Poll: Do you prefer collimator lens or reflector for your flashlight?

[greenlight]

I'm a big fan of lights with collimating, aspherical, or (tir) type lenses over lights with reflectors or no reflector at all. The lens seems to intensify the beam of the light and make it more impressive. I'm OK with sacrificing some spill from the LED.

My favorite light of all is the Inova X1. I also am a big fan of the Lumaray FL6, my trusty red pallights, and have a Surefire L1 which doesn't get much use. I destroyed my Inova T1, so I'm not much into that line, but they're great lights too. My Streamlight luxeon Jr. is a respectable light, too.

Obviously bare led lights are great, like the arc and infinity.. this isn't an argument about that. Nor is it an argument about which is more efficient.

I only want to know what you prefer.

If you're bored like me and are willing to participate in this little poll, please make a post clarify your decision.

 

[prof]

I like optics myself. I like the extra throw the tight beam allows--and a beamshaper is an easy way to convert for flood.

I'd like to see a light like the L1 with a built-in flip-up beamshaper....the best of both worlds.

 

[65535]

I'm kind of split I do like optics just because their soo cool. Although without a protecting window they scratch and are ruined they get dirty easily. Reflectors are great for close use, I would say im split between what I need the light for.

 

[greenLED]

It really depends on what you're after. For the same size package, I can't think of a reflector that can collimate a Lux beam as tightly as an NX-01, for example. OTOH, reflector beams can be really smooth and well balanced between spot and flood.

 

[yellow]

there is the "optic" missing as an option, as I see colminating lens being not the same as optic.

With the same led, I have the impression an optic changes the output to a blue/green I dont like,
only light with an colminating lens I had was some Innova (1 AA) with absolutely no spill beam.
I really HATE such output and prefer anything else, and then reflector over optic, because of the "whiter" output.

 

[Illum]

I prefer TIR optics for everyday use...for my applications...but in the long run, I prefer something thats reflectored that will fit in all applications.

so...I edc one of each

 

[GarageBoy]

Whatever gets the job done. The Kroma optic really impresses me, the KL1, less so

 

[Blindasabat]

Optics have become my favorite for three reasons:

1) I have grown to dislike the hard edge cut-off to the spill of a reflector. The edge always lights up something up close and obscures the far away object I'm trying to see. The optics I have been using give me a nice smooth fall off around the edge. Though ringy, I like how the Inova T-series TIR do this. My T1 is one of my favorite around the house lights, supplanted only by my Milky ML1 with the Mcr taken out and replaced with a Carclo (I think) optic.

2) Many reflectors have too harsh of a spot up close with no corona. This is OK far away (except for the the problem I mentioned above), but up close, the spot is often too bright on full power, and if dimmed, the spill is gone. The spot is seemingly always made very small for throw, so it is hard to use. A somewhat notable exception is the Q3 reflector with a good corona. Orange peel reflectors are generally much better, and also smooth out most, if not all beam artifacts.

3) Efficiency. An optic can control more of the light coming out of an emitter. It captures ALL the light (not just what hits the reflector) and redirects it where you want it to go. My Striker VG is made for throw and throws further than all get out with a Lux3. It puts a much greater % of the light into a tight beam with little spill (but still some spill of the nice, tapering kind) that widens out at distance for a nice wide, bright beam. I used it to actually search for people and animals recently at 150-200' distances and it was fantastic compared to my buddy's 1M CP spotlight! Talk about lumen efficiency. A reflector would have to be VERY deep to get more use out of its lumens.

My Milky ML1 with 15 degree Carclo is a fantastic all around light. It has maybe only 70% the throw of the Mcr(18?) Milky put in it, but has a wonderful wide corona tapering off to a very soft, unobtrusive edge.

Surefire's new optics are only now starting to show what optics should have been doing all along: Nice center beam with a wide tapering corona and no hard edge. The Kroma was the first to do this, and it is a very nice beam. A near ideal compromise.

 

[benchmade_boy]

i have had a few tir lenses and i didnt like any until i got my KL3 and i really like the beam on it. but i do prefer the reflector more than an optic.

 

[LEDninja]

For me it depends more on the quality than the type.
OPTIC
My fave beam pattern is the Fraen tri-optic of Electrolumens' My Little Friend.
Most hated beam pattern is UK 2AAA eLED/Dorcy AAA gen 3 optic.
REGLECTOR
I like the beam patterns of the Dorcy Gelbrite/Fenix L1P/Fenix L0P-SE.
I hate the too smallspot & ringy beam of the Fenix E1.
RAW LED
I like the big blob of light, do not like lack of spill.

Did not vote.

 

[TORCH_BOY]

It depends on the light and the Led used, X-1, Dorcy: Aspherical,
M@G, Fenix: Reflector
Longbow, EL Blaster: Collimator lens
Photon: no lens at all

 

[Concept]

You need an "I like to have both" poll option as, I like to have both.

 

[MikeSalt]

You need an "I like to have both" poll option as, I like to have both.

+1 on that one.

My EDCs are of both types. The Lenser David 15, with collimator is better suited to close range indoor tasks. The beam is VERY even, which is brilliant for reading etc. The Fenix P1D-CE uses a reflector, giving a nice hotspot with good spill (albeit a little uneven). This is better suited to mid-range and outdoor tasks where the extra throw is handy. Overall, I slightly prefer the reflector because I can always shine it off the ceiling to evenly light the whole room

 

[Cribbage]

I like reflectors, because I am a flood guy. "Spew lumens everywhere" as someone said. I never met an optic I liked.

What I WOULD like to see is an M4 with an optic!

Can you say THROW !!

 

[Stream]

I voted 'reflector' simply because I'm tired of the collimator in my SL lux jr and I would love to have something with a little more throw. But it's been great for up-close tasks, though.

 

[Blindasabat]

I like reflectors, because I am a flood guy. "Spew lumens everywhere" as someone said. I never met an optic I liked.

Then you have not met the right one.

The Carclo 25 degree optic is a great flood optic. Very even flood of light (brighter than spill) no reflector can match. I used it in my PT EOS for a while before settling on a more compromise 15 degree optic - also quite wide, with a bit more central spot.
Reflectors send the reflected light forward for a hot spot while doing nothing with the 'spill' part besides letting it right out the front. An optic can do whatever you want with it. Properly designed and correctly chosen, of course.

 

[iced_theater]

I like optics, people say you don't have any spill light, but on my Lumaray FL6 it has plenty of spill to it. Same with my Tri-Blaster, T3 and PKEF-A.

 

[Sable]

I have to go with "reflector." I'm very traditional that way.

That said, I think optics and TIR devices are awesome. There's something very high-tech-feeling about them. Unfortunately, I have not yet seen an XR-E in an XR-E designed TIR - the laser-like column of light that could make might make me change my mind.

 

[carbine15]

I want a white lazer.

 

[jsr]

My preferred beam profile is a good hotspot for throw with nice spill light for close to medium range sighting. I don't really care how that's achieved, but traditionally it's been done by a reflector. SF's new (not yet out) TIR optics seem to produce a very similar beam profile to the traditional reflector, so I would likely like it. I guess if I had to pick one, I'd say reflector since that's what's most common in producing the beam I like. But for me, it's whatever makes my preferred beam.