Bolster
Flashlight Enthusiast
Apologies -- my irresponsible ISP, COX Communications, has decided in its infinite wisdom to revoke all FTP space which I was using to host images. They took down the FTP space & deleted the images (and are charging me the same amount as before). Customer service is telling me, "T.S." Please bear with me until I can figure out where to re-host the images...IF I can find backups of the images.
FLOOD HEADLAMPS are valued for their ability to fill your vision...including your peripheral vision...with an even, homogeneous flood of light...a “wall of light” that doesn’t require your eyes to adjust (much) from center to edge of beam. Flood headlamps are valued for: working with your hands, setting up camp, reading, walking or jogging trails, and other activities where peripheral vision must be maintained. They are not designed for seeing far into the distance. Beam angles on floody lights should run 60-120 degrees, although several inexpensive “bare bulb” type lamps throw a narrow beam of only 30-40 degrees. The narrower the beam, the lower your peripheral vision, and the more you’ll have to twist your head to see your workspace, or the more you’ll be chasing a “bouncing ball” as you jog at night.
Remember the beamshots in this thread are all taken from different distances, with different exposures, and with different color balance settings, so are not accurate for comparing coverage, beam brightness, or tint. Refer to beam angle to gauge beam spread, lumens to gauge brightness, and descriptions of tint to judge color. Beamshots primarily tell us about the evenness vs. “hotspottedness” of the beam.
Floody Beam Headlamps using AA cells
Zebralight H502
Announced May 2011, to be released 4th quarter this year. Likely a pure flood light in the H50 & H501 tradition. 1xAA with XM-L emitter, lensed (not reflectored), projected to output over 240 lumens on high.
Waiting for production....
Zebralight H501 & H501w
The H501w is a neutral/warm version of the H501. Efficiency: H501 is 96 lumen 2.3 hour; 18 lumen 19 hours; H501w is 80 lumen 2.3 hours; 15 lumen for 19 hours. Cell: Single AA battery (runtimes tested on a Sanyo 2700 mAh cell). Waterproof: IPX8. Beam Angle: 80 degree flood. Water: IPX8 (1 meter for 30 minutes). Price $59. Beamshots and Links: First shot is mine of a H501w; second is from here, & third is holyjeez03's photo of an H501w.
Energizer 360 Degree LED Cap Light - a unique ball-swivel mounted 1xAA light designed for attaching to hats & helmets. Narrow beam angle of 30 degrees makes it marginally eligible for this thread. 40 lumens for 4 hours. See Jas’ thread here. $20-25.
FoxFury Command 10 Tasker - Efficiency: 40 max lumen for 32 max hours. Cells: 4xAA powering 10 Nichia LEDs. Beam Angle: 38 degree narrow flood. Water: Waterproof to 3 feet. Price: c. $61. (Waiting for beamshots from manufacturer.)
FoxFury Command 20 Tasker - Efficiency: 60 max lumen for 16 max hours. Cells: 4xAA powering 20 Nichia LEDs. Beam Angle: 38 degree narrow flood. Water: Waterproof 3 feet. Price: c. $81. (Waiting for beamshots from manufacturer.)
Irix Icon II, c. $20-30, making it a price contender. Convenient dial switch. Efficiency: advertised as 50 lumens max, reported (by Spaulding) 2:20 runtime on NiMH. Type: 5x5mm regulated LEDs. Cell: 1xAA. Water: "Weatherproof" (translation: water resistant). Mild PWM on low, tint reported variously as: cool, blue, & purple. Beam angle: margins fade gradually making measures difficult, but repeated calcs put the “floodspot” around a narrow 25 degrees (although easily spread to 45 degrees). See Meganoggin’s thread here.
Mammut S-Flex - 1xAA. Lumen: 35 max, also has low mode. Beam Angle: 40 degrees. Also has red LED and strobe. No IP rating. $30. Waiting for beamshots... please report if you can.
Mammut S-Lite - 1xAA, 20 lumen max for 10 hrs unregulated. Also a mid and low mode, strobe. $20.
Waiting for beamshots and beam angle...please report if you can.
