There are some interesting results here.... for one, the $16 Romisen NC-F4 is an outstanding value in a flashlight... wonderful throw, wide, bright spill, simple, clean build, elegant and beautiful finish, supremely affordable. A total winner. I also think very highly of the RC-N3; as a single cell light it lacks a little of the potency compared to the two-cell F4, but shares the elegant simplicity, beautiful grey finish, and much of the brilliance. It also offers CR123/RCR123/and 2*AA energy sources (with extra extension tube). A very attractive combo-package. And I completely forgot to test my $21 NC-C3, which is my EDC, believe it or not... it doesn't throw like the best of the bunch here, but for a light the size of a lipstick tube and priced between $13-21 depending on source, the little Romisen RC-C3 is so simple, so brilliant, so beautiful, and just so sweet! I buy C3's for gloveboxes, toolboxes, friends, and family with abandon. They're fine, little, economical, twisty lights. And Bryan @ Shiningbeam.com is a pleasure to work with.
Anyway, moving on to bigger lights... actually a very small BIG light, the TLS head on the E1e body with RCR123 really impresses me for its size... cool thing about this head is the 3v-10v range (you have your choice of one or two cells, primary or rechargeable with this head! Nice! )... makes it super versatile and it really rocks... I'm enjoying moving it around among E-1 and E-2 bodies, where it stops, nobody knows!
The Jet III-Military is something of a standard bearer among the lights I have... it offers great brilliance and throw, nice spill, incredible versatility and extremely wide range, simple UI, solid build, diverse energy source choices.... I love the warm color of the light and the incredibly long run time on low. It's a great general purpose, SHTF/EOTWAWKI kind of light that I'm grateful to have among my lights.
The M60, of course, is a great performer. I'm looking forward to comparing it to my M30 with the FM 3p body I have inbound from Nite. I find myself gravitating toward single cell set-ups more than anything these days... small bodies with potent heads!
The results of the Malkoff P7 vs. SSC P7 vs. Malkoff M60F are pretty clear to see. Most diffuse with practically no central beam is the Malkoff P7, then the Malkoff M60F which has a stronger central beam, then the MTE SSC P7 giving the most useable central beam with a strong, floody secondary light. Each has their advantageous benefits for certain applications.
Clearly, the L1 really woke up with the use of an RCR123 cell... some may not like the brighter low with the rechargeable, but for those wishing for more ooomph from the L1, the RCR123 gives the light a noticible bump, surpassing the primary-driven E1B. It seems like the electronics of the L1 are less efficient than that of the E1B, but the higher voltage of the rechargeable cell overcomes that.
And lastly, the poor, little E1e incan makes an obviously pitiful showing against these potent LED lights, but with upgrades to the head... look out; this incredibly attractive little package can lead to very exciting things. The TLS head transformed this new E1e body totally! I so love this little light that just arrived today from OpticsHQ, that I just ordered a black one as well. The CPF price and free shipping make it irresistable! Customer service from Michael @ OpticsHQ is the best.... and the same-day free shipping is awesome. Of course, I have plans to upgrade both of the heads on these cute little E1e's... they won't be incans for long.... hehehe... Milky, here I come...
Following this first effort at creating beamshots, I see some of my technical failings in this first test, and I am planning a new series of beamshots, which I think will more accurately and effectively display both the centrality, as well as the peripheral illumination of these lights. This is fun stuff!
