Is the XPG-R5 the best? Will it be obsolete?

Batang Regla · May 10, 2011

Hi enlightened forumers

Is the XPG R5 the best? I think it has a nice flood and decent throw.

I hope XPG R5 stays.

smflorkey · May 10, 2011

When buying lights, like buying computers, know that whatever you buy will become obsolete eventually. The trick is to buy the device that meets your needs (and a little bit more) with enough quality to not frustrate you. Be satisfied that you bought a good device that meets your needs. Someone else will always have one that is brighter, faster, more efficient, etc. Leading edge technology is often rightly called bleeding edge technology since it breaks more often and always costs more.

Shalom,
Steve

GeoBruin · May 10, 2011

There are several things to consider when you are looking at what LED you want in your light. Below are a few of the most common:

- Output
- Beam Profile
- Efficiency
- Tint
- Color Rendition
- Size

Also, you will need to factor in the conditions under which the LED will be used. This usually pertains to the host, battery configuration and the driver. Some examples are:

- Drive current
- Host size
- Reflector size

You need to decide what your most important category/categories from above to decide what LED best suits your needs. Here's a few examples:

If you simply want the brightest single LED flashlight, as measured in total output lumens and are limited by no other factors, you might want to look at the Luminus SST-90.

Now on the other hand, let's say you want a light with the longest possible runtime at 150 - 200 lumens (in other words you want the most efficient emitter at a low drive current) you might consider the XPG-R5.

The examples above focus on a single aspect of the LED (i.e. output, efficiency, etc.) however most flashlight projects have a list of constraints that force you to consider a combination of factors. For example, let's say you want a light that is small enough to fit in your pocket, runs on 2 X AA batteries, is floody, needs multiple levels, needs to be fully current regulated, and runs for two hours on high. The choice of LED is going to be very different than for a light that will run on Li Ion cells, is direct drive (and needs only one level), has a reflector the size of a grape fruit, is well heat synced, and only needs to run on high for 15 minutes.

That said, even if you do choose the optimal LED for your application it will eventually become obsolete. Most folks around here would not consider that a bad thing however. It means innovation in the technology and above all, the opportunity to upgrade :naughty:

Cheers!

nasc · May 10, 2011

Two good replies. I am learning with posts like these.
Thank you.

Burgess · May 10, 2011

" Obsolete " is the critical word here . . . .

So many people use it, for similar statements (like computers, fer' instance)

But, what they SHOULD say is: " no longer State of the Art ".

Obsolete, my friends, is something like Sony BetaMax, or Analog Cell-Phones.

Cameras using 116 or 127 Roll-film

8-millimeter Movie Cameras

8-track audio tapes

Polaroid cameras.

Televisions (in the US, anyway), which don't meet the new Digital standards.

-- you get the idea . . . .

Even the "long-past-its-prime" Luxeon I emitter (which we all LOVED in 2006),
has long ago fallen by the side of the road.

Yet, it still performs GREAT in my trusty Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA Luxeon flashlight.

Just that there are now flashlights which produce More output with Fewer AA cells.

BTW -- i still sometimes use my Eveready 2-D flashlight, running a PR-2 bulb.

I just might agree with you that this is obsolete. (post # 86)

But, of course, i still use it !

lovecpf
_

flame2000 · May 10, 2011

It will go the same way as those Luxeon 1 and 3w LED....no doubt. Pple will still use them, but most flashaholics will probably shelf them aside and go for the latest most powerful & efficient LED.

pjandyho · May 10, 2011

LED type has never been a great consideration for me when buying lights. Sure, I might buy some new lights running the latest XM-L in there but I am still equally happy using my Surefire which still runs an XR-E or XP-E in there, depending on the model. As long as the flashlight work, can get the job done and is robust, I would still continue using it. I have about 50 flashlights now and I would EDC two lights at least, sometimes three. My main EDC would be a HDS, and the other EDC light I would rotate amongst all the lights in my collection so none of them becomes obsolete. I love them all.

tygger · May 10, 2011

Batang Regla said:
Hi enlightened forumers

Is the XPG R5 the best? I think it has a nice flood and decent throw.

I hope XPG R5 stays.

That is until they optimize TIR optics and reflectors for the XM-L. The XP-G is great but can't be pushed nearly as hard as the XM-L. Why limit yourself I always say.

LightWalker · May 11, 2011

There are people on here that still use incandescents. :thinking:

gcbryan · May 11, 2011

tygger said:
That is until they optimize TIR optics and reflectors for the XM-L. The XP-G is great but can't be pushed nearly as hard as the XM-L. Why limit yourself I always say.

There is only so much optimizing you can do however. Unless you want a larger reflector and therefore a larger light there is only so much throw you are going to get with a larger emitter.