Petzl Pixa 1 - Pixa 1 is flood only. Efficiency: 25 lumen for 12 hours. Cells: 2xAA. Regulated @ two levels. Beam Angle: central hotspot trigs to 37 degrees. If based on an accurate measurement, this means the dual-beam Pixas have a wider beam than the “wide beam” Pixa 1 (see Pixa 3 below). Water: IP 67 (= dust + immersion). Price on Amazon: $30. Waiting for beamshots...please report if you can.
Princeton Tec Corona
Efficiency: 90 lumens (8 leds) max, 1 hour regulated, then drops out of regulation. Vtunderground has recorded a 4.5 hour runtime on high with Eneloops. Midrange (5 leds) lumens estimated @ 56, with 6.75 hour runtime. Was considered a runtime champ, circa 2004. Cells: 3xAA batteries. Water: Water Resistant. Beam Angle: Vtunderground reports 30 degrees by protractor. Center weighted “directional flood” beam. Blue tint. Price: Around $50 or less. Links & Reviews: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...rinceton_tec_corona_led_headlamp_review.html_ , http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/princetontec_corona.htm beamshot duplicated below..., http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=181493 , http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=198207&page=1
Spark SD5 - On the drawing board, Spark’s 1AA full flood headlamp.
Waiting for production...
Spark SD52 - a 2AA (or 14500) full flood headlamp available in neutral white NW and cool white CW models. Neutral version runs from .5lm (50 days) to 280lm (1.5hrs) on Eneloops. Cool version runs .5lm (50 days) to 300lm (1.5hrs) on Eneloops. (Reported as high as 500lm on 2 14500 cells.) Notable is the 7-hour midlevel of 70 or 80lm, as well as the superwide beam angle: 115 degrees. Waterproof: IPX8. About $105 + shipping.
Surefire Saint Minimus AA - Not released yet, but we’re told it’s a 2xAA version of the Saint Minimus.
Efficiency: 2xAA for 1-100 lumen output range. 1.5 hours on high. Comes with red filter.
Waiting for production...
Ultrafire UF-H2B -
An inexpensive <$30 Zebralight H501 look-alike, 1xAA, slight cool tint, beam spread >80 degrees. 150 lumens claimed. Information condensed from Gregozedobe’s review post in this thread, #37.
Waiting for beamshots...
Zebralight H51F, H51Fw & H51Fc - arguably not a “true flood” with its brighter center, but probably qualifies as “floody.” AaronG describes it as “a directional flood” and as “all spillbeam.” The H51F is brightest of the bunch with a cooler tint; the H51Fw is a neutral/white version; the H51Fc is a high-CRI version (CRI of 85) appearing mid-2011. Efficiency H51F: 190 lumen .9 hour; 28 lumen 12 hours. H51Fw: 164 lumen .9 hour; 25 lumen 12 hours. H51Fc: 123 lumen .9 hr; 27 lumen 9 hrs. Battery: Single AA battery (tested on an Eneloop 2000 mAh). Water: IPX8. Beam Angle: 90 degree beam angle (but not a smooth even flood; has bright center). Price: $64. Links and beamshot: see http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=273573&page=9 post 261). Long discussion http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=273573. Comparative images are from GadgetGeek; lower image is Nugget’s beamshot of an H51Fw.
Convertible Flood/Spot Options using AA cells
Dosun H1
Cells: 3xAA. Beam: Reports of a ringy beam but I can't find beamshots. Beam Angle: ??? Unknown. Price: About $70
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Duracell Daylite 3AA Headlamp
“Spot to flood focus” 80 lumen on 3xAA battery pack. Red LED on battery pack. No power modes. Not rec’d for running. As low as $13 at Costco.
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Energizer Hard Case Professional 4 LED Headlight
Cells: 3xAA - Estimated 5 hrs @ 60 lumens according to CPFers (not 100 as advertised).
Type: flip up diffuser that may diffuse well? Beam Angle: ??? unknown - please tell us if you know. Price: c. $28
Link and discussion see: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=263334&page=1) Beamshot here: http://www.light-reviews.com/energizer_hcp_4led_headlight/ duplicated below...
Note: Beamshot of Hard Case difficult to compare, because outer edges were not photographed.
Petzl Myo RXP
Efficiency: 140 lumens 50 hrs unregulated. 34 lumens 4 hrs regulated (+54 unreg).
Type: Spot, with built-in diffuser that reportedly works well for spreading the beam.
Water: Water Resistant. Cells: 3xAA batteries.
