Which is better? Fenix TK-70, Olight SR-90 or Nitecore TM-11?

[MDJAK]

I am sure you'll be happy with the Tiny Munster.
It is so compact and easy to carry with an ergonomic side switch, gives a very practical broad beam, and throws reasonably far @ 286 meters.
Let us know the serial number on the inside of your TM's head...

Ergonomic side switch unless you are wearing gloves, then useless.

 

[mauiblue]

Thank you for this tip. This is VERY helpful. So helpful in fact that i just ordered a TM11 :naughty:

Thanks again,
JD

Great choice. I bought a TM11 the other month and it is AWESOME. Use it to patrol a very large property with a couple warehouses on it. I've not had any issues with this flashlight up to this point and I use it almost nightly. Recently bought some RediLast 3100 cells and a Pila IBC charger. Good to go!

 

[Glenn7]

Here's a cheap fix of 2000 lumen's if you want one @ $80 it's called "Sky Ray King" and you can get it at manafont.

 

[JudasD]

WOW! That almost looks like the same light! I wonder if the internals are the same?

JD

 

[HotWire]

I don't have an SR-90 because I don't like battery packs. I do have the TK-70 and the TM-11. Like others before me have said the TK-70 is a thrower. It's big and bright and heavy. The TM-11 is a floody bright light that will light up the yard or field. It's small, light, and bright. The Tiny Monster has a unique UI that is easy to use (without gloves). The TK-70 has a simple UI with a couple of buttons. They are both very easy to control. At home (where I have a house full of flashlights) I'm much more likely to pick u the TM-11 because it is small and light. Camping? Take both and a box full of batteries. The TM-ll does not like short 18650s or long 18650s. 67mm-69mm range. My Redilast 2900 work and my AW 2200 work too. Trustfire with flames works as well. If you buy a TM-11 be sure it is the latest model. Some of the early Tiny Monsters had circuit problems.

 

[berry580]

I am considering buying a light in the 2000+ lumen range in the fairly near future(2-3 months, I dont need it right now). But by then, there will probably be at least one more available option in addition to the three listed above, but assuming there isnt, I'd like to know how these 3 compare from the standpoint of people who've owned them, or know something about them.......

The Fenix TK-70(2200L) is the cheapest, at about $229. The Nitecore TM-11(2000L) is next at about $260, and the Olight SR-90(2200L) is a good bit higher at around $350 - $450.

Whats odd though, is the big difference in battery requirements between the 3 lights. The SR-90 uses 6 18650's, the TM-11 uses 4 18650's or 8 123's, but the TK-70 uses only 4 D's, but only NiMH batteries are to be used in it.

However, even though these lights have increasingly higher battery power from one to the next, the TK-70 with only 4 D's seems to have equally good battery life at similar power settings, using the same LED, although the TM-11 has 3 XML's.

However, I've read 2 times about people who claimed to have minor problems with the TK-70, but the lights could obviously be returned under warranty.

It's hard to judge and compare the beam profile of these lights on videos, because often the spill beam cant hardly be seen in the vid, and the hot spot isnt all that clear in the videos, plus people often overestimate the ranges that they are spotting with the lights.

So, does anyone have an opinion on which of these 3 lights is the better choice?

Also, is there another 2000+ watt LED flashlight that I'm unaware of that may be a better choice, but not too expensive?

Not everything is obvious, and taking things at face value is simply naive at times. If you're dealing with a local dealer, then you're probably fine, usually. However if your only option is directly with those Asian manufacturer/s, then enjoy the experience.

Not to mention the shipping cost, one way to and the way back is going to cost you like almost a quarter of the light's value already, and that is for $200+ lights.
IMO, they can stick their "Limited Lifetime Warranty", whatever that means, up their butt.

 

[mikkis123]

TK70

 

[The_Driver]

Have you thought about the Varapower Turbo from Lambdalights? It's a heavily modded 3d maglite with a bigger head (smaller than the TK-70 and the SR-90) and has the same throw (around 110.000 lux) with 2100 otf lumens for the domed 6500K version or maybe 1/3 less lumens and 200.000 lux with good batteries (it takes 4 nimh c cells). It uses only one led, the sst-90, just like the SR-90.
It only costs 275$, but you have to wait a few weeks until it's available again.

Its biggest downside is, that you can only run it for a few minutes on high, before it gets too hot to hold, which is also in part do to the best heatsinking you can get in a flashlight. An the 30 brightness-modes (switched through via the turnable knob/switch) shouldn't make this too bad. The SR-90 for example has only 2 continuous modes and no real low-mode

 

[berfles]

Have you thought about the Varapower Turbo from Lambdalights? It's a heavily modded 3d maglite with a bigger head (smaller than the TK-70 and the SR-90) and has the same throw (around 110.000 lux) with 2100 otf lumens for the domed 6500K version or maybe 1/3 less lumens and 200.000 lux with good batteries (it takes 4 nimh c cells). It uses only one led, the sst-90, just like the SR-90.
It only costs 275$, but you have to wait a few weeks until it's available again.

Its biggest downside is, that you can only run it for a few minutes on high, before it gets too hot to hold, which is also in part do to the best heatsinking you can get in a flashlight. An the 30 brightness-modes (switched through via the turnable knob/switch) shouldn't make this too bad. The SR-90 for example has only 2 continuous modes and no real low-mode

Are you sure the VPT is 2100 OTF lumens? I've seen the VPT basically murder the TK70, which apparently is 2200 OTF according to this thread.

