Outdor beamshots: WE R2 / nailbender SST-50/SST-90 / AE Xenide 25W

I did some spontaneous outdoor beamshots when I came across this location, having the Xenide on anyways for some photos. These feature my CustomLites SST-50 and SST-90 drop-ins from nailbender that saw their first outdoor use at that point, IIRC.

Distance to the bridge was about 35-40m, the targeted opposite shoreline behind the bridge should be at least 50m away. All lights except for the Xenide running on fresh protected 2600mAh AW 18650 cells.

The settings for all photos are f/3.3, 8s, ISO100, 28mm. Click the images to see the original images.

Wolf-Eyes 6AF Sniper, Digital Cree R2 WC low Vf HO 3.7v-6.0v D26 4 mode:


SureFire 6P, CustomLites Luminus SST-50 3 mode 2.5A regulated:


SureFire C2, CustomLites Luminus SST-90 3 mode direct-drive:


AELight 25W Xenide Class 1 Division 2 with diffuser filter:


AELight 25W Xenide Class 1 Division 2:

Re: Outdor beamshots: WE R2 / nailbender SST-50/SST-90 / AE Xenide

Later that same night I also did some longer range beamshots at a lake.

These aren't as realistic as the ones before. They are somewhat overexposed, but the ones with lower exposure turned out nearly dark except for the Xenide. The camera apparently does not seem to model the human vision good enough in the darkness, especially at a distance.

Distance to the targeted line of trees at the other side of the lake should be roughly around 170m.

The settings for all photos are f/3.3, 30s, ISO100, 28mm. Click the images to see the original images.

Reference:


Wolf-Eyes 6AF Sniper, Digital Cree R2 WC low Vf HO 3.7v-6.0v D26 4 mode:


SureFire 6P, CustomLites Luminus SST-50 3 mode 2.5A regulated:


SureFire C2, CustomLites Luminus SST-90 3 mode direct-drive:


AELight 25W Xenide Class 1 Division 2 with diffuser filter:


AELight 25W Xenide Class 1 Division 2:

Re: Outdor beamshots: WE R2 / nailbender SST-50/SST-90 / AE Xenide

NICE! I guess I need my 4th nailbender dropin now I have two D36 MC-E as well as a MC-E D26. The SSTs are looking awesome. Especially compared to the Cree R2.

Am I seeing this correctly, the SST-50 throws further while the SST-90 provides better flood?

Thanks for the beamshots!
Eric

Re: Outdor beamshots: WE R2 / nailbender SST-50/SST-90 / AE Xenide

Eric242 said:

Am I seeing this correctly, the SST-50 throws further while the SST-90 provides better flood?

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Correct. The difference does not really show on close range indoor white wall beamshots, it just looks like a different sized hotspot. But outdoors one immediately sees the difference.
The SST-50 has a normal (not too throwy) beam like the WE Sniper (or some Fenix PDx/LDx/etc.), just a good deal more powerful, whereas the the SST-90 has a really nice floody beam making it an awesome walking light.
They both use the same reflector (which BTW is notably deeper than that of the WE drop-in), so the difference is in the LED.

Great beam shots

Updated post #2 with some long range shots.

Every single time i see pics like these I remind myself to get a HID.

Thanks elho, nice post! :twothumbs

strinq said:

Every single time i see pics like these I remind myself to get a HID.

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Do yourself a favour and go ahead, then.

I knew, that I wanted one ever since I first learned about the existence of HID flashlights here on CPF. But with most beamshots comparing HIDs to each other or other throw monsters, I never got to the point to actually spend the money on it and was not sure whether some LED thrower like a DBS plus some floody multi-die/-LED light would be enough do the trick as well...
But after having the opportunity to see all these types of lights in person, it became undoubtedly clear that HIDs and somesuch are a whole different world and I bought the Xenide.
And from thereon I used it more than I initially thought I'd do.:twothumbs

elho said:

Do yourself a favour and go ahead, then.

I knew, that I wanted one ever since I first learned about the existence of HID flashlights here on CPF. But with most beamshots comparing HIDs to each other or other throw monsters, I never got to the point to actually spend the money on it and was not sure whether some LED thrower like a DBS plus some floody multi-die/-LED light would be enough do the trick as well...
But after having the opportunity to see all these types of lights in person, it became undoubtedly clear that HIDs and somesuch are a whole different world and I bought the Xenide.
And from thereon I used it more than I initially thought I'd do.:twothumbs

Click to expand...