Beam Angle: ??? unknown - please tell us if you know. Price: Around $99 or less.
Links: beamshot see http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=229236&page=1 post 9 duplicated below...
Petzl Pixa 3 - Pixa 3 is flood or spot or both. (Note: Pixa 2 is flood + spot combined, so doesn’t qualify for this thread.) Efficiency: 30 lumen for 12 hrs. Cells: 2xAA. Regulated @ two levels. Beam Angle: Trigs to 49, turboBB’s protractor says 56 (both of which are wider than the Pixa 1?). Beamshot by turboBB, who reports a subtle hotspot in the center. Water: IP 67 (= dust + immersion). Price on Amazon: $55.
Princeton Tec Apex
Efficiency: Flood lumens unknown, 8.5 hours regulated. Has both spot and center weighted “floody” setting.
Water: Not waterproof? (verify). Cells: 4xAA batteries.
Beam Angle: ??? unknown - please tell us if you know. Price: Around $70.
Link & Beamshot: see review at http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/pt_apex.htm duplicated below...
Ray-O-Vac Sportsman Xtreme 1-AA.
Efficiency: 45 lumens for 2 hrs...regulated...reportedly pretty close to a true white tint...debued in 2007. Also has red and blue LEDs.
Type: Flip diffuser. Price: A price/performance contender at $20 on-line. Beam Angle: ??? Unknown.
Link: Supposed to be a beamshot here but I can't see it: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=173333
Floody Headlamps using AAA cells
(Haven't worked much on this category yet, please suggest)
Black Diamond Spot - Advertises a flood mode which ranges from 4-16 lumens (while main beam up to 75 lumens). 3xAAA. A red LED is included. Around $40. Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Black Diamond Storm - 4xAAA. Floody option is “single power white LEDs” at 25 lumens, while spot (“triple power LED”) is 4-100 lumens with claimed 50 hrs of use on high (most of it unregulated, though). IPX7. Initial regulation for first 25% of battery use. Also incorporates red LEDs and strobe modes. About $40-50. See Szemhazai’s review here. Beam angle for flood unknown.
Bright 5 LED - an inexpensive <$4 Petzl Tikka lookalike, 3xAAA, cool blue tint, “directional flood” type beam. Information condensed from Gregozedobe’s review post in this thread, #37.
Energizer 6-LED Headlamp - says it has a flood option, but doesn't really. Even after bead-blasting the lens to achieve more beam spread, the beam is heavily center weighted and narrow (although of decent color); the well-lit sweet spot is a narrow 40 degrees. Compare with photos of the H50 and H501 during the same beamshot shoot...yes, that's how small the Energizer’s "flood" is. Inexpensive ($12-14) and readily available.
Mammut Lucido TR1 - 4 LEDs make an interesting "narrow angle flood," or perhaps it's a "broad even spot," with a 45 degree coverage. It has nice consistent coverage from edge to edge. Was one of the 3xAAAs that impressed me at REI. Around $35.
Petzl Tikka 2 - 3xAAA. “Wide beam pattern” says mfg’r. 40 lumens at 90 or 120 hours depending on mode. Unregulated. See Carrot’s review here. About $30.
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Petzl Tikka XP - 3xAAA, unregulated, 30lm max. Sliding diffuser. See tam17’s report in post #38 of this thread.
Petzl Tikka XP2 - 3xAAA with flip-up diffuser. Beam Angle 50 degrees in flood mode. 60 lumens max. Unregulated. Claims use on high at 80 hours (unreg’d). IPX4 (water resistant). Red LED included. Beamshot thanks to Turbo BB. Around $50.
Petzl Tikkina - 3xAAA, 23 lumen max. Unregulated. “Wide beam pattern” says mfg’r. Out of production?
Petzl Tikkina 2 - 3AAA, 2 levels, max is 23 lm for 55 hours unregulated. From $18.
See Dd61999’s side beam shots and beam angle in post #55 of this thread.
Petzl Zipka Plus 2 - 3xAAA, 50 lumen max. “Wide beam pattern” says mfg’r. Around $35.
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Princeton Tec Quad - Recently upgraded to 45 lumen on 3xAAA. Regulated. “Wide Beam.” Waterproof: IPX6? (1m, 30min). Tactical version comes with Interchangeable colored filters. High is 1 hr regulated, 50 hrs total. Around $25-35 depending on model.
