LumenHound said:
I think one of those no-brand single white led squeeze keychain lights might contend for low price lumens per watt considering how cheap (way less than a dollar) they are per item.
Hmm. It would be nice to have a number. I've only been looking at keychain led.s in the $5-10. However, all these that I've seen could be less than 1/10 as bright as the Spyder, but that's a visual guess. They would have to be about $1-2 to contend, if so. Somebody with light meter equip. would have to test the little guys that don't advertise any numbers, since I suspect visual impressions might be deceiving.
Lumens per watt might be interesting, and relevant to total-cost-of-ownership, but for me, lumens per $ at purchase is what converts to fun factor for me.
nelstomlinson said:
The off-brand plastic lights in the $1 bin are going to win on $/lumen every time, so I'm not sure that's an interesting criterion by itself.
Since these are *so* much dimmer, I don't think that's a given, even at <$1. They would have to be > 6 lumens at a $1. I've no data, though.
270winchester said:
The dorcyu's lumen count is peak bulb lumen, so in the real world you are getting about 80 out of the lens, and 50-60 on average.
lumen inflation is used by everyone except Surefire, HDS, and a few other more reliable companies.
Because these guys have priced themselves into their own category, they don't have to play the cheating game with the rest. However, even if they are twice as bright, they are more than twice as expensive, with the possible exception of the entry level Surefire G2™ Nitrolon at $34.00 for 65 lumens, assuming that Surefire lumens = 2x competitors' lumens.
Lumens seem to be prone to vagueness, but if 100% inflation is standard, that's disappointing, but not disillusioning.
Candlepower might be better since it specifies brightness delivered to an area, but none of the smaller lights seem to give this or any of the more precise scientific UOMs. More than one type of measurement should be required, really. Ask and ye shall receive:
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/features/chart_throw.htm has 2 nice comparisons, *not* based on lumens: "throw" and "output". The Surefire G2 P60 bulb, advertised as 65 lumens, shows 59.5 "throw" and 52 "overall", and the Dorcy Spyder advertised at 119 lumens, shows 67/61. This seems to validate the 90-100% inflation for some. Others, like the PrincetonTec Surge, advertising 115 lumens, shows 94/90, which indicates very little inflation, if you use Surefire as a basemark. The Surge at $25 might be a winner for true-output / $, and definitely at $15 (where? I saw was $22 at
http://www.leisurepro.com ).
The keychain lights on this page seem to be around 4/2 throw/output. Assuming this mean 3-8 lumens, they would have to be $.40 to $1.50 to beat the Surge at $.21/lumen (retail $25).