Question about 2012 Surefire E2D LED Defender

Ill start by saying im new to flashlights, this is my first post. Ive been researching lights recently. Ive been studying the surefire website and found something that I hope someone on cpf can help me with.

The current e2d led defender is 200/5 lumens with runtime of about 2 hours and 76 hours. I downloaded the 2012 catalog and when browsing it it shows the new 2012 e2d led defender with a couple of changes. I like two way clip. I also like the fact that it is 250 lumen compared to the current 200. but the thing that I don't understand considering im new to lights is this. The 200/5 version has a low runtime of 76 hours. The 250/5 version has a low runtime of 47 hours. If both lights on low are at 5 lumens why would the new one have 30 hours less runtime?

i'm assuming they changed the driver and the new Defender's driver isn't as efficient at low loads, a lot like computer power supplies

I think it is important not to dwell too much on a rating, especially ratings of prototype concepts. And comparing ratings is often risky as it isn't a given they are derived in the same way.

Perhaps the only real way to compare is to make output runtime charts of the flashlights as the detail these provide will illuminate significantly more than a couple of numbers can.

forgive me for asking (I'm new to most of this) but calling the 'new' e2d defender a prototype... does that mean just because surefire puts something in their catalog doesn't mean it will be sold?

Size15's said:

I think it is important not to dwell too much on a rating, especially ratings of prototype concepts. And comparing ratings is often risky as it isn't a given they are derived in the same way.

Perhaps the only real way to compare is to make output runtime charts of the flashlights as the detail these provide will illuminate significantly more than a couple of numbers can.

Click to expand...

You are absolutely correct. If you look at past catalogs, you will find a bunch of lights that have never been released or released multiple years later. That's Surefire for yah!

benm11 said:

You are absolutely correct. If you look at past catalogs, you will find a bunch of lights that have never been released or released multiple years later. That's Surefire for yah!

Click to expand...

Or released with different final specs.

The new Surefires are measured according to the ANSI FL1 standard. The runtimes of older Surefires might be measured with other standards, so the same light can give different results. Only a direct comparison between the new and the old one with the same standards can tell you the real difference between both.

i dont know if surefire has made any changes to the 2012 model.
but 250 lumens, and 47 hours of low runtimes seems like more accurate descriptions of the 200/5 lumen model.
it could be that they are just updating their official specs.

i remember some members have done runtime tests on low with the E2DL, and it wasnt 76 hours