zespectre
Flashlight Enthusiast
Another "Real World" review by ZeSpectre
Three Mag-LED Review
Written 0609.19
Initial Impression(s)
The drop in module for the 3xD maglite looks essentially like a small standard bulb, the two "mini-mag" LED lights both resemble the traditional mini-maglite although both have slightly longer heads and the 3xAA light is, of course, much longer in the body. Construction quality is consistant with what Mag has produced in the past which is to say pretty darn good.
==============================================================
Poor Man's IS Meter Reading(s) (uncalibrated sensor, these reading are just for comparison purposes). EDC60 and L2 added for comparison.
HDS EDC 60 Basic
Lowest: 00.34
Highest: 44.80
Surefire L2
Lowest: 12.50
Highest: 102.80
2xAA MiniMagLED
Lowest: N/A
Highest: 20.10
3xAA MiniMagLED
Lowest: N/A
Highest: 37.75
3xD MagLED drop in module
Lowest: N/A
Highest: 41.50
==============================================================
Real World (Evening Walk) Commentary.
The evening walk takes place over a 2 mile loop. It begins on a well lit and well paved street, proceeds into a dimly lit neighborhood, then through an unlit trail (which is mostly cleared on one side but heavily overgrown on the other), back into another dimly lit neighborhood, and finally back to well lit streets/sidewalks. There isn't any location on our walk where I can see more than about 150 yards in a straight line but on a clear evening, with more or less dark adapted eyes, I have settled on a series of targets to judge performance.
#1) White 4x4 inch marker sign with red lettering from 10 yards away (through dense undergrowth).
#2) A light grey mailbox from 30 yards away.
#3) Light green phone company marker post with yellow lettering (4in wide by 3 ft tall) from 30 yards away (through dense undergrowth).
#4) Dark red brick chimney from 50 yards away. (Can I distinguish the top edge)
#5) Stand of brown tree-trunks from 65 yards away (Can I see all five trees)
#6) County storage shed from 100 yards away (trying to clearly light up the back wall).
2xAA MiniMagLED
(also reviewed by Quickbeam http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_minimagled.htm )
The 2xAA MiniMagLED produces a fairly wide spillbeam with some artifacting. The head is adjustable but really doesn't change the focus of the beam much at all. Like other beams that are on the "flood" side of the equation, the light was essentially a failure on targets #1 and #3 where it just lit up the intervening undergrowth rather than "punching through". The overall light coverage was excellent for close/medium range use and gave a very high degree of confidence when used on the broken/dirt terrain of the unlit trail segment. The light was excellent for targets #2, a little weak for #4, and #5, and did not throw enough to light the back wall of #6.
3xAA MiniMagLED
The 3xAA MiniMagLED is very similar in performance to the 2xAA version but about a third brighter. This gives the light a noticably longer throw although it still is not really a throw-monster. As with the previous light, this one was essentially a failure on targets #1 and #3 where the "floody" beam just lit up the intervening undergrowth rather than "punching through". The overall light coverage was excellent for close/medium range use and gave a very high degree of confidence when used on the broken/dirt terrain of the unlit trail segment. The light was excellent for targets #2, and the extra oomph gave it enough punch for #4, and #5, though it still did not have the throw to illuminate #6.
3xD MagLED drop in module
(also reviewed by Quickbeam http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_mag-led.htm )
Previously my 3xD Maglight housed a Nite-ize module that I was completely dissappointed with. Putting the MagLED module in was a happy surprise, turning the light into the kind of throw monster I haven't seen in an LED light since the Striker VG. The light is adjustable (really adjustable, not like the MiniMagLED lights) but if you open the beam up a huge "black hole" develops almost immediately so I consider the "flood" setting essentially unusable. Tightened down to a spot creates a very sharp hotspot causes severe "follow the bouncing ball" effect and was great for distance vision, but extremely disconcerting on the broken/dirt terrain of the unlit trail segment and slowed me to a crawl while I carefully inspected my footing as I went. In terms of the standard targets this light punched effortlessly through the undergrowth at targets #1 and #3, covered #2, #4, & #5 and lit #6 up every bit as brightly as the Striker VG.
==============================================================
Summary and final comments.
All three lights are very nice and have a sturdy Mag feel to them. Tint was excellent on all three models and they were extremely useable out on the trail. I think the 2xAA MiniMagLED would make a first rate "glovebox" light for situations where one might need to fool around with a vehicle after dark. It would probably also work fine for most campsite needs although for walking a trail I preferred the extra output of the 3xAA version. While I loved the output and sheer throw of the 3xD drop in module, I think it's useability would be greatly improved if there were some way to reduce the central "black hole" when you try to widen the beam out to flood mode. That hole effect seems far worse with an LED than it ever did with an incandescent. Of course this is really an issue with the reflector, not the LED module itself.
Bottom line, all three of these lights are highly recommended as low cost, quality, units.
EDIT: A late note, I had forgotten that I wanted to mention a final thought on these lights which is this. With the impressive level of light that all of these can produce it seems more and more important that manufacturers consider creating lights with a minimum of DUAL light levels because last night I flicked the 2xAA light on in the house to go to the bathroom and ARRRGGGGHHH MY EYES!!!
I would -REALLY- appreciate a second, dimmer, mode.