Princeton Tec Remix - 70 lumen on 3xAAA. (Remix Pro uses 1xCR123 for 70 lumens). Reported by Carrot as floody.
Spark SD73 - Still at the rumor stage, Spark’s 3AAA offering?
Floody Headlamps using CR123 cells
Spark with Reflector Removed & Frosted Lens -
As sold, the Spark ST6-500CW (and all its currently manufactured kin, the ST6-200NW, ST6-220CW, ST6-280OW, ST6-320CW, ST6-360CW, ST6-460NW, and so on) has a brilliant hotspot. However, the manufacturer Xyber verified the reflector is easily removed, giving a beautiful, 100-degree even floody beam. Brandocommando was the first to report this, to great success. The ST6-500CW is advertised as top level 500 lumen for 1.4 hours, but people working with their hands will be more interested in the 50 lumen midlevel (28 hours) and the 150 lumen midlevel (8 hours). Powered by 1x18650 or 2xCR123. Water: IPX8 before pulling the reflector; unknown after. Cost around $99.
Recently, Spark has been adding a frosted lens to its package, yielding a directional flood. Here shown on a ST6-460NW:
Surefire Saint Minimus & Tactical & Vision & Saint -
- Saint Minimus, variable 1-100 lumen for 1.5 hrs on high with 1xCR123.
- Saint Minimus Tactical, same as Minimus but desert tan anodizing & camo headband & three color filters.
- Saint Minimus Vision, a warm colored (possibly high CRI) version of the Saint Minimus, 1-80 lumens on 1xCR123.
- Saint, runs from a battery pack of 1, 2, or 3xCR123 or 2xAA, for up to 6 hrs on high using 3xCR123.
Water: Waterproof IPX8 (1 meter 30 minutes). Angle: trigs to just 56 degrees, based on CPFer measurements.
Beamshots and Links here, here, and here. Reports of beam artifacts and green tints.
Price: about $140 Minimus, and about $190 for Saint with battery pack.
Zebralight H31F & H31Fw - Powered by 1xCR123.
Will it be like the H51, not a “true flood” but “directed flood?”
Released March 2011, $64.
Waiting for beamshots....
Zebralight H302 - announced May 2011 for production first quarter of 2012. Reported to be a “pure flood” 1xCR123 light using XM-L emitter.
Waiting for production....
FLOOD HEADLAMPS are valued for their ability to fill your vision...including your peripheral vision...with an even, homogeneous flood of light...a “wall of light” that doesn’t require your eyes to adjust (much) from center to edge of beam. Flood headlamps are valued for: working with your hands, setting up camp, reading, walking or jogging trails, and other activities where peripheral vision must be maintained. They are not designed for seeing far into the distance. Beam angles on floody lights should run 60-120 degrees, although several inexpensive “bare bulb” type lamps throw a narrow beam of only 30-40 degrees. The narrower the beam, the lower your peripheral vision, and the more you’ll have to twist your head to see your workspace, or the more you’ll be chasing a “bouncing ball” as you jog at night.
Remember the beamshots in this thread are all taken from different distances, with different exposures, and with different color balance settings, so are not accurate for comparing coverage, beam brightness, or tint. Refer to beam angle to gauge beam spread, lumens to gauge brightness, and descriptions of tint to judge color. Beamshots primarily tell us about the evenness vs. “hotspottedness” of the beam.
Floody Beam Headlamps using AA cells
Zebralight H502
Announced May 2011, to be released 4th quarter this year. Likely a pure flood light in the H50 & H501 tradition. 1xAA with XM-L emitter, lensed (not reflectored), projected to output over 240 lumens on high.
Waiting for production....
Zebralight H501 & H501w
The H501w is a neutral/warm version of the H501. Efficiency: H501 is 96 lumen 2.3 hour; 18 lumen 19 hours; H501w is 80 lumen 2.3 hours; 15 lumen for 19 hours. Cell: Single AA battery (runtimes tested on a Sanyo 2700 mAh cell). Waterproof: IPX8. Beam Angle: 80 degree flood. Water: IPX8 (1 meter for 30 minutes). Price $59. Beamshots and Links: First shot is mine of a H501w; second is from here, & third is holyjeez03's photo of an H501w.
