M90-M1 Illuminator vs. Milky L1
The M90 and the ML1 are completely different animals. Yes, M90 is a single-brightness light... but I like to call it an "Illuminator" rather than flashlight because the beam is completely different from what most of us have come to expect. There is a hotspot but it's very soft... so soft, in fact, that the light can be used to examine things in the palm of one's hand without torching one's retinas. :naughty: The M90 basically pumps out a big ball of light that evenly illuminates everything within 20 yards or so. ML1 will throw further but also doesn't offer nearly the intensity of sidespill the M90 does.
Think of the ML1 kinda like a good all season tire... well-rounded performance for a variety of conditions, though there are better "specialist" lights for any ONE of those conditions. The M90 is more of a specialist light, with its strength being short to intermediate range, even illumination across a wide angle. Not quite flood, but gives that feeling!
Technically speaking, the M90 is an oddity in that it's one of the few (only?) LuxV lights running on a single 123 cell... even a single 123 primary! The M90 can output roughly 90 lumens continuous for 60+ minutes on a single 123 or RCR123 cell without much heat buildup.
