Smallish, brightish LEP

[lampeDépêche]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a LEP with around 500kcd (±) and not bigger than a typical Fenix 18650 light?
County Comm has some nice small ones -- based on the 16340, 18350, or 14500 cell -- but those all top other at around 125kcd. Then they have a 21700 unit which puts out 895kcd -- pretty good output, but looks a little clumsy and overbuilt.
Am I missing any other smallish, brightish LEPs?

 

[dc38]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a LEP with around 500kcd (±) and not bigger than a typical Fenix 18650 light?
County Comm has some nice small ones -- based on the 16340, 18350, or 14500 cell -- but those all top other at around 125kcd. Then they have a 21700 unit which puts out 895kcd -- pretty good output, but looks a little clumsy and overbuilt.
Am I missing any other smallish, brightish LEPs?

Mateminco fw3?

The lumintop Thor is like 300kcd or something...

 

[dc38]

Also, i have no experience with this, but the fenix tk30 might be a thing

 

[lampeDépêche]

dc38 -- thank you so much! I will follow up those recommendations.

 

[dc38]

dc38 -- thank you so much! I will follow up those recommendations.

I would consider them more to be suggestions than recommendations, lol...hope you find what you're looking for!

 

[PaladinNO]

If you go for the Fenix TK30 LEP, note that that light takes a protected 21700. That is a long cell which not many chargers seems to take (the Nitecore UMS4 works fine).

I have the TK30 (4 of them actually, trying to duct tape them together), and it's a good light with an impressive throw. But as has been discussed here, a LEP has zero spill. And I would argue that beyond 500 meters, you would need binoculars to get the most out of such a light.

So what is your intended use for a LEP, if I may ask? If a pocket thrower is your fancy here, then take a look at the Sofirn IF22A.

 

[lampeDépêche]

"So what is your intended use for a LEP, if I may ask?"
I wish I had a better answer to that. The desire to be impressed, mostly. When I look at the small CountyComm offerings -- less than a hundred bucks for more than a hundred kcd -- then I think I'm getting into the region where I can have it just for occasional laughs and less occasional uses. And they're small enough that they can ride in my daily bag.
One use that does make sense to me -- though I'd be curious to hear from others -- is using it to illuminate dark recesses in a daylight environment. I think all of us have had the experience of using a torch in full sunlight, when even a good beam, like 1500 lumens, seems to disappear into the ambient illumination. In part because of the general background, and in part because of pupil-constriction through light accommodation. So, I could imagine keeping a small LEP on hand for those rare occasions when you want a beam that will make a difference even in the daylight.

But all of this may be misguided, and you may be right that a traditional LED with concentrated throw -- like the IF22A -- is more useful than a LEP.

 

[PaladinNO]

"So what is your intended use for a LEP, if I may ask?"
I wish I had a better answer to that. The desire to be impressed, mostly. I think all of us have had the experience of using a torch in full sunlight, when even a good beam, like 1500 lumens, seems to disappear into the ambient illumination.

But all of this may be misguided, and you may be right that a traditional LED with concentrated throw -- like the IF22A -- is more useful than a LEP.

Oh, I have definitely tried that. Like just a couple weeks ago, I tried peering down a small, dark corner between the house and the new outdoor patio to see if the weed barrier I had laid down was working. And I could not see a damn thing against the sun in the clear blue sky. I used a Wurkkos FC11C (1200 Lumen - my current EDC), and I thought it wasn't working properly (and even looking straight into the reflector didn't do much). So I went to fetch my Sofirn Q8+ (16.000 Lumen) - which did do the job.

I see your interest in a LEP now, but I don't think it will do what you want it to in this instance. For one, as I said, it has near zero spill so at a short distance it just sends out a blinding white spot. And second it has very low CRI (estimated ~70), so everything will be double washed out at close range.

If pocketability is a requirement, then I would still recommend the Sofirn IF22A. If you want something "funny" with a good throw, but willing to sacrifice on the portability, then I would suggest the Convoy L21B (I'd say 719A, 5000K - takes a single unprotected 21700) or a soda can pocket rocket, like the Sofirn Q8+ (3x 18650 button top cells).

But try the IF22A first as a cheap intro. If it isn't to your liking, then at least you have a baseline. If you want more illumination, longer throw, less spill etc., there are other options.

 

[lampeDépêche]

I went with the CountyComm LEP based on a 16340 cell. I liked the small size and (relatively) low cost.
And for its size and price, it is pretty fun to see the beam it puts out.
Sure, I don't have a lot of uses for it, but it has earned a spot in my go-bag. It will run on DL123 primaries -- with some reduction of output, but not too bad -- so keeping it in the go-bag with a few spare primaries will make a good attention-getter, without taking up much room.
And I liked it enough that I also ordered its big brother, the 21700 version.
If I had seen the Acebeam M1 first I might have ordered that, because the option of the zoom lens is very cool. But it's twice the price, and I didn't see it in any case, so oh well.

 

[TimMc]

Amutorch BT35 might be worth considering.