 

[TEEJ]

Are you sure the VPT is 2100 OTF lumens? I've seen the VPT basically murder the TK70, which apparently is 2200 OTF according to this thread.

This is again why the 1,300 lumen SR90 can throw the same as the 2,200 lumen TK70....the lumens are DISTRIBUTED DIFFERENTLY.

The SR90, and the VPT, take the lumens they HAVE, and put out a tight dowel shaped beam of light, MOST of the light they put out is thrown far downrange...only a little is spilled to the periphery.

The TK70 doesn't throw a dowel shaped beam, it throws more of a CONE of light. This essentially means the same lumens have to cover a broader area, which shortens the throw/range.

If the lumens are like a gallons per minute flow rate for a hose....your thumb is tighter on the hose's opening on the SR90 and VPT, than on the TK70...same gallons per minute, but one squirts further.

 

[CyberCT]

I only have experience with the TK70 and have many Fenix lights so I'll just give some quick input. The beam of the TK70 is not as throwy and minimally floody like the TK41. I consider the beam of the TK70 to be more akin to the TK35 beam on STERIOIDS. And yes, I said that in all caps. The TK70 still outthrows the TK41. I was blown away by the power of the TK70. I could light up Canadian geese flying above me in a field, waaayy up in the air.

I bought the Maha 808S charger, which is their D cell charger and probably the best you can get on the market that can charge 8 D cells at a time. If you buy that charger and 8 good quality D batteries, it will cost around $150 shipped or just a little less. However, with 8 batteries, it's like having two full battery packs instead of just one. I'm sure an additional battery pack for the SR91 is $100 or over. I have recorded 1 hour 10 minutes of constant turbo mode on my TK70 before the light stepped down to high mode. The test was done underwater (another good think about the TK70, it's IPX-8 waterproof and will be snorkeling with me in the upcoming late spring)

The TK70 has 4 modes which is useful. I find the high mode to be brighter than the turbo modes of my TK41 and TK35 by just a little bit, but the TK70 gets barely warm to the touch while the other Fenix lights get hot. And yes, the TK70 does get hot on turbo. If you just want to use the TK70 turbo mode in bursts for a few minutes at a time and otherwise just use it's high mode you can use just 3 D cells in the TK70 instead of 4, making it lighter and shorter. I don't think the TK70 with 4 D cells is heavy though, considering the size of it.

 

[JudasD]

If i had to choose which one to buy i would be at a loss. I like them all. Honestly when i hear a noise outside i do go for the TK70 first. Main reason is that i am now holding a club. If it wasn't for that i would probably grab the TM11 first. For camping in the woods TM11. Camping at the dunes, TK70 or VPT. Making people's jaw drop, VPT

JD

 

[berfles]

This is again why the 1,300 lumen SR90 can throw the same as the 2,200 lumen TK70....the lumens are DISTRIBUTED DIFFERENTLY.

The SR90, and the VPT, take the lumens they HAVE, and put out a tight dowel shaped beam of light, MOST of the light they put out is thrown far downrange...only a little is spilled to the periphery.

The TK70 doesn't throw a dowel shaped beam, it throws more of a CONE of light. This essentially means the same lumens have to cover a broader area, which shortens the throw/range.

If the lumens are like a gallons per minute flow rate for a hose....your thumb is tighter on the hose's opening on the SR90 and VPT, than on the TK70...same gallons per minute, but one squirts further.

The picture I saw showed the VPT out throwing and out spilling the TK70, that's why I was curious Everything I've seen actually shows the VPT to have a bunch of spill as well as great reach.

 

[The_Driver]

This is again why the 1,300 lumen SR90 can throw the same as the 2,200 lumen TK70....the lumens are DISTRIBUTED DIFFERENTLY.

The SR90, and the VPT, take the lumens they HAVE, and put out a tight dowel shaped beam of light, MOST of the light they put out is thrown far downrange...only a little is spilled to the periphery.

The TK70 doesn't throw a dowel shaped beam, it throws more of a CONE of light. This essentially means the same lumens have to cover a broader area, which shortens the throw/range.

If the lumens are like a gallons per minute flow rate for a hose....your thumb is tighter on the hose's opening on the SR90 and VPT, than on the TK70...same gallons per minute, but one squirts further.

If you look at those beamshots you can see that the TK70 has a big intense hotspot, a bright spill and a corona, meaning that you have a continuous "carpet" of light from the spill to a few hundred yards out. The VPT has the same amount of lumens, but all in a really bright spill and a similar-sized, more intense hotspot. The spill is what makes it look birghter. It's always hard to judge lumens of different beam-shapes. in addition the VPT is more focused because of the deeper reflector making the beam more impressive looking.

 

[The_Driver]

Has anyone one measured the otf lumens of the TK-70 and how it retains them of the runtime (on turbo)?

 

[JudasD]

The picture I saw showed the VPT out throwing and out spilling the TK70, that's why I was curious Everything I've seen actually shows the VPT to have a bunch of spill as well as great reach.

In person, If we take 200 yards for example: the VPT has a larger spill area than the TK70 and it appears to be a touch brighter. The VPT has a smaller but brighter hotspot. The TK70 has a larger corona, while the VPT appears to have almost no corona at all. If true flood is what you look at the VPT wins. The big win for the TK70 is the corona. The corona on the TK70 is very large and almost perfectly blends the hotspot to the spill. For folks that do not like seeing the "bouncy-ball" hotspot of a light then the TK70 is perfect for them. My father actually prefers the pattern of the TK70 while i prefer the pattern of the VPT. This is why i say i would have a tough time choosing which to buy. I like them all

JD