question about beamshots

I'm almost ready to by my first really good light and I am still asking people questions so I can make an informed decision.

I am not sure how bright the flashlight beams are in person because of the brightness level on my monitor (not sure what it should be at).

When people post pictures of beamshots and photos of what their flashlight lights up, would you say that most of the lights seem brighter in person? Or the pictures don't really do a light justice?

Obviously some are better than others, and it is great when someone posts one light compared to another, but this could be the difference between me buying a cl1h and something else.

Thank you much,

IRM

The pictures don't do a light justice at all. When someone posts a white wall beamshot here, all that tells you is the general shape/configuration of the beam, nothing more. Because of a camera's shutter speeds and exposure settings, it's never entirely clear if what you're seeing is brighter or dimmer than how you'd see it in person.

The most useful shots are comparisons taken by members with some photographic experience - putting several lights in the same situation (preferably outdoors) with the exact same camera settings gives you a lot of info on what you can expect from one flashlight compared to another.