Cost per Lumen?

[vigalass]

As i noted below in my first posting, i have just gotten in the torch game and love it.

I've aquired a TK40, a Eleketrolumens EDC and Firesword. I noticed something when deciding up on what to buy.

The more expensive the light, the cost per lumen goes down dramatically.

Check out my lights. they get more than 60% cheaper in cost per lumen as i go up the stack from cheapies to good lights.

light typelumenspriceCost/Lumen
Olights $ 0.36
energizer $ 0.39
EDC30060 $ 0.20
TK40 $ 0.23
Firesword $ 0.13

 

[rayman]

:welcome:

It doesn't always have to be like this. Take the Surefire lights as an example. The Kroma cost 6,9$ per lumen costing 345$.

rayman

 

[jcw122]

But each lumen is not the same as the next!

As the lumens go up....each addition lumen doesn't make as much of a difference. At least that's what I've heard. For instance, 2 to 12 lumens is a far bigger difference than 170 to 180 lumens.

EDIT: Numbers were wrong.

 

[shark_za]

And on the other side of the scale, the Romisen RC-F4 is about 10c per lumen.
Cheap and BRIGHT !

 

[SmurfTacular]

Ultrafire 501 <------ favorite light

.17 per lumen

 

[yatsunil]

Firstly :welcome:

I've been doing accounts/audits for the last 18 years so I see where you're coming from with the figures. Although I've been in the flashlight game only a while, I believe there's more to flashlights than just lumens. Things like quality of machining, anodising, beam quality, user interface etc.
Having said that, I have an Ultrafire MCU C7 from DX that costs S13 bucks shipped and claims 230 lumens that will mess up your cost analysis :nana:
I think most of the custom lights you see on these forums will also buck the trend of offering more lumens per dollar.
Ultimately, I'm beginning to find that this hobby is not really about how many lumens or how much it costs but rather how each light feels in my hands - and that feeling is priceless!!!

Cheers!

 

[vigalass]

JCW, 122. that makes sense. you raise a good point that to me would make for an excellent line plot showing two opposing plots of cost per lumen and "effective lumens", where the latter is some measure of lumens utility.

Your point of diminishing returns is totally valid. In pure darkness, there will be no greater effective lumen than the first and from every incremental lumen forward they will all diminish in effective visual impact.

If you could plot such a metric, as effective visual lumen, then you could find the sweetspot of both and none of us would overbuy.

I got to check out that other light refrence above for $.14.

Thanks.

 

[vigalass]

Shark,
Thanks for the Tip on the F4.

I found a link rating "budget" lights. I see your point.

why do i always find this stuff after i've bought a light already.

I see now that the best light is the one i'll find right after i buy one, and hence how the collection builds.

I hope lights hold their resale value.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=176577&highlight=romisen

 

[ANDREAS FERRARI]

I saw a Vector Power on Board HID (known as a POB) sell for $23.00U.S. on a E-Bay auction last year.This light produces roughly 3000-3500 Lms. so it works out to less than 1 penny per lumen.

Try and top that!!!:nana:

 

[woodentsick]

But each lumen is not the same as the next!

As the lumens go up....each addition lumen doesn't make as much of a difference. At least that's what I've heard. For instance, 2 to 12 lumens is a far bigger difference than 10 to 180 lumens.

Sorry, I think you might have typed that wrong, how can 2-12 lumens be a greater difference than 10-180 lumens?

 

[jcw122]

Sorry, I think you might have typed that wrong, how can 2-12 lumens be a greater difference than 10-180 lumens?

Crap I did type that wrong, I'll fix it. Should be 2-12, and 170-180...both 10 lumen increases.

 

[carrot]

One of the lights I like to carry comes out to be a hefty $9 per lumen.

 

[Ragiska]

a betalight is somewhere north of $100/lumen IIRC

 

[UpChUcK]

Are those all OTF (out the front) lumens?

So here are my rough calculations of some my lights with OTF lumens:

• EagleTac T20C2 MkII = $.026/lumen
• ITP A3 EOS = $.28/lumen
• 4Sevens Quark Mini123 = $.17/lumen
• Surefire 6PL = $.085/lumen
• Nailbender SST-90 P60 drop-in in a Solarforce L2 host = $.14/lumen
• MagLite XL100 = $.48/lumen
• Nitecore D20 = $.42/lumen

The price factored in was what I paid including CPF discounts.

That was fun. :wave:

 

[etc]

To me, a more useful metric is how much a full run costs me, on a set of primary cells.

I noticed that low-powered lites are disproportionately more efficient and economical in producing lumens than high-powered ones.

Specifically, you get many more lumens out of Malkoff M60LL than say M60.

Think of M60LL as a Honda Civic that gets 38 mpg and M60 as a Ford F350 with a 460 engine that gets 9mpg. Both get there but on the same set of cells one can run the same route several times.

Of course one of those 10-minute x-thousand lumen incan torches is like a Space Shuttle in comparison.

Bright lites are not efficient. Of course, with 'guilt-free lumens', who cares? Unless you go to the North Pole or a cave or something, with very limited supplies.

Not exactly what you are asking but FWIW.

 

[SmurfTacular]

One of the lights I like to carry comes out to be a hefty $9 per lumen.

$9 per lumen I hope your kidding.

Thats like a $700 incan Maglite!

What light are you using!?

 

[Dances with Flashlight]

Don't know whether the OP intended to limit the comparisons, but cost is distinguishable from purchase price. Price comparisons tell only part of the story and can be misleading. Cost comparisons should include operating costs and should specify battery choices, whether primary or rechargeable, and units of time, whether hourly, monthly, battery life, etc.

 

[mrartillery]

Wow $9 per lumen is pretty hefty! My cheapest lumen per dollar would have to be the light that I have underway right now, a 6D Mag that is around $.02 per lumen (at roughly 15,000 lumens, you do the math)

 

[csa]

Any cost per lumen analysis must be evaluated on a log scale, just as the lumen to lumen comparisons should. Twice as many lumens isn't twice as visually bright...

 

[csshih]

haha -- mcgizmo saphhire mule high cri @ 200$ =~27$/lm.