LED Shootout in the snow

[Kiessling]

Hi !

I have done a little shootout in my snowy backyard including 1xCR123 and 2xCR123 lights as well as two oddballs, the Icon Rogue2 and the McGizmo RedEye.

The setting is the following:

The lights are mounted on a mic stand exactly in the same position and aimed at the white van in the background. The distance from the light to the van is approximately 8 meters or so. The camera is mounted on another stand roughly 4-5 meters behind the lights and a little to the right. I then zoomed in on the beamshots with the camera.

All exposure settings are fixed, but I can't remember what I did with the white balance. It doesn't matter anyway.

There was some ambient light pollution which is why I reduced the brightness of all pics a tiny little bit to compensate. They are cropped, but otherwise unaltered.

All lights were on fresh batteries.

Here's the beamshots:


The AA-light

ICON Rogue2 on high (Duracell alkalines)



1 x CR123 lights

Fenix P1-CE Q2

McGizmo Haiku on high

McGizmo LunaSol20 on high

McGizmo LunaSol27 on high
--> notice the flood of the 6x3mm LEDs outside the sharp cut-off of the spill

McGizmo Ti-PD (SSC P4) on high

Surefire E1B on high
--> notice the less defined spill with a smaller spill angle but the very acceptable field of vision the light offers midrange with a good brightness

Surefire L1 Cree on high
--> mine has an unusually big spot that can be clearly seen in the pic



2 x CR123 lights

Malkoff M60W in SF C2
--> the aim on this one is slightly to the right, sorry.Very usabel spill despite the optics

McGizmo 27LT (SSC P4) on high

McGizmo Aleph1 SSC P4 917mA on high
--> the reflector is not adapted to the Seoul LED, it is just screwed in on a LE

Surefire E2L Cree 2-stage on high
--> I don't know why this one is so bright. It shouldn't be.

Surefire L5

SF P60L in G2Z
--> very broad spill

Surefire U2A level 6

SPY005 SSC P4 on maximum burn



The McGizmo RedEye

This one is a real beast given the fact that it drives the seven rebels at just 200mA or so. The red LED really adds to color representation I think. Look at the subtle color shades of the trees and browns.

Here's the same light on low:

The snowy environment permits very well to see the spill angle and beam distribution of the lights including the field of vision they offer. The reflected light could very well influence the results somewhat, but it's winter and there is snow, and that is the reality outside my white walls.

Finally I was able to hunt white surfaces even outside in real lilfe

bernie

 

[FrogmanM]

Great beamshots bernie!:thumbsup:

Mayo

 

[maxspeeds]

These beamshots should be very helpful for those that are on the fence. I love the red eye !

 

[Derek Dean]

Wow.... I really like the way you shot these..... with your camera back a ways and zoomed in...... it certainly allows us to get a good idea of how the various beams compare. Thanks for posting them.

By the way..... nice collection of lights.

 

[Codeman]

Well-done shootout, Bernie! :bow:

 

[iapyx]

Thanks Bernie!

Very nice.
I especially like the fact you took a distance of4 to 5 meters between your camera and the the mic stand with the light(s).
What was in the van? Burglars?

 

[LED_Thrift]

Very helpful shots - thanks.

 

[Kiessling]

Thanx guys !

Nobody in the van I guess. Otherwise they would have made themselves heard and would have wanted me to stop and respect their privacy I guess

bernie

 

[pipspeak]

You just want to brag that you have a Haiku :thumbsup:

 

[edc3]

Excellent shots! Thank you. I always enjoy your comparisons. :twothumbs

 

[chaoss]

Nice shots and real nice arsenal of lights, drool.
Thanks for posting.

 

[Hitthespot]

Bernie, Nice beam shots. What the heck is a Redeye? I never heard of this before? Do you have any pictures of this light. I plan on picking up one of Don's creations sooner or later.

Thanks

Bill

 

[lukevsdarth]

Awesome arsenal of lights, that Redeye is impressive. I bet you bothered the neighbors enough huh. Thats if they were in the van or in that house. Sounds like me with my Mc-e in the mornings when i take off to work at 5am

 

[iapyx]

Bernie, if you have time, could you post a photo of the lights? I know some of us would appreciate that verrry much.
Danke!

