Cabela's 3 watt Rechargable Luxeon

Cabela\'s 3 watt Rechargable