Three Mag-LED Review
3xD Drop in module, 2xAA MiniMagLED, 3xAA MiniMagLED
Written 0609.19
Initial Impression(s)
The drop in module for the 3xD maglite looks essentially like a small standard bulb, the two "mini-mag" LED lights both resemble the traditional mini-maglite although both have slightly longer heads and the 3xAA light is, of course, much longer in the body. Construction quality is consistant with what Mag has produced in the past which is to say pretty darn good.
==============================================================
Poor Man's IS Meter Reading(s) (uncalibrated sensor, these reading are just for comparison purposes). EDC60 and L2 added for comparison.
HDS EDC 60 Basic
Lowest: 00.34
Highest: 44.80
Surefire L2
Lowest: 12.50
Highest: 102.80
2xAA MiniMagLED
Lowest: N/A
Highest: 20.10
3xAA MiniMagLED
Lowest: N/A
Highest: 37.75
3xD MagLED drop in module
Lowest: N/A
Highest: 41.50
==============================================================
Real World (Evening Walk) Commentary.
The evening walk takes place over a 2 mile loop. It begins on a well lit and well paved street, proceeds into a dimly lit neighborhood, then through an unlit trail (which is mostly cleared on one side but heavily overgrown on the other), back into another dimly lit neighborhood, and finally back to well lit streets/sidewalks. There isn't any location on our walk where I can see more than about 150 yards in a straight line but on a clear evening, with more or less dark adapted eyes, I have settled on a series of targets to judge performance.
#1) White 4x4 inch marker sign with red lettering from 10 yards away (through dense undergrowth).
#2) A light grey mailbox from 30 yards away.
#3) Light green phone company marker post with yellow lettering (4in wide by 3 ft tall) from 30 yards away (through dense undergrowth).
#4) Dark red brick chimney from 50 yards away. (Can I distinguish the top edge)
#5) Stand of brown tree-trunks from 65 yards away (Can I see all five trees)
#6) County storage shed from 100 yards away (trying to clearly light up the back wall).
2xAA MiniMagLED
(also reviewed by Quickbeam http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_minimagled.htm )
The 2xAA MiniMagLED produces a fairly wide spillbeam with some artifacting. The head is adjustable but really doesn't change the focus of the beam much at all. Like other beams that are on the "flood" side of the equation, the light was essentially a failure on targets #1 and #3 where it just lit up the intervening undergrowth rather than "punching through". The overall light coverage was excellent for close/medium range use and gave a very high degree of confidence when used on the broken/dirt terrain of the unlit trail segment. The light was excellent for targets #2, a little weak for #4, and #5, and did not throw enough to light the back wall of #6.
3xAA MiniMagLED
The 3xAA MiniMagLED is very similar in performance to the 2xAA version but about a third brighter. This gives the light a noticably longer throw although it still is not really a throw-monster. As with the previous light, this one was essentially a failure on targets #1 and #3 where the "floody" beam just lit up the intervening undergrowth rather than "punching through". The overall light coverage was excellent for close/medium range use and gave a very high degree of confidence when used on the broken/dirt terrain of the unlit trail segment. The light was excellent for targets #2, and the extra oomph gave it enough punch for #4, and #5, though it still did not have the throw to illuminate #6.
3xD MagLED drop in module
(also reviewed by Quickbeam http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_mag-led.htm )
Previously my 3xD Maglight housed a Nite-ize module that I was completely dissappointed with. Putting the MagLED module in was a happy surprise, turning the light into the kind of throw monster I haven't seen in an LED light since the Striker VG. The light is adjustable (really adjustable, not like the MiniMagLED lights) but if you open the beam up a huge "black hole" develops almost immediately so I consider the "flood" setting essentially unusable. Tightened down to a spot creates a very sharp hotspot causes severe "follow the bouncing ball" effect and was great for distance vision, but extremely disconcerting on the broken/dirt terrain of the unlit trail segment and slowed me to a crawl while I carefully inspected my footing as I went. In terms of the standard targets this light punched effortlessly through the undergrowth at targets #1 and #3, covered #2, #4, & #5 and lit #6 up every bit as brightly as the Striker VG.
==============================================================
Summary and final comments.
All three lights are very nice and have a sturdy Mag feel to them. Tint was excellent on all three models and they were extremely useable out on the trail. I think the 2xAA MiniMagLED would make a first rate "glovebox" light for situations where one might need to fool around with a vehicle after dark. It would probably also work fine for most campsite needs although for walking a trail I preferred the extra output of the 3xAA version. While I loved the output and sheer throw of the 3xD drop in module, I think it's useability would be greatly improved if there were some way to reduce the central "black hole" when you try to widen the beam out to flood mode. That hole effect seems far worse with an LED than it ever did with an incandescent. Of course this is really an issue with the reflector, not the LED module itself.
Bottom line, all three of these lights are highly recommended as low cost, quality, units.
EDIT: A late note, I had forgotten that I wanted to mention a final thought on these lights which is this. With the impressive level of light that all of these can produce it seems more and more important that manufacturers consider creating lights with a minimum of DUAL light levels because last night I flicked the 2xAA light on in the house to go to the bathroom and ARRRGGGGHHH MY EYES!!!
I would -REALLY- appreciate a second, dimmer, mode.
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