Various products & their candlepower ratings

In looking through the Gall's catalog today, some flashlights' candlepower ratings caught my eye:

Pelican MityLite Magnum, a 2-AA light, rated at 8,000 CP. That's higher than Streamlight's 4-AA light (6000 CP), and more even than the Streamlight Scorpion (2-L @ 6,500 CP) -- pretty amazing, since the Scorpion is supposed to be about as bright as a SureFire 6P.

Next to catch my eye was the Koehler-Bright Star 3-C light, rated at a whopping 50,000 CP. That's not a typo, the comma is in the right place. Compare that to other 3-C lights, like the Pelican Super SabreLite (12,000 CP) and the Streamlight 3C (12,000 CP). Hey, that's even brighter than the Maglite 6-D (20,500 CP). Hey, brighter even than the Streamlight SL35X, which is a piddling 40,000 CP.

Okay, I know about candlepower games. If Koehler-Bright Star isn't exaggerating on their 50,000 CP claim, it could just be that their reflector is tight and creates one small burning hot spot of 50,000 CP, while the total light output remains no higher than the other 3-C lights.

But my question is ... Has anyone tried the Koelher-Bright Star 3-C, or even the MityLite Magnum, and see how indicative the candlepower rating is to true performance? Because given the chance to get a 2-AA light that's brighter than my SureFire, I'll take it. But you'll understand that I'm a tad sceptical

Joe
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The Beam of the Pelican Magnum is really tight. It reaches as far as the StealthLite into the sky (slightly foggy), but the StealthLite has a beam of the same intensity about twice the radius.

I personally would not believe for one second the CP ratings so flashlights. There is no standard for comparison. I believe it's high number marketing hype...

Having said that, opinions are hyped too, but maybe more reliable. A guy called Brock has a site which has the beam width at 20ft; http://www.uwgb.edu/nevermab/flash.htm

While this is an excellent site, it could do with the "focusable" flashlights having a value for the tightest beam they can make. Also, a colour value of the beam ( ie: white - yellow) on new batteries. Or maybe a comparison photo of all the lights shining side-by-side 10ft from a White wall.

Also, he points out that most flashlights have different shapes, and quality of beams. I sent back two Magnum lamps cos they were poor, and I got free replacements.

Overall, I stick to SureFire for beam quality and brightness. I'd get a StealthLite over a Magnum cos I've had 3 blown lamps with it, but none from the StealthLite.

I have a Pelican MityLite Magnum 2AA and let me tell you the beam is tight, tight, tight.

The beam is very white and will reach further than my M2 with the P61 bulb. That being said that is the only good part about the light. For almost any purpose the flashlight is useless because every bit of light coming out of the light is in small pencil thin beam. It sheds almost no peripheral light.

Used in a house or at any close distance it is terrible. It may produce 8K CP but what's the difference if that light is not useful. I have used it on dark walks in the woods or down trails and it is not suited for such uses. The Mini-mags and even my UKE2AAA work much better, not to mention how good the SureFires are for this task. Luckily it was only about $11 from BrightGuy (great service) so I don't feel that badly.

When I purchased it, I hoped it would replace my AA Mini-Mags and chose it over other AA's because of the quoted 8,000 CP output. Needless to say it has not replaced my Mini-Mags, especially with the Brinkman Nexstar Xenon bulbs.

Anyway, if you need a bright concentrated almost unbelievably small, tight beam for scuba diving or some other venture, this is your light. For almost any other purpose, my vote is for a Mini-Mag with Xenons at the low end price or SureFires if you can afford them. If you must have a small, waterproof light go for the UK2AAA or another slightly bigger UKE.

Bucky

Hi, yes you can't beleive what they say the lights are in CP at all. The only thing they are useful for is comparing lights from the same manufacture to each other. That is the reason I started getting them. I bugs me they can say they have a 2 AA light with 15,000 CP and the Streamlight Scorpion is only 6,500 CP. I don't think so.

If you want I can take some pics with my new camera, I can now lock ISO, white balance and shutter speed. So I can take them and they would be comparable. The problem is if I set it for say the 12PM, the other lights look like night lights. So you can only really compare lights with a similar output. Like a shot with the P60 lamp and a scorpion (focused as tight as it can) would be pretty close.

Brock

I also find those numbers very deceptive. I can totally see now in retrospect why SureFire was, as far as I know, the first to rate their flashlights by lumens instead of candlepower.

I think Bucky's comments about the Magnum 2AA are very telling about this. 8,000CP? Maybe. Useful for most purposes? Nope. FWIW, I bought a Lightwave 2000 for my girlfriend recently and I think it's a great all-around light for that size/weight/brightness niche.

Candlepower (units: Cd) and luminous output are both important. Taken to extremes, one can have a infinite Cd beam with a 1 micro-lumen source if the solid angle is zero!But hen the beam will not be very useful as it has zero area! On the other hand having 100 lumens from the lamp means little too. Without a reflector it will not be very useful illuminating an object 100m (sorry, that is 328 ft!) away. Thus to have a good idea of how useful a spotlight is, we need to know at the very least it candle power AND is beam spread. This is what manufacturers of sport-lighting fixtures give. Their products have to perform to the satisfaction of TV crews and millions of viewers. Can't afford to take any chances there. Problem is how to get the flashlight manufacturers to do the same!
Like all things, no flashlights is good for all uses. I have a Maxa Beam which claims 6,000,000 Cd. And it is much brighter than any portable I ahve been able to compare with. But its beam is so narrow that it really is not very useful at normal distances a flashlight is used. You see , the 75W Xenon lamp gives only 1000lm. A XL 1000C from LSI is much better at shorter distances because its 100W halogen lamp gives about twice as much light power. But if one is trying to get to a target much further out, then the Maxa Beam at least gives a good level of illumination over a small area while the XL 1000C fails to illuminate the target brightly enough for it to be seen properly. The ideal would be to have both a high candle power AND a broad beam, but then we need a powerful source of energy!! So narrow and broad beam spotlights have their own uses. That is why sports lighting (again!) fixtures are offered with many different beam spreads. Horses for courses.

phyhsuts, would you do a review of the maxa beam in a separate thread?

DaveH

I will try when I have time from my demanding students!

Brock, Your Idea of photoing two or more comparible flashligh beams is great.

I completely agree with the Pelican Magnum 2AA flashlight comments - I happen to rather like that feature, but use my StealthLites alot more.

I think that the Pelican flashlights are for Diving when tight beams work best avoiding the scatter back blinding effect. Maybe they're great in fog and smoke too?

I hate the way they make up CP values. I have a stealthLite on me or in my bag most of the time. I use it to compare lights on shops etc. Sometimes the display flashlights will have batteries or the assistant is willing to put some in.

It's not how many CP, It's what it's designed for and what you do with it that counts!!

Alastair