Can't decide. SF L1 vs. Novatac 120p

Hello everyone. I am new to CPF and so glad I found this place! After 2wks of reading this forum and trying to decide on first real quality edc flashlight, my head is still spinning.
I think I have it down to 2. SFL1 and Novatac 120p. I would love to have a decent throw, but I also need to be able to work within 5 or 10 feet.
I'm on the fence here. Any and all suggestions would be greatly apprieciated.

Highbeam101 said:

Hello everyone. I am new to CPF and so glad I found this place! After 2wks of reading this forum and trying to decide on first real quality edc flashlight, my head is still spinning.
I think I have it down to 2. SFL1 and Novatac 120p. I would love to have a decent throw, but I also need to be able to work within 5 or 10 feet.
I'm on the fence here. Any and all suggestions would be greatly apprieciated.

Click to expand...

They are very different lights.
The L1 is a simple flashlight with only two levels. It is very nicely made and easy to use.

The 120P is a complex light that can do lots of fancy stuff, your must use some time to learn how to use the light.

If your just need a flashlight that works, then L1 is the best, but if your want to play with the light, see what light levels are best for different task. Try how strobes works etc. then get the 120P.

Also those lights have different beam patterns. The L1 is tighter, more focused, and throws farther. The Novatacss beam is more flood, less throw, and maybe slightly more output. I love the interface of the L1 but prefer the beam of the Novatac. Figure out which is more important to you.

Thanks for that. I plan to have this light for a long time, so I don't mind taking time with it

Would the novatac be able to light an area 100 ft away??

Highbeam101 said:

Would the novatac be able to light an area 100 ft away??

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The Novatac beam is very floody which is great for it's purpose, but that also means much of the light is spent in the spill area, so not much throw. From my experience, I don't think the Novatac would be very effective in the 100 ft range. I would say that the Novatac would be very effective up to around ~50ft, but not much beyond.

I also have the L1 also - now that is a throwy light (because it devotes almost all of the light to the spot, so it has almost no spill). It took me a while to realize they are each completely different lights for different purposes, and eventually I was able to get both! This thread might help. I started it for people in your exact position, looking to decide between these lights (happens all the time...)

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/195102

You can't go wrong with either one. They are really two different light though.

I think you would have to try both to make a proper decision. Buy one of each used form the b/s/t and then make your choice. Then sell the other.

There is a high risk that you will keep both.

RichS said:

The Novatac beam is very floody which is great for it's purpose, but that also means much of the light is spent in the spill area, so not much throw. From my experience, I don't think the Novatac would be very effective in the 100 ft range. I would say that the Novatac would be very effective up to around ~50ft, but not much beyond.

I also have the L1 also - now that is a throwy light (because it devotes almost all of the light to the spot, so it has almost no spill). It took me a while to realize they are each completely different lights for different purposes, and eventually I was able to get both! This thread might help. I started it for people in your exact position, looking to decide between these lights (happens all the time...)

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/195102

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+1 on the above. One hundred feet? Why stop there? My L1 lit up the whole side of my house from 250 feet away. You will hear this many, many more times . . . just buy both! However, I will add that I owned a 120P for a week then sold it and replaced it with an L1 and it was because of how the 120p performed outdoors. The L1 rules outdoors, the 120 rules indoors.

Wow. This is really going to be a tough decision seeing how I love the outdoors but also need a good indoor light. Would love to have both, but can't do it right now. Do the less expensive Lumapower d minis compare to the L1?

let's make it more tough

Have you heard of www.ralights.com :nana: and don't forget to check this one

I have both (did not buy them at the same time though!!) and the low power mode on the L1 is great for use indoors to me. Have only had the Novatac one day, but it looks like the other posters are correct that it will be a better indoor light, or better for short distance lighting!

Mike

Highbeam101 said:

Would the novatac be able to light an area 100 ft away??

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Yes. Last nite my 85T lit up an area 100+ feet away just fine. I was quite surprised.

You can definitely use the Novatac outdoors. It doesnt throw as far as the L1, but because of the bright spill, it may appear not to have any throw - it still can light up a fair distance.

Another option is to get the L1 + a F04 diffuser. Diffuser on for indoors, off for outdoors.

Last night, My 120P revealed one of our deer in our field, I saw it's eyeshine, it was well beyond 100 feet, when it turned to run, it's white tail was illuminated clearly

due to the bluish-white color tint of LED, the deer was hard to make out as a deer until it turned it's side to the light and then ran, it really blended into the high grass in the field, had I used my SureFire A2 Aviator, it would have been easier to identify the deer due to the better color rendition of the A2's regulated incan beam

the 120P is no slouch outdoors, it'd work fine as a campsite light or for working outside in the barn, as it's more floody beam does a great job of lighting your immediate surroundings

When I need *THROW*, out comes the MagCharger, but I don't need throw all that often, for my purposes, flood is far more useful

To be quite honest, I can't see where Novatac's reputation for being "floody" comes from. Maybe the fact that the hotspot has soft edges? I just compared the beam pattern of my 85T against my SureFire M2 with a BOG Q5 drop in, and the pattern of the 85T was only slightly more "floody" than the M2.

Look at this review of the 120T:

http://www.cpfreviews.com/NovaTac-EDC120T.php

Light Management
Lens Material Polycarbonate
Lens Coating (if any) AR Coated Lens
Transperency (typical) 90
Lumen Management Reflector
Material Aluminium Metal LOP
Beam Type Mostly Throw with good side spill

Man, this is all great stuff. I can see how this hobby can be addictive and expensive, but I'm lovin it. I'm still on the fence but I'm leaning toward the 85p or 85t. I'll defintley let everyone know my choice.

Brigadier said:

To be quite honest, I can't see where Novatac's reputation for being "floody" comes from. Maybe the fact that the hotspot has soft edges? I just compared the beam pattern of my 85T against my SureFire M2 with a BOG Q5 drop in, and the pattern of the 85T was only slightly more "floody" than the M2.

Look at this review of the 120T:

http://www.cpfreviews.com/NovaTac-EDC120T.php

Light Management
Lens Material Polycarbonate
Lens Coating (if any) AR Coated Lens
Transperency (typical) 90
Lumen Management Reflector
Material Aluminium Metal LOP
Beam Type Mostly Throw with good side spill

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Well there's fixed amount of light the led can produce, if you use them for spill as in case of novatac, there simply isn't much left for the hotspot. L1 has almost no spill, so it'll throw better than novatac. I remember trying out various light at night ago, novatac definately doesn't strike me as a thrower.

Highbeam101 said:

Man, this is all great stuff. I can see how this hobby can be addictive and expensive, but I'm lovin it. I'm still on the fence but I'm leaning toward the 85p or 85t. I'll defintley let everyone know my choice.

Click to expand...

I would definitely get the 85P. Just the fact that you can program this light, makes it worth its weight in gold! IMO of course.

-Aaron

For what it's worth, I have an L1 arriving tomorrow and the 120P has been sent back to Novatac to get the tailcap fixed. I'm sure I'll end up keeping both, as they are both amazing lights in their own ways, as has already been talked about.

Now if my Novatac hadn't had tailcap/flicker/misaligned LED/dust on reflector issues I probably wouldn't have ever bought the L1. Maybe I just got unlucky in the QC lottery. :shakehead I still think it's a perfect size for EDC and it truly had an amazing beam, but I wouldn't call it a thrower.

You can't really go wrong with either choice. Buy both!

I agree, buy both if you can (i did). Two completely different lights with great build quality, beam profiles and UI's.