Spot vs flood
- Thread starter JwSantora
- Start date
Greetings!
I much prefer floods over throwers; just having a nice, even wide beam in front of me is great for late night walks, portable work lights or anything that requires "just some light" to make out details or to find something I am looking for at close range.
Throwers for me are more for search lights, or to illuminate anything that would require binoculars to make out or when travelling at speeds, like night biking. I get the sense there are more throwies that floodies on this forum, but I am one of the latter. :)
I have a Sofirn Q8 Plus, and for me that is well into lantern territory. I didn't know what a Q8 Plus would be good for either, but it's a great pocket rocket I am glad I bought simply for its versatility. It got throw, it got enough spill for me on lower levels, it has good runtime, and it can be tripod mounted. Very similar to the Fenix LR80R on many levels, but a fraction of the price.
I much prefer floods over throwers; just having a nice, even wide beam in front of me is great for late night walks, portable work lights or anything that requires "just some light" to make out details or to find something I am looking for at close range.
Throwers for me are more for search lights, or to illuminate anything that would require binoculars to make out or when travelling at speeds, like night biking. I get the sense there are more throwies that floodies on this forum, but I am one of the latter. :)
I have a Sofirn Q8 Plus, and for me that is well into lantern territory. I didn't know what a Q8 Plus would be good for either, but it's a great pocket rocket I am glad I bought simply for its versatility. It got throw, it got enough spill for me on lower levels, it has good runtime, and it can be tripod mounted. Very similar to the Fenix LR80R on many levels, but a fraction of the price.
If I want to light up inside of my shed a flooder is great.
If I want to see an object at a distance in fog a thrower gets it done.
I prefer a combo of both. A conical beam that feathers on the edges for less night time perhipheral vision loss.
If I want to see an object at a distance in fog a thrower gets it done.
I prefer a combo of both. A conical beam that feathers on the edges for less night time perhipheral vision loss.
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They're great at lighting up everything all around you, at a short distance. One Hong Kong police officer purchased a certain Nitecore hand-held model for work that was geared for massive flood. Few months later, his light was the only one that lit-up a massive train de-railment from up close. Helped with seeing how bad things were, and with evacuating the passengers. Can't recall which model off the top of my head.
They make great lights to see your property and if they are floody enough if all else fails to light up one of your children's sporting events. If you have a critter or intruder on your property time can be of the essence. Why bother doing all of that scanning when you can turn it on and you can instantly see everything in front of you all at once. Just because it's a flooder doesn't mean you can't get throw as well. It's all about turning darkness into light and being able to see what is going on.
I personally took the Marauder 2 route. That was my first experience with a flooder and I simply went Wow!!! It is the main reason I now have the following lights which all are good or great flooders. Some of which are just more portable and for their size some are simply amazing. The Acebeam X75, Imalent MR90, Terminator M1. Teminator M2, Wuben X1, Wuben X2, and Marauder Mini.
I have some good throwers too such as the Acebeam K75, Imalent MR90, Fenix LR80RF and the Terminator M1. The Marauder 2 does this to a degree as well.
Anytime the Sofirn Q8 Plus comes up all I can say is I understand why it is so popular just keep in mind it's my understanding it doesn't handle heat as well as the Marauder 2. As such it wont sustain as bright a light as long. I would also mention I didn't pay $300.00 for my Marauder 2 as I only paid $149.00 which made that choice much easier. If you wish I would be willing to share how you might be able to do that as well.
I personally took the Marauder 2 route. That was my first experience with a flooder and I simply went Wow!!! It is the main reason I now have the following lights which all are good or great flooders. Some of which are just more portable and for their size some are simply amazing. The Acebeam X75, Imalent MR90, Terminator M1. Teminator M2, Wuben X1, Wuben X2, and Marauder Mini.
I have some good throwers too such as the Acebeam K75, Imalent MR90, Fenix LR80RF and the Terminator M1. The Marauder 2 does this to a degree as well.
Anytime the Sofirn Q8 Plus comes up all I can say is I understand why it is so popular just keep in mind it's my understanding it doesn't handle heat as well as the Marauder 2. As such it wont sustain as bright a light as long. I would also mention I didn't pay $300.00 for my Marauder 2 as I only paid $149.00 which made that choice much easier. If you wish I would be willing to share how you might be able to do that as well.
lumen aeternum
Enlightened
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When I go into my yard I still prefer my ancient "LED shower head" addon to a 3D Maglite; it has a whole bunch of the old style LEDs (run on different voltage maybe? 5v ???). Wish I knew where to buy another one.
Buy a cheap floody and play around, or even a "mule" (LED dome cut off to make it even wider), you will find lots of uses for it.
Buy a cheap floody and play around, or even a "mule" (LED dome cut off to make it even wider), you will find lots of uses for it.
AMD64Brunette
Enlightened
Flood beams are wonderful.
Case in point.: my Zebralight H600w.
Case in point.: my Zebralight H600w.
