Considering a Malkoff - some ??s

Sorry for my newbie questions, but I want to be sure of what I want
I have a Surefire C2 and would like to upgrade it with a Malkoff drop in.
I 've read on the Malkoff site that the M 60 Mod is 235+ lumens and will illuminate objects at 350+ feet. I've also looked at the M 60 MC-E - the site says that it is is 500+ lumens and throw is typically limited to approximately 140+/- feet.
The main use for this light will be for walking my dogs on an unlit private road that extends well into the woods.
I'd like to be able to see as far ahead up the road and into the woods as possible. I'm looking for opinions on which to choose. Does the MC-E sacrafice too much "throw"?

It just might.

How far into the woods and down the road are you wanting to see?

I think the M60W would do really well for this type of activity and the MC-E might be a bit too much light.

If using rechargeable Li-ion cells is an option I'd recommend the M30W otherwise the M60W. The MC-E is a bit too floody and drains the batteries too fast for general use on a 2 cell body IMO.

If you need more flood you can always get a M60WF or M30WF or get a diffuser for a normal M30W or M60W..

They are very bright, the MC-E is obscenely bright

Sverre

I notice the M60 throws around twice as far as the M60-MCE.

The MC-E will be great for illuminating everything from within 50 feet, at 100ft the light will reach but not car headlight bright.:twothumbs

The M60 has side spill, but the beam can go really really really far. My digital camera pictures will give you an idea, but in person the MC-E warm will leave you speechless.:sick2:

M60: you will see 100% of everything directly in front of you (50% to the sides or above you) , and some concentrated beam shoots to make out what is 100feet away.

MC-E Warm: 100% everthing around, above, and in front of you, but at 100 feet you will see shapes and not as bright as you may wish it to be.

M60 Left and Malkoff M60 MC-E warm direct drive on right


EDIT: My MC-E is a Direct Drive and Warm version made by Gene Makoff. The Lumen output is 700 to 1000 lumens and in person it appears way brighter than the picture shows. Plus the side spill on the M60 is greater in person, but at least you get an idea of what to expect.

Wow - that MC-E warm would really light up the whole street around me.
A couple of times, I've been walking up my street and saw an animal cross way up ahead. I haven't been able to tell whether it was a raccoon, fox or coyote. I guess the throw might be more important to me, but being able to light the whole width of the road would be nice too.

Don't let those two photo's fool you. The M60 cuts a rather large swath into the darkness as well.

johns said:

Wow - that MC-E warm would really light up the whole street around me.
A couple of times, I've been walking up my street and saw an animal cross way up ahead. I haven't been able to tell whether it was a raccoon, fox or coyote. I guess the throw might be more important to me, but being able to light the whole width of the road would be nice too.

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Good point on the lighting up the whole width of the road. In fact, my yard was not wide enought to take full advantage of the side spill offerred by the MC-E. The warm makes the colors of things look more realistic. Trees, bushes, and grass looks green. Fences, cars, and pretty much everything looks more or less how it would look during the day.

I have two Basset Hounds that I walk at night. We walk through my 5 year old development, and then through a Christmas tree farm/vinyard after that. I have quite a few different lights and my favorite is the Malkoff M60 MC-E.
I have an M60 Warm and n M60 MC-E (not warm) in Direct Drive. Direct drive on the MC-E just means that I can (and must) use one battery with it. The IMR18650 makes my 6P run too hot so I just use protected 18650's. Lasts an hour, just long enough for my walk.

I have the M60 Warm and the MC-E in direct drive. I prefer the MC-E because for my walks, it lights up Everything withing about 180 degrees of my 12 o'clock. From about 30 yards to my left and right, and at least 50 yards in front of me. You may want to do what Bigchelis did and get the MC-E Warm. Colors are a little more true to life, and that may be handy or you.

M60 MC-E warm will run you $125 and you'll need at least 2 cells for it.
M60 MC-E warm (or not) in Direct Drive will run you $75 and you can only use one cell.....preferrably a protected 18650 or 17670.

Either one will give you an amazing amount of peripheral light. You will notice that you won't have to move the flashlight around as much as a thrower, where you are constantly "painting" objects.

