how many lumens do you reasly need

[mickb]

Especially since, not too many years ago, those 1000+ lumen outputs weren't even possible! Not in something you'd carry around on your belt or pocket anyway.

I guess back then we all wandered around helplessly with our 200 lumen flashlights, bumping into stuff and falling into pits and whatnot.

Cars werent possible once upon a time either, neither were GPS, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and psychologists. Arguments of need versus convenience vs modern acceptance vs recreational luixury will always devolve into nonsense semantics.

No more replies by computer either thanks, its recreational luxury, not a need. I am sure you had other ways to communicate as I did back in the 80's. Send us all a letter instead or as NBP suggests walk closer

 

[nbp]

A huge segment of the world population still doesn't have any of those things, so, yeah, they really are luxuries not life sustaining "needs". You'd be out of place in a developed country without them but you wouldn't die. All of these things make life easier but we could live with a lot less.

 

[peter yetman]

Well said.
P

 

[mickb]

A huge segment of the world population still doesn't have any of those things, so, yeah, they really are luxuries not life sustaining "needs". You'd be out of place in a developed country without them but you wouldn't die. All of these things make life easier but we could live with a lot less.

True, but point was he probably accepts that tech for convenience, but gets exasperated at those who use new lumen tech. As to needs, well it depends what index you read. I worked for the UN in the 3rd world and the complete list adds sense of belonging, esteem, freedom, religion, self actualisation, even time for fun as 'needed' for 'quality of life'. Also what works in Environment A does not necessarily apply to Environment B. Someone using a lantern to check his farm in remote Chad( or the year 1730) isnt competing with businesses using high powered lights, tractors, computers for email, and deodorant to attact mates in America 2020.

 

[nbp]

Fair point. And I didn't mean to imply it's WRONG to use a super powerful light. I think we all like playing with them. Just that in general most of us, In the spirit of the thread, could probably do what we need to do with a lot less lumens than we currently use.

 

[bykfixer]

Bring on the Archi-graph.

I think with the question being 'how many do you realsy need' it can be answered one way. Now ask how many I typically use and a different answer will result. Ask how many I want and get a third way of responding.

But some may need 142,295 lumens. Some may not.

 

[peter yetman]

Your wish.....

Is my command.
P

 

[Lumen83]

We may be overthinking this...But that is what we do lol. Maybe there is a blurry line between need and want. Maybe the question is better phrased "How many lumens do you find adequate for your particular application/use case". I think most of us can come up with some kind subjective of answer based on that.

For example, when I am outdoors at night is when I can utilize the high end of lumens that suit me. However, I live and play in a heavily wooded area. For the most part, anything over 500 lumens is going to be more of a hinderance to me. I'd rather preserve my night adapted vision with a lower lumen light that is going to be percieved as more tolerable to the eye, and more useful to the eye. So, when I state that 500 lumens is the most I need, I mean to say that I personally don't have applications for anything greater than that. And I certainly do not want more than that. There is no confusion between want and need at this point. The answer to both is no. I want and I need less than 500 lumens.

 

[nbp]

It's the nature of being an enthusiast. On knife forums you see the exact same discussion over magic new super steels vs. tried and true carbon steels or older stainless steels. I imagine every hobbyist forum is the same. Haha

 

[Lumen83]

It's the nature of being an enthusiast. On knife forums you see the exact same discussion over magic new super steels vs. tried and true carbon steels or older stainless steels. I imagine every hobbyist forum is the same. Haha

And this is why I have zero money in my savings account.... Got lots of neat gadgets though.

 

[GaryF]

Most of my usage is 3 lumens or below, but I do appreciate having ~300+ lumens available for when things go bump in the night.

My bigger challenge is generally finding lights with a low enough low. For example, a camping lantern that doesn't have a low of 1 lumen or less is not very useful to me, no matter how bright the higher settings are.

 

[id30209]

700lumens are my need in 90% cases.


Sent from Tapatalk

 

[wweiss]

Most of my usage is 3 lumens or below, but I do appreciate having ~300+ lumens available for when things go bump in the night.

My bigger challenge is generally finding lights with a low enough low. For example, a camping lantern that doesn't have a low of 1 lumen or less is not very useful to me, no matter how bright the higher settings are.

Agreed about the camping light. Even one Lumen in a dark tent can be way too much for reading a map, adjusting gear etc. The .02L of HDS is more than fine - but with their SDR50 model, even that can be too bright.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

 

[idleprocess]

Maybe the question is better phrased "How many lumens do you find adequate for your particular application/use case". I think most of us can come up with some kind subjective of answer based on that.

The economist's definition of "need" is closer to the lay definition of "want", with the caveat that the consumer is willing to pay for it. CPF being an enthusiast site as nbp has pointed out above, the average forum member's needs - in economist's sense - are apt to be well ahead of actual need. Reality is that the most common use of a flashlight by far is for short-range area illumination within a couple of meters - navigating an environment, inserting keys into a doorknob, performing a task, etc. There are certainly use cases for greater output and greater throw - sufficient to justify their inclusion in many a flashlight - but the enthusiast's demands tend to be exceed the requirements of many use cases because fun.

 

[bykfixer]

Oops, new page.
Was responding to the post about the empty saving but all those neat gadgets……

You need ​every single one too, can I get a woohoo?

 

[Sambob]

[ note, original text highlighted red by me ]

See, after coming back to CPF just a few months ago, after a long absence (2012? 2014?), this is the kind of stuff that blows my mind and makes me crack up! :laughing:


People are saying they NEED thousands of lumens! For what?!?! Are you lighting a football game singlehandedly on a cloudy moonless night?!

I have to wonder how many people are really USING that level of output for anything other than just a party trick, as in "Oooh ahhh look at that" then back in the pocket or holster it goes.

That Energizer tri-LED light I bought is something like 1200 lumens, and at home inside that's completely unusable because the bounce-back is just painfully bright. You could use it for lighting up a room by pointing it at the ceiling, but if you want it that bright why not just turn on the overhead light and be done with it?

Outdoors, I've done some trail and field walking with the old Fenix TK30 that puts out ONLY 500 lumens or so. That was okay for trying to light up something WAY across the field, but just walking, even the spill from that light was enough to blow out my night vision to where I couldn't see anything other than where I was pointing the light.

This is probably just an old-man rant, but momma mia. It's nuts to read people talking like they NEED a 1000+ lumen light for their normal EDC usage! Sheesh!

Sadly I have to agree want Is what It's all about here and that's not a bad thing...at least not until you have to explain to the wife "why" you bought a $600 flashlight that can start an oak tree on fire from 20 yards away and be seen from space.

Ask me how I know.:shakehead

 

[Lumen83]

but the enthusiast's demands tend to be exceed the requirements of many use cases because fun.

Fun is a good time. I'll give you that. There is a side of us that enjoys the wow factor. I've got one or two of those, too. Its just that I am ignoring that concept for the sake of this discussion. Because I am interpreting this to be more a question of utility. Not necessarily for those nights we go out on the back deck and aim the pocket stadium light into the abyess and turn the sun back on. More for what my needs are for general tasks where I am not focused on the hobby, just focused on the task at hand and using the light as a tool. I'm not saying everyone should interpret the question of "need" or "want" the way I am. Because the next person's use case may really be to turn the night into day when they are doing what they are doing, even if just for fun. I'm simply interpreting the question less from a hobbyist's standpoint. And more from the standpoint of your average Joe who may or may not be a flashlight enthusiast.

 

[idleprocess]

Because I am interpreting this to be more a question of utility. [...] More for what my needs are for general tasks where I am not focused on the hobby, just focused on the task at hand and using the light as a tool.

Dog-walking is the task I find myself using a flashlight for most often, serving two primary tasks: locating the mutts' leavings and pointing at the ground when I'm crossing roads so that any motorist who happens by while I'm in the middle of the road can more easily spot me. The default level on my (non-Abduril) D4s is quite sufficient for both tasks - I'm guessing 150 lumens at the top of the regulated range prior to the blink indicating the switch to the FET driver. This same level of output more than suffices for other routine close-range tasks like lighting up a work area, accessing my storage shed at night, etc. I appreciate the ability of the D4 to produce markedly more light on demand, however I do not often need it and physics being what it is such bursts are just that.

 

[seery]

People who say they have to check a huge property, well, yeah, people did that for centuries with a torch or candle by walking around. If you want to stand in one place and do it, sure then you need 500k cd or whatever to accomplish the task.

You could do it with a lot less if you got closer to the thing you want to see.

...but realistically I really only NEED about 300 lms on any given day.

Please be honest and explain why you NEED 300 lumens when you could just get closer to what it is you're trying to illuminate? Sounds like 300 lumens is more a luxury than a need???

We walk and check 1.25 miles of fence line [plus pastures and turnouts] twice a night with two Acebeam X70's.

Spending 10x longer doing it with a few hundred lumens or a pencil thrower and we might as well be walking around with candles.