Lumencraft sells a couple of different versions of the MAG LED conversion. Including a li-ion conversion kit.
I had an older incandescent 5D that my boss gifted me for christmas 25yrs ago. Thought it would be nice to convert it to LED.
Happened across Matt at Lumencraft and bought the little single LED that lets me keep the spot/flood ability. Then bought his 4200lm rig that is perfect for "flooding" the backyard when critters are about. The little LED went into a different MAG.
For my EDC, I don't really care if it's spot or flood, as long as it has a decent low moon light.
But I have specific ones for flood or throw.
Flood is good for wanting to see everything around you. If it has enough power, it can throw too haha!
When i lived up at 7000', we had lot of animals, particularly mountain lion and black bear. If I hear a noise, I like the light to luminate everything, instead of guessing where I heard the noise.
But I have specific ones for flood or throw.
Flood is good for wanting to see everything around you. If it has enough power, it can throw too haha!
When i lived up at 7000', we had lot of animals, particularly mountain lion and black bear. If I hear a noise, I like the light to luminate everything, instead of guessing where I heard the noise.
3_gun
Enlightened
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Flood v throw is like asking phillips v blade. Both are tools with a little over lap.
I've found for my most common uses a hybrid is ideal. That's a Hank light D4k or D4sV2 dual channel set up. One channel is a W1 LED & the other a LH351, throw + flood in the same light(s). The 21700 is more an EDC while the larger D4sV2 gets the 26800 battery for longer run times.
Bigger IS better as the D4s throws & floods better than the smaller D4k. Both are set up to come on to both channels at a modest output giving a balance of flood w/a hot spot then based on need I can switch to throw or flood. Neither light is as good as a dedicated throw/flood light but I've yet to have a need that the light couldn't provide useful light.
I've found for my most common uses a hybrid is ideal. That's a Hank light D4k or D4sV2 dual channel set up. One channel is a W1 LED & the other a LH351, throw + flood in the same light(s). The 21700 is more an EDC while the larger D4sV2 gets the 26800 battery for longer run times.
Bigger IS better as the D4s throws & floods better than the smaller D4k. Both are set up to come on to both channels at a modest output giving a balance of flood w/a hot spot then based on need I can switch to throw or flood. Neither light is as good as a dedicated throw/flood light but I've yet to have a need that the light couldn't provide useful light.
Agreed. Good analogy flat vs phillips.
A couple of my vintage search and rescue numbers with big heads throw an incan beam at least a football field with only around 100 lumens. A 7D light with a 4" reflector throws an amazing beam. A big head 3D Rayovac Sportsman was very popular for that reason. It's why SureFire did those turbo heads back in the day.
On the reverse side of the coin my teeny little Fenix E01v2 has a nice floody beam and on low it's great for closeup work without being too bright. Yet on high it can toss out a nice, floody light for seeing at a distance of about 30 paces.
The first Elzetta Bones in my view was an ideal mixture of flood and throw. An optic causes light to focus in a tight spot, another area adds light to the spot thereby widening the focused point, and another area adds lots of spill. Very silimar to a modern LED Maglite but with a neutral tint. I say was because they changed it to a cool beam to up the output.
thermal guy
Flashaholic
Malkoff V4 wildcat. Both
F89
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Horses for courses. Where one is optimal for the situation the other will be lacking to varying degrees.
The only general purpose compromise is the balanced beam of spot and flood which will be the most versatile for many, particularly if only one light is to be carried.
I will add that you can make a thrower flood (or at least be more floody) in a pinch by diffusing the beam with something at hand (plastic bag, piece of paper, a T-shirt etc) but it’s particularly (extremely even) difficult to make a flooder throw.
The only general purpose compromise is the balanced beam of spot and flood which will be the most versatile for many, particularly if only one light is to be carried.
I will add that you can make a thrower flood (or at least be more floody) in a pinch by diffusing the beam with something at hand (plastic bag, piece of paper, a T-shirt etc) but it’s particularly (extremely even) difficult to make a flooder throw.
F89
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Here's some stuff I like (to use as a pair) as an example:
Two pairs of flood and throw lights (bigger and more compact). L to R. Flood, throw, throw, flood (actually it's more a balanced beam that leans strongly towards flood).
Here's some lights that have varying degrees of balance which all make for a good general purpose beam.
L to R. Balanced spot/flood, punchy triple with decent range and spot (triple Osram 1mm2), much like the first but with a bit more.
Two pairs of flood and throw lights (bigger and more compact). L to R. Flood, throw, throw, flood (actually it's more a balanced beam that leans strongly towards flood).
Here's some lights that have varying degrees of balance which all make for a good general purpose beam.
L to R. Balanced spot/flood, punchy triple with decent range and spot (triple Osram 1mm2), much like the first but with a bit more.
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greenpondmike
Flashlight Enthusiast
I still like the maglites for whether you want throw or flood, BUT I use my fenix e01v2 and fc11 mostly and my c8 has a good balance of throw and spill
