As a continuation of yesterday's brief introductory post, let me add some more info here along with some flashlight decision-making that might be of interest to some? BTW, I found out why my first post went "poof" - it's because I was editing for too long and ended up being logged out. In the meantime, I have posted links to my high dynamic range ceiling beamshot gallery
here.
I am a photographer living in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. I also work in a camera store, Beau Photo Supplies, and recently have started acquiring some flashlights. I had a few LED headlamps in the past (various Petzl Tikka models) and a few random LED flashlights, mostly taking 2 or 4 AA cells. The brightest LED light I had earlier this year was a Filzer I-BEAM X4. I do a lot of exploring, camping and hiking and those were the main uses for the lights I had. I did a little bit of photographic light painting but the minimal output of the lights I owned didn't inspire me to work with them much that way. I also have a D-cell MagLight as well as a rechargeable "3.5 million CandlePower" spotlight, which I used when I needed more throw than my older LED lights.
I don't recall exactly why, but a few months back, I was browsing the CPF forums for the first time and when I noticed just how far higher end LED flashlights had come compared to what I owned, so I decided I should probably upgrade from the Filzer. It looked like the NiteCore EA4 was a well regarded unit with high output using just AA cells, and after emailing a friend, he mentioned that he actually owned an EA4 himself. Once I saw it in action, I was quite impressed and when my friend mentioned a sale on a Sunwayman D40A and that it too was a highly regarded light, I let him order the D40A for me. Wow, was I ever impressed with its output and flexibility compared to the basic lights I had before. It even totally blew away that big, heavy 3.5 MCP spotlight! Of course, as impressive as the output of the D40A was, I still wondered what a brighter LED flashlight could do...
After perusing CPF, reading reviews, and checking out many manufacturer's websites, I decided to order a SupBeam X40. It seemed to have a great combination of features at a fairly reasonable price: over 3000 lumens of output with a decently focused beam for throw (at least compared to many other 3xLED lights that I was looking at), a fully-variable control ring for brightness (I now almost won't consider a general purpose light that doesn't have some way of switching levels up or down without cycling through all the other modes), plus it had a built-in charger, perfect for someone getting into their first 18650 powered light. When I got the X40 I was blown away again and loved the flexibility of its control ring. I decided that I much preferred the control-ring UI of the X40 over the push-button UI of the D40A, so I decided to order myself a NiteCore SRT7. Really like that light! Not only do I find the form factor easier to hold and less likely to slip from my hands than the barrel-shaped D40A, but heck, the coloured LEDs are cool too! Plus, the energy density of the single 18650 cell is impressive, compared to the bulkier 4x AA cells. Even though the D40A had a slightly nicer beam than the SRT7 (smoother, slightly tighter hotspot with more throw), I decided to give the D40A away to a friend since overall, I preferred the SRT7.
Then came a Zebralight SC52 (with several 14500 cells and NiteCore i4 Charger) for EDC. When I saw how utterly pathetic the light output of my old headlamps were compared to the SC52 on even an Alkaline AA, I also pre-ordered an ArmyTek Wizard Pro headlamp, one with the revised "v1.1" firmware. When the Wizard Pro finally came, I was stunned at the output and loved the smooth wide, colour-free and relatively neutral beam. I also felt it had a really great UI, at least for a push-button mode changing light.
After doing some light painting with my SupBeam X40, first at the UBC Museum of Anthopology (
blog link here), then at Pitt Lake (
blog link here with some animated beamshot comparisons too), I decided that a light with a narrower, more focused beam and a dimmer spill would be quite useful for finer, more detailed light painting. So, after doing some research, I decided to order an ArmyTek Predator Pro v2.5. Not only did it seem to have the narrowest beam with excellent throw in the compact, single 18650 form factor category, but I felt that its programmability could come in handy. When I got it, I actually programmed in 5 head-tightened levels, each one calibrated with a handheld light-meter to be exactly one photographic f-stop less than the previous mode. I thought this could come in handy but, in fact, it turns out that for the type of light painting I do, having to go through that many loosen-tighten twists to change modes is too cumbersome. I now simply have three well spaced modes programmed in. I haven't done much with the Predator Pro yet (poor weather and minimal time), but this gallery has a few examples:
First Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4R Tests. The tight beam focus and narrow spill of the Predator Pro is perfect, and is exactly what I wanted.
