Surefire 6P brighter than 8NX ?????

robo

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 11, 2001
Messages
28
Location
Rhein-Main, Germany
A few weeks ago I got myself a SF 8NX in addition to my older 6P model, because I wanted to have a little more light-output (the lower runtime-cost was a factor too)...
Then I realized that the 6P (with 65 lumens) is a bit brighter (maybe 10%) than the 8NX (110 lumens) with fully charged batteries.
How can this be??? I thought "lumens" was something one can measure, so 110 lumens should be brighter, shouldn´t it?
Or is the 8NX simply focused in a different way? Also the 6P light seems more white to me than the somewhat more yellow 8X light (even if fully charged).
I asked Surefire by e-mail, but they seem to not know the reason...they simply say that the 8X should be brighter.
Can anybody help me on that???? (Please excuse my english, I´m not a native speaker).
Thanks for your help!!!
 
I've had a similar experience. I've had an 8x for a couple of years. I've never considered it a particularily bright light but its modest size makes it very useful. It roughly compares to my Mag 4C in lumens (but the Mag is so darn big). Recently I ordered an E2 and, based on the lumen rating, expected it to be half as bright as the 8x. Srangly it seems the 8x's equal! And, as you mentioned, whiter. One thing I haven't done is compare the diameter of the beams. The 8 series might be spreading the light out over a greater area. Certainly no complaints with my E2. Fantastic little light.

Byron
 
Are you sure you don't have the P61 lense in the 6P? It would give you an additional 10 lumens over the 8NX.

I just tested my 8NX with a freshly recharged battery against my 6P with fresh batteries and the 8NX was definately brighter. It is easiest to see this in a large room. Not only is the center portion brighter but the surrounding illumination is also greater.

Next I put in the P61 lense and it was slightly brighter than the 8NX. Quite remarkable for such a small light.

Just a note about the E2. Even though it is not quite as bright as these two, it stands up remarkably well in such a compact package. It is overall my favorite light.
 
Lumens isn't really brightness, intensity or colour temperature.
Lumens is more of an amount of light.

We're talking bigger beam areas rather then brighter or whiter central beams.

Lithiums are the best at driving bulbs so filaments can be bigger and hotter. You pay the price of brilliant white light with DL123As and runtime.

The 8NX is a duty light to be used, and as such, the 8NX is not only amazing value, but also in terms of performance and quality, the SureFires lead the way.

SureFire are designed for various tasks, and with the M2 and P61, light output and brightness/whiteness is paramount over runtime and cost.

Rechargeable lights just don't seem to have what it takes to be a WeaponLight or CombatLight.

Al
 
Hi "Free" and the others.....
I just checked that it really is the standard P60 bulb I use in my 6P, and I also checked the light output again in a room (maybe 10feet), on a wall outside (about 50feet) and even with a thing I think is called "Luxmeter", which kind of measures brightness, and the 6P with P60 bulb is definately brighter, the 8NX also doesn´t have an advantage in the surrounding area around the center spot....it still is a great light for my duty purposes, but I now ask myself, if I should send my flashlights in to surefire, as they asked me to do...some guys tell me that their 8X is brighter than their 6V model....so maybe theres something wrong with mine......and the problem surely is not the spread angle of the beam, to me they seem very similar (6P+8X).....
 
Hi robo,

Before you send your light back, try this test. SureFire used to advertise this in their ads a while ago.

Point both lights up at the ceiling in a dark room and turn them on alternately while looking at something on the floor. This is a quick eyball test for seeing which light has the greater lumen output. I have a 6P and a 9N. Looking at the beams close up against the wall, they look alike to me, but in the test above, the 9N is clearly putting more light out. The brightness of the beam depends on how the beam is focused. A laser pointer puts out less than a lumen of light but is brighter on a wall than most flashlights.
 
Thanks JoeyL.,

sounds like a very good idea...I will try this when it gets dark enough....
Will tell what comes out.....

since then, thank you all for the help!!!!
 
Top