What to get- Is LED worth it yet?

brett174 · Jun 30, 2006

After many months of reading, researching and contemplating I had almost decided to purchase the Pelican M6 2390 (LED). My main requirements are something bright with good throw. I dont have a specific need for the flashlight, but want something reliable and powerful in case of an emergency situation. And I want something that looks stylish too.

Then I started thinking, do I really need a LED flashlight, other than the improved lifetime (which as I will probably only be using it infrequently, isnt a main concern) and the fact that LED's wont break, this seems to be outweighted by the greatly increased costs of LED over incan lights.

My budget is $100, which the 2390 falls within, but for that price I could easily get a Surefire C2 or a Streamlight TL3 which would be considerablly brighter with greater throw. Even the regular M6 incan for less than $40 seems to have way better throw/output than the LED version. (78.65 / 57 vs 52.44 / 35). I've also read that LED's produce a more "ghostly" light which is harder on the eyes.

So what does everyone reckon? I guess its just a matter of personal taste. I've always wanted to own a LED light, for the coolness factor, but in every other aspect they seem to lose out to incans.

Lit Up · Jun 30, 2006

Well you have to consider an emergency situation may last longer than 1-2 hours with these ultra-bright based flashlights.

The Pelican gets about that according to this review:
here

If you want "useably bright," long runtime and decent throw, might wanna wait for some other suggestions here. I'd recommend the MagLED as it encompasses the above, but a 2D might be too large for your purposes.

I personally think there's too many changes happening in the LED field currently to sink alot of cash into a light. What with K2 LED's and Cree making their announcement about more lumens. I'll bide my time with the MagLED/ <50ish lights and see what happens.

Edit: Here's a classic example backing up that last statement.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/123417&page=1&pp=30

smknman · Jun 30, 2006

???? Seriously? Incans better than LED's?

You can now get an led light at mallwart that last 20 hours, is about as bright as a ma*light 2d and cost under 20 bucks. They will continue to improve, but jump on in the waters fine.

You are playing with plenty of budget, you can get the pelican recoil 2410 easily. It uses AA bats and gives a nice throwy beam (I can see things 200yds across the river) and it is both tough and dependable. Mine has been down to 120ft and survived the rigors of a redneck lifestyle.
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/pelican_2410.htm

chesterqw · Jun 30, 2006

because the maglite 2D is using an old tech bulb.

and besides, you can never beat an incan in lumen output and throw... unless you have multi led setup and has some BIG reflector.

like the USL, it will be impossible for LED to beat it now...

270winchester · Jun 30, 2006

chesterqw said:
because the maglite 2D is using an old tech bulb.

and besides, you can never beat an incan in lumen output and throw... unless you have multi led setup and has some BIG reflector.

like the USL, it will be impossible for LED to beat it now...

so what do you plan to do at minute 14 with the USL?

Lit Up · Jun 30, 2006

I think lumens and throw has a cut off point between being practical and "toy/wow factor." So the mega-monsters can illuminate a sign 300 yards off that I'd be hard pressed to see clearly even in the daytime. Great.

And all monster throw would allow you in the woods is a few more seconds notice that some random bear/dangerous animal is about to have his way with you.

Spotting bear, getting gun, re-spotting bear and making a stopping shot is simply not gonna happen in the very few seconds it takes a bear to close the distance.

So all that aside, yes, there are several choices of LED based lights that can provide the brightness and throw for typical usage needs and provide decent runtime to boot.

Planterz · Jun 30, 2006

LEDs are clearly taking over the market for small, personal, pocket sized lights. Incandescents simply can't compete anymore with LEDs in the single-cell form factor. Nearly any AA powered 1W or 3W will beat out the Surefire E1E, and lights like the HDS blow it out of the water. Add features like regulation, mulit-level output, and never replacing a bulb again, and LEDs clearly spell the doom for small incandescents.

Only when you go to 2 cell, 6V lights can the incandescent still compete with the LEDs. Incandescents on 2 cells can match or beat the brightness of LEDs, and offer better color rendition. I'd personally prefer my Surefire A2 to any 2 cell LED light available.

More than 2 cells, and this is where LEDs haven't caught up with incandescents (yet). Incandescents still rule this market. The only way an LED light can compete with these, lumen-wise, is by cramming at least 3 LEDs in a single head, and even then, the incandescent still wins in throw.

