i have to chose between a L2 or L4...

Hi,

I just had an A2 to my collection.Now i am thinking of a KL-4 for my E2E body witch is a bit less expensive or a L2...

I want something with a lot of light.All my flashlights have more throw than overal output(e2e,e2l,C2(p-61) and A2.

I hesitate a lot between the 2....on the flashlight review site, it says that the L2 has a lack of regulation but in the same time it seems to be a very bright light.

Is there someone with beamshots of L2 compare to L4? any recommendations for my choice?

Thanks a lot

I don't have the L2, but do have the L4 with a two way Gizmo switch and it is one of the best lights I have or have seen. I use Lighthounds protected 17670 battery and love the combo!!

Hi Sylvain,

Here are my thoughts.

I own an L4 and think it is incredible.

However, if I were to given the chance to buy an L4 as is, or a L2 as is, I would go with the L2.

The reason I mention that is that you mentioned that the L4 is less expensive, which technically is true.

The reason I wanted the L4 was that I got a McGizmo two stage tailcap for it, and that allowed for a shorter size light, that could run on PIla rechargeable batteries, and also at two levels of light (albeit unregulated on low). I do believe that the L2 itself is regulated on both Levels.

For that reason I prefer my L4 over over a stock L2, however doing what I did actually cost more money than buying an L2 off of the shelf.

Those are all things you will want to take into consideration before making a final decision.

Hope that helps,
John

thanks,

But for the output, am i better to go for the L2?

Please take a look at this thread. It may answer some of your questions about the L2. http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=104513

Thanks,

I was confused about the choice of buying a Kl4 conversion head for my e2e or a new L2. But after seeing on the Surefire site that the convertion head had only 65 lumens i am a bit more interested for the L2....

The SureFire L2 is what people consider a wall of light. The only LED from SureFire that is in my arsenal is this model, and it is Very Bright and White! :huh: More suitable for the short to medium area lighting range, and that is what I like about it!

Another CPF member is going to take a look at it sometime this week so that a decision can be made as whether to buy the SF.L2 or pass.

Enjoy!

I have two L4's and three L2's.

In actual use there isn't much difference in the brightness of the L4 and the L2 on high.

There is a difference, but you have to do a side by side comparison or a ceiling bounce test to see that the L2 is slightly brighter.

They both use the same reflector, so the beams are the same.

I recommend that you base your choice on other factors. Such as:

The L2 is brighter on low than a L4 with a two stage switch on low.
The L4 is smaller and has a clicky switch.
THe L4 can use Pilas and AW sells rechargeable cells that work in the L2.

I wouldn't pick the L2 over the L4 because it's brighter, but if I wanted a light with long runtime I would pick the L2 and use the low beam. The L2 runs in regulation for 8 hours on low and it's quite a bit brighter than the A2 on low.

I also wouldn't base my decision on whether to buy the L4 or L2 on price. The difference in price on lights in this price range isn't really a factor. I know five bucks is five bucks, but the percentage difference isn't all that much.

I recommend you buy the light you want. Whether it's the L2 or L4, I think you'll be pleased.

As HogHead summed up nicely—". . .Buy the light you want."

I want both, but for now, i have to chose one....

Very not easy....

If I am correct that the L4 only has a single stage on mode, which as the battery fades, results in a weaker lumen beam, then without a doubt I would recommend the L2.

If you get 1 or 2 of AW's $10 rechargeable 14670 Li-Ion's, you will appreciate having the choice of using low in many situations. Doing any up close work (within 1-4 feet), the 100 Lumen output is really too much light and blinds you.

I bought the L2 because I wanted the high output, but in reality...after about a year, I would say that I use the low setting 70% of the time. With this rechargeable battery, I also get a gradation of about 5 settings of low output that starts weaker than the one stage low with disposable 123a's, and ends brighter than the disposables produce for the low setting. The high output seems to be just as bright with AW's as the 123a's.

If you rotate the tailcap using the numbers on a clock....initial weak low output starts at 12:00, and steadily increases until the high output triggers at about a 10:00 position. It's really a great light, but I do not own the L4...so take my comments with that taken into account.

sylvain said:

I want both, but for now, i have to chose one....

Very not easy....

Click to expand...

Get the L2.

I've been having this same debate with myself between the L2 and L4.

However, I should point out that the L2 is rated for eighteen hours of runtime on the low setting...not eight as I have seen posted. Because of this, and the fact that most users seem to employ the low setting more than the high, I think I'm going to go ahead and order a L2 myself.

When I get it, I'll try to post my observations.

You might want to check kj's runtime plots and the runtime plots at The LED Museum.

kj's L2 runtime plot.
http://www.obaq.tv/cpf/images/SureFire_L2_Runtime.png
kj's plot shows about 10 hours of regulated light on low.

Craig's runtime plot of the L2 on low.
http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/ledleft.htm
Craig's runtime plot has less regulated runtime on low than kj's.

We might just be refering to two different things. I'm refering to the regulated runtime to the point where the lights begin to dim, not the total runtime on a set of batteries.

Hoghead, I wonder if those are low because they kept them on continuously and maybe some heat decreased the run time if you did it in segments. I'm not sure, but just thinking.

I find the low setting perfect for most uses. I keep it on my nightstand for those 'bumps in the night' as well as just going to the bathroom. I even use it when camping for the same purpose as well as walking around after dark. It makes a great light with instant access to a HUGE flood.

I put batteries in my L2 at the same time as my L4. I alterate use between the two and have replaced the L4 but not the L2...FWIW.

LuxLuthor said:

Hoghead, I wonder if those are low because they kept them on continuously and maybe some heat decreased the run time if you did it in segments. I'm not sure, but just thinking.

Click to expand...

I think 8 to 10 hours of regulated runtime at this level of brightness is very good.

If you don't need a pocket light, go with the L2, it's a great light and is 2 stage right out of the box. I find the longer lengh easier to handle.

Chuck

Hoghead said:

I think 8 to 10 hours of regulated runtime at this level of brightness is very good.

Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I do too....but just thinking out loud that it would be perhaps longer than that if not forced to overheat from continued on rundown for testing. In other words, that is not how anyone would normally use it.

I agree that most of my EDC lights get a lot of momentary use, but work lights or emergency lights could very well be used for hours at a time.

I bought extra L2s just for running for hours at a time on low.

The L2 replaced my first generation KL1/3x123 McLux that ran for 7 hours in regulation and a first generation KL3/C3 that ran for 8 hours in regulation.