 

[toby_pra]

Go for it Bernie!

 

[Kiessling]

The RedEye is a McGizmo modded SF E3e, a one-off:

It sports 6 white and one red rebel at approx. 200mA:

It is my most loved light. I just wated to have a beamshot


The rest of the cast:

McGizmo Aleph1 with the Seoul driven at 917 mA

McGizmo Haiku, 1x123 light with 3 levels and clicky.High is at 625 mA or so to a Cree Q5.

McGizmo McLuxIII-27LT with a Seoul at 917mA on high, 2x123

McGizmo LunaSol20 with a Dragon on the Center and 3x3mm Nichias in the outer rim
and
McGizmo LunaSol27 with a Cree Q4 in a McR17 and 6x3mm Nichias in th eouter rim
both on 1x123 in ti

McGizmo Ti-PD, the classic

ICON Rogue2, Cree Q5 2-stage clicky on 2xAA, PK's new light

SF E1B

SF L1

SF U2A and E2L (next to a TITAN)

SF KL5 on C3 (this is actually the old KL5 in the pic, I used the KL5A in the shootout)

SPY005


Sorry, no pic of the Fenix, but I think you all know the little critter

bernie

P.S.: thanx guys :wave:

 

[Paul520]

Nice setup and shots.

 

[Wattnot]

Nice work! This was and education and some surprises.

That Icon AA light (on alkalines no less) did very well and waxed some of the single CR123 lights. Too bad it's around 2.5 times the length.

I was surprised the L1 fell so badly to the E1B. I would love to see how a Milky L1 would fit into that set of shots. Have one?

I was disappointed in the Lunasols but I take it they're much smaller? A shot of all of the lights lined up would put things in perspective.

The Haiku and Aleph1 were very impressive . . . the show stealer was of course the Red Eye (thanks, I'm sure that's not cheap so you just cost me some boo-koo bucks, I'm sure!). Maybe I'll make that one my first custom light purchase. I don't have any exotics.

 

[herrgurka]

Excellent pictures, both the very informative beam shots and the detailed pctures of the different lights!

Unfortunately I now want a Haiku more than before, that's very bad for my already meagre (read: non-existant) retirement plan!

BTW, I also have an E2L that's much brighter than it should be with it nominal 60 lumens (even considering the TIR optics), actually I can only see a very slight difference between it and my E1B.

PS Aren't you supposed to be out dancing in the streets (considering the maps of Fulda used in your shots)? Or wait, the dancing doesn't start until thursday. Beware of the witches and old women :naughty:

 

[Kiessling]

That Icon AA light (on alkalines no less) did very well and waxed some of the single CR123 lights. Too bad it's around 2.5 times the length.

I was surprised the L1 fell so badly to the E1B. I would love to see how a Milky L1 would fit into that set of shots. Have one?

I was disappointed in the Lunasols but I take it they're much smaller? A shot of all of the lights lined up would put things in perspective.

The Haiku and Aleph1 were very impressive . . . the show stealer was of course the Red Eye (thanks, I'm sure that's not cheap so you just cost me some boo-koo bucks, I'm sure!). Maybe I'll make that one my first custom light purchase. I don't have any exotics.

The length of the Rogue is actually a feature It is made to be relatively big and thus comfortable to use for average non-flashaholics.

My L1 has a very large spot, all other lights with that optic I have are more focussed. That's why it has less surface brightness. I like the beam actually.

The LunaSols are 1x123 lights with non hotspot-based beams. They are focussed on utility and runtime compromises, not peak luminous flux. The LS20 runs for 2 hours on 1x123 on high, for example. They push 425mA to the main LED and 20mA to each 3mm LED. They are not hotrods but working tools.

The Haiku is impressive, yepp. So is the Aleph, but this one takes 2x123.

Don't worry for the RedEye, there won't be a second one, unfortunately. You can spend your $$ on other cool lights.

PS Aren't you supposed to be out dancing in the streets (considering the maps of Fulda used in your shots)? Or wait, the dancing doesn't start until thursday. Beware of the witches and old women :naughty:

I will be hiding in my basement. :green:

You know Fulda, the center of the world?

bernie