Surefire KL5...........

[edison]

Has anyone bought one of these 5W heads yet? I know there are a lot of us wondering if they are worth the money. How does it throw compared to the P60/P61?

 

[fivebyfive]

Yea, I'm in the market for a surefire l5/kl5 too. Anyone have one that can comment on the beam characteristics or their likes and dislikes?

 

[chronium]

I managed to pick one up sometime last month from a fellow cpf member Hunterson. Thanks again dude! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif

I don't have a P61 and I rarely use my P60. I prefer using the 6P + A19 and 9V lamps. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'll throw in a P60 tonight when it gets darker and compare it to a KL5. I'm pretty sure the throw won't beat the P60 though. The first thing i noticed when i turned the KL5 on was its nice and wide flood beam, with a small hot spot.

If i'm not mistaken however, from my understanding (which isn't exactly much)and what i've read on the other threads on CPF (been a lurker for quite a while) the KL3 would have a better throw? I don't have a KL3 though so i can't say for sure.

There is a great review of the SF L5 done by Craig Johnson at the Led Museum. The L5 uses the same KL5 head.
There are some nice beams shots as well..
Heres the link: http://toyletbowlbbs.home.att.net/l5.htm

Hope this helps!

Someone please correct me if i'm wrong...

 

[redcar]

ok, just got back inside. It's a little chilly here in Tennessee, 25 deg F, ok... quit laughing Yankees, you too Canucks.

I compared the P60, L5, and KL3. P60 wins the throw contest absolutely hands down. Next comes the L5, then the KL3. The L5 has a tighter spill than the P60, and brighter too, but it can't compete with the P60's hot spot. I have no P61 to compare. Also, I live between woods and a field so the incan shows more or looks brighter on the gray brown trees and winter grass.

My KL3 is stock and looks a little anemic compared to the L5. But it has very good runtime and does not generate very much heat. I kind of like it for walking at night or using long term during a power outage. If you want the KL3 to get up and go, I believe Chop does a mod that everyone who has one really likes. How his mod throws compared to a stock L5 you'd have to ask him or one of his customers.

 

[edison]

Excellent post, redcar. Your test is exactly what I was looking for. I'm trying to decide whether I should upgrade now, or wait for a better throwing LED head. I guess I'll be waiting. By how much distance does the P60 out-throw the KL5? Thanks.

 

[redcar]

***In short***

For me and my eyes and the ambient light here:

The L5 works good out to about 30 yards. The P60 does about the same job out to about 50

------------------------------------------------------------
***Long winded answer***

Distances below measured with laser range finder.

Birdhouse at 19 yds:
P60 - very bright hot spot
L5 - house nicely lit and brighter spill gave a more complete picture of surrounding branches

Blue shed at 23 yds:
About the same as above, more detail in P60 hotspot, but better overall view with L5.

White shed at 34 yds:
L5 - starting to get weak on the surrounding grass and trees.
P60 - hot spot spreading out nicely

Tree trunk at 44 yds:
L5 - shows a gray shape of the trunk and limbs
P60 - looks a little more brown and can see some bark detail as well as some of the smaller branches.

Bush at 52 yds:
L5 - I could see a lump of something
P60 - I could see the bush and some leaves and it was green.

Beige shed at 84 yds with some ambient light from nearby street light:
L5 - not really making it.
P60 - lit it up noticeably.

Brown brick house at 104 yds with some ambient light from nearby street light:
L5 - Noticed very little light on the white trim around windows and door when flashing it on and off.
P60 - Lit up the trim much better and could see some of the brick work.

L5: Inside a building or close to the house I would prefer the L5 as it has a brighter spill, almost providing that wall of light so often mentioned about the L4 or L2 (I have those as well) but with a little better throw. I can see a cop using an L5 with that combat grip to sweep out a house or building, not worrying about blowing a bulb.

P60: Outside where I would be looking for brown and gray at distance, i.e. owls, my cat, livestock, deer, I would go with the P60.

If my work/hobby needed light at 30 yds or less, and included all colors I would go with the L5. If it was 20 yds or less I would go with the L4 or L2 on high. If it was 20 yds or less and you needed longer runtimes, I would go with the KL3 or the L2 (on low). If it was beyond 30 and I was looking at trees or animals or livestock and needed to see grays, tans and browns, I would go with P60. Beyond about 60-70 yds though I would want to step it up to something beyond that. The only other thing I have is an M4 and that works nicely at 80 to 100 yds. I can dimly light up a tree at 127 yards with the low output lamp.

 

[KevinL]

Hmm... looks like I gotta keep my P90. Thanks for the very detailed observations!

While I don't have an L5, I have a U2, and it should be fairly close to what you indicate.

 

[Topper]

Its to darn cold to play outside for long 30 degrees here plenty cold for me. I took my L5 & KL3 by "CHOP" on a G2 body both running topped off Pila 168s cells. At 20 or so feet the L5 has much brighter spill and it is whiter than the modded KL3. Pointing down the the street about half a block at tree tops the modded KL3 did as well if not better than the L5. I am in a housing area near a busy road alot of street lights and lit up billboards (it never gets real dark here unless the power goes out)So up close the softer modded KL3 is pleasant to my eyes medium range the L5 wins and reaching out aways I am inclined to think the modded KL3 seemed to fair as well as the L5 to me any way.
I use the "CHOPPED" KL3 far more than the L5. I do have a stock KL3 that I think is anemic since I got the modded one from Chop. Not sure if that helps I hope so.
Topper /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[thesurefire]

how much farther does the L6 throw then the L5?

 

[Topper]

I can't help you with that one not any farther dark targets around the house. The L6 has a tighter spot and brighter spill much brighter not larger just brighter.
My L6 gets 10 times the use the L5 gets. If we are just comparing Surefires LEDs with my KL4 and my L6 I really have no use for the L5 as nice as it is. I pull it out every now and then.
Topper /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif