Brightest 2 CR123 flashlight

Hey guys,

Im new hear at CPF and a newbie to high powered flashlights in general,

my question is what is the brightest 2 cr123 flashlight for under

$100?

Hi lumenman1776,

Welcome to CPF!!!

It usually takes a long to to actually learn this as nobody will accept it as fact until they have experienced it through trial and error....

More lumens does not always mean more useful.

With that said, the brightest 2xCR123 powered flashlights right now, under $100, are going to be P7 based flashlights from oddball chinese brands. They are often in the $30-75 range and are around 500 lumens give or take. The build quality is hit and miss and these things are being thrown together fast and sold like hot-cakes to unsuspecting ebayers who are just looking for bigger numbers...

I haven't kept up on the progression of those options, so maybe someone can point out a gem in the rough for you if you want to give one a try.

Eric

I agree with the above...
I feel the brightest 2x123 light with some quality to it for under $100 is a Surefire G2/6P with the P61 assembly.
IMHO.

uh, EagleTac T10c2 anyone?

For what it's worth you might find my guide a nice place to start in your search.

Well, ONE OF THE brightest 2xCR123 is the Streamlight Super Tac. I wouldn't take a gold monkey for mine. I'm a fireman and I've tried a lot of different lights. This one is my absolute favorite for on duty use. This from someone who owns 20+ Surefires. I EDC my SuperTac in a fanny pack while on duty.

Excluding the cheap Chinese P7 lights...
How about a SureFire 6P with a Lumens Factory EO-9 lamp running on a pair of AW's IMR16340's? That combo might come in under $100 (it would be close).

handheld: Eagletac T10C2
sub-handheld(aka tiny): EDC P7 by sabrewolf

now the eagletac is 2 cr123 powered, the edc is 1 cr123 powered

Youfoundnemo -
what exactely is long time member? So you are pretty much saying stop pushing Surefire because you don't believe in "your" opinion it is the brightest? Seems bias to me. If you read the original post 2 X CR123 was the suggestion guide.

I suggest a Surefire 6P with a P61 lamp and spend the rest on batteries.

There are brighter flashlights out there but cost more money and some that cost less.

I don't know about Eagletac and can't comment on it.

Youfoundnemo said:

OK guys, we (long time members of the forums) all know that surefires while having great build quality are not the brightest lights on the market so please stop trying to sell this guy on surefire. depending on what form factor your looking for these seem to be the brightest

spotlight: Power On Board (POB)
handheld: Eagletac T10C2
sub-handheld(aka tiny): EDC P7 by sabrewolf

now the eagletac is 2 cr123 powered, the edc is 1 cr123 powered and the POB is rechargable

Click to expand...

1st, the POB HID is pretty far from what he requested (2xCR123).
Next, my above SF recommendation has greater output than the T10C2. Finally, the EDC P7 does look like it would be in the same ballpark as the EO-9. I'd still recommend the 6P due to it's expandability as a host though. Plus, the LF IMR-9 is in the pipe-line... :devil:

nohcho said:

uh, EagleTac T10c2 anyone?

Click to expand...

+1 for LED handheld light of reasonable size.

Warning: that does not make it the best, or the most useful, or the nicest.

But there is so much more and that is why this forum exists.

:welcome:

The Jet III M is pretty impressive and is under your $100.00 budget.

Bryan

JasonC8301 said:

SNIP Youfoundnemo -
what exactely is long time member? SNIIP

SNIP because you don't believe in "your" opinion it is the brightest SNIP

Click to expand...

Well you kind of have me on that one Ive only been here for a couple months but I have been through the archives and read more than my fair share. And on the not of surefires not being the brightest in my opinion I thought a forum was a place for one another to voice their opinion and let the OP pick and choose to whom he listened. I have owned surefires a 6P, 2 6PLs, and now My 660 so I would say that I have had my experiance with surefires 2 cell offerings (still havent seen a G2 though) and YES they arent the brightest lights on the market just look at the integrated sphere results.

Brightest 2 x CR123 flashlight (if you have money to burn using CR123 batteries) right now is: $105.6 38,000 lux Tiablo A10. It's a little more than $100 but not by much.

Stick a P61 in it and that changes the dynamics of the situation. Most people forget that high output bulb because of the cell consumption.

