've dropped a level but the truth is, there isn't a HUGE visible difference between 300 and 60; I could never imagine anyone saying, "You know 300 is just too bright for what I want right now, but 60 just isn't bright enough. I wish there was something in between."
- Durability. I dropped it several times with no bad effects. Threads fill tight and strong. I think it may have to do with the Stainless steel bezel on one end and the rubber tail stand adapter on the other end.
- Rubber tail stand helper. By itself this light can't tail stand, but it comes with a rubber sleeve that allows it to tail stand, and I love that little guy. It really does 3 things:
o Allows it to tail stand
o Probably is very helpful for when/if you drop it giving it some "shock absorbtion."
o I found with that rubber cap on the end it made it real easy to hold the light in my teeth when I needed both hands.
Cons:
- Its real floody. For an "all around" light I don't want a laser beam thrower, but I wouldn't mind it being a bit tighter than it is. I'm too new to this and don't really understand the lux to lumen ratio for beam shape. I'm pretty simple and like those MR16 bulbs you can buy that tell you on the box what the beam angle is. I'm going to guess that the beam angle of the Mark II is about 100 degrees where as from the pics I've seen, the DBS R2 with aspherics looks like about a 5 degree angle. All that to say, that my personal, ideal choice for my "all around" light would have about a 75 degree angle if the Mk II is 100 and the DBS R2 Aspheric was 5.
- The beam of the MK II has a slight "ring within a ring" syndrome. I don't think this would be hard to solve though as I have the smooth reflector and I've hear the OP doesn't lose much throw.
- It's a bit hard to access the low mode. If I could have any UI it would be the selector type technology on the Fenix TA or Jet beam RRT's. You can turn the light on in Medium mode with a loose head, or high mode with a tight head. However to access low you have to go back and forth between medium and high a few times (can't remember but the process is a bit different if you've started in medium vs high). Personally I like several modes but the 2 I like the quickest, easiest access to are the lowest low and highest high. If I need a blinding light, show and awe all of a sudden I want it to come on in high. If I grab it off the nightstand in the dark and don't want to bother my wife/wreck my night vision I want to be able to have it come on in the lowest mode. Medium mode or SOS I don't mind turning it on and having to fart around with it a bit to get that to work.
- I sure wouldn't mind one more low mode. Like I said, I think the low is really 15 lumens and I do like that mode. Enough light to hike in the night and having the confidence of 100 hours of that is really cool. However for reading in bed at night and just keeping the light as low as possible I'd love a 3-5 lumen level as well.
Bottom line, I love the light and wouldn't mind getting another one but was curious if based on my personal likes and dislikes if anyone had any suggestions of something else to try.
Pros:
- I love the efficiency of the light! Nearly 2 hours at 300 lumens and over 100 hours at about 15 lumens. (I know the specs say something like 5 lumens – but I'm sure the low is at least 15 – much, much brighter than my 10 lumen Streamlight Nano.
- I love the 3 light levels. Basically multiples of 5 – 300/60/12. They are far enough apart that you can tell you've dropped a level but the truth is, there isn't a HUGE visible difference between 300 and 60; I could never imagine anyone saying, "You know 300 is just too bright for what I want right now, but 60 just isn't bright enough. I wish there was something in between."
- Durability. I dropped it several times with no bad effects. Threads fill tight and strong. I think it may have to do with the Stainless steel bezel on one end and the rubber tail stand adapter on the other end.
- Rubber tail stand helper. By itself this light can't tail stand, but it comes with a rubber sleeve that allows it to tail stand, and I love that little guy. It really does 3 things:
o Allows it to tail stand
o Probably is very helpful for when/if you drop it giving it some "shock absorbtion."
o I found with that rubber cap on the end it made it real easy to hold the light in my teeth when I needed both hands.
Cons:
- Its real floody. For an "all around" light I don't want a laser beam thrower, but I wouldn't mind it being a bit tighter than it is. I'm too new to this and don't really understand the lux to lumen ratio for beam shape. I'm pretty simple and like those MR16 bulbs you can buy that tell you on the box what the beam angle is. I'm going to guess that the beam angle of the Mark II is about 100 degrees where as from the pics I've seen, the DBS R2 with aspherics looks like about a 5 degree angle. All that to say, that my personal, ideal choice for my "all around" light would have about a 75 degree angle if the Mk II is 100 and the DBS R2 Aspheric was 5.
- The beam of the MK II has a slight "ring within a ring" syndrome. I don't think this would be hard to solve though as I have the smooth reflector and I've hear the OP doesn't lose much throw.
- It's a bit hard to access the low mode. If I could have any UI it would be the selector type technology on the Fenix TA or Jet beam RRT's. You can turn the light on in Medium mode with a loose head, or high mode with a tight head. However to access low you have to go back and forth between medium and high a few times (can't remember but the process is a bit different if you've started in medium vs high). Personally I like several modes but the 2 I like the quickest, easiest access to are the lowest low and highest high. If I need a blinding light, show and awe all of a sudden I want it to come on in high. If I grab it off the nightstand in the dark and don't want to bother my wife/wreck my night vision I want to be able to have it come on in the lowest mode. Medium mode or SOS I don't mind turning it on and having to fart around with it a bit to get that to work.
- I sure wouldn't mind one more low mode. Like I said, I think the low is really 15 lumens and I do like that mode. Enough light to hike in the night and having the confidence of 100 hours of that is really cool. However for reading in bed at night and just keeping the light as low as possible I'd love a 3-5 lumen level as well.
Bottom line, I love the light and wouldn't mind getting another one but was curious if based on my personal likes and dislikes if anyone had any suggestions of something else to try.
