Flood AND throw?

LEDBE
LauraQ

LauraQ

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
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Location
Sunny San Diego
Hi, guys:

After trying to justify yet another flashlight purchase (TK10), I got to thinking about what I really wanted in a flashlight. My conclusion: something that has both flood and throw. For instance, when I go into my backyard at night, I primarily want a floody light, but the option of throw for lighting up those scary noises on the other side of the yard. Does such a flashlight exist?

Thanks for your input!

I love this forum too much....

-- Laura
 
Well, I'm sure you'll get plenty of suggestions. Sounds like you're looking for something of a searchlight, in which case a lot of people would recommend HID lights. Check out the thread in this section titled "Recommendations for a lost doggie search light".

If you prefer LEDs, I can recommend something that I own, the Malkoff Quad, unfortunately its a little hard to come by right now since Gene only seems to make a few each month. Has the advantage of giving both flood and throw without the need for adjustment, disadvantage is that its really bright and there's no low setting. I still use it in the yard at night with the dogs, we have a pretty big yard and its still embarrassingly bright (I wonder what the neighbors must think). Great for finding nocturnal wildlife in the woods by eye reflections.

I posted some beamshots in this thread.

Also consider a focusable light, like the new Surefire UA2, or a maglite with a drop-in that still lets you focus.
 
Do you want good spill and a strong center beam, or a light that has a variable hotspot size?

For a variable hotspot size, something with a move able optic could work, reflectors are too ringy.
 
Gunner12 said:
Do you want good spill and a strong center beam, or a light that has a variable hotspot size?

For a variable hotspot size, something with a move able optic could work, reflectors are too ringy.
Click to expand...

I think a variable hotspot would be workable.
 
The throw and spill on most higher level fenix's are really nice. The P3D Q5 and TK10 come to mind.
 
led lenser has some cree models coming out with adjustable focus. they've had a 3W for a while and with an ssc it's a popular mod.
 
LauraQ said:
Hi, guys:

After trying to justify yet another flashlight purchase (TK10), I got to thinking about what I really wanted in a flashlight. My conclusion: something that has both flood and throw. For instance, when I go into my backyard at night, I primarily want a floody light, but the option of throw for lighting up those scary noises on the other side of the yard. Does such a flashlight exist?

Thanks for your input!

I love this forum too much....

-- Laura
Click to expand...

Forgive my simpleton response, but don't MagLites do this? A LED drop-in could help with the reach.
 
I just grabbed one of the Task Force, 2C cell, LED lights from Lowes that several people on here recommended. All the talk I read on here was about how great a throw light it is, but of all the lights I own, this one has the widest, brightest flood effect. It will easily light up an entire room or my whole back yard, but still has a very strong center beam.
And it's really cheap :grin2:
 
Last edited:
If you primarily want flood with some distance, maybe the P3D Q5 OP will do you? its got a very wide beam, and lots of spill to go around. I have not had my TK10 long enough to know off the top of my head, if the spill is equal..
 
LauraQ said:
Oooooh! That's pretty! And it does just what I was describing, flood and throw. I didn't see a price and I'm afraid of what it might be...
Click to expand...

It was $515 from Don (McGizmo), expect to pay more on the secondary market. I believe Don has said there are a few more coming soon, but you would have to be fast and lucky to get one.
It's a lot of money, but totally worth it. If it helps, you can think of it as an investment. If you ever decide to sell it, it will be worth way more than you paid (even at the current aftermarket prices).
 
Try building an ROP incan, with a MOP textured reflector (Kai's will work, Fivemega's is more epxensive but produces a better beam). You can defocus pretty far without getting into "donut hole" mode, with the texturing, but throw is still decent on the tightest focus.

On mine, I actually used a dremel tool to adjust the cam, and keep the reflector from de-focusing to the point where the bulb is withdrawn completely from the reflector. With 1/4 twist (I can do this one handed) I can switch from spot to my ideal flood.
 
Alright, a lot of people are gona laugh at and disagree with my recommandation. But if you want both, get a D sized maglite with decent LED drop in. Not malkoff however, quick focusing with it is impossible.

D mag has a huge spill area, much bigger than light with smaller head, and you can defocus it so no spot is overly bright. At distance it can focus down to a incredible small hotspot.

I compared throw with my T1 (and I imagine your TK10 as well since it's the same thing with different body), at 30 meters or so, even thou T1 has almost twice the output, 3D mag's hotspot is to my eye twice as bright, and about 1/4 size of T1's.

Or you can just shell out the dough for surefire UA2.
 
jzmtl said:
Alright, a lot of people are gona laugh at and disagree with my recommandation. But if you want both, get a D sized maglite with decent LED drop in. Not malkoff however, quick focusing with it is impossible.

D mag has a huge spill area, much bigger than light with smaller head, and you can defocus it so no spot is overly bright. At distance it can focus down to a incredible small hotspot.

I compared throw with my T1 (and I imagine your TK10 as well since it's the same thing with different body), at 30 meters or so, even thou T1 has almost twice the output, 3D mag's hotspot is to my eye twice as bright, and about 1/4 size of T1's.

Or you can just shell out the dough for surefire UA2.
Click to expand...

This is actually a good recommendation. I seem to have forgotten the Maglites ever since I found CPF! I may have to revisit them, since they seem to have the benefit of a flood to spot. Thanks for the reminder!
 
Isak Hawk said:
It was $515 from Don (McGizmo), expect to pay more on the secondary market. I believe Don has said there are a few more coming soon, but you would have to be fast and lucky to get one.
It's a lot of money, but totally worth it. If it helps, you can think of it as an investment. If you ever decide to sell it, it will be worth way more than you paid (even at the current aftermarket prices).
Click to expand...

<choke> Not in the budget right now, unfortunately.
 
2xTrinity said:
Try building an ROP incan, with a MOP textured reflector (Kai's will work, Fivemega's is more epxensive but produces a better beam). You can defocus pretty far without getting into "donut hole" mode, with the texturing, but throw is still decent on the tightest focus.

On mine, I actually used a dremel tool to adjust the cam, and keep the reflector from de-focusing to the point where the bulb is withdrawn completely from the reflector. With 1/4 twist (I can do this one handed) I can switch from spot to my ideal flood.
Click to expand...

Me? Build something? <ACK!> Does it involve soldering? <SHUDDER>
 
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