bring me up to date.. please :)

jonman007 · May 7, 2009

Hi everyone, been away from the flashlight scene for over a year now. Just wondering if anyone can quickly bring me up to date on what the current best/coolest new LED flashlights are these days. I'm really out of the loop, seems like a lot has changed.

Cheers!

kosPap · May 7, 2009

that is a tuff request cos there are so many things ahppening....

set your mark on the Cree MC-E led
Check the malkoff devices site for the newer modules
check any of selfbiuld's recent reviews and follow the link in his sigline to his reviews index...then take a break from work and start reading
visit foursevens store....now he does not only sell fenix but other brands too...there interesting new models from Tiablo, Lumapower, Nighcore, O-light, ITP, Eagletac
reread the big long-lasting threads in the incandescent and custom lights forums`
take another breal from work and searcch the batteries forum for the latest threads on Eneloops
`
hmm that is about 60% for older members

Jarl · May 7, 2009

LED wise, there's the P7 and cree MC-E (also available with 4 dies of different colours, so hopefully flashlights with customisable colour soon!), which are both quad die LED's like the lux V, but better. There's also the cree XP-E, which is cree's answer to the rebel (even smaller...) and phlatlight may soon sell their mammoth LED's (here) promising thousands of lumens (yikes). Warm/neutral tints are beginning to take off, making colour rendition much nicer IMO.

On the flashlight front, more of the same really. Nitecore are doing well with their piston drive and EZ concepts, DX are still selling cheap tat with a couple of hidden gems, a company called shining beam are taking DX lights and sticking upgraded emitters in them. There's a 18650 headlight from zebralight, neofab has made a sweet MC-E light outputting 742 torch lumens, jetbeam have stolen the body from a surefire light and stuck an MC-E in there with about 400 torch lumens, and lost a lot of credibility doing so IMO. There's more tacticool lights, and fenix have bought out a couple of lights, one with a selector ring and one with an MC-E that runs off 8xAA's. Malkoff, as usual, is doing some pretty cool stuff as well.

I'm sure i've missed a bit, but that's the general happenings.

jonman007 · May 7, 2009

Haha ok how about just a list of the current 'must have' LED flashlights, so I can go off and research them myself. Just not sure where to start at the moment

jonman007 · May 7, 2009

Thanks Jarl!

kosPap · May 7, 2009

then I will repeat my suggestion to READ the selfbuilt's review starting from the roundups (1xAA, 1xCR123 etc)

jhc37013 · May 7, 2009

It would be easier if you started with one of these. Your favorite brand, size, battery type, or in a price range. Anything to narrow it down some to start.

Zeruel · May 7, 2009

Yeah, too many new lights... need to narrow down. Throwers themselves give me a headache....

Ryanrpm · May 7, 2009

Here is a list of some of the top well known high output lights that have come on the scene pretty recently. I created this to keep all the facts straight and to present the pertinant information. Some of it is incomplete..:mecry:

Edit: The chart is updated. The post right below mine is the old chart. I've included the RX-1 MC-E and added in 'bins' under the emitters.

Outdoors Fanatic · May 7, 2009

Ryanrpm said:
Here is a list of some of the top well known high output lights that have come on the scene pretty recently. I created this to keep all the facts straight and to present the pertinant information. Some of it is incomplete..:mecry:

Great job!!

HKJ · May 7, 2009

Ryanrpm said:
Some of it is incomplete..:mecry:

A very useful list, but with a few problems:

The TK40 lumen value would be more correct written as "Out the front: 630?". Fenix has, like they did for all other TK lights, used "out the front" specification for the TK40.

The M1X will also accept many more battery configurations, than you have listed.

The L2 could be ordered with either OP or SMO reflector, but most people ordered OP (including me).

I plan on getting more lights from you list (I have already ordered them), but at the current time, my big LED lights are limited to this selection:

Ryanrpm · May 7, 2009

HKJ said:
A very useful list, but with a few problems:

The TK40 lumen value would be more correct written as "Out the front: 630?". Fenix has, like they did for all other TK lights, used "out the front" specification for the TK40.

The M1X will also accept many more battery configurations, than you have listed.

The L2 could be ordered with either OP or SMO reflector, but most people ordered OP (including me).

I plan on getting more lights from you list (I have already ordered them), but at the current time, my big LED lights are limited to this selection:

I've made changes to the list.

As far as listing all the battery configurations...I will run out of room in my cells. So I just kept to the main battery types.

And.....(ahem)....where have you been all this time with those high power lights?! Is there any way you can do beamshots for us comparing the trio: TK40, L2, and M1-X?:twothumbs

If not, I'll try to understand.....:mecry:

HKJ · May 7, 2009

Ryanrpm said:
And.....(ahem)....where have you been all this time with those high power lights?! Is there any way you can do beamshots for us comparing the trio: TK40, L2, and M1-X?:twothumbs

If not, I'll try to understand.....:mecry:

I have been doing some beamshots for my TK40 review, but it is in Danish and was made before I received the L2.
I would like to get some more lights (M2 and M30), before doing a round of beamshots again.

jonman007 · May 10, 2009

Thanks very much everyone! That's all the info i needed. Cheers

Jackal-Head · May 10, 2009

TK40 vs. M30 vs. M1X (but no L2)

Ryanrpm said:
And.....(ahem)....where have you been all this time with those high power lights?! Is there any way you can do beamshots for us comparing the trio: TK40, L2, and M1-X?:twothumbs

The TK40 and Olight M30 beam patterns seem quite similar. The M1X has a bit less spill and much more throw than the others at the expense of an unevenly lit hotspot. But don't take my word for it, just watch this video (HQ recommended) that told me so. The M30 is the only one I would even consider for EDC and I really like the idea of a momentary strobe switch for self defense. According to the spec'd runtime, the M30 does appear to be much less efficient at the lower brightness modes than the TK40, so here's the obligatory fly in the ointment…

9volt · May 10, 2009

Re: TK40 vs. M30 vs. M1X (but no L2)

I've been out of the loop for a while too. Are there any decent MCE/P7 lights that run on a single cell? Could someone post a link to the selfbuilt review?

Outdoors Fanatic · May 10, 2009

Re: TK40 vs. M30 vs. M1X (but no L2)

9volt said:
I've been out of the loop for a while too. Are there any decent MCE/P7 lights that run on a single cell? Could someone post a link to the selfbuilt review?

There ain't a single one of them which has flat regulation and half-decent runtimes. Don't bother with single-cell Quad-Die LED lights. They need the juice of extra cells.

applevision · May 10, 2009

HKJ said:
I have been doing some beamshots for my TK40 review, but it is in Danish and was made before I received the L2.
I would like to get some more lights (M2 and M30), before doing a round of beamshots again.

HKJ, your TK40 review was awesome despite my lack of Danish reading skills. You must have the most fantastic collection of lights!

Hey, I can't wait for your thoughts on the TK40 vs. the Legion II vs. the M2/M2X series! Thanks!!

bring me up to date.. please :)

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