I loved those beamshots elho. Thanks for posting them. Like you stated, it's a whole different world. I'm always skeptical of speculations which state that LED is suddenly going to overrun HID in the area of throw with a conventional reflector. Yes, probably someday but a year ago people were suggesting the death of HID upon arrival of the SST-50/90. Your beamshots say it all.

Patriot said:

I loved those beamshots elho.

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Thank you, I'm glad people enjoy them.

I actually made some more in the snow meanwhile, but they unfortunately did not turn out that good and the SST-50 ones were completely useless, which is a shame as I added the Wolf-Eyes MC-Explorer in the mix for a direct comparison. :sigh:
I also included shots of the complete range of filters (except IR obviously ) of the Xenide, might post at least those.

Patriot said:

I'm always skeptical of speculations which state that LED is suddenly going to overrun HID in the area of throw with a conventional reflector. Yes, probably someday but a year ago people were suggesting the death of HID upon arrival of the SST-50/90. Your beamshots say it all.

Click to expand...

Yes, regarding throw that is nonsense unless there will be some breakthrough in surface brightness of LEDs and not just larger and larger emitters. And then there are short-arcs...
But the SST-90 will IMO make HIDs less attractive nonetheless. They will still be quite attractive for their versatility of providing both throw and flood (at least if a nice diffuser is available), but if you do not need the extreme throw (I do use the Xenide with the diffuser most of the time), a compact (as much as heatsinking permits) 3x18650 light with a SST-90 at full power will be a superior flooder and a hell of a (coat) pocket wall of light. :naughty:
(And if you go for the bigger HIDs you could also go multiple SST-90 at the same size and price easily).

That said, I'm sure I'll keep on dreaming of a Polarion for quite some years.

Sorry if this has been asked already but does anyone know if the Nailbender SST-50 (3-mode 2.5A) drop in will run fine with two LifePo4 RCR123 batteries each rated at 3.2v, they come of the charger at 3.5v each so i'm gussing this would be to high a voltage?

I'm a bit skeptical about the Olight SR90's throw when compared to HID.

The reason is, a few folks on this forum who own SR90's have said that it out throws some hid lights, but have not produced any direct comparison long distance beamshots as of yet with any HID (let alone HID throwers) as far as i know. :sigh:

I'm holding back on buying the SR90, cos it seems to me rather strange that no one has given us honest proof yet in direct comparison of how it stacks up against HID. :thinking:

RedForest UK said:

Sorry if this has been asked already but does anyone know if the Nailbender SST-50 (3-mode 2.5A) drop in will run fine with two LifePo4 RCR123 batteries each rated at 3.2v, they come of the charger at 3.5v each so i'm gussing this would be to high a voltage?

Click to expand...

nailbender clearly states in the first post of his sales thread that you are not supposed to use LiFePO4 cells on any 6V drop-in, which includes the SST-50.
In this reply to the same question he gives some more details.

nice Beamshots Elho.

think I need a SST 90 =)


greets :naughty:

Thanks, I just posted a newer set of shots featuring the Moddoo Triple-XP-G and stuff I previously promised:

elho said:

the SST-50 ones were completely useless, which is a shame as I added the Wolf-Eyes MC-Explorer in the mix for a direct comparison. :sigh:
I also included shots of the complete range of filters (except IR obviously ) of the Xenide

Click to expand...

Steve'O said:

a few folks on this forum who own SR90's have said that it out throws some hid lights, but have not produced any direct comparison long distance beamshots as of yet with any HID (let alone HID throwers) as far as i know. :sigh:

Click to expand...

I had the brief opportunity to play with a SR-90 recently and compare it to my 25W Xenide and a 34W MicroFire K35000R. I did not take any beamshots myself, I am afraid.
In overall brightness and throw, the SR-90 and K3500R were quite close, both beating the Xenide (clearly. but not massively). Testing range were a house at roughly 330m and some trees at roughly 370-390m and two reflectors at supposedly 500m and 800m.

But when taking other factors into account, too, each size and weight and quality on their own make never trade my Xenide against either of these two and then there is runtime and wealth of accessories.
My verdict on the SR-90 is that it can indeed beat/keep up with the smaller HIDs, but not those in its size/weight class, which it IMNSHO had to beat.