To break up all this text up a bit, here is an animated GIF with an outdoor beamshot comparison I did earlier this year...
Then, along comes the "Black November" sale at Illumination Supply and I ordered a few more lights. I decided that I probably should have ordered the wide version of the Wizard Pro, and after seeing (alarmingly) that it was listed on ArmyTek's site as discontinued (still puzzling over that
) I quickly ordered a Wizard Pro Wide, knowing for sure I'd get the v1.1 from IS. I also was not convinced that I'd prefer the changed UI in the rumoured upcoming v1.5 firmware, so wanted to get a wide one with the current UI while it was still available. It is actually surprising to me how big a difference the extra 20 degrees of beam spread is in improving peripheral vision and I would personally highly recommend the wide one over the regular one if you are not looking for a headlamp with throw. When hiking at night, wearing a wide-beam headlamp and then carrying a more "throwy" handheld light seems to be the best combination in my view. As an added bonus, the newer Wizard Pro Wide I received has a much easier to press button. Like many others, I felt that the button on my first one was indeed stiffer than it needed to be.
Since the SRT7 was such a cool light, but a little large for EDC, I also ordered an SRT5 and made my own flip-up diffuser from a Butler-Creek scope cover, after reading a thread on CPF (I think) where that trick was mentioned. I also bought a larger scope cover for the SRT7, but it is too tight on the body of the light and the cover does not snap shut properly when mounted - too bad. The SRT5 actually has a much nicer control-ring implementation than the SRT7 too. It is tighter feeling, with less backlash, there is almost no gap between max output and the turbo detent, and I love the dim moonlight-mode detent. The SRT7 can be twitchy when trying to dial in the lowest output but on the SRT5, it's easy. Overall, if I had to buy a single handheld general purpose EDC light, I think I'd get the SRT5. While the coloured LED is dim, the red light is perfect for totally preserving one's night vision when completely dark-adapted, especially with the diffuser in place.
For Black November, I also decided I would get a neutral-tint ArmyTek Predator 2.5, for those times when I am mixing light from the flashlight with warm ambient city lights, so after realizing the mode customization of the Pro model was not all that useful after all, I got the regular Predator 2.5.
One light that had intrigued me for some time, was the EagleTac SX25L3. I loved the idea of the 5000K MT-G2 LED for light painting, especially after seeing some beamshots posted showing the beautiful neutral tint compared to some other lights that were distinctly bluish or greenish. However I wasn't wanting such a floody light for light painting and it felt like a waste to have all those impressive lumens spread so wide! After handling one in a local store (Mack Outdoors), I also didn't like the slippery form factor, sort of a larger and heavier version of the D40A, and I thought the low-profile side switch (button) was really hard to locate by feel as well. The beam tint though, wow was it ever beautiful... but I just could't get around the ergonomics and overly floody beam.
Then I saw the announcement for the MX25L3.
This looked like the perfect upgrade from the SX25L3!
After preordering the kit version from Mack Outdoors and (im)patiently waiting, it finally arrived. The MX25L3 is nearly the perfect, larger (non EDC) light for me. I absolutely love the smooth, even beam and the neutral tint from its Cree MT-G2 with almost no colour differential in the beam. The larger reflector gives it enough throw (the lumens don't feel "wasted") with a bright enough spill to be useful as a general purpose light too. The larger head also contributes to a better overall hand-feel since you can hold it quite loosely, pointing upwards for example, and it won't easily slip through your grip. Also, the side switch protrudes far more, making it easier to find by feel. I also love the fact that you can have a lower mode selected, then push and hold the side switch to temporarily get turbo output until the switch is released again. Having the optional rear tail-cap switch is great too since the side button can still be a little hard to locate at times. Lastly, wonder of wonders, the kit version turns out to have a standard 58mm photographic filter thread on its head and not some arbitrary and proprietary size! This opens up a whole world of colour correction filters for photographic purposes.