The white LED is still a very recent invention, only about 6 or 7 years old. Incandesencts have like a 100 year head start. But give it time...

boostmiser · Jun 30, 2006

A few reasons I'm staying away from LED's:
They don't cut through fog/smoke etc very well
The color rendition isn't great. I've seen a lot of beam shots. For example, a red car lit up at 50 ft. doesn't look red. I just don't like that.
However, in an emergency situation, LED's could be the best option since the run time is high. It all depends.

a99raptors · Jun 30, 2006

Spend the same amount of money, but get both. You get the best of both worlds, plus the peace of mind of having a totally separate backup. True that LEDs are not yet mature, but so what? They have benefits that are undeniable. Can't have a perfect system.

morelightnow · Jun 30, 2006

i think LEDS show colors way better than incandescents. i did use a 2a maglite at work but now use an inova x1. now i can actually determine wiring colors when working on vehicles. maybe the maglite just sucks at putting out good light? all bulbs, including flourescents are different so take that into consideration. the LEDS in my SL twintak 3c are very blue in tint unlike my x1. i will never buy another incandescent, from now on my colleciton will consist of LED or HID.

dim · Jun 30, 2006

Get Both! LEDs and incans.

While there are some very nice flashlights with prices to match, there are also some excellent performers at more reasonable prices.

If you're looking for throw, in the $25 range is the much praised SL PP Lux at a reviewed 3000 Lux. While I'm not suggesting that is what you should get per se, it's just an indication of the values that are available and how far, if you're cautious with your money, $100 can go.

A MAG "warm wire", a MAG of your choice and appropriate power supply (batteries), charger, and a modest KPR or XPR bulb produces about 150 inexpensive lumens. Tightly focused, MAGs throw. Needless to say, unfocused, they're quite bright floods too. Because of the modest draw of the bulbs, expect good runtimes too.

I'm partial to the Gerber LX3.0, an excellent general purpose Luxeon III flashlight that produces about 50 Lumens and has crazy bright spill. I've reviewed the LX3 HERE. The retail price of the LX3 is about $50, but good deals can be easily found.

For an emergency, runtime, 5mm LED flashlight, I don't know that there is any reason to look any further than your local Target store. While it, surely, is not as bright as a Luxeon, the new Inova X1 is surprisingly bright and effective at about eight or so lumens, especially with dark adapted eyes and runs for a reviewed nine hours to 50% on one AA battery. HA too. $20.

All three of these flashlights can be had for about $100. It's a lot of light and flashlights for the money that cover a broad range of tasks. These are the flashlights that I use the most. I'm a "bang for the buck" kind of flashaholic. It sounds as if you are too.

73
dim

savumaki · Jun 30, 2006

YES

I think thats the short answer;
I own several LED and incan lights (Tri-lux 2D mag and mag 85 are fav.) along with a Fenix and several photons (plus others). These all work well but the Tri-lux, WOW, sure lights up the yard :drool:

and the Fenix is great for my EDC.

Throw is great, BUT if your eye can't recognize what you just lit up, what good is it?

All this from a guy that used to own nine mag lights (and swore by them). I still have some but they do NOT perform as they came from the factory; all because of LED's.

Go for one, you will love it.

Karl

Warp · Jun 30, 2006

Lit Up said:
And all monster throw would allow you in the woods is a few more seconds notice that some random bear/dangerous animal is about to have his way with you.

Spotting bear, getting gun, re-spotting bear and making a stopping shot is simply not gonna happen in the very few seconds it takes a bear to close the distance.

A few seconds is a very long time.

I can draw and fire from concealment in 2 seconds, which not hard to do at all if you put any kind of time into practice/training.

Spot bear with light in left hand, hold spot on bear while drawing gun with right hand, fire.

Of course, you need a very serious handgun cartridge to attempt to stop a bear. Lot better than nothing, though, and a lot easier to carry around than a rifle.

Lit Up · Jun 30, 2006

Warp said:
A few seconds is a very long time.

I can draw and fire from concealment in 2 seconds, which not hard to do at all if you put any kind of time into practice/training.

Spot bear with light in left hand, hold spot on bear while drawing gun with right hand, fire.

Of course, you need a very serious handgun cartridge to attempt to stop a bear. Lot better than nothing, though, and a lot easier to carry around than a rifle.

In regards to handguns vs. bears: file off the front sight.

nc987 · Jun 30, 2006

Spotting bear, getting gun, re-spotting bear and making a stopping shot is simply not gonna happen in the very few seconds it takes a bear to close the distance.

Well if your light happens to be attached to a gun then the problem is eliminated.

Lit Up · Jun 30, 2006

nc987 said:
Well if your light happens to be attached to a gun then the problem is eliminated.

As we huddled around the front of the tent I said that we should make a stalk on the two bears I had watched the night before and all agreed.

