Should I worry about this from SF?

Dear all, I used to own a SF L2, somehow....its length and its lack of throw made me trade it for an A2.

Funny thing is....after I own few more lights from SF. (M3, M2, A2, U2 & E1L) Some how....I kind of miss a 2 stage LED. I mean, U2 serve me right, but six level...is a bit too much and U2 is kinda bulky....(so much reasons for wanting to buy a new light.)

Well, that is the story....want to buy L2, again. Since L2's throw is a bit of "consideration" for some people during purchase decision. I am wondering is SF planning to give L2 a Collimator Optic for a bit more throw within a yr or 2? Is it possible at all? KL1 really improve nicely from its first gen. Or SF is currently busy on developing lights such as K2 or Darpa.

I just don't want to buy a L2 today and BOOM, next year they came out with Collimator Optic upgrade with both beam regulated.

my advice is to use the light for waht its ment for. Area lumination. If you want throw there KL1 has pretty decent throw IMHO. Get the L4 and order a KL1 head you can swap them both out. Then get 2 stage tailcap for the L4

I am pondering an L2 also. After responses from CPFers in this forum on a similar topic, I have decided to "hang tight" with my L4 with two stage tailcap.

I often think that multiple light levels is kind of overkill. Manufacturers ought to consider better designs, materials , electronics, etc than the razzle dazzle of too many light output levels or flashers. (except for survival/beacon/SOS lights)

IMHO , two or three light output levels is MORE that sufficient for most lighting tasks.

I am going to wait to see future offerings from SF before making a decision.

Surefire does not use optics with any of their Luxeon V models, and likely will not in the future. The Luxeon V is not optic friendly.

I have the SureFire L2 and have NOT regretted it whatsoever. Waaay to happy with it here! ! ! And like I stated in other threads, this is the only LED illuminator that I have from SureFire. The other LEDs in the offing for this year 2006 doesn't "sell" me. That's my personal take on it.

chevrofreak said:

Surefire does not use optics with any of their Luxeon V models, and likely will not in the future. The Luxeon V is not optic friendly.

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Which is such a shame because if such a model was made it would be in my top-five SureFire models never released.

Al

Size15's said:

Which is such a shame because if such a model was made it would be in my top-five SureFire models never released.

Al

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That is possible, although, with the new K2 and the fancy new thing from Cree due this summer (90LM/W or so) the Luxeon V is pretty much at the end of its life.

Didn't the Darpa DEF1 use an optic with a LuxV? Not that it is exactly available, I am just tossing this in to play smart-a** ...

And frankly ... I still prefer the reflectored beams over the optics ... for my uses a generous hotspot with spill is great ... the optics lack in the spill department for me. For military roughnecks this might be another story though ...

bernie

chevro said:

the Luxeon V is pretty much at the end of its life.

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I am hearing this for 2 years now ... :nana:

Someone should take a Kl4 and a Kl1 new gen, and swap their electronics and luxeons!! Then you would have luxv behind the new optic... results? hmm

wuyeah: perhaps a McGizmo 2 stage aleph switch for your E1L (led right?) would be what you need. But it won't be the 5w flood beam of course..

Kiessling said:

I am hearing this for 2 years now ... :nana:

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Yeah but we really really mean it this time

The latest LuxV's are insanely bright, 200ish lumens, but if Cree makes a 3w version of their "90LM/W" thing its going to blow the LuxV out of the water.

Kiessling said:

Didn't the Darpa DEF1 use an optic with a LuxV? Not that it is exactly available, I am just tossing this in to play smart-a** ...

And frankly ... I still prefer the reflectored beams over the optics ... for my uses a generous hotspot with spill is great ... the optics lack in the spill department for me. For military roughnecks this might be another story though ...

bernie

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Isnt the DEF1 what evolved into the Kroma?