However, if you're going to spend $125 on the MC-E, you might as well get the M60W and the MC-E on Warm and Direct Drive, at $130! Then you can use both!

I'd get the M60W or M30W+17670, not the MCE variants. The regular M60 MCE's just don't compete for throw. The MCE direct drive from pictures will throw almost as far as a normal M60, but you sacrifice a great deal of runtime with it. I'm also doubtful of its ability to perform to it's potential with a 17670 (the largest battery you can fit in a stock C2). Great for quick bursts of huge light with an IMR battery, but for walking the dog and throwing down the street you'll be better served with a normal M60.

Go for the regular M60!

Go for the regular M60, its has an optimum amount of throw versus spill, total brightness versus runtime on 2 CR123 batteries or 2 AW 123 rechargeables. That is more than enough if its truly dark out. You won't get much run time from a MC-E version light and they use the 20 degree flood style optic so even though its consuming lots of battery power you won't get much throw at all with it, and you just don't need all that much flood for what you stated. I have several modules and for outdoors this is the optimum one to use for most general purpose lighting and seeing things off in a not to far distance. G

Another dumb question - but I'll ask anyway.
I have a Fenix PD30 - anyone compared this to the Malkoff M60 Mod?
Just wondering how much difference I'll see. Maybe I should just go for the MC-E or warm MC-E for something different?

johns said:

Another dumb question - but I'll ask anyway.
I have a Fenix PD30 - anyone compared this to the Malkoff M60 Mod?
Just wondering how much difference I'll see. Maybe I should just go for the MC-E or warm MC-E for something different?

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The closest I have is the LD20 (which has a similar head), and a SF 6P with the M60 drop in, but I will try to help. The LD20 doesn't throw quite as far. But where the M60 wins hands down is the quality of the beam...

It has a wide flood with a very bright hot spot for throw. The flood is very smooth unlike the more 'ringy' beam of the Fenix. I am happy with all of my Fenix's but for quality of light the M60 is special.

I have not tried the Warm tint yet. I am a photographer and neutral light is important to me, but I have just ordered a M60LW to see how they look.

Hope this helps

Martin

i just got mine,power it with 2xAW 17500 in a Solarforce L2 + the extension tube + UCL and :wow:
what a beam !
talk about built quality as well.

Having started with an M60 (one LED, standard beam, full power) and replaced it with an M60F (one LED, 20 degree flood beam, full power) for headlight functions, here's an extra perspective:

1) Get the amount of light you need, relative to the amount of power you have vs the time (battery life) you want. Keep in mind, there are no quad emitter throw lights with small reflectors.

2) Get the beam shape that best suites your needs. Spot lighting (throw) is best if you are still or moving slowly and need to visualize other things that are themselves moving. Flood lighting is best if you yourself are moving and you need to visualize your position/speed within the space you are viewing (think car headlight).

ElectronGuru said:

Having started with an M60 (one LED, standard beam, full power) and replaced it with an M60F (one LED, 20 degree flood beam, full power) for headlight functions, here's an extra perspective:

1) Get the amount of light you need, relative to the amount of power you have vs the time (battery life) you want. Keep in mind, there are no quad emitter throw lights with small reflectors.

2) Get the beam shape that best suites your needs. Spot lighting (throw) is best if you are still or moving slowly and need to visualize other things that are themselves moving. Flood lighting is best if you yourself are moving and you need to visualize your position/speed within the space you are viewing (think car headlight).

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I find #2 most interesting and have never thought about it like that. Thanks,

Bill

If i was you, i would go for the M60. The beam profile is different from the Fenix P3D. I find that i use mine for most general activities. I think the M60 meets all of your needs. Let us know what you decide to buy.

Having now looked at 3 MC-E's, P7's M60, M60F, M60W and many more modules side by side, I still say go with the original M60 for the C2 that you have. You will get no real useable throw from any MC-E module to fit into the C2 unit.

The M60 MC-E is a waste of money, you can get an excellent flashlight designed from scratch to host an MC-E LED with far better performance, than any host + M60-MCE for an extra 30 bucks. Get a JETbeam M1X Military if you want to see the real MC-E potential, or then just save your money and get the regular M60 Warm version.