CMG/Gerber IU practical beamshot request

_q_ · Jan 22, 2006

Hi guys,

I'm looking for a small and long running AA(A) light for backup and reading books. Among all lights discussed here I think that Infinity Ultra probably is the best. Runtime and size are perfect, but what troubles me is the output. I've read flashlightreviews and ledmuseum, seen beamshots and lux measures, but it doesn't tell me much since I have only Ghost II and crappy noname 2D incan to compare. There are people who say it's enough indoors, others say it's too dim. So, can anyone post a practical beamshot how actually it looks e.g. in a room or pointed on something?

Second thing is how does output change with Nicha CS or Snow29 inside. There is a comparison beamshot out there (stock LED vs Nicha CS), but again, it's good for comparing lights, but it doesn't show how the difference work in real world.

Sorry I'm asking for such trivial thing, but where I live IU's are for ~45$ and it's a bit too hard just to buy and check it.

TIA

Nitroz · Jan 22, 2006

Here's a few shots of a stock vs. nichia cs.

This mod makes a huge difference in output compared to stock. If you want to buy one you should see if someone would buy one and have it shipped to you, of course with you paying them.

_q_ · Jan 22, 2006

Of course - I'm going to buy it in a "cpf shop" and have it shipped. It's half the price including shipping...

Lit Up · Jan 22, 2006

I have one of the Gerber's with a red LED. To be honest, it's very ringy and light output is pretty much worthless. I think you'd get more mileage with a cheap photon knockoff. Since you're also open to AAA,I don't know if a Dorcy 1AAA is available where you live but it's cheaper and FAR more useful IMO.

Definitely don't shell out 45. It's simply not worth it.

paulr · Jan 23, 2006

The IU series is not that great as a reading light. The beam is too directional, and white leds (especially the blueish ones) aren't that comfortable for reading. You want a smooth even wide flood with no hot spot at all, maybe in a warm color like amber, but NOT a primary color (R/G/B) since that means you'd only be using a third of your eye's receptors and apparent resolution would be lower. Finally, holding the light while you read is a nuisance. Oh yes, don't feel you need to swap leds to increase the brightness, the IU is already a bit too bright at such close distane.

Best bet, get a lightweight floody headlamp (PT Aurora e.g.) and put some frosted tape on it to diffuse the beam. My favorite handheld light is a McLux TK with the McFlood reflector.

_q_ · Jan 23, 2006

Hmm, headlamp sounds v. interesting. I think I'll do so, IU will stay as backup (I just like the look of it, cannot resist). I didn't realize it might to TOO bright at (such) close distance :wow:.
My old Ghost II with 7 LEDs changed (chinese 15cd has made its hotspot ~4 times bigger and so overall output is much better) is definately not too bright for this. On the other hand it was enough (at most :>) to go through an unknown cave - 2D incanc of course broke down in the middle of the trip. IU with Nicha must be quite a nice flashlight then... lasting twice as long.

Thanks guys for help!

BTW, I'll have sth with red LuxIII as just-to-have-fun flashlight. Don't need those small 5mm red LEDs ;D

swissbianco · Jan 23, 2006

as i compared the stock gerber infinty, gray or blk alu dont matter, have both and an mod gerber with bright white led i can say its an huge difference.

the original versions is really dim compared to he mod ones. remember me at my stock minimag and the 3led drop in conversion.

i really like the sturdiness of the gerber and long runtime with cheap aa cells that hasent be shortened by the new brighter led.

Lit Up · Jan 23, 2006

swissbianco said:
as i compared the stock gerber infinty, gray or blk alu dont matter, have both and an mod gerber with bright white led i can say its an huge difference.

the original versions is really dim compared to he mod ones. remember me at my stock minimag and the 3led drop in conversion.

i really like the sturdiness of the gerber and long runtime with cheap aa cells that hasent be shortened by the new brighter led.

IMO, for the price, (including shipping) If I had to go and mod mine to get decent light output, I'd have just stepped up to the Fenix. Which is what I really wish I would've done now. I could've gotten 5 stock Dorcy 1AAA's for the price of one stock IU and they'd be brighter.

