looking for bright floody light

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Raymond

Enlightened
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Feb 18, 2004
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Netherlands
I've been reading the forums for days now :) And as a result, I've got some nice lights on the way :)

But now I'm looking for a very bright and smallish light. I've read a lot about these lights here, and I found that a lot of them are designed for throw (the dereelight DBS for example).

I don't want one of those lights. I'm looking for one that can be used indoors or outdoors to light up a larger area.

For now, it seems that the fenix P3D (premium) is a light that fits that requirement. I also think the dereelight CL1H with an OP reflector is a good option. It seems to be designed a bit more for throw, but I like the fact that it can run on 18650 cells and that the led can be easily changed for a new one, when one comes out. OTOH, the fenix-store has a 3x123 tube available, which also fits 2x17500, which should give a very long runtime on the P3D.

So, what's your input on this? Any other lights that come to mind?
Please remember that I'm not looking for the farthest throwing light in this class (which appears to be the dereelight DBS), but I'm looking for a light with a wide and smooth hotspot.
 
How wide of a beam?

The P3D would be a good choice but it is a bit slippery(with the stock body). The CL1H would throw more then flood.

A diffuser might also work.
 
You didn't list what you have coming but folks here say the Surefire L4 is a good flooder. Some people here like hotspots so small and tight that they'll light matches at 100 feet and anything over that is considered a floodlight!

I don't have an L4 but I love my L1.
 
A small light, like the NDI, would have a hotspot that does not overwhelm the spill. So I'd recommend a 1xAA, 1xAAA, or 1xCR123 light for lack of contrast between spot and spill and a wide hotspot. Actually, all Fenixes except the T1 are great for that.

If you're looking for the light with the brightest spill, the WE Fox-1x has the brightest spill I know of - 223 lux. The throwers the DBS and Spear have spill that is nearly as bright, at 210, but much less area is covered. Normal lights might have around 120-150 lux in the spill - you don't find much above 160. Hotspot isn't too bright at flood focus - around 4000. That's still a bit of a thrower, but it would light up a large area very well.
 
Raymond said:
I'm looking for a light with a wide and smooth hotspot.
Click to expand...

Coleman exponent. Mine is the 1 x CR123A.

I just tested this new light indoors and out last night and the first remark out of my mouth was "Wow, what a bunch of clean bright spill."

It puts out a large smooooth circle of bright light which is what I was hoping for after seeing the aggressive orange peel reflector.

I'll spin a pic of the reflector in a bit (dialup only here) but here is a link to the vendor and thanks to Blacklight, your new Cree lineup is a blast, a CPF member with Coleman's lighting unit.

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/ColemanCom/subcategory.asp?CategoryID=1110 (scroll down to see this one)


Those are five 3mm red LEDs orbiting the centered Cree LED (dual colors).
P1090103.jpg


P1090116.jpg


P1090120.jpg


P1090117.jpg




The Exponent's collar rotates between Red - Lock - White. It has a quiet black rubber tail clickie (which give you bright, dim and slow strobe in either red or white) and tail-stands almost solidly.

oregon
 
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Maybe this helps :)
Distance to the bush is 5 meters (16.4 ft).

Nitecore DI - Fenix P3D Q5
nitecoredi_ker_s.jpg
fenixp3dpremq5_ker_turbo_s.jpg

WE Fox 1 spot - WE Fox 1 flood
wefox_spot_s.jpg
wefox_flood_s.jpg
 
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Lights that have a Lux V emitter in them have good, bright flood. Surefire L4 would be among the best quality, if you want to pay for that. Nuwai made both a 253 and a 352 model that used a Lux V and was a good value. The newer emitters are more efficient but none are designed for flood like the Lux V's were so they don't deliver the 'wall of light' that the Lux V's do.
 
If you're looking for all flood and no throw, the zebralight would be an excellent choice. It has a bare emitter with no optics, so it produces a wonderful, even flood that literally bathes the 10-20 feet in front of you with light. There's no hotspot at all, so it's not much good past about 30 feet. For short-range applications, however, it's phenomenal. The light even has 3 settings (low, medium, and high), and runs on a single AA. It's tiny!

For a higher end version of the same light, look at McGizmo's mule.

And if you want a light with some hotspot (so it still throws) but a nice, wide flood, definitely consider any of the lux5 lights like Surefire's L4 or L2.

Hope this helps!

