Marcus Aurelius
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2006
- Messages
- 102
My interest in flashlights began only a couple of weeks ago when my wife gave me a Nuwai Q-III for my birthday :rock:. I was blown away by how much light could be produced from such small package and in no time I was carrying it with me all the time. I really like the form factor of the Q-III but I was also interested in seeing whether I could find something similar with a better throw. So I decided to go back Amondotech (no affiliation) for a big Q-III 
. Here are my thoughts after having had the latter light for about two weeks. First off, My Big Q-III puts out the whitest light of all my LEDs. Where my Q-III has a hint of yellow in it, and my Dorcy Metal Gear tends toward the blue, the Big Q-III is snow white.
Second, although both are 3 watt lights, the Q-III is a single cell light measuring 3.75 inches whereas the Big Q-III takes two of the cr-123 cells and is about 5 inches long. As a result, the Big Q-III is predictably much brighter than its smaller counterpart and has a longer runtime. Since both lights appear to have the same head and reflector, the beam characteristics are the same: a powerful spot surrounded by a generous spill. The main difference is that, as you would expect, the Q-III puts out much more light. As an example, when I walk my dog through a local park at night my Q-III can throw enough light down range to illuminate the outline of a tree over 60 yards away. That is, you can see that there is a tree there, but you can't distinguish any of its features, other than its outline. The Big Q-III, in contrast, lights up the tree and most of the surrounding area enough that you can see bark patterns on the tree and other details. Because my wife and I like to spot deer in the woods near our house, we now carry the Big Q-III with us when we walk the dogs because of its ability to penetrate deeper into the woods.
Indoors, I find that the output of the Q-III is more than sufficient for any of my needs. So the extra output of the Big Q-III is not necessarily an extra advantage in this setting. However, unlike the Q-III, the Big Q-III is a two-stage light. The first click of the firm clickly turns the light onto a low setting that is great for most indoor purposes. However, it is probably too bright for reading and for most close-in work in situations in which you want to retain your night vision. Still, this gives the Big Q-III a kind of versatility that its more diminutive counterpart lacks, especially since the low setting preserves batter life.
Although I tried carrying the Big Q-III with me on a regular basis, it won't replace the Q-III either in my pocket or on my belt. I don't use a flashlight for work, just for fun, and the difference in size is just enough that the I prefer the smaller Q-III. Having said that, the big Q-III is still smaller than my old mini mag and fits easily in my back pocket and in my backpack. In fact, when I hold the big Q-III in my fist, the bezel sticks out the bottom of my hand and the switch end protrudes slight above the top. On the off chance that you know how to use a kubaton, the Big Q-III can effectively fill this role in a way that I think the smaller version cannot. That is another reason I like to carry it in my walks through the park.
As a result, I think the Big Q-III would be an great light for camping and is ideal for anyone looking for a light that has a great output that could also be used as a kubaton. So mine lives in my satchel while my Q-III lives in my pocket.
. Here are my thoughts after having had the latter light for about two weeks. First off, My Big Q-III puts out the whitest light of all my LEDs. Where my Q-III has a hint of yellow in it, and my Dorcy Metal Gear tends toward the blue, the Big Q-III is snow white. Second, although both are 3 watt lights, the Q-III is a single cell light measuring 3.75 inches whereas the Big Q-III takes two of the cr-123 cells and is about 5 inches long. As a result, the Big Q-III is predictably much brighter than its smaller counterpart and has a longer runtime. Since both lights appear to have the same head and reflector, the beam characteristics are the same: a powerful spot surrounded by a generous spill. The main difference is that, as you would expect, the Q-III puts out much more light. As an example, when I walk my dog through a local park at night my Q-III can throw enough light down range to illuminate the outline of a tree over 60 yards away. That is, you can see that there is a tree there, but you can't distinguish any of its features, other than its outline. The Big Q-III, in contrast, lights up the tree and most of the surrounding area enough that you can see bark patterns on the tree and other details. Because my wife and I like to spot deer in the woods near our house, we now carry the Big Q-III with us when we walk the dogs because of its ability to penetrate deeper into the woods.
Indoors, I find that the output of the Q-III is more than sufficient for any of my needs. So the extra output of the Big Q-III is not necessarily an extra advantage in this setting. However, unlike the Q-III, the Big Q-III is a two-stage light. The first click of the firm clickly turns the light onto a low setting that is great for most indoor purposes. However, it is probably too bright for reading and for most close-in work in situations in which you want to retain your night vision. Still, this gives the Big Q-III a kind of versatility that its more diminutive counterpart lacks, especially since the low setting preserves batter life.
Although I tried carrying the Big Q-III with me on a regular basis, it won't replace the Q-III either in my pocket or on my belt. I don't use a flashlight for work, just for fun, and the difference in size is just enough that the I prefer the smaller Q-III. Having said that, the big Q-III is still smaller than my old mini mag and fits easily in my back pocket and in my backpack. In fact, when I hold the big Q-III in my fist, the bezel sticks out the bottom of my hand and the switch end protrudes slight above the top. On the off chance that you know how to use a kubaton, the Big Q-III can effectively fill this role in a way that I think the smaller version cannot. That is another reason I like to carry it in my walks through the park.
As a result, I think the Big Q-III would be an great light for camping and is ideal for anyone looking for a light that has a great output that could also be used as a kubaton. So mine lives in my satchel while my Q-III lives in my pocket.