Energizer 360 Degree LED Cap Light - a unique ball-swivel mounted 1xAA light designed for attaching to hats & helmets. Narrow beam angle of 30 degrees makes it marginally eligible for this thread. 40 lumens for 4 hours. See Jas’ thread here. $20-25.
FoxFury Command 10 Tasker - Efficiency: 40 max lumen for 32 max hours. Cells: 4xAA powering 10 Nichia LEDs. Beam Angle: 38 degree narrow flood. Water: Waterproof to 3 feet. Price: c. $61. (Waiting for beamshots from manufacturer.)
FoxFury Command 20 Tasker - Efficiency: 60 max lumen for 16 max hours. Cells: 4xAA powering 20 Nichia LEDs. Beam Angle: 38 degree narrow flood. Water: Waterproof 3 feet. Price: c. $81. (Waiting for beamshots from manufacturer.)
Irix Icon II, c. $20-30, making it a price contender. Convenient dial switch. Efficiency: advertised as 50 lumens max, reported (by Spaulding) 2:20 runtime on NiMH. Type: 5x5mm regulated LEDs. Cell: 1xAA. Water: "Weatherproof" (translation: water resistant). Mild PWM on low, tint reported variously as: cool, blue, & purple. Beam angle: margins fade gradually making measures difficult, but repeated calcs put the “floodspot” around a narrow 25 degrees (although easily spread to 45 degrees). See Meganoggin’s thread here.
Mammut S-Flex - 1xAA. Lumen: 35 max, also has low mode. Beam Angle: 40 degrees. Also has red LED and strobe. No IP rating. $30. Waiting for beamshots... please report if you can.
Mammut S-Lite - 1xAA, 20 lumen max for 10 hrs unregulated. Also a mid and low mode, strobe. $20.
Waiting for beamshots and beam angle...please report if you can.
Petzl Pixa 1 - Pixa 1 is flood only. Efficiency: 25 lumen for 12 hours. Cells: 2xAA. Regulated @ two levels. Beam Angle: central hotspot trigs to 37 degrees. If based on an accurate measurement, this means the dual-beam Pixas have a wider beam than the “wide beam” Pixa 1 (see Pixa 3 below). Water: IP 67 (= dust + immersion). Price on Amazon: $30. Waiting for beamshots...please report if you can.
Princeton Tec Corona
Efficiency: 90 lumens (8 leds) max, 1 hour regulated, then drops out of regulation. Vtunderground has recorded a 4.5 hour runtime on high with Eneloops. Midrange (5 leds) lumens estimated @ 56, with 6.75 hour runtime. Was considered a runtime champ, circa 2004. Cells: 3xAA batteries. Water: Water Resistant. Beam Angle: Vtunderground reports 30 degrees by protractor. Center weighted “directional flood” beam. Blue tint. Price: Around $50 or less. Links & Reviews: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...rinceton_tec_corona_led_headlamp_review.html_ , http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/princetontec_corona.htm beamshot duplicated below..., http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=181493 , http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=198207&page=1
Spark SD5 - On the drawing board, Spark’s 1AA full flood headlamp.
Waiting for production...
Spark SD52 - a 2AA (or 14500) full flood headlamp available in neutral white NW and cool white CW models. Neutral version runs from .5lm (50 days) to 280lm (1.5hrs) on Eneloops. Cool version runs .5lm (50 days) to 300lm (1.5hrs) on Eneloops. (Reported as high as 500lm on 2 14500 cells.) Notable is the 7-hour midlevel of 70 or 80lm, as well as the superwide beam angle: 115 degrees. Waterproof: IPX8. About $105 + shipping.
Surefire Saint Minimus AA - Not released yet, but we’re told it’s a 2xAA version of the Saint Minimus.
Efficiency: 2xAA for 1-100 lumen output range. 1.5 hours on high. Comes with red filter.
Waiting for production...
Ultrafire UF-H2B -
An inexpensive <$30 Zebralight H501 look-alike, 1xAA, slight cool tint, beam spread >80 degrees. 150 lumens claimed. Information condensed from Gregozedobe’s review post in this thread, #37.
Waiting for beamshots...
