SF L2 or L4 : Which should I get?

[jumpstat]

Hi guys & Gals,

I have a chance to purchase either the L2 or L4 Digital Lumamax at a very reasonable price. My question is which would you buy if you have already the following:-

1) SF E1L (KL1 TIR Optics). + E2e black body + E2d Black TC
2) SF L1 (Latest Generation with TIR Optics).

The resulting combination should have usability in general applications, excellent thrower and of course wall of light.

Please help me choose giving your pros and cons for both of these lights.

Thanks in advance.

jumpstat

 

[Art Vandelay]

general applications: (for this I'd go with the smaller lights) SF E1L (KL1 TIR Optics), SF L1 (Latest Generation with TIR Optics)

excellent thrower: E2e black body + E2d Black TC, you may want to upgrade the to Cree or Seoul leds for more throw, and better runtime.

wall of light: L4

The L4 is smaller and could even be an EDC. It has flat regulation with both primary and rechargeable batteries.

 

[Valpo Hawkeye]

I'd say go with the L4. That way you can put the KL4 off the L4 on the E1L's one-cell body. Throw in a rechargeable 3.7v protected cell and you have the same output of the L4 in a package that's actually smaller than the E1L (the KL1 is longer than the KL4).

 

[BionicSniper]

LOVE my L2

turn it on in a room and the entire room is lit up. Floods entire areas.

 

[Riddick]

L2 . . . . This light is amazing, 2 levels of output

 

[arewethereyetdad]

L2. It's incredible! :rock:

 

[elgarak]

Difficult choice, both are excellent. Beam and output is practically identical (L4 and L2 on high).

L4: very small, unobtrusive, easy to carry. Gets hot quickly, runtime acceptable.

L2: Longer due to the electronic. 2 stages. Very good runtime on low. The high is not regulated and dims, but light will still run long time on low when high is dim. See it as a low-level light with a boost.

Tough choice, since they have quite different mission parameters, despite the same beam! I have both .

 

[CM]

Buy the L2 so you can mod it with a brighter LED

 

[matrixshaman]

I owned an L2 and was always wondering why people raved about the L4. I didn't really like the tailswitch setup on the L2 and eventually got an L4 - I like it a lot better but it is as you know a wall of light and not a big thrower - but much nicer in size than the L2 (depending on what you like size wise) and I don't ever plan on selling my L4. No desire to own another L2 either but it's just my taste and YMMV.

 

[bray]

the L4 cant be beat in my opinion

 

[ScooterBug]

for my buck it would be the L2.

 

[fnmag]

The Surefire L4. If you already have an E1L and an L1 then you don't really have a true flood light. Get the L4 and don't look back.

 

[TORCH_BOY]

I would go for the L4

 

[lotsalumens]

If you can get a hold of an McE2s two stage tailcap on BST you can have pretty much all the features of the L2 in a much smaller package with the L4. I owned an L2 and sold it in favor of this combo. I now own a U2, an L5, some A19 XR-Es plus some Fenix lighs, and the L4 is still by far my favorite. The output to size ratio is just amazing and I love the often mentioned "wall of light" it produces. It's a very impressive light!


Charles

 

[NotRegulated]

If you didn't have any of those other lights I would say L2. Being you have small tightly focused light and an L1, you have throw and two-stage covered. I have to recommend the L4.

 

[jumpstat]

Hi to all,

Thanks for participating in this thread. What I can see is that the L4 would be more appropriate than L2 which I see having more advantage since it comes with a complete head (KL4) rather than a 'dumb' head on the L2. I can use the KL4 on the e series body (e1L/e2e) which is smaller as a package (nice!!).

L2 is a bit longer at 6.1" and even L1 i feel is a tad long for an edc.

As for modding, I'm far-far away from the US where most of the renown modders are, so modding is kinda difficult and I think at this time I wouldn't go for that direction, maybe in the future...who knows

So please contribute further advice on which to get, L2 or L4(KL4).............thanks all

 

[cratz2]

Just to regurgitate what others have already said, I think the L4 is a more comfortable form factor. It is a standard to slightly smaller than average 2x123 light. The L2 is quite a long light. The L2 and L4 have basically identical beams and output levels (assuming the L2 is on high, of course). The L4 has the smart head making it more modular for use with smaller bodies on down the road.

If I carried two lights and had a need for a wall of light type light, the L4 would be my first choice and my smaller light would be something ideally with at least 2 levels and more throw when on high. Even if I were only to carry one light and needed a Lux V type light, I'd still go for the L4 over the L2. But honestly, if I only carried one light, I'd want it to be a bit more throw oriented. These days, a Cree or P4 has such a bright spillbeam that it borders on Lux V type flood... just with a really bright hotspot.

 

[jumpstat]

cratz2,

Point taken........cheers