Real benefits of dedoming?

I am going to buy a Convoy L6. I can buy stock or modded from Adventure Sport Flashlights. Stock price is $64--Dedomed add $35. So with that mod my 'budget light' is now $99. Specs say stock is max 3800 lumens w/550 meter throw. Nice light as is. It uses a Cree XHP70. Does anyone have any real numbers on actual beam distance gained by dedoming? Maybe not specifically for this light but any light? I'm sure it depends on various factors but all I can find on CPF is general statements like 'you'll lose a few lumens but gain throw' Maybe I missed something? I'm no modder so perhaps I did the wrong search. Can anyone help me with real world numbers or just tell me what kind of gain I can expect if I buy the dedomed? P.S. For $65 I can dedome AND boost the driver current. Opinions on that are welcome as well.

Without going into great detail, the xhp70 imho comes alive shaved dome. It increased the kcd substantially and also helps reduce/get rid off the + often found in the xhp70 due to the 4 dies. It also shaves off(pun intended) around 500k to my eyes, which makes it more pleasant(subjective of course).
In a light like this, its a must, the lumen loss is minimal but the throw gain from the more concentrated hot spot is substantial............

The $35 option could be the best $35 spent here The $65 with boost is even better......................

Thanks, great info. Not to put you on the spot (pun intended) but throw (pun also intended) an estimate at me. 550 meter throw will become at least ? and at most ?

beggindogs said:

Thanks, great info. Not to put you on the spot (pun intended) but throw (pun also intended) an estimate at me. 550 meter throw will become at least ? and at most ?

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Bare in mind the specs of 550m and presume ansi, would put a useless 0.25lux on the spot, better to 1/2 or even a 1/3 for a useful amount of light(in real life uses).

Although it does not make a huge difference in respect to other LED's when shaved(some can triple or more the kcd), it should add a good 100m to the distance being conservative and to play it safe.

That is guessing, i will say you will get a more intense hot spot and a tint a tad towards the warmer side, also imo(as again subjective) a nicer beam without any cross in the hot spot(call it smoothing out).

The k60vn of which i have(and love!) is over 200kcd, the standard spec is 121kcd,so almost double the kcd which does not mean twice the distance! . However it is a significant improvement in reach.......

There will always be a difference per light/LED maybe up to 10% in output, figures are figures and just a guide to me and what to roughly expect. Real world uses are what matter for me, i would certainly say a real world difference by shaving the dome and certainly with help by a boost.

For me 100m is enough of a difference to warrant modding, any more so much the better. Our dogs run the property perimeter every evening to ward off the coywolves that populate the area. Sometimes the dogs get selective deafness and don't respond to my calling. Your input is much appreciated. Thank you!

Its only a rough guess on what kind of improvement to expect, no actual experience with this light. Either way it will reach out further than before with a more intense hot spot , this is guaranteed.

Your best bet is to do some searching for threads which compare lights directly which use both a domed and de-domed emitter. Many of the XPL and XHP35 leds have both factory domed and domeless emitters. You should be able to find comparisons pretty easily. One good comparison is the Zebralight SC600MkIII which comes in a domed and domeless (HI) version. You can clearly see smaller and more intense hotspot.

Dedomed in my view without any questions , this is the present and the (short) future in led lights, I say "short" because you never know what new leds will come, the progress is fast.

First custom dedome flashlight in my collection was Olight M22, was a big improvement in two ways: throw noticeable further, and the color is more neutral (almost warm) better in the night. I love this light even when is off )

I have 6 flashlights domeless (2 dedomed, 2 XP-L HI, 1 XHP35 HI ) , I use them a lot, the other lights...stay there in collection...barely used (only the enix LD50 stay on my desk as a candle).

In this case it seems that the customization is a little overpriced in my view, but anyway it's worth it if the work is well done.

I don't mean to poop In the pool here but, have you considered comparing other lights In the same price range as the planed upgrades you're considering to see what that kind of money would get you?

Bang for buck and sub $100 , i dont think there is a better value big light out right now, think it would be pretty hard to beat imho. Be interesting if it does have strong competition in that performance/price bracket.

beggindogs said:

I am going to buy a Convoy L6. I can buy stock or modded from Adventure Sport Flashlights. Stock price is $64--Dedomed add $35. So with that mod my 'budget light' is now $99. Specs say stock is max 3800 lumens w/550 meter throw. Nice light as is. It uses a Cree XHP70. Does anyone have any real numbers on actual beam distance gained by dedoming? Maybe not specifically for this light but any light? I'm sure it depends on various factors but all I can find on CPF is general statements like 'you'll lose a few lumens but gain throw' Maybe I missed something? I'm no modder so perhaps I did the wrong search. Can anyone help me with real world numbers or just tell me what kind of gain I can expect if I buy the dedomed? P.S. For $65 I can dedome AND boost the driver current. Opinions on that are welcome as well.

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Dew eeeet!!!
Best $100 you'll be glad you spent.

The Thorfire S70 is the other price light I'm looking at but what I like about the L6 is no stepdown from turbo and an easy-to-ignore strobe mode.

beggindogs said:

The Thorfire S70 is the other price light I'm looking at but what I like about the L6 is no stepdown from turbo and an easy-to-ignore strobe mode.

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I don't have either, but I read.....[emoji38]

The S70 was the best budget option and the L6 took over. An additional $35 to dedome will be money you wish you had spent if you don't. Matt at Adventure Sport is a pretty decent bloke too. [emoji106]

SG Hall said:

I don't have either, but I read.....[emoji38]

The S70 was the best budget option and the L6 took over. An additional $35 to dedome will be money you wish you had spent if you don't. Matt at Adventure Sport is a pretty decent bloke too. [emoji106]

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Thanks, good to know. Any opinion on the 5000k & the 6500k tints dedomed? Would the neutral end up being too yellowish? I'm obviously still learning here

I have a stock neutral (dome on) L6 and I would not change a thing about the beam and tint. Excellent balance of flood and throw for normal use, IMO.

jonnyfgroove said:

I have a stock neutral (dome on) L6 and I would not change a thing about the beam and tint. Excellent balance of flood and throw for normal use, IMO.

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Yeah it looks like a great stock light and that option is certainly still #1 on the table. Beam shots look good. Thanks

beggindogs said:

Thanks, good to know. Any opinion on the 5000k & the 6500k tints dedomed? Would the neutral end up being too yellowish? I'm obviously still learning here

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The VOB p60 xhp70 i have is 5000k shaved dome and it is towards the yellow side if makes sense(the sun is yellow! and much prefer it than the blue side). My k60vn is 6500k shaved dome and it is still cool but fine to my eyes. Depends what you prefer, more neutral or more cool, both imho are good.

Of course a rough guide as it will never show exact, this is 5000k shaved dome p60



6500k shaved dome


Different set ups and not an exact colour match

Nice!

The top 2 pics are from a little p60 power house, big wall of reaching light(lives in an m2 under the z2 here)


Instead of the L6 which uses 2x 26650's, it has baby 16340 cells instead.


Have you decided yet, cant really go wrong either way tbh, but if you like throw, the shaved dome option may suit your needs more.