Big Honkin' Throw VS. Output Chart

Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

I've been a little hesitant to do this, but here goes anyway:

YOU MUST READ THE FOLLOWING TO UNDERSTAND THIS CHART.

RED LINES are "Relative throw" - Lux at beam center - how bright the light is at the very center of the beam measured in Lux at one meter.

BLUE LINES are "Relative overall output" - "Qups" output - how much light is put out overall by the flashlight as measured by my lightbox apparatus.

Compare RED to RED and BLUE to BLUE

DO NOT COMPARE RED TO BLUE - THEY USE DIFFERENT SCALES!

So, taking the first two lights, you can see that the top light has more OVERALL OUTPUT (BLUE) than the second light, BUT the second light has more THROW (RED) than the top light and therefore a tighter beam. The second light focuses more of it's light into a distance-reaching beam and probably a much dimmer side-spill.

Enjoy!

CHART HAS MOVED TO REVIEWS - CLICK HERE

Please let me know if you feel this is beneficial or just confusing as all heck.

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

Wow, that chart makes so much sense. Now if you can include runtime to 50% brightness in there it would be the complete flashlight reference chart!
Thanks for all your hard work,
Dave

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

This is more than brilliant. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif Good work.

This provides something like a numeric twodimensional beamshape/beampattern analysis. I guess as soon as people start to compare the numbers of lights they own and know with unknown lights, they can assume what the unkown light light characteristics are. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

What is indeed very important is to know how to read the graph!

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

In at least three examples, based on what I see with my own eyes...

RIGHT ON!!!

PM6 SFG2 and SL2L/3C Xenon all act just that way. M6 THROW with good spill, G2 Flood with decent toss, and SLs Flood with some throw.

GOOD JOB!!!!

Moderator, make this STICKY!!!!

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

I didn't notice this before, but the 99¢ Eveready 2-D (probably the most purchased light in the US) has both 1000 in the output and 1000 lux at 1 meter (ratio of 1:1 between the 2 different scales).

Yes, I know I said not to compare the scales, but if you take this as a standard for Throw vs. Output:

1) lights with more output than throw on the chart will have a wider beam relative to output when compared against the beam qualities of the 2-D

2) lights with more throw than output on the chart will have a tighter beam (and less sidespill light) relative to output when compared against the beam qualitites of the venerable fixed focus 2-D...

So the Streamlight TL-3 should have similar general beam properties (throw, sidespill) compared to the Eveready 2-D, just much brighter (10000 vs. 10000 on the scales - again 1:1 ratio)

Or so the theory goes.............

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

Very nice job! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Is there a particular reason you didn't include the SureFire E1e? Just wondering, since you give it 4-1/2 stars in your review. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

The E1e may be my next light.

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

More practical stuff from Quickbeam. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

So the <font color="red"> red </font> is in <font color="red"> Lux </font> and the <font color="blue"> blue </font> is in <font color="blue"> QUPS </font>!

BC
PS: I think my TL-3 Xenon is the best bang for buck light I've purchased since my $13.00 Arc AAA. My Pelican M6s are next.

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

Thank you for the time that you spent on this project; it must have been significant. Your readings closely match my very limited & more crude testing method. My wife would have given the word "crude" a new meaning had she known how much time that I did spend testing in our darkened cellar.

Yes, a run-time chart would be nice too. You've already done yeoman's duty so perhaps others can help on this project. CPFers with light-metering capability could forward their results. You must already be straining your battery budget.

Out of the (flashlight fetish) closet & into the dark cellar!

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

WOW thats a great chart.
Thank you, it answers a ton of questions I've thought about.

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

Nicely done! Quite useful.

Wilkey

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

I will contribute $25 to the battery fund if someone signs up to do the dirty work. Anyone else?

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

QuickBeam,

This is a great chart and thanks for all of the work! The only issue that comes to my mind is the variation in luminous output of the Luxeons and how that could effect these relative comparisons. IF the flux bin of the Luxeon being tested were known, the chart could be normalized in anticipation based on a standard or average flux bin. With the same level of current to LED and optic, I believe it would be very telling to see a M bin 1W compared to a R bin 1W. I have always assumed that in the case of Incandescents, the luminous output spread is considerably less than we experience with the LED's. I wonder if this assumption is sound.

In simple terms, It would be cool to see an example of just how much YMMV. If someone would provide me with a M rank 1W HD, I would be willing to build to PM6 modules with the same drivers that could be tested using the same reflector. I would use a R rank for the second module. If you have a current limiting power supply, that would even be better.

- Don

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

That would be very interesting, McGizmo. Why don't you order yourself the M bin and I'll pay for it.

PM me your Paypal email and the total and I'll pay it immediately.

It's nice to be able to contribute to the research you heavy hitters do and share with us.

BC

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

this is awesome !!!
please add more and more lights !!!!
Don, geat idea!
bernhard

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

Hey QB, this is most excellent indeed!!! A quick visual way to compare, especially with the red-red and blue-blue legends.

Thanks, and I would be willing to contribute somehow, such as a light or similar (when I get back).

Thanks again...

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

BC0311,

Us small fish can't order Luxeons by bin! Thanks for the offer though! If another member of the forum does have a "known" low flux luxeon (preferably a star where the bin is printed on it) and they want payment for it, I'll be happy to let you buy it and send it to me! I will be out of pocket already for the Pelican M6 host as well as a couple converters and a R2 Luxeon.

This is all predicated on QB's willingness to test these. Oh yeah, I'll have to buy back a couple PM6 modules from Wayne as well.......

- Don

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

QB ! NICE WORK !!!

This is a subject that is mentioned alot, and not completely understood by alot of people.

May I point out one thing though... Lux does not always determine the amount of throw a light has. It is a very good indecator, but not always excat.
For example: My PT Tec40 KILLS my Mag 2D. I see on you chart that the 3D is way abve the Tec40 in the throw department. I think these 2 would actuallly be alot closer than the chart shows them.

I am not saying that your chart is not accurrate. i am sure its a very good indicator of how a lights throw to spill ratio is. But in real world conditions, things may be slightly different.

Thanks for the excellent work on ALL of your charts QB. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
These will come in VERY handy when selecting what light to buy next.

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

You know if you would have made this cart a couple of years ago it would have saved me thousands of $$$ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

And I wouldn't have had to make a web site! Excellent job! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

[ QUOTE ]
McGizmo said:
BC0311,

Us small fish can't order Luxeons by bin! Thanks for the offer though! If another member of the forum does have a "known" low flux luxeon (preferably a star where the bin is printed on it) and they want payment for it, I'll be happy to let you buy it and send it to me! I will be out of pocket already for the Pelican M6 host as well as a couple converters and a R2 Luxeon.

This is all predicated on QB's willingness to test these. Oh yeah, I'll have to buy back a couple PM6 modules from Wayne as well.......

- Don

[/ QUOTE ]

Don, I'll go one better. How about I buy one of those lights you build? Not the low fluxxer.

You can tell I'm an unskilled ignoramus. I'll never be able to build one, my eyes glaze over reading through Sammich Shoppe's "Everything you ever wanted to know..." list.

I want one of your PM-6 hotrods. This way I can sneak in line and get one and help you and QB out with this interesting science project.

I'll pay in advance, you can build it, send it to QB and I can get it when he's finished wif it. If that's OK with Quickbeam. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BC

Re: Big Honkin\' Throw VS. Output Chart

Interesting to see that the scorpion outthrew the m2/p61. Or at least has the potential to.

What I would love to see added to the list is a surefire M6 but sadly,I dont have one to contribute-yet /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif.
I would spring for batteries though.