Zebralight H51F, H51Fw & H51Fc - arguably not a “true flood” with its brighter center, but probably qualifies as “floody.” AaronG describes it as “a directional flood” and as “all spillbeam.” The H51F is brightest of the bunch with a cooler tint; the H51Fw is a neutral/white version; the H51Fc is a high-CRI version (CRI of 85) appearing mid-2011. Efficiency H51F: 190 lumen .9 hour; 28 lumen 12 hours. H51Fw: 164 lumen .9 hour; 25 lumen 12 hours. H51Fc: 123 lumen .9 hr; 27 lumen 9 hrs. Battery: Single AA battery (tested on an Eneloop 2000 mAh). Water: IPX8. Beam Angle: 90 degree beam angle (but not a smooth even flood; has bright center). Price: $64. Links and beamshot: see http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=273573&page=9 post 261). Long discussion http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=273573. Comparative images are from GadgetGeek; lower image is Nugget’s beamshot of an H51Fw.
Convertible Flood/Spot Options using AA cells
Dosun H1
Cells: 3xAA. Beam: Reports of a ringy beam but I can't find beamshots. Beam Angle: ??? Unknown. Price: About $70
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Duracell Daylite 3AA Headlamp
“Spot to flood focus” 80 lumen on 3xAA battery pack. Red LED on battery pack. No power modes. Not rec’d for running. As low as $13 at Costco.
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Energizer Hard Case Professional 4 LED Headlight
Cells: 3xAA - Estimated 5 hrs @ 60 lumens according to CPFers (not 100 as advertised).
Type: flip up diffuser that may diffuse well? Beam Angle: ??? unknown - please tell us if you know. Price: c. $28
Link and discussion see: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=263334&page=1) Beamshot here: http://www.light-reviews.com/energizer_hcp_4led_headlight/ duplicated below...
Note: Beamshot of Hard Case difficult to compare, because outer edges were not photographed.
Petzl Myo RXP
Efficiency: 140 lumens 50 hrs unregulated. 34 lumens 4 hrs regulated (+54 unreg).
Type: Spot, with built-in diffuser that reportedly works well for spreading the beam.
Water: Water Resistant. Cells: 3xAA batteries.
Beam Angle: ??? unknown - please tell us if you know. Price: Around $99 or less.
Links: beamshot see http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=229236&page=1 post 9 duplicated below...
Petzl Pixa 3 - Pixa 3 is flood or spot or both. (Note: Pixa 2 is flood + spot combined, so doesn’t qualify for this thread.) Efficiency: 30 lumen for 12 hrs. Cells: 2xAA. Regulated @ two levels. Beam Angle: Trigs to 49, turboBB’s protractor says 56 (both of which are wider than the Pixa 1?). Beamshot by turboBB, who reports a subtle hotspot in the center. Water: IP 67 (= dust + immersion). Price on Amazon: $55.
Princeton Tec Apex
Efficiency: Flood lumens unknown, 8.5 hours regulated. Has both spot and center weighted “floody” setting.
Water: Not waterproof? (verify). Cells: 4xAA batteries.
Beam Angle: ??? unknown - please tell us if you know. Price: Around $70.
Link & Beamshot: see review at http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/pt_apex.htm duplicated below...
Ray-O-Vac Sportsman Xtreme 1-AA.
Efficiency: 45 lumens for 2 hrs...regulated...reportedly pretty close to a true white tint...debued in 2007. Also has red and blue LEDs.
Type: Flip diffuser. Price: A price/performance contender at $20 on-line. Beam Angle: ??? Unknown.
Link: Supposed to be a beamshot here but I can't see it: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=173333
Floody Headlamps using AAA cells
(Haven't worked much on this category yet, please suggest)
Black Diamond Spot - Advertises a flood mode which ranges from 4-16 lumens (while main beam up to 75 lumens). 3xAAA. A red LED is included. Around $40. Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Black Diamond Storm - 4xAAA. Floody option is “single power white LEDs” at 25 lumens, while spot (“triple power LED”) is 4-100 lumens with claimed 50 hrs of use on high (most of it unregulated, though). IPX7. Initial regulation for first 25% of battery use. Also incorporates red LEDs and strobe modes. About $40-50. See Szemhazai’s review here. Beam angle for flood unknown.
Bright 5 LED - an inexpensive <$4 Petzl Tikka lookalike, 3xAAA, cool blue tint, “directional flood” type beam. Information condensed from Gregozedobe’s review post in this thread, #37.
