Is there a point at which you believe an EDC flashlight puts out *too much* light?

This might seem crazy, but in my day to day life, I don't see a major benefit of a flashlight over 100 to 200 lumens. At least not in the Cool White color.

I recently bought a Thrunite Ti4 and Pelican 1910B. Used the Thrunite Ti4 first, but the low mode was too low and the high mode seemed too high (only 252 Lumens), washing out most text in the hotspot for example and making it difficult to actually read. I could make due with it, but the medium mode which is supposedly only 24 Lumens would do everything I need.

Obviously, each person's needs are different.... but after using the Pelican 1910B, I really have no desire for anything over 72 Lumens as an EDC light (until I can get find a compact, tactical light that throws 500 meters ). Something I found odd is that due to the beam profile between these two lights, the Pelican's low mode (14 Lumens) appears brighter to me than the Thrunite's medium mode (24 Lumens) within ~4 feet or so. Past that, the Thrunite's spill is definitely brighter.... but the Pelican's hotspot is still brighter.

There's just definitely something to the 1 or 2 mode lights. But I've never been a "one choice" kinda guy. I'm happy with a high and low option, and definitely happy with the spacing of this 1910B light. It just does everything I want and I really have no desire to have more light in an EDC. Surely there are others who like their Microstreams and such.

But as I started this thread off, I think I'm only reaching this conclusion due to the Cool White color. I'd imagine that if the Thrunite had a Neutral White [or even warmer], I might not believe I could get enough light. So I guess my only desire from here on is to get the right color tint. :candle:

As long as there are sufficient lower levels accessible, and that high is not at the expense of runtime, I don't believe there is too much of a good thing. Zebralight sc62w. I can creep around my house in my choice of sub lumen levels, walk my dog with your chosen magic number of lumens, and never access the 900+ lumen stadium lighting available up top. All in a stupid small, easy to carry and use package. Or I can whack High level, and have decent PID controlled runtime from the 18650 cell that runs it.

Love the Pelican 1910 an 1920 Gen2s, two great little lights that put light exactly where you aim it.
Just a bit long, is their biggest downfall IMO.

AW IMR 18650 2200's are rated for 20 amps continuous discharge, so I'd like an EDC to do that please - scaling present-day lumens/watt, what should that output be?

Edit: ~20,000 lumens is my back-of-the-envelope calculation, give or take. I could probably live with 15,000 lumens after everything involved was engineered. Getting there should be only a matter of time, really. :huh:

"Too much light"?? I know the words but that sentence makes no sense to me what so ever.
That being said, I don't believe a light can be too bright, as long as there are sufficient lower levels to work with.... Preferably combined with variable focus.
My modded Coast PS 600 will toss +1.4 kilolumens on high but only 0.5 lumen on moonlight mode, with 120lm and 600lm in between. Flood and spot mode make those 4 modes even more useful.
It's all a matter of preference of course but just like a gun or condom, I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Daryle Singletary - Too Much Fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6gI7Ts14Qw

Kestrel said:

AW IMR 18650 2200's are rated for 20 amps continuous discharge, so I'd like an EDC to do that please - scaling present-day lumens/watt, what should that output be?

Edit: ~20,000 lumens is my back-of-the-envelope calculation, give or take. I could probably live with 15,000 lumens after everything involved was engineered. Getting there should be only a matter of time, really. :huh:

Click to expand...

Yahoo!!! 6 minutes run-time!!!

lol... my EDC puts out about 5 and 60 lumens. So, grandslm, I don't carry a 900 lumen EDC. For me, those lights are too large to EDC, I prefer small. OTOH, I do have lights that are more powerful than what I usually need so they rarely get used. Generally speaking one of my favorite lights is a Convoy S2+ driven at 1400ma. Its in the 350-450 lumen output on high, and a very useable 40 lumen or so on low. It's not over-driven, and gets decent run-times even on high. For MY uses, a large spot that is somewhat diffuse into the spill, is the beam profile that I typically want in an EDC. Certainly if I lived on a ranch and needed to reach out to things farther away on a regular basis, my beam preference might well be different. There is no right or wrong.

Not possible.

Yes, I would do fine with an EDC that did 5, 25, and 125 lms. And, if truth be told, could do 90% of what I need in an EDC with 5 and 25 lms.

My EDC Must have sufficient low level modes. Most of my needs can be handled with
1 lumen 5 lumen and 25-40 lumens. But I want to be able, with the same light, have access
to 300+ lumens IF I need.

I mean... even tho I have a Nitecore MH10 that puts out 1000 Lumens, I just NEVER actually use it other than when comparing. I think switching between modes is the real issue.

Perhaps something like a Sunwayman V11R with Nichia bulb is really what I need.

I'd never drive my Veyron with the valet key,
I can regulate as desired.

Alright, even if I can't, and with lights, I know there's limits to be respected most of the time.


Edit, no, I do not have one.

I used to think so.. now nope. I thought 200 was too much for a pistol light once until I put 500 on one. More lumens please.

WarRaven said:

I'd never drive my Veyron with the valet key

Click to expand...

Uhhh I'll drive your Veyron with anyone's key to be honest

IMO unless the light has a recoil upon turning it on it cannot be too strong for my use.

smokinbasser said:

IMO unless the light has a recoil upon turning it on it cannot be too strong for my use.

Click to expand...

Ha!
....on that note, I actually have a light that does recoil.

It's only an issue when there is no low modes and no way of telling which mode it's on (with memory) if you don't remember it when you turn it off. I got annoyed, still get annoyed actually when it happens, and it will definitely happen, is when I need to look for something in the glovebox, i take out my EDC and instead of 0.5 lumen BAM! 200 Lumens, coincidentally on a piece of white paper too, resulting in loss of vision and dark spot for a few seconds, and I still didn't get what I was looking for.

xzel87 said:

It's only an issue when there is no low modes and no way of telling which mode it's on (with memory) if you don't remember it when you turn it off. I got annoyed, still get annoyed actually when it happens, and it will definitely happen, is when I need to look for something in the glovebox, i take out my EDC and instead of 0.5 lumen BAM! 200 Lumens, coincidentally on a piece of white paper too, resulting in loss of vision and dark spot for a few seconds, and I still didn't get what I was looking for.

Click to expand...

Hear hear! +1

Can no one palm check?
If your not sure, why not?

In a word, no. Until a small flashlight can equal our sun at mid day I'm happy to await that technology.