Malkoff MD2 M60F for great spill?

[Fender]

So far, I have a Surefire E2DL, Malkoff 3D P4 Drop in, and I have a Jetbeam M1X on the way in 2 months for my birthday. What I need next is something with awesome flood as opposed to throw.

Is there a better choice than a Malkoff MD2 with the M60F bulb in it? I've read that it has a great beam pattern. Thanks!

 

[post tenebras]

I really like the M60WF; it's plenty bright and gives better color rendition outdoors.

I think you're in luck...both the M60F and M60WF are on sale this month!

Another option to consider is a diffuser over an M60 or M60W.

 

[MrGman]

I really like the M60WF; it's plenty bright and gives better color rendition outdoors.

I think you're in luck...both the M60F and M60WF are on sale this month!

Another option to consider is a diffuser over an M60 or M60W.

+2 plus

This is a very handy set up. If you get the 2 mode switch ring then boom, you got your low level light at about 18 lumens for just getting around the house in battery saving mode. I would go with the M60 warm flood module. Very nice beam of light. There is nothing better quality and flood wise than this module.

 

[Owen]

I'm a big fan of the Malkoff F models, especially the Ws with their neutral LEDs, but putting a $14 F04 diffuser on the E2DL will basically give you a two stage M60F.

 

[MrGman]

I'm a big fan of the Malkoff F models, especially the Ws with their neutral LEDs, but putting a $14 F04 diffuser on the E2DL will basically give you a two stage M60F.

Yeah but it doesn't work quite the same. The malkoff switch is on/off. You turn the bezel when you want high or low. So in a "tactical" usage, with momentary on off you always get the mode you want. With the E2DL it cycles through hi/low unless you wait at least 3 seconds which is quite annoying and also although there is a lot of debate on this you are supposed to run the E2DL on primaries only. The Malkoff M60 series can take any of the rechargeable 123's with no problems. It is brighter in total output for the cool tint units and its still less money.

 

[Fender]

putting a $14 F04 diffuser on the E2DL will basically give you a two stage M60F.

Would the M60F not be substantially brighter than the E2DL with F04? I would have assumed the M60F would be much better for flood.

 

[Owen]

The M60F will be brighter. I don't know how relative a "substantial" difference is to someone else, but yes, it will be noticeably brighter when compared side by side. The beam will be a bit smaller, and more concentrated(though still a great flood), and I think the integrated diffuser lens is more efficient than the F04, allowing more output.

The E2DL with F04 will have a wider beam, just not as bright. I like the versatility, and that it's a compact package with a clip. It draws about 510mA from 2xR123 vs. 550mA for the M60(don't remember what they draw from primaries), so the difference in runtime will be negligible. The E2DL on low will draw ~20mA on 2xR123, but I don't know about the low on the Malkoff MD2 with resistor ring, since I don't have one, and haven't done the math.

Another option if you don't care about having two levels is to buy a E2e-BK/E2D/E2DL body on the Marketplace and your choice of tailcap, then add a Malkoff VME bezel with your chosen Malkoff drop-in. I have a M60WLF set up like that, and really like it. It will be basically the same size as your E2DL, but shorter and a little heavier.

Think I have some beamshots posted somewhere around here showing the M60W with diffuser, M60WLF, and M60WF, and will try to find the thread. My favorite is the M60W with FM34 diffuser, and that is what I use at work.
edit: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=202448
In response #11, the shots in the middle and on the right should be fairly representative of the difference you will see between the E2DL/F04 and M60F. Unfortunately they're just wall shots. The M60WF was actually brighter than I needed, and I put it in a 6PD for my friend who posts here as "Robocop" to use indoors, for vehicle searches, and stuff like that on duty.

I would never dissuade anyone from buying a Malkoff, as Gene and Cathy seem like great people, and they put out great products, and offer great customer service(so buying from them is a win, win, win), but the F04 is worth getting, even if you do buy a M60F and host as a dedicated flood light.

 

[Buckley]

With a half-dozen or so lights ready to hand (6P, PD20, PD30, LD20, TK11, PT quad), my SF9P with Malkoff M60F is always my first choice any time I need a light for indoor use. It generates a bright, flawlessly even beam with no discernable (to me) hotspot. Whether you are working on the plumbing under the kitchen sink or searching the basement for those long-lost whatevers, for me it is the perfect tool for the job. Go for it!

 

[CaseyS]

In response to the title of this thread, I don't think Malkoff F series drop-ins provide great spill. They're actually better than that. From 18" away, my Malkoff M60WLF projects a spot about 10" in diameter with almost no spill. As you back up, that spot rapidly increases in size to cover a target. From about 6' to 8' away, it provides an even light that can illuminate an entire storage rack in my basement.

From 18", my Quark has a hotspot about 3" in diameter with a spill that extends out to about 2' in diameter. From 6' to 8' away, I have to move the light up/down/left/right to see all of the storage rack. The spill from the Quark lights up the whole rack, but it's not nearly the same as the expanded hotspot of the Malkoff.

Projecting from one side of the basement to the other is a very different story. There, the Malkoff is way too diffuse and the Quark is much more useful. It's becoming clear to me that there's not "good" flood and "bad" flood, "good" throw and "bad" throw, there's an ideal light for every situation, and some lights that provide a reasonable compromise.

I only have a couple lights so far, so I don't know if it's possible for a reflector based light to achieve the kind of all spot no-spill beam the Malkoff's lens creates, but all I can say is, it's very useful and I like it a lot.

 

[Vermonter73]

I grab my MD2 w/ M60WF more than any of my other lights.

 

[MrGman]

First off the E2DL that I had which was so far the brightest one tested at 210 lumens was down to 181 lumens with the F04 diffuser. Since the Malkoff F needs nothing in front of it, it stays at 220 lumens. So thats roughly a 40 lumen difference. Next we know that Surefire guarantees it to be a 120 lumen light and not all of the units I tested measured as high as mine. So with the diffuser on there it could be much less than 180 lumens. The Malkoffs are very consistent in their outputs. The Malkoff flood doesn't have great "spill" this is true because its all soft flood light, not a hot spot with spill around it. The E2DL with that diffuser on it is also pretty much very smooth flood as well but it cost in lumens output, no way around it.

Everything has a price. If you want an all around 2 mode light that is all smooth flood and very reliable, don't want to throw away lumens from a filter, the MD2 is the better choice.

If you want to be able to quickly change from spot to flood, than the E2DL is the better choice.

Choose wisely.

 

[Fender]

Well, I already have the F04 for my E2DL. I was under the impression that the M60F would be quite a bit better than the E2DL/F04. If it's not a huge difference, then I can put my money somewhere else!