Energizer 6-LED Headlamp - says it has a flood option, but doesn't really. Even after bead-blasting the lens to achieve more beam spread, the beam is heavily center weighted and narrow (although of decent color); the well-lit sweet spot is a narrow 40 degrees. Compare with photos of the H50 and H501 during the same beamshot shoot...yes, that's how small the Energizer’s "flood" is. Inexpensive ($12-14) and readily available.
Mammut Lucido TR1 - 4 LEDs make an interesting "narrow angle flood," or perhaps it's a "broad even spot," with a 45 degree coverage. It has nice consistent coverage from edge to edge. Was one of the 3xAAAs that impressed me at REI. Around $35.
Petzl Tikka 2 - 3xAAA. “Wide beam pattern” says mfg’r. 40 lumens at 90 or 120 hours depending on mode. Unregulated. See Carrot’s review here. About $30.
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Petzl Tikka XP - 3xAAA, unregulated, 30lm max. Sliding diffuser. See tam17’s report in post #38 of this thread.
Petzl Tikka XP2 - 3xAAA with flip-up diffuser. Beam Angle 50 degrees in flood mode. 60 lumens max. Unregulated. Claims use on high at 80 hours (unreg’d). IPX4 (water resistant). Red LED included. Beamshot thanks to Turbo BB. Around $50.
Petzl Tikkina - 3xAAA, 23 lumen max. Unregulated. “Wide beam pattern” says mfg’r. Out of production?
Petzl Tikkina 2 - 3AAA, 2 levels, max is 23 lm for 55 hours unregulated. From $18.
See Dd61999’s side beam shots and beam angle in post #55 of this thread.
Petzl Zipka Plus 2 - 3xAAA, 50 lumen max. “Wide beam pattern” says mfg’r. Around $35.
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.
Princeton Tec Quad - Recently upgraded to 45 lumen on 3xAAA. Regulated. “Wide Beam.” Waterproof: IPX6? (1m, 30min). Tactical version comes with Interchangeable colored filters. High is 1 hr regulated, 50 hrs total. Around $25-35 depending on model.
Princeton Tec Remix - 70 lumen on 3xAAA. (Remix Pro uses 1xCR123 for 70 lumens). Reported by Carrot as floody.
Spark SD73 - Still at the rumor stage, Spark’s 3AAA offering?
Floody Headlamps using CR123 cells
Spark with Reflector Removed & Frosted Lens -
As sold, the Spark ST6-500CW (and all its currently manufactured kin, the ST6-200NW, ST6-220CW, ST6-280OW, ST6-320CW, ST6-360CW, ST6-460NW, and so on) has a brilliant hotspot. However, the manufacturer Xyber verified the reflector is easily removed, giving a beautiful, 100-degree even floody beam. Brandocommando was the first to report this, to great success. The ST6-500CW is advertised as top level 500 lumen for 1.4 hours, but people working with their hands will be more interested in the 50 lumen midlevel (28 hours) and the 150 lumen midlevel (8 hours). Powered by 1x18650 or 2xCR123. Water: IPX8 before pulling the reflector; unknown after. Cost around $99.
Recently, Spark has been adding a frosted lens to its package, yielding a directional flood. Here shown on a ST6-460NW:
Surefire Saint Minimus & Tactical & Vision & Saint -
- Saint Minimus, variable 1-100 lumen for 1.5 hrs on high with 1xCR123.
- Saint Minimus Tactical, same as Minimus but desert tan anodizing & camo headband & three color filters.
- Saint Minimus Vision, a warm colored (possibly high CRI) version of the Saint Minimus, 1-80 lumens on 1xCR123.
- Saint, runs from a battery pack of 1, 2, or 3xCR123 or 2xAA, for up to 6 hrs on high using 3xCR123.
Water: Waterproof IPX8 (1 meter 30 minutes). Angle: trigs to just 56 degrees, based on CPFer measurements.
Beamshots and Links here, here, and here. Reports of beam artifacts and green tints.
Price: about $140 Minimus, and about $190 for Saint with battery pack.
Zebralight H31F & H31Fw - Powered by 1xCR123.
Will it be like the H51, not a “true flood” but “directed flood?”
Released March 2011, $64.
Waiting for beamshots....
Zebralight H302 - announced May 2011 for production first quarter of 2012. Reported to be a “pure flood” 1xCR123 light using XM-L emitter.
Waiting for production....
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