KL3 beam differences

Anyone know why my new KL3's beam is so much wider than the other one? They're both the new un-tapered style but the wider one has a bunch of circluar rings around the "dome" inside the lens and the tight beamed one is smooth. Could this have something to do with it, or maybe one lacks the TIR optic? Could be a Gen 1 for all I know. Its still got about the same throw, it just has that little sidespill and I kinda like it im just curious why its that way.

Please can you post photos of the front of both bezels.
I guess it's possible that SureFire have make an in-line change but it's also possible that it's either a normal variation, or a defect etc.

Al

Here can you can see the rings on the bottom head.

You'd think that one should have the tighter beam. I guess we can add beam collimation to the list of luxeon lottery defects.

I've wondered this myself. I've seen the one with the fresnel looking lens. I guess perhaps they modified it to have these rings to give some side-spill as some people did not like the lack of spill?

Looks like a revision of the optic.

IsaacHayes said:

I've wondered this myself. I've seen the one with the fresnel looking lens. I guess perhaps they modified it to have these rings to give some side-spill as some people did not like the lack of spill?

Looks like a revision of the optic.

Click to expand...

That was my thought, more spill without losing too much intensity.


BTW, did it hurt when you were impaled and mauled by a cougar :duck:

??? Did Chef the other Isaac Hayes get mauled by a cougar? ??

IsaacHayes said:

??? Did Chef the other Isaac Hayes get mauled by a cougar? ??

Click to expand...

So it was 'splained to me.

Yeah... Isaac Hayes is a Scientologist and when Trey Parker and Matt Stone did the episode making fun of Scientology and Tom Cruise, I guess he got bent out of shape over it so... they killed him. EXTRA killed him!

Funny that he never got mad of them making fun of Jews, Mormons or Catholics all of which were equally or more irreverant than the Scientology episode. I just think people lose perspective when it hits home. They (Trey and Matt) probably don't have anything against Scientologist themselves, but it's pretty easy to poke fun of any religion's or denomination's pecularities.

Back on topic, I've been thinking of getting a KL3 to use with 2 LiON cells... But just when I have a complete grasp on the KL1 revisions, the KL3s seem like a pretty scary proposition. I'd want the one with the super tight beam and no or minimal rings.

Hopefully Al will chime back in with the external difference that will guarantee I will get the version I'm seeking since there seems to be a bit of confusion.

The new- and old-style Kl3/gen2 can be seen on the photos on surefire.com:
http://www.surefire.com/surefire/content/kl3_large.jpg

edit: actually its the new-style and newer-style of the KL3gen2, because there was the sloped version too...

In both the photo on the Surefire website and the one posted above the Black version has the rings on the optic while the Hard Anodized version does not. Coincidence?

Cratz2, I don't think any KL3 gen2 has rings in the beam. Only kl1 has that. The KL3 beam is just a tight spot, or the newer optic with rings/grooves in it has some corona...

I guess we could call this gen2.5? I wonder if any gen2.5 (optic with rings) had the tapered end..

Chehalis, I'm guessing all KL3's will soon go to this new ringed optic... Once old stock runs out.

Looks like an inline change!
I don't have me one of those...

Size15's said:

I don't have me one of those...

Click to expand...

That doesn't happen often Al. You are always the man with the "new stuff". They owe you a free upgrade now! :laughing:

Got mine from Lighthound a few days ago. The beam is much more useful now with the fresnel rings. I get the feeling that the throw is affected a bit although John (lighthound) said the fresnel rings will not affect the throw by much. I'll be going to some rural area tomorrow and make some comparisons while I'm there.

I have the KL3 Gen2 in Black with the rings in the lens. It is mounted on a 6P. It provides more sidespill and is still a good thrower in comparison to the beamshots I have seen on this forum of the KL3 Gen 2 in HA. It almost throws as well as the Streamlight Pro Polymer 4AA Luxeon I have. It is much better that the 6P incan that has a much yellower ouput. In comparison to the incan vs led, I prefer the led and the much longer runtime it offers.

My green KL3 has them.

Since I use it with the BeamShaper I would almost prefer the tight beam.

Scott

I have the KL3 with the fins around the head. Never been modded to run hotter though I did think about it a while back. This one has a white, flood type beam which is fine for now. It's now on a brass UBH body but I may put it on a 6P.

Chehalis said:

In both the photo on the Surefire website and the one posted above the Black version has the rings on the optic while the Hard Anodized version does not. Coincidence?

Click to expand...

Perhaps that is what the difference is between the new kl3 and the newer kl3. Then again, it might just be the camera view.

WOW - we need to get a handle on the generation differences between these KL3s.

Gen 1: Original finned versions
Gen 2: with sloped "transition" at base - TIR optic (no rings)
Gen 3: without sloped "transition" at base -TIR optic (no rings)
Gen 4: without sloped "transition" at base - TIR optic w/rings

Do I have that right? We needs pics of all of them together!

My HA KL3 has the rings, and it has a nice usefull beam, much better than my hated KL1's that are all spot. I don't have the KL3 without the rings, so I can't make that comparison.

Chuck