Is the MX25L3 perfect? No of course not. I wished the physical mode spacing on the head were consistent since as the output levels get lower, you have to rotate the head further to switch to the next mode. In other words, the mode spacing intervals are not consistent. I would also like to see one more output mode too, with level 2 (second dimmest) being a little brighter and one more level between it and the lowest mode, which could also be a bit lower. Lastly, I'd much rather the entire battery tube had more aggressive knurling or a larger grip pattern (similar to the Olight SR series) and didn't have all those deeply cut surfaces which make the light feel quite different depending on which way you are holding it. Also, a consistent battery tube pattern with a short, single narrow ridge on the battery tube, right near the top below the side switch, could help you figure out what mode the light is in or, better yet, several short ridges that line up with the side switch to accurately indicate where the different modes are would be ideal. I also find the the rear switch a little hard to press with thicker gloves on. The plastic, threaded filter housings on the kit-included filters are also a little cheesy. Lastly, a protective holster that fully covers the light would be nice to have too. I actually repurposed an old bear-spray holster by stitching up the flap to make it shorter and the light fits in perfectly and the flap shuts tightly.
However all in all, I think the MX25L3 is now my favourite light, mainly due to its absolutely gorgeous beam with a great flood/throw compromise, the standardized 58mm filter attachment with included accessories and the fact that it is, more or less, a "control-ring" style of light. In other words, you can dial the brightness up or down by twisting the head without cycling through unwanted modes with a mode button. Also, despite the fact that my SupBeam X40 has a slightly tighter beam and is a little brighter (barely), in many cases it seems as though I can see farther with the MX25L3. Not only is the colour rendering of the MX25L3 better, but when there is a little haze or moisture in the air, there is so much blue backscatter from the X40's beam when it's cranked up, that it interferes with the ability to see things at the limit of the beam's throw. The more neutral tint of the MX25L3 seems to have far less distracting backscatter and seems to offer just as much effective throw in less than ideal conditions.
Speaking of throw, well, I just had to order myself one more light. I have a Thrunite TN32 on the way and it should be here by the end of the week. I don't even think my eyesight is good enough to warrant anything with more throw than that, so that might actually end my quest for ever more throwy lights! I am hoping the beam is not too blue-tinged since there have been occasions, when mixing light painting with bright ambient city lights, where I've wanted a light that could project an even brighter spot at a distance than my current lights. However, even if it is not ideal for light painting, I'm sure it will have plenty of "wow factor" to satisfy the flashaholic part of me! I had actually ordered it before JohnnyMac's awesome review, so now I am really stoked!
Lastly, when it comes to chargers and batteries, my NiteCore i4 has already had one bay crap out, despite hardly having been used so I bought a Fenix ARE-C2 and so far, it seems an excellent and reliable unit. I also have a little single-bay Soshine charger with a useful LCD status display (mAh charging estimates etc.), convenient for charging a single 18650 or 14500 as needed. As far as 18650 batteries, I am using EagleTac 3400 mAh, Soshine 3400 mAh and FastTech supplied Panasonic NCR18650B 3400 mAh, all protected and with button tops. So far they all work well although the EagleTacs don't seem to work with the mechanical reverse-polarity ring on the SRT lights, although the Soshine and Panasonic NCRs do. All my other lights work with any of the mentioned cells.
So there, a very long introductory second post with maybe a few useful tidbits of info for anyone interested in the same lights that I own. Cheers and Happy New Year!
