comparison of some lights...opinions?

Hello all.
I'm buying some flashlights very soon. I'd like to hear your comments as I don't have any experience of any of these lights (no, not even tha large Mag-lite ).

Lights considered (and some specs from manufacturers)
1) Maglite 2D: 9000 CP (at 2m), upto 12h
2) UK4AA: ?CP, 4-5 h
3) Streamlight ProPolymers 4AA: 6000CP, upto 4h
4) UK2L: ?CP, 3-4h
5) Streamlight Scorpion: 6500CP, upto 60min.

Questions: a) order of brightness when focused to a spot? b) operating time?

a) Contrary to the specs, the scorpion is brighter than Mag, right? And the UK2L? If so, then the order would be: Scorpion, UK2L, Mag 2D, UK4AA and ProPolymers 4AA. Is this correct? (I've also looked at the good comparison shots taken by Brock and 2d_edge - thanks!)
b) Is the specs for Mag 2D even close to reality? From Brock's page I gather that is should be maybe max 3h (3D is 3h there). Brock, did you test it (3D)? Also for UKE lights the values seem much less than specs: UK4AA 3h & UK2L 2h. Finally Streamlight claims 60min for scorpion and on Brock's page it's at 50 min. This is pretty close, but the ProPolymers goes from 4h -> 1h. What can you say about these operating times?

Currently I'm thinking about getting UK4AA over the ProPolymers 4AA. (I'm also planning to use lithium AA's in it - for performance in cold weather). Also I'm thinking about Scorpion over UK2L, unless UK2L really gives 3-4h operating time. Also, if I get Scorpion, I might not get the Mag-lite at all, specially if it only gives less than 3h of light. But if I'll get the UK2L, then I'll need the Mag to get focusable light.
So, either UK4AA + UK2L + Mag 2D or UK4AA + Scorpion (+ Mag 2D maybe)

What for? To sit in the car (UK4AA + lithiums AA's) and for other general stuff.

What do you guys think about these flashlights?

Harri Suvanto, Finland

The answers to the questions you ask are most likely to be found with Brock. His website and flashlight beam comparision photos are so much more useful than specs on paper.

I would NEVER recommend MagLite. I'd go for UKE or Pelican for AA or AAA. Pelican do some interesting c & D cells as do other brands, but I've not had much info on the C & D flashlights.

These forums tend to focus on Lithium DL123A flashlights such as the SureFire E1, M2, M6 etc or the StreamLight Scorpion.

Brock and others also love LED flashlights. I'm a fan of Photon II.

So Visit Brock's Site. http://www.uwgb.edu/nevermab/flash.htm
And email him.

I hope you find what you're looking for!

Alastair

Brock and his website is an excellent resource. The UKE 2L/UKE 4AA/ProPolymer 4AA seems like a redundency. Especially if you plan to run lithiums in the UKE 4AA. Essentially you end up with something very similar to the 2L. If I were you I'd buy the UKE 2L and 4AA and use alkalines in the 4AA. That way your spare lamp assemblies will work in either lite. And alkalines are easier on the wallet. When you need the cold weather or sit in the car light reach for the 2L.

The Scorpian is in a different class. More tac-lite than utility light. I don't have one and only briefly tried one in a lit room. I'll let others comment on that. It seemed like an excellent light. Eventually you might end up with a Sure Fire 6P. More options with that light. But costs more up front.

I have 2C, 2D, 3D, 4D and 5D Maglites. (I don't know how many 2AA Mini-Mags are lying around.) I'd scrap the 2D idea and get at least a 3C/3D Maglite. There seems to be no advantage in the 2C/2D. Useful brightness really begins to show once you get a 3D light. And ask Walt Welch for a Carley Lamps Xenon Star for whichever Maglite you decide to get. If you get a 2 cell or 4 cell Maglite and can't find the Carley Lamps you can use Evereadys Halogen bulbs. If they're available in your area. They are very comparable to the Carley Lamps Xenon Star.

The Maglites aren't perfect. But make excellent everyday use utility lights.

Once you have the lights in your hand you forget about the candlepower ratings and think in terms of beam quality/beam shape/beam color. And bright, brighter, brightest

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"A knifeless man is a lifeless man"
-Nordic proverb

Harri...,

Maglite 2D [9000 cp] (sorry.. I do not have this flashlight)
Maglite 4C [14,000 cp]
Streamlight 4AA Pro Polymer [6,000 cp]
Streamlight Scorpion [6,500 cp]

If I were to believe these cp numbers then Maglite 2D is the winner and Maglite 4C is the champion. Maglites have bigger number cp while Streamlight 4AA is coming in close to Scorpion, but when I compared brightness of Scorpion against Maglite 4C and Streamlight 4AA...Scorpion was the winner by a big if not overwhelming brightness.

UKE2L and UKE4AA use the same bulb-reflector-bezel assembly and from comparing brightness there's no big difference.

I like UKE4AA most amongst the 4AA category because of its bright center beam with wide and smoother even outer beam of light. Streamlight 4AA Pro Polymer have wider with interchanging layering circles of dim and bright rings of peripheral light.

Check Brock's website out for more information about flashlights and specially the LED flashlights.

http://www.uwgb.edu/nevermab/led.htm

I now have these flashlights and more are coming because this seems the better way to have a relatively good idea of flashlight's actual brightness than blindly believing the cp numbers. My intention was not to collect flashlights but to determine which are the appropriate flashlights that my wife and her group can use for their community service to the province.

I'm telling you it was all Brock's fault because I wouldn't have known that there were so much more to a flashlight if he didn't have that website.