I am voicing my opinion about you trying to shut down other people's suggestions. "so please stop trying to sell this guy on surefire" thats what you said and I would assume that means sit down and shut up if its about Surefire. So how can the OP make a decision if you want to shut out options?

What integrating sphere results are you talking about? Links would help as I have shown in other threads concerning your questions.

I believe the 6P with P61 lamp to be a good choice for primaries. The Jet Beam MIII looks interesting but in my view I find incandescents to have a "brighter" appearance in the real world and not strictly by numbers.

RobertM +1 on the 6P running two rechargables and a LF lamp.

I would be interested as to how the Eagletac T10C2 achieves the claimed 296 lumens at the LED.

The Cree Q5 documentation says that the Q5 bin puts out 107-114 lumens at 350 mA. Max forward current rating is 1000 mA (at least in the older docs that go up to Q5 bin; the docs with the R2 bin seem to say 700 mA). At that current, the relative luminous flux is about 220%, or 235-250 lumens.

R2 bin is rated 114-122 lumens at 350 mA, or 250-268 lumens at 1000 mA.

Overdriven Cree Q5? Or has Cree improved the Q5 but not updated its PDF documents on its web site?

If overdriven, besides potentially impacting LED operating life, there is also the issue of maximum ambient operating temperature. The ambient temperature and maximum forward current are related and if you increase one, you decrease the other.

this is a copy and paste from MrGman's thread. Im sure you have used the p60L and the p60 so you know that the P60l is brighter than the P60. the P61 is without question brighter than the P60L. the eagletac is FAR brighter than the P61, just because you have been a member longer doesnt mean that you are always gonna be right. I will also be editing my original post to remove the comment that you pointed out.


