From what's known as thus, 120P or Arc LS?

For EDC. Title.

Do you want a HDS EDC that's been redesigned for large production runs; or a McGizmo PD that has been redesigned for large production runs, cut down, with a fancy driver (oh, and likely much more expensive)?

Aside from being assured they're both going to be fairly durable, it's a pretty apples to oranges comparison.

Someone needs to figure out how to breed apples and oranges together, just for this cliche, too.

Anyway, what makes you want the Novatac? Then, what makes you want the Arc6?

Beam patterb for the Novatac, As well as decent power and versatility.

High Power(He said brighter or as bright as all other 1X 123s.), versatility, and etc for the Arc6.

That is a more difficult question than I would have thought when I first considered the answer.

I would have to choose the Arc based on the following preferences:

1. Immediate access to 3 user-definable levels via the tailcap
2. Smaller and more pocketable as a result; this is a big deal to me
3. Potential to be brighter due to the maximum unregulated level
4. Better looking (Personal preference) and more functional pocket clip
5. Better looking to me than the Novatac (Personal preference)
6. Higher grade lens (Sapphire crystal vs. polycarbonate)
7. Higher grade bezel
8. For me, it looks and should feel more like a custom light than the production Novatac lights... this is just my opinion, and it will not make the light perform better, but it is significant to me.

I clearly would prefer the Arc6 over the Novatac, but this is because I am without a doubt, a flashaholic... I don't believe that non-flashaholics would be able to discriminate between the 2 if both were before them on a shelf in their respective packaging.

Arc LS for all the reasons that Goatee mentioned!

Nice analysis Goatee.

i think is the question everyone who doesnt own a 120p is asking themselves now...

Im holding out for the price of the new LS. Also i might have to say the LS, as Peter says it will be quite easily upgradeable, as opppsed to the loctite-ed innards of a novatac..

Crenshaw

Lumenz said:

Buy both.

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I can't believe it took seven posts to get the right answer! You guys are slipping.

the arc is the better light out of what youve got it narrowed down to.
i wish someone would do a shootout of all the nice 1xcr123 EDC lights (120p, p2d-ce q5, PD-s, arc6) and i would put money on the fenix. yeah, it really is that good.

mossyoak said:

the arc is the better light out of what youve got it narrowed down to.
i wish someone would do a shootout of all the nice 1xcr123 EDC lights (120p, p2d-ce q5, PD-s, arc6) and i would put money on the fenix. yeah, it really is that good.

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Mossy: While the Fenix is advertised to be like 135 lumens or something, it's no where near such. The 120 smokes it pretty easily.

Ahh, but youre forgetting the P1D-Q5....

Crenshaw

If the LS was more powerfull than the Novatac and had the same beam pattern, I'd pick it hands down.

We'll just have to wait, I guess.

maxa beam said:

If the LS was more powerfull than the Novatac and had the same beam pattern...

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It will be more powerful than the NovaTac, but its beam pattern will almost certainly be much less diffused. Peter has said that he prefers a slightly throw oriented beam over a flood for an edc light.

maxa beam said:

Mossy: While the Fenix is advertised to be like 135 lumens or something, it's no where near such. The 120 smokes it pretty easily.

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actually, its advertised at 180, and guess what itll smoke a novatac, i proved it a SHOT show.

If you're worried just about brightness, get a new Fenix every 3-6 months. It will not be terribly expensive, you'll be only a month or two behind the best of what is widely available in terms of emitters, and it will be a solid little light.

The Novatac was bested in brightness some time ago (Fenix's P4 CR123 lights about matched, and beat 'em with fresh LIons, IIRC). LED tech marching on will continue to do this, and those able to put a new product out the door quickest will be best at it. It will not be long after the Arc6 is out that an LED upgrade will be needed to make it as bright as the newest Fenix Px or Lx flashlight.

Now, beam pattern, we will just have to see. A good throw does not mean less, or bad, flood, nor that it will be bad for close-up work. In addition, if the flood is good, but the spot is too intense, you can just replace the lens with a LDF one from FLL, and be set (if you don't like the flood, it won't help; but if you don't like an intense spot, it's a perfect mod). If you don't like the beam in general, though... :shrug: ...and we will just have to wait until someone can post some outdoors beamshots, if we want to find out without buying one.

cerbie said:

A good throw does not mean less, or bad, flood, nor that it will be bad for close-up work. In addition, if the flood is good, but the spot is too intense...

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Just to be clear (and nitpicky), maxa beam and I were talking about flood and you are actually talking about spill. Spill is the term for the area of the "flashlight beam anatomy" that is comprised of the unfocused part of the beam that surrounds the focused spot. Flood/floodiness refers to the characteristics of the beam, such as the width of the spill, the intensity difference between the spill and the spot, and the smoothness of the transition between the two. For example, a SF L2 is considered a floody light because it has a wide spill that is slightly less distinct from its spot than is considered typical. The NovaTac has a similar beam but would be considered slightly less floody since both its spot and spill are narrower (not necessarily narrow, but not remarkably wide) and the spot may also be slightly more defined (not much though). A Malkoff M60, on the other hand, is not a floody light, despite the fact that it has a larger spill than an L2. It's a thrower, but, as you kind of suggested, that doesn't mean its spill is bad...

So yes, the new Arc will have spill, I'm sure it will be "good" spill, it might also have a large spill, and it will be useful for close-up work. However, based on Peter's stated preference in the design of this light, it is unlikely to be floody (or, at least, as floody as the Nova, since anything between the extremes of, say, a 1st gen Inova X1 and a Mule is all a matter of degrees). Either way, it's designed to be an edc light and it's being made by a man who definitely knows what he's doing, it will have a nice general purpose beam.

I haven't seen the Novatac's beam beyond beam pics (so cannot directly reply to it's beam pattern, but making general statements, as I have mostly stuff from Target, and crappily-done mods--but is clearly doesn't have a 'hard' spot, just from those), but from what I read of your reply, I think it's just a miscommunication. I was referring to spot as a part of the beam (fixable, if you think it's too narrow/bright/hard), both flood and throw as whole beam (requiring 'real' mods, or just buying a different model light, to deal with).

* thinks of diagramming, but then realizes the only current option is the GIMP :green: :sick2: *

Yeah just a miscommunication, but that's why I wanted to present a clear view of terms that isn't muddied by imprecise usage. No diagram needed, don't worry about it, I'm not ragging on you, just trying to further the cause of lucidity (even if it's only as atonement for the damage I sometimes do to it...).

Anyway, I think you're basically saying the same thing I've often said. A focused light can always be made floody by some form of diffuser (I use SF beamshapers and writeright film for this, the LDF lens you mention is very similar in degree of effect to a beamshaper), but if you have a floody light and need more throw, you're out of luck.

With Arc's history of leading edge lights. My money is on the LS. Every light that Peter has come out with was at the time top notch. Even the arc4 with it's problematic switch was a first of it's kind. Even today an updated arc4 with modern emitter and a better switch would rock.

my 2 cents worth
cheers,

zwf

I think we should throw the HDS/Ra Twisty and the Surefire Titan T1A into the hypothetical comparison mix as well. I really don't think this is apples to oranges comparison, they are all single CR123 based flashlights after all. Its more Braeburn vs Red Delicious.

I prefer Granny Smith and think the T1A will beat them all!