Spill? Spot to Flood?

[BOBBYBOB]

I'm a total novice, I have a Fenix P2D and I don't like the circle of light
around the hot spot, at long distance it illuminates more than I want.
Please recommend a light with 200 or so Lumens not more than 4 or 5
inches long that has a tighter focus point. Money no object, my wife has
a great job. Thank you for the info

 

[optodoofus]

It sounds like any light with good throw should meet your requirements. A light achieves good throw by concentrating the output into a tight beam that will travel long distances. That's pretty much what you're looking for.

If money is no object, you can buy a Surefire 6P and then a BOG Q5 super-premium drop-in. The drop-in is very bright and has great throw. I have a set-up like that and really like it. It doesn't throw like my Ultrastinger, but it fits in my pocket (which is something the US can't do unless I get much bigger pockets!)

Another good option would be the Lumapower D mini. I don't have one, but there is a good review with beamshots at http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=180243&highlight=mini

Good luck and let us know what you end up with.

optodoofus

 

[Gunner12]

You mean you want a light with no spill right?

Something with an optic or lens should do the job.

 

[enLIGHTenment]

I'm a total novice, I have a Fenix P2D and I don't like the circle of light around the hot spot, at long distance it illuminates more than I want.

Very bright, very ugly, spill is inherent in lights that use forward facing LEDs mounted in reflectors. What you need is a light which has the LED pointing rearwards or uses a refractive optic. There aren't many choices here, period, much less choices that meet your brightness and size requirements.

Your only options are from Surefire, LED Lenser, or to go with something custom. On the SF side, look at the E2L, L1, E1B, Kroma, or UA2. Most of LED Lenser's new generation models use optics; the most promising unit for your brightness and size requirements is probably the T7. I don't know what's available on the custom front, but a feeler posted to the custom forums should garner some results. These are pretty much the only lights available that have modern LEDs and use refractive optics. Pelican's recoil line use rear-facing LEDs ('reflex' in Pelican marketing speak) and therefore have good beam profiles, but they use older generation LEDs and might not be bright enough for your needs.

Incidentally, the lumen figures quoted by manufacturers are to be taken with a train load of salt. The figures range from exaggerations to outright lies. The only way to know how another light stacks up against your P2D is to do a head to head comparison, or ask someone who has both lights to do a comparison for you.