Light____________________Real IS Lumens________Batteries__________Notes____________ ______,
Browning Black Ice 9V____165, (no bezel/window)____3 Lith primary____--------incan----------------------,
with Magstar Xenon lamp__125___________________3 Lith primary____-------incan-----------------------,
SureFire 6PLED________82________________2 primaries______original LED__________,
Solarforce R2-S___________202___________________3 RCRs___________Browning Black Ice 3 cell host.
Solarforce R2-5M low_______37___________________2 primaries_________Surefire 6P host___________,
Solarforce R2-5M Med_____87-85__________________2 primaries_________ Surefire 6P host___________,
Solarforce R2-5M High_____160-155________________2 primaries_________Surefire 6P host__________,
Solarforce Cree R2-S_______210________________ ___2 primaries_________Surefire 6P host___________,
Solarforce Cree R2-S_______190_______________ ___2X17500 LI_________Solarforce L2 Host 1 extension,
Solarforce Cree Q5_________150__________________2X17500 LI_________Solarforce L2 Host 1 extension,
Malkoff M60_____________231-220_______________2 primaries__________Surefire 6P host____________,
Malkoff M60_____________212-202_______________2 primaries_________Solarforce L2 1ext. host________,
Malkoff M60F_____________220 – 216____________2 primaries__________Surefire 6P host____________,
Malkoff M60F_____________202_________________2X17500 LI_________Solarforce L2 Host 1 extension,
Malkoff M60W___________172-165_______________2X17500 LI_________Solarforce L2 Host 1 extension,
Malkoff M60W___________185-165_______________2X17500 LI________ L2 Host 1 extension, Surefire Bezel,
Malkoff M60W___________192 peak_______________2X17500 LI________NO BEZEL L2 Host 1 extension,
Mag-LED 4D______________50 drop to 40 1 min______4XNiCads_________--------------------------------------,
Mag-LED 4D______________80 no reflector_________4XNiCads__________-------------------------------------,
Mag Terralux directly_______120 (no reflector)________4XNiCads_________--------------------------------------,
Lumens Factor HO-9 Lamp___180__________________2X17500 L I________Solarforce L2 Host 1 extension,
Lumens Factor ES-9 Lamp____100__________________2X17500 L I________Solarforce L2 Host 1 extension,
Inova X5 Green_____________16__________________2 primary___________------------------------------------,
Inova X03 06 model__________38__________________2 primaries_________------------------------------------,
Inova T5 (07model)___________96_________________3 primaries__________-----------------------------------,
Inova T5 (06 model)__________ 46_________________3 primary___________------------------------------------,
Inova T1 (08 model)_________100_________________2 primary___________------------------------------------,
Fenix T1 turbo_____________225 peak (corr)_______2 Delkin RCR123, or New primaries -------------------,
Fenix T1turbo_____________219.4 (corr)__________2 primary__________----------------------------------,
Fenix L1T_High____________148 peak_down to 140___1 NiMH____________ RV7 3 Level Driver----------,
Fenix L1T_med_____________33__________________1 NiMH____________RV7 3 Level Driver----------,
Fenix L1T_low_____________10__________________1 NiMH____________RV7 3 Level Driver---------,
Fenix L2D Q5 Turbo________145__________________2 AA alkalines______same with NiMH---------------,
Fenix L2D Q5 Med__________37__________________2 AA alkalines______same with NiMH---------------,
Fenix L2D Q5 Low___________8__________________2 AA alk___________same with NiMH--------------,
Fenix L2D High_____________76__________________2 AA allk__________same with NiMH -------------,
Fenix P2D CE Turbo________104__________________1 primary__________------------------------------------,
Fenix P2D CE high__________61__________________1 primary__________------------------------------------,
Fenix P2D CE med__________30__________________1 primary__________------------------------------------,
Fenix P2D CE low___________6.9_________________1 primary__________------------------------------------,
EagleTac P10A2 Low________50 (corr)_____________2AA eneloops________---------------------------------,
EagleTac P10A2 High_______173 (corr)_____________2AA eneloops________----------------------------------,
EagleTac T10C2 HIgh_______268-256.5_____________2 primaries__________--------------------------,
EagleTac T10C2 Low________60 (corr)_____________2 primaries__________----------------------------------,
EagleTac P10C2 High________225_________________2 primaries__________-----------------------------------,
EagleTac P10C2 Low_________50_________________2 primaries__________-----------------------------------,
Duracell Truebeam Wide______74__________________3AAA Alkalines_______---------------------------------,
Duracell Truebeam Wide______64__________________3AAA NiMH _________--------------------------------,
Duracell Truebeam Narrow____64__________________3AAA Alkalines________--------------------------------,
Duracell Truebeam Narrow____60__________________3AAA NiMH ___________-------------------------------,
Dorcy K2 120 Lm___________86__________________3 AAA NimH___________------------------------------,
Dorcy K2 120 Lm__________100 (no reflector)_______3 AAA NimH___________-------------------------------,
DereeLight 3SM5A_Q3-High_146__________________2 primaries_____________Surefire 6P host------------,
DereeLight 3SM5A_Q3-Med__87__________________2 primaries_____________Surefire 6P host------------,
DereeLight 3SM5A_Q3-Low__47__________________2 primaries_____________Surefire 6P host------------,
Craftsman "170Lm" High_____150__________________6 AAA Alkalines_________------------------------------,
Craftsman "170Lm" High_____133__________________6AAA NiMH____________------------------------------,
Craftsman "170Lm" Low______89__________________6 AAA Alkalines__________------------------------------,
Craftsman "170Lm" Low______74__________________6AAA NiMH____________-------------------------------,

MilkySpit Creemator Low______2____________________2 primaries____________Sure Fire E2E Exec Elite-,
MilkySpit Creemator L-Med____26.3__________________2 primaries____________Sure Fire E2E Exec Elite-,
MilkySpit Creemator Med______80.2__________________2 primaries____________Sure Fire E2E Exec Elite-,
MilkySpit Creemator High_____242___________________2 primaries____________Sure Fire E2E Exec Elite-,

Lumens Factory D26 LED____182 peak______________2 primaries down to 170 when warm Sure Fire 6P Host,
Lumens Factory D26 LED____182 peak______________2x17500 down to 170 when warm Solarforce 1 ext___,

Thanks for all the responses everybody I think I can make an informed decision now:twothumbs

Regardless of integrating sphere results, I can say an incan P60 more than outdoes the similarly beam patterned and brighter P60l by no small amount. It is actually a pretty close match to my full power M60 if it has brand new batteries. The P60L looks very dim and blue (read, no contrast outdoors) in comparison.

:devil: SL SuperTac nothing comes close for under $100 bills...