Is the NDI really brighter than the D10?

Just curious... reviews and specs suggest not necessarily but I've read a few comments that suggest the NDI is brighter. I had assumed theheads/emitters were essentially identical. FYI, I'd be running off regular lithium cells, alkalines in an emergency.

Ive got both,they look almost idendical to my eye.
Both are nice tints,similar beams,its really different UI.

Not in my experience. They were virtually identical.

The only reason some say it's brighter is due to manufacturing variances of the Crees...

I read another poster saying his L1D on turbo was brighter than his D10. My EDC D10 is actually brighter than my L1D on turbo. All part of the tint lottery and LED variation.

I actually have 3 D10s, and my EDC D10 is the brightest out of all of those, slightly.

If you look at an EX10 comparison review by unknownVT, his first EX10 was far brighter than his second EX10.

So all in all I think it's the luck of the draw, but they're all pretty close in the same ballpark.

Mine is, ...slightly. That's on 14500s. I've not compared them on Nimh. What I see mainly is there's more(brighter) spill on the NDI. Throw is close to the same. You're going to get differences, light to light. Someone else might see it a different way.

Lite_me said:

Mine is, ...slightly. That's on 14500s. I've not compared them on Nimh. What I see mainly is there more(brighter) spill on the NDI. Throw is close to the same. You're going to get differences, light to light. Someone else might see it a different way.

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Exactly.

YMMV applies to all CREE lights, imho.

OK, that all makes sense. I suspect perception plays more of a role than actual emitter variations because surely to actually *see* a difference in output from two emitters the actual lumens readings would have to be significantly different, more so than the cree lottery would suggest.

For example, can someone really see a 10 lumen difference in output between two lights or is it gonna be more a matter of perception based on a variety of other factors such as beam pattern? I find it hard to see a 50 lumen difference in some cases.

Yep, you're right about that.

I've compared my D10 with the NDI against a wall, on high, and couldn't tell any difference between the two.

Jedi Knife said:

I've compared my D10 with the NDI against a wall, on high, and couldn't tell any difference between the two.

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It's harder to see a difference that way. Real world use is a better indicator.

Oh great, so really what you're all saying is I should just GET BOTH :shakehead

pipspeak said:

Oh great, so really what you're all saying is I should just GET BOTH :shakehead

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Haha, the ol' CPF moto "Buy Both".

What's nice is that the quality, output, and runtime in both lights are about the same, maybe some minor differences: My NDI's bezel get's stiff, while my D10 doesn't seem to be like water too much. It's nice because you can set aside the quality, and efficiency and just get the light with the UI and appearance that appeals to you most.

pipspeak said:

OK, that all makes sense. I suspect perception plays more of a role than actual emitter variations because surely to actually *see* a difference in output from two emitters the actual lumens readings would have to be significantly different, more so than the cree lottery would suggest.

For example, can someone really see a 10 lumen difference in output between two lights or is it gonna be more a matter of perception based on a variety of other factors such as beam pattern? I find it hard to see a 50 lumen difference in some cases.

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If it's between 0 and 10 lumens then yes, if it's between 100 and 110 lumens then no. These lights use similar emitters, drivers and reflectors so for all intents have the same output. You might notice a tiny variation (as noted by others) due to emitter lottery but it will NOT be enough of a difference to base a decision on. What light/UI will fit your needs better is the question because these lights can both do the same jobs and both are great lights........................

Subjectively, the tint lottery plays a role in how bright you THINK a light is. Not infrequently, a light with a warmer tint, will look less bright when compared side by side to a whiter or slightly colder tinted LED, even though they both flashlights have the same measured output