I think the XP-G is still a good option for longer runtimes in a smaller light if you want some flood and some throw. If max flood is what you want them XM-L is the better choice or max output.

If throw is all you want then XR-E is still a good choice.

LEDAdd1ct · May 11, 2011

Batang Regla said:
Hi enlightened forumers

Is the XPG R5 the best? I think it has a nice flood and decent throw.

I hope XPG R5 stays.

Question: "Is the XP-G R5 the best?"

Answer: "It depends on what you mean by best."

Question: "Will the XP-G R5 remain the best in catgeory x?"

Answer: "No."

Thefo · May 11, 2011

Well said

GeoBruin said:
There are several things to consider when you are looking at what LED you want in your light. Below are a few of the most common:

- Output
- Beam Profile
- Efficiency
- Tint
- Color Rendition
- Size

Also, you will need to factor in the conditions under which the LED will be used. This usually pertains to the host, battery configuration and the driver. Some examples are:

- Drive current
- Host size
- Reflector size

You need to decide what your most important category/categories from above to decide what LED best suits your needs. Here's a few examples:

If you simply want the brightest single LED flashlight, as measured in total output lumens and are limited by no other factors, you might want to look at the Luminus SST-90.

Now on the other hand, let's say you want a light with the longest possible runtime at 150 - 200 lumens (in other words you want the most efficient emitter at a low drive current) you might consider the XPG-R5.

The examples above focus on a single aspect of the LED (i.e. output, efficiency, etc.) however most flashlight projects have a list of constraints that force you to consider a combination of factors. For example, let's say you want a light that is small enough to fit in your pocket, runs on 2 X AA batteries, is floody, needs multiple levels, needs to be fully current regulated, and runs for two hours on high. The choice of LED is going to be very different than for a light that will run on Li Ion cells, is direct drive (and needs only one level), has a reflector the size of a grape fruit, is well heat synced, and only needs to run on high for 15 minutes.

That said, even if you do choose the optimal LED for your application it will eventually become obsolete. Most folks around here would not consider that a bad thing however. It means innovation in the technology and above all, the opportunity to upgrade :naughty:

Cheers!

richpalm · May 11, 2011

FWIW, for me I like the XPG in triples and XML for reflectored singles.

Rich

luceat lux vestra · May 11, 2011

Batang Regla said:
Hi enlightened forumers

Is the XPG R5 the best? I think it has a nice flood and decent throw.

I hope XPG R5 stays.

Ask me again in twenty years!

Burgess · May 11, 2011

That's gonna' be One Hell of a Thread Bump ! ! !

:bump:
_

cratz2 · May 11, 2011

Technology progresses... unless it all ends in 2012, NOTHING out right now will still be the best 5 years from now.

When I first signed up here, nothing LED could even remotely keep up with a standard 60L Surefire whereas now my little 1xAAA light about doubles that.

I remember my first light that had a 1W Luxeon. Cheap Chinese jobbie, horrible tint and in a 3xAAA form factor which is just about the worst... but it was pretty darn impressive.

I quit coming here in about 2007 as I had Milky put a Seoul SSC in my HDS and I had a nice UW0J in a 2C Mag running on 18650s... multiple levels, decent sized... Now the best AAA keychain lights trump it.

Technology will progress and most of us WANT it to progress... but that doesn't mean your R5 will be 'obsolete' by any means. It just means there will be brighter lights.

trooplewis · May 11, 2011

XP-G with a smooth reflector is my favorite dropin right now. Some of my smaller lights I still like XR-E for the well-defined hotspot.
I will like XM-L's more when they start building better reflector matches for them in drop-ins. I probably have 4 XM-L's, but I keep using my XP-G's and XR-E's more.

Moka · May 11, 2011

Short answer would be yes... Without even going into the XM-L's specs, The Cree XP-G already has S2 and S3 Binned emitters now, this means they are brighter and hence a higher efficacy... Therefore yes the R5 bin is obsolete...

Is the XPG-R5 the best? Will it be obsolete?

Batang Regla

Newly Enlightened

smflorkey

Newly Enlightened

GeoBruin

Flashlight Enthusiast

nasc

Newly Enlightened

Burgess

Flashaholic

flame2000

Enlightened

pjandyho

Flashlight Enthusiast

tygger

Enlightened

LightWalker

Flashlight Enthusiast

gcbryan

Flashlight Enthusiast

LEDAdd1ct

Flashlight Enthusiast

Thefo

Newly Enlightened

richpalm

Banned

luceat lux vestra

Enlightened

Burgess

Flashaholic

cratz2

Flashlight Enthusiast

trooplewis

Newly Enlightened

Moka

Enlightened

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