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2d_edge

The first thing you need to do is get your hands on a Streamlight Scorpion. It offers the most light for the size and money bar none. The best place to find them I think is Tanners which has them for around $33 with batteries. http://www.tannersstorefront.com/scorpion.htm The Scorpion is the brightest on the list hands down. Then from what I have heard the UK2L, Streamlight 4AA and UKE 4AA in a tie, then the Mag 2D. I have the Mag 2D and the Scorpion, but have a pretty good idea of how the others rank in brightness from Brock's site and other sites.

If I were you I would get a Scorpion first, then a Streamlight 4AA on sale at Brightguy for $16.95 http://www.brightguy.com/detail.html?cart=3053945310673654&sku=STR68001 and approx. the same as the UK4AA, and finally I would go to Target if you have one around you, and purchase a 3D Mag this week as they are on sale (and are much brighter than the 2D Mags). As DavidW has said and he is correct in saying that the 3D is much brighter than the 2D. You add some weight and length but a lot more brightness. Then I would contact Walt about a Carley lamp for the Maglite which will make it much brighter and whiter of a light.

If you use lithiums for the Pro Polymer then you will have a waterproof light that will work in any temperature weather, a compact and super bright light in the Scorpion, and a reliable and relatively bright Mag 3D that is sturdy as can be and will last much longer on a set of batteries than the other two.

Finally. you might want to consider a Surefire 6P-type light. The only drawback is that the cheapest Surefire 6V light will cost about as much as the other 3 I have recommended combined. The Surefire 6V lights are better than the Scorpion in my opinion only with the higher-output P61 bulb. Otherwise I would rather have the Scorpion. So unless you don't mind spending considerably more for a Surefire and the high-output bulb, go with the Scorpion and you will be more than fine.

Bucky

Hi, all. I would also have to recommend the Scorpion as the light you will like the most. It is cheaper than the surefires. The thing I like about the Mags are they have a really long runtime compared to the other lights. Mags also tend to be yellower and dimmer than the other lights mentioned.

Hey did I screw something up on my page? Did I say 3H somewhere instead of 3D?

Also the 3 cells lights are brighter than the 2 cell mags. The Mag 3 D and 3 C are very very close in intensity, I think they even use the same lamps. It is really a run time and weight issue.

LOL 2d_edge, well you can blame it on me. Now I need someone to blame my flashlight addiciton on.

Brock

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Brock on 10-09-2000 at 03:17 PM</font>

I just recently got a Streamlight Scorpion, and am very happy with it. It is definitely brighter than my 4C Maglight, but i keep the maglight in my bedroom for when I hear weird noises in the middle of the night. The solid heft of the Maglight is psychologically comforting in that situation.

Thanks guys!

I've been to Brock's web-page - way too many times I too am blaming him for all this I got a link to that page from the topic on BF, and I've since been there every day.
I knew the CP ratings from the manufacturers are really good only to compare each manufacturers own lights... so is the correct brightness order then: Scorpion, UK2L & UK4AA & ProPolymer 4AA (the 3 tied), and finally Mag2D?

Could you give me some opinions about the running times?

The reason why I'm considering 2D Mag over 3D is just the size. I'm planning to have this in the car, and unfortunately there a have limited space, i.e. 3D doesn't fit where I'd like it to be. Also I'd like to have light with variable beam... Mag has this, but so does Scorpion. But then again, the running time of Scorpion is very bad, and the batteries are way more expensive. Also as the UK4AA doesn't have the variable focus it's not enough...

Brock, you didn't say 3H instead of 3D anywhere... I meant, you said the operating time for 3D Mag is about 3hours, but according to Maglite, the running time for 2D is upto 12hours... This is quite a difference!

Surefires are too expensive for me - specially when compared to these lights.

About the online stores.... Stores with Scorpion: Tanners: min order for internationals.. $200 - Tanners is out. Botach: Payment must be done by having the funds wired to them... hugely expensive, specially compared to Visa - they're also out. This leaves me with NDS - expensive, out - and Brightguy and Department services (both which I haven't contacted yet). How are these two shops? (There is one shop here in Finland that carries it for about $46)

Harri Suvanto, Finland

ps. yes, Photons... I like them too...

Ok you guys, you can blame it on my as long as you don't tell all your wives where I live, I don't want to get it that much trouble

I get the run time on the 3 D now. Runtimes are really a problem, because again when do you say the light is no longer useful? I haven't started getting in to that because it is really a person to person opinion. Personally I think after about 4 hours the Mag 3 D needs new batteries, and the scorpion would be about 30 to 40 minutes. Yes the mag will make light for 12 hours, but it would be dimmer than a 2 AA mag by that time.

I think I would go for a 3 C Mag over a 2 D mag, they are very close in size, but the 3 C is brighter.

I order from Brightguy a lot and have never had a problem. I only ordered from NDS once, but didn't have a problem. I usually use Tanners.

I would still recommend you get a scorpion just so you have one for yourself, it is a nice light and not to $$$.

Brock

Thanks Brock!

Thanks to you all I'm now convinced about getting the Scorpion. After all, the light isn't that expensive - using it is I'm also getting the Maglite, but I'm now reconsidering the 3C/3D lights compared to the 2D. I'm convinced that the difference in brightness is large enough.
I might still also get the UK4AA, but maybe later on.

Harri Suvanto, Finland

Ps. My wife would be just happy to see me transfer my money from knives to flashlights, because these lights are after all much cheaper than folders... but I don't think I'm going to stop buying those folders either

The 3C cell is much better than the 2D. I'd almost rather use the 2AA Mini-Maglight than the 2D, at least it's small and easy to carry.

Bring home a 300-400 USD Sure-Fire Millenium series light, or even some of the better and better known rechargeables and see what your wife thinks then. Unless the folders you collect are custom hand made knives, then you might be able to get one of the handheld spotlights that are 6 or 7 million CP and cost over $2000 US.

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Unicorn on 10-11-2000 at 12:22 AM</font>