- FITP
 
FlashInThePan said:
If you're looking for all flood and no throw, the zebralight would be an excellent choice. It has a bare emitter with no optics, so it produces a wonderful, even flood that literally bathes the 10-20 feet in front of you with light. There's no hotspot at all, so it's not much good past about 30 feet. For short-range applications, however, it's phenomenal. The light even has 3 settings (low, medium, and high), and runs on a single AA. It's tiny!

For a higher end version of the same light, look at McGizmo's mule.

And if you want a light with some hotspot (so it still throws) but a nice, wide flood, definitely consider any of the lux5 lights like Surefire's L4 or L2.

Hope this helps!

- FITP
Click to expand...

+
The zebralight has no optics or reflector - it has a true 180 degree perfect flood beam. Of course, since it's not focused, even on high its only 37 lux at 1 meter, but it does have the smoothest/widest flood out there.

And if you want perfect beam pattern, you can either get a CREE light with an aggresive OP reflector or something using a lux 5 or a more efficient SSC P4 or Rebel 100.
 
There's a cheap/weird way to have a flood flashlight: get TF 2C 3W Cree at Lowes, 18650 (optional), and remove the head to have all the flood you want. And when needed put the head back on and you have the wonderful thrower.
 
Thanks everyone.

I love that "tech" look of that coleman light :)

Thanks jirik_cz for posting those beamshots! I like the wolf-eyes light with a flood beam. It's a nice and even beam.
I also like the P3D Q5 shot a lot!

What's the difference between the Q5 and Rebel100 versions of the P3D?
 
Raymond said:
Thanks everyone.

I love that "tech" look of that coleman light :)

Thanks jirik_cz for posting those beamshots! I like the wolf-eyes light with a flood beam. It's a nice and even beam.
I also like the P3D Q5 shot a lot!

What's the difference between the Q5 and Rebel100 versions of the P3D?
Click to expand...
They are both about the same output, with the Q5 having maybe a few more lumens. Rebel100 version has a much warmer tint, and many have commented that it provides better clarity and color rendition. I have the Rebel100 version, and I really like this light. Probably the best flood light I have, while still giving me plenty of reach when I need it. The next closest for great flood is my WE Sniper Q2. Here are a couple of posts with beamshots where I compared my Fenix P3D RB100 with some of my other lights, including the Sniper. This will give you an idea of tint/beam pattern of the Fenix.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=191407
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=181762

-Rich
 
Thanks! Those shots help me convince that the fenix will be the best light for me. The wolf eyes is also very nice (and certainly looks cooler :cool: ), but I think I like the size and the price of the fenix a little better :)

Now I just have to decide between the R100 and the Q5 and then surf over to the fenix-store :)
 
BMF said:
There's a cheap/weird way to have a flood flashlight: get TF 2C 3W Cree at Lowes, 18650 (optional), and remove the head to have all the flood you want. And when needed put the head back on and you have the wonderful thrower.
Click to expand...


There you go. I did the same thing with my Fenix LOD Q4.........just removed the top half of the head containing the reflector so that if I need flood (usually when reading) I remove the reflector and use the bare emitter and then put it back on for most other uses. It works just like a zebralight only in a flashlight form with a reflector option...............nice! :twothumbs

Just keep in mind that this will VOID the warranty of your light.
 
KL4 when mounted on an 18650 body.
Simple easy Bright. Oh and it is wide .
If you want something a little smaller then look at the MULE. no reflector or optic. just pure widest angle possible. this is a great light for close in work.
A good light which has some wide and some tight is the NovaTac.

here is one of my MULES:
blueCRSM.jpg

nichiaclose.jpg


The Mule being a tiny pocket light has a lot of advantages.
On the other hand this technique (removal of the reflector and or optic and just allowing the light direct from the emitter to do it's thing.
This can be achieved with many lights by simply removing the reflector.
So rolling your own is simple and easy. What it boils down to is what to you need?
Is power important? long/short range?
It seems to me that most wide angle lights like the kl4 or the mule are not long throwers.

Here are a pair of KL4's in different configurations. Both are great.:
kl4whostcrsm.jpg

My first two choices in wide angle beams are the KL4 (I have a bunch of them and use them in many configurations). and the Mule. I have 2 each with a different emitter both are highly customizable.

Remember have fun and know that you can make any light yopu want.
Yaesumofo
 
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