How to define "throw" ?

Hello

Just wondering how you guys define "throw". Do you require a minimum lux value at the object?

I walked the dog in pitch darkness with a 6p + DX LED dropin and tried to measure the throw. I could spot objects 100 yards away, but the "useful" (comfortable) distance was closer, approx 50-75 yards away.

At 150 yards the objects became very hard to see. If using a lux meter I would most likely get a lux value at that distance, but stating that throw is 150 yards seems incorrect.

Any opinions ?

Kind regards
.lars

There is no standard. You can measure the brightest point in a beam to get some idea, but that won't tell you how big the beam is or how far it will be useful. For example a laser pointer, it may throw a long way but is it useful for lighting up what it is hitting? Some reviewers have used their own standard method of measuring this. But each one was different and mostly only useful for comparing against only other reviews from the same person.

Also if you use your eyes, well are your eyes dark adjusted or not? So the common way is to use comparison pictures of the beamshots.

Lux measurements give you an idea, and general comparison, but in the end it does come down to your description and purposes. How much of an area does it usefully illuminate at a given distance.