Two men carried .338s, while another cradled a 45/70 with a 22-inch barrel and peep sight. The pilot and I carried the .500 handguns. Weapons loaded, we proceeded to hike the mile to the hill by the river.

I noticed the wind had shifted and was blowing off my right shoulder. I stopped and with a hand motion, pointed to the left where we needed to walk so we would be downwind from the bruins.

Alsworth — a registered master guide — and I would start the stalk there. I looked from the gently sloping hillside and saw indeed my thoughts were right — the big boar was still on the kill.

Jim Oltersdorf displays the grizzly he harvested with a handgun.

Much to my surprise there were two other bears halfway concealed in the thick brush as well! Alsworth and I started as the other men stood their ground watching us in great anticipation of the events to come.

Hunched down, we inched our way toward the bears with 25 yards separating us from each other. Alsworth was to my right and we were making a good stalk when suddenly one of the three bears stood up on its hind legs and spotted us. It spun around and took off, scaring the other bear along with it.

I had leveled off in a two-handed Weaver stance with the .500 but held my fire as my target wasn't as prominent as I would have liked. A wounded brownie can become the devil himself and that was the last thing I wanted.

In the meanwhile Alsworth n became separated from me as a small body of water prevented him from coming my way and closer to the boar that was on the kill. The bear started to get up when Alsworth backtracked and got along side of me.

I trained my revolver at the bear and watched as my hunting partner lay on the ground in a firing position. I nodded my head to him and a second later, the blast of his .500 Smith & Wesson echoed against the distant hillsides.

The bear never flinched when the bullet hit him and it continued to get up. Immediately I fired my .500, the bullet striking the great bear center mass and, again, it never flinched.

We were about 20 yards from it and in a spot where we could be readily seen by the beast. In a blur we continued firing, then our backup with his 45/70 fired twice into the bear on the seventh or eighth shots.

When the first 45/70 bullets hit it, the bear went down and it got back up; the second hit didn't seem to phase it. Alsworth and I advanced and kept firing at the bear.

We stopped 15 yards from the wounded brownie. I heard one of the most terrible sounds I have ever heard in my life. My hunting partner's gun went click; he had run out of ammunition.

Immediately I leveled off at the animal and squeezed the trigger; the Smith & Wesson exhaled its fire breath. The bear went down and stayed.

You simply won't get that many chances on a charging bear in the middle of the night.

Back to topic: Yes, an LED light will serve fine for general outdoor/camping purposes.

leukos · Jun 30, 2006

As dim said, for $100 you could get both incandescent and LED. I would get a Surefire G2, a G&P 3watt drop-in module, and a UCL lens. It should cost you around $80 for that set up, and it will be as versitile as you need.

Long John · Jun 30, 2006

savumaki told you my thoughts

I own several incands too and can say, I prefer Led lights. A lot of people are not happy with the white light outdoors.
I like this colour a lot more than the yellow bulb light. Specially after a few minutes when the voltage drops. The Ledlight is as bright like new batteries and the bulb looks like a candle in comparison.

In your pricerange are a lot nice Ledlights, HDS, Fenix, SL PP-Lux 4AA, and more. I don't know any Bulblight alternative to this lights with their advantages in the sum, brightness, runtime, different brightness levels, efficiency and lifetime.

Buy one and you will be happy :grin2:

Best regards

____
Tom

Bror Jace · Jun 30, 2006

I can't see any reason to wait on the fence and pass up on the LEDs in the $6-$40 range.

I might not blow $100+ on an LED right now (as I have no idea what's going to be available next year ... or in 3-5 years) but there are so many good, useful LED lights available for under $25. I don't see a reason NOT to, especially since many situations don't call for retina-burning performance.

sORe-EyEz · Jul 2, 2006

hi Brett174, i jus got d M6 LED 2390. here's my opinion...

pros:
. regulated output
. great throw
. reasonably compact
. low feedback switch
. no worry abt bulb failure (well, almost)

cons
. plastic lense can get scratches
. costly (upfront)

others
. light abit blue

i also own d M6 2330 & d incand bulb module & personally liked it enough 2 buy d 2390, though i prefer d holster w/o spare batt compartment...
i cut a piece of plastic photographic filter (warming filter 81B) to alter d color of d light closer 2 pure white but may get a stronger warming filter 2 shift d light 2 a more yellow tint.

What to get- Is LED worth it yet?

Newly Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Newly Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Newly Enlightened

Enlightened

Enlightened

Enlightened

Enlightened

Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Enlightened

Enlightened

Similar threads