Ahh well. Once burned, lesson learned, I guess.

cratz2 · Jan 23, 2006

While the Dorcy 1AAA and 1AA bodies make nice hosts for mods, I'm not a big fan of them for 'use as is' lights. The CMG Infinity Ultras just have a much more quality feel to them in my opinion. Having said that, I'd have to agree with paulr and say none of them are great reading lights. I mean, for flashling across a piece of paper to make sure its the correct piece of paper, they are fine, but for actual book reading, I'd want something dramatically different. For one thing, though the Ultra throws a very wide beam, it still has a well-defined hotspot and I'd rather not have such a hotspot for a reading light. Also, the Ultra is probably a bit too bright for reading purposes. Again, it will work, but on a glossy magazine or art book, it's just too bright though for matte paperbacks it would probably suffice.

I recently did a mod using a Solitaire modded with a Nichia CS LED on a LiON cell. I think this light, with about a 15 or 20 ohm resistor would be a great reading light as the hotspot is pretty much the entire beam. Again, stock it would be way too bright in my opinion, but if it was dimmed down considerably, it might work out very nicely.

Here they are compared, CMG Infinity Ultra on the left, the modded Solitaire on the right. Imagine the beam pattern of the Solitaire, but only as bright as the spillbeam of the Ultra.

Lit Up · Jan 24, 2006

cratz2 said:
While the Dorcy 1AAA and 1AA bodies make nice hosts for mods, I'm not a big fan of them for 'use as is' lights. The CMG Infinity Ultras just have a much more quality feel to them in my opinion. Having said that, I'd have to agree with paulr and say none of them are great reading lights. I mean, for flashling across a piece of paper to make sure its the correct piece of paper, they are fine, but for actual book reading, I'd want something dramatically different. For one thing, though the Ultra throws a very wide beam, it still has a well-defined hotspot and I'd rather not have such a hotspot for a reading light. Also, the Ultra is probably a bit too bright for reading purposes. Again, it will work, but on a glossy magazine or art book, it's just too bright though for matte paperbacks it would probably suffice.

I recently did a mod using a Solitaire modded with a Nichia CS LED on a LiON cell. I think this light, with about a 15 or 20 ohm resistor would be a great reading light as the hotspot is pretty much the entire beam. Again, stock it would be way too bright in my opinion, but if it was dimmed down considerably, it might work out very nicely.

Here they are compared, CMG Infinity Ultra on the left, the modded Solitaire on the right. Imagine the beam pattern of the Solitaire, but only as bright as the spillbeam of the Ultra.

Yeouch. My eyes hurt just looking at the beamshot on that. I think Mag could take a few lessons from this place (and they probably are..haha)

Skyclad01 · Jan 24, 2006

cratz2 said:
While the Dorcy 1AAA and 1AA bodies make nice hosts for mods, I'm not a big fan of them for 'use as is' lights. The CMG Infinity Ultras just have a much more quality feel to them in my opinion. Having said that, I'd have to agree with paulr and say none of them are great reading lights. I mean, for flashling across a piece of paper to make sure its the correct piece of paper, they are fine, but for actual book reading, I'd want something dramatically different. For one thing, though the Ultra throws a very wide beam, it still has a well-defined hotspot and I'd rather not have such a hotspot for a reading light. Also, the Ultra is probably a bit too bright for reading purposes. Again, it will work, but on a glossy magazine or art book, it's just too bright though for matte paperbacks it would probably suffice.

I recently did a mod using a Solitaire modded with a Nichia CS LED on a LiON cell. I think this light, with about a 15 or 20 ohm resistor would be a great reading light as the hotspot is pretty much the entire beam. Again, stock it would be way too bright in my opinion, but if it was dimmed down considerably, it might work out very nicely.

Here they are compared, CMG Infinity Ultra on the left, the modded Solitaire on the right. Imagine the beam pattern of the Solitaire, but only as bright as the spillbeam of the Ultra.

Thats definitely a bright little solitare!

CMG/Gerber IU practical beamshot request

_q_

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Nitroz

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_q_

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Lit Up

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paulr

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_q_

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swissbianco

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Lit Up

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cratz2

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Lit Up

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Skyclad01

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