brightnorm
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
- Messages
- 7,161
I'm happy to own both the the M6 and Tigerlight FBOP, and this post is in no way intended to state that one is generally better than the other since they are so different.
In a previously posted test I subjected both lights to the notorious "white Wall" test and noted that the M6 "literally obliterated" the Tigerlight. But I went on to say that I had no reason to doubt the many posts stating that in "real life" the Tigerlight was brighter than the M6.
I recently read a post (sorry, I forget whose) that claimed greater M6 long throw brightness. Tonight I decided to see for myself
I live in a densely urban city and I have often posted that long throw tests are very difficult to do here. As a part answer to that problem I evolved the so-called "vertical throw test" in which lights are beamed up against the façade of tall buildings to a measured height from a measured distance on the ground. The hypotenuse is then calculated and a distance derived that is at least reasonably accurate, If not exact.
Tonight The M6 and Tlight performed two vertical throw tests. The M6 had the 500 lumen HOLA, virtually fresh Surefire with about one minute of use. The Tigerlight was fully charged and I had installed what I assume is a gen. 2 reflector with UCL lens.
V throw test 1
Height: 280' (28 floors, conservatively allow 10' per floor)
Horizontal distance: 90' (Distance across busy street approximate in order to avoid premature mortality)
Total distance (hypotenuse): 294'
V throw test 2
Height: 170' (17 floors)
Horizontal Distance: 120' (measured)
Total distance: 208'
Observations: test 1
This test was made more challenging by the relatively bright lighting of the commercial street and the light colored building façade. From approximately the distance of a football field the M6 beam was not only much wider than the Tlight's but distinctly brighter. When several colleagues familiar with the Tigerlight from former displays against th same building (I'm "educating" them) saw the M6 beam they literally couldn't believe it, because they naturally assumed that the Tigerlight couldn't be surpassed. Frankly, I as surprised too, even shocked because I had never really throw-tested the M6.
Test 2
I made this test on my own street which although lined with trees covered with holiday lights, was still darker than the previously mentioned commercial street. The building in question was a low rise, only 17 floors but prewar with more than 10 feet per floor, but I still used that conservative figure in my calculations. The façade was considerably darker than the first building's. When the Tigerlight was beamed at the top floor it very brightly and impressively illuminated the wall and several windows. However, the M6 was little short of astounding. It brilliantly lit perhaps five or six windows with a round, almost perfect searchlight-type beam.
True, the distance was "only" 200 feet, but that is still two thirds the length of a football field and that beam had to be seen to be believed.
Conclusions:
Up to and including a throw distance of approximately 300 feet, the M6 casts a beam that is clearly and distinctly brighter and of greater diameter than the Tigerlight FBOP. I had perhaps a half dozen witneses (colleagues) for the first test and two (my doorman and a neighbor) for the second test. Impressions , though admittedly subjective were unanimous and unequivocal.
That said, the Tigerlight's great advantage is its near-constant brightness for a much longer period than the M6. I consider both lights tops in their respective categories and I will continue to use them both with great pleasure.
Brightnorm
NOTE: Because of circumstances V Throw tests longer than 300 feet will be hard to achieve. I'll try to figure out some way to do it
PS If anyone has ANY idea how the M6 could be modded to rechargeabls using HOLA for at least 30 minutes of steady brightness, please tell me. I'll also place this request in Mods Forum.
In a previously posted test I subjected both lights to the notorious "white Wall" test and noted that the M6 "literally obliterated" the Tigerlight. But I went on to say that I had no reason to doubt the many posts stating that in "real life" the Tigerlight was brighter than the M6.
I recently read a post (sorry, I forget whose) that claimed greater M6 long throw brightness. Tonight I decided to see for myself
I live in a densely urban city and I have often posted that long throw tests are very difficult to do here. As a part answer to that problem I evolved the so-called "vertical throw test" in which lights are beamed up against the façade of tall buildings to a measured height from a measured distance on the ground. The hypotenuse is then calculated and a distance derived that is at least reasonably accurate, If not exact.
Tonight The M6 and Tlight performed two vertical throw tests. The M6 had the 500 lumen HOLA, virtually fresh Surefire with about one minute of use. The Tigerlight was fully charged and I had installed what I assume is a gen. 2 reflector with UCL lens.
V throw test 1
Height: 280' (28 floors, conservatively allow 10' per floor)
Horizontal distance: 90' (Distance across busy street approximate in order to avoid premature mortality)
Total distance (hypotenuse): 294'
V throw test 2
Height: 170' (17 floors)
Horizontal Distance: 120' (measured)
Total distance: 208'
Observations: test 1
This test was made more challenging by the relatively bright lighting of the commercial street and the light colored building façade. From approximately the distance of a football field the M6 beam was not only much wider than the Tlight's but distinctly brighter. When several colleagues familiar with the Tigerlight from former displays against th same building (I'm "educating" them) saw the M6 beam they literally couldn't believe it, because they naturally assumed that the Tigerlight couldn't be surpassed. Frankly, I as surprised too, even shocked because I had never really throw-tested the M6.
Test 2
I made this test on my own street which although lined with trees covered with holiday lights, was still darker than the previously mentioned commercial street. The building in question was a low rise, only 17 floors but prewar with more than 10 feet per floor, but I still used that conservative figure in my calculations. The façade was considerably darker than the first building's. When the Tigerlight was beamed at the top floor it very brightly and impressively illuminated the wall and several windows. However, the M6 was little short of astounding. It brilliantly lit perhaps five or six windows with a round, almost perfect searchlight-type beam.
True, the distance was "only" 200 feet, but that is still two thirds the length of a football field and that beam had to be seen to be believed.
Conclusions:
Up to and including a throw distance of approximately 300 feet, the M6 casts a beam that is clearly and distinctly brighter and of greater diameter than the Tigerlight FBOP. I had perhaps a half dozen witneses (colleagues) for the first test and two (my doorman and a neighbor) for the second test. Impressions , though admittedly subjective were unanimous and unequivocal.
That said, the Tigerlight's great advantage is its near-constant brightness for a much longer period than the M6. I consider both lights tops in their respective categories and I will continue to use them both with great pleasure.
Brightnorm
NOTE: Because of circumstances V Throw tests longer than 300 feet will be hard to achieve. I'll try to figure out some way to do it
PS If anyone has ANY idea how the M6 could be modded to rechargeabls using HOLA for at least 30 minutes of steady brightness, please tell me. I'll also place this request in Mods Forum.