CHC said:

I have the SureFire L2 and have NOT regretted it whatsoever. Waaay to happy with it here! ! ! And like I stated in other threads, this is the only LED illuminator that I have from SureFire. The other LEDs in the offing for this year 2006 doesn't "sell" me. That's my personal take on it.

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Hahaha, nice to see CHC again.....if i remember correctly....i was fantsy making choice of M2/A2 CHC helped me a lot, i end up own both lights. Though not LED, yet, happy with both. Now he starts talk about L2.....hmmm.

from time to time, Al really recommanded the L2 THE most. CHC also has good words towards it. Review all show test result that L2 has rapid down fall on high after 11min. to 50%. As I understood most people mainly use L2 for its low setting.

Question for Al & CHC: Is the 50% down fall on high beam really noticeable ?? I did not play mine for long before i traded the L2. If the down fall on high is really noticeable, it looks like i am purchasing a 50 lumen light instead of 100 lumen power torch.

Hello Wuyeah!

Well, I have not really done a full on continuous runtime on my SureFire L2. I use it mostly on high for short burst runs and occasionally on low. But I do notice after an extended period of time that the high does dim down some. When that happens, I simply swap for fresh batteries once every other month.

On a side note, have you seen or heard of the Pierce M10? Right here:

http://piercelight.com

Oh and way to go on your SF.A2 and SF.M2. :thumbsup:

Enjoy! :wave:

wuyeah said:

Question for Al & CHC: Is the 50% down fall on high beam really noticeable ?? I did not play mine for long before i traded the L2. If the down fall on high is really noticeable, it looks like i am purchasing a 50 lumen light instead of 100 lumen power torch.

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The output/runtime of the L2 on high in my experience is not like that chart. I use my L2 on high all the time and I don't notice anything different compared to the L4 etc.

Remembering though that the L2 is a low output / long runtime flashlight with a high output mode designed to output the most light possible when called required.

Al

I'm trying to decide between a L2 and L4. Does the L2 heat up like the L4? Heating up means the heatsink is working but I prefer warm rather than hot. Does the extra 1 inch length of the L2 make it cumbersome and hard to fit in a jacket pocket?

chevrofreak said:

Isnt the DEF1 what evolved into the Kroma?

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Speculation mode: it seems the Kroma has the form factor of the DEF1, but I seem to recall that the DEF1 used a LuxV, meaning it was basically a U2 with an optic, whereas the Kroma uses a LuxIII and some 3mm LEDs AND a very divverent user interface. As I don't know anything about the other DEF models I cannot state anything about them to make a precise and valid point

dmz said:

I'm trying to decide. . .Does the L2 heat up like the L4? Heating up means the heatsink is working but I prefer warm rather than hot. Does the extra 1 inch length of the L2 make it cumbersome and hard to fit in a jacket pocket?

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The feel is "warm to touch" and not hot as some would state. Maybe because my hands are "commercial painting construction" hands, if you know what I mean?

I have no problems EDC'ing the SureFire L2 on my person, whether it's riding in my jacket pocket or jeans pockets. I primarily would have it reside on my right-side leg pocket since I use the relaxed carpenter type jeans. Then again, Your Modus May Vary.

Enjoy!

chevrofreak said:

That is possible, although, with the new K2 and the fancy new thing from Cree due this summer (90LM/W or so) the Luxeon V is pretty much at the end of its life.

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Im with Kiessling about the luxV, and 90lm/W, I'll beleive it when I see indepent testers doing the numbers, not crees marketing department...

For the qestion, I doubt surefire will ever do LuxV with optics.

thesurefire said:

Im with Kiessling about the luxV, and 90lm/W, I'll beleive it when I see indepent testers doing the numbers, not crees marketing department...

For the qestion, I doubt surefire will ever do LuxV with optics.

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From what I've been told Cree doesn't exagerate their light output like lumileds does. Lumileds tests their output at an insanely low temperature, which automatically means their readings are overstated if the LED will be used at room temperature.

I thought the DEF1 used a LuxIII? Does anyone have any real specs on it?