Newbie needs your expertise!

Hi

I have just moved to country Victoria, Australia after all my adult life (many years...) in Melbourne city. I love it. I am after a good torch and these are my requirements, I hope someone can help -

In order of my 'need' of this feature - first being most important:

1. pocket sized
2. can go from narrow beam to wide beam (wide beam particularly)
3. has at least 2 hours life without recharging
4. can cast about 70-100 metres
5. has graduating increase of intensity of light
6. as cheap as possible - I am not a professional!!!!

You can see I know none of the techincal terms!!! I could compromise on 4. & 5.. But I am sure a number of you have your favourites...

Also can you use rechargables in these torches and if so, what do you recommend as a brand of recharger and the batteries themselves?

Thanks in anticipation and HI from down under.

Andrew

andker333 said:

In order of my 'need' of this feature - first being most important:

1. pocket sized
2. can go from narrow beam to wide beam (wide beam particularly)
3. has at least 2 hours life without recharging
4. can cast about 70-100 metres
5. has graduating increase of intensity of light
6. as cheap as possible - I am not a professional!!!!

Click to expand...

Hey mate. :welcome:
1. tons to choose from.
2. AFAIK this requirement eliminates tons of choices :laughing:
3. On hi setting, there are a few, but based on this alone, it's a generic requirement
4. There're quite a few, especially throwers.
5. Do you mean ramping?
6. How cheap is cheap?

In terms of focusing beam, perhaps you would like to check out Lenslight Mini . But I don't think it will answer all your requirements and there's a wait for supply.

Maybe if you answer this checklist, it might give us and yourself a better idea of your requirements.

in the end - with reading all those numerous threads dealing with exactly such question - You will get down to the following advise:

Think of the (rechargeable) batteries You want wo use

2*AA --> Fenix L2D, Fenix LD20, Fenix TK20, Jetbeam Jet 1 model, ...
pro: cell size You might know already
con: if no good charger, more expensive than the better 18650 option

1*18650 --> Jetbeam Jet III model (Pro ST, or Pro Ultra), or any of the other quality makers mentionned here
pro: most spice in cells for that light size class
con: no primary cells, only rechargeable
imho the best to get!

Everything at about 50,-- (to 80,--) can be recommended without a 2nd though.
If this is too expensive, search in "flashlights" at f.e. Dealexteme, or Kaidomain, or ...,
but be advised, that a price of half of the good package makers must be bought with considerable tradeoffs (which is built quality)

PS: forget changeable beams, no good

Does it have to be able to go from narrow beam to wide beam? This either means rings and artifacts on flood mode (all defocusing reflector lights, like mags) or no spill at full focus and such (optics). Would lower output modes work too, or a good spill?

1. Lots of choices
2. Look above
3. At what output mode?
4. How well should the subject be lit up?
5. Do you mean a good transition from hotspot to spill, or from low output to high output?
6. What price range?

:welcome: