Re: Malkoff M60F versus ??? Beamshots
I prefer to make my beamshots at the range to evaluate how well I can see targets off to the side of the one that is lit up. I borrowed a camera with manual exposure override and took all of these pics using F4.0 and 2.5 second exposure. I was back 37 feet from the targets and so was the camera. So the light is going 37 feet to light up the dingy range backstop and some targets and coming back to the camera. This setting is very close to what I was seeing with my eyes.
You be your own judge as to what you like.
This is reference shot of the 5 targets with the house lights on. The range is 25 feet across.
The Malkoff M60F in a Solarforce L2 host with 1 extension running on 2 17500 batteries (new and freshly charged). I have measured this unit at work in the Integration Sphere at 202 Lumens actual output through the glass. Camera F4.0 and 2.5 second exposure for this and all the rest.
This is the Solarforce L2 with 1 extension and the Cree R2 LED. Also using 2 17500 batteries. I have measured this specific unit at 190 Lumens. It has a great hot spot and because its very bright I can still see the other targets in the spill but not as well as with the Malkoff M60F. This is where no camera image has the depth of sensitivity of the human eye. I could see the targets better in each case better than what the pictures portray. But in this relative comparison, the camera does show the differences.
This is one of the same 2 Solarforce L2 hosts that I have with an extension and the 17500 battery pair, with the Solarforce brand Cree Q5. Its measured output is only in the 150 Lumen range. Hard to tell on the dingy backplate and targets but its color temperature on a white wall is a little warmer than the others. Regardless of that its harder to see the targets on the far ends.
This is my best surprise so far. This was a Browning Black Ice 9V Xenon Light that I converted to a Solarforce R2. Using 3 low budget RCR123 batteries from Lighthound.com. This baby consistently reads 200 lumens in the Integration Sphere at work. I don't know if its just this specific pill or the fact that I wrapped it in a lot of aluminum foil to make good contact to the shell and its contact resistance is better than those that use the 0uter spring as its not in there. I like the mid body button feature as well but that's another story. Notice that you can see the outside targets a little better than the other R2 and Q5
This is the Fenix T1 with 2 Delkin "3.0V" Rechargeables. I have measured this unit in the Integration sphere at 225 Lumens. Its had some run time on it. Last time I measured it was 220 lumens. Your gonna say, not much detectable diffence to the R2 units, and that would be a very true statement. The difference I saw with the naked eye was not much. Beam pattern on a white wall is a little prettier but that is not important. I want to see whats lurking behind door #5, not artifacts.
And for the finale is the Solarforce L2 host with 1 extension running the Lumens Factory 320 Lumen HO-9 using a pair of the 17500 batteries. Actual measured output of this thing using the battery set in IS was only 180 lumens. Current draw was 1.6 Amps Voltage at that level was around 8V. This is somewhere in the 12 Plus watt range. The beam pattern is actually very narrow and the targets on the end are darkest with this light.
I have another battery pack that will not fit any of these flashlight hosts. Its a series parallel combination of 4 18650's charged to 9V peak. Measured Voltage and Current put it up over 14 watts. Haven't measured the Lumens yet, just built the battery pack. I can see its brighter but even with that extra oomph it just doesn't light up the span across the 5 targets as well as the others.
The Maglight with its tight focused beam and poor spill even with a 150 Lumens rated Electrolumens head was atrocious. So I didn't bother to bring it for this second test. (I measured 140 lumens from the LED without the head installed as it would not fit into IS.)
I love the Malkoff M60F. but any other of the D26 style pills with 200 lumens or more and an orange peel reflector to enhance the spill are effective.
So its up to you in your specific application. Do you want to blind your main target and possibly have weak light to determine what else is going on along the periphery or do you want to see most of the area well at first glance to make a better quicker assessment of the situation. Its easier for me having done this repeatedly to assess all 5 targets with the flood than the glare of the bright hotspots/lower spill lights.
In conjuction with a handgun its much faster and easier to be on target with the light and see that gun sights are lined up using the Malkoff M60F than anything else.
But to each his own. I hope this helps. :thumbsup:
If not I still get to have lots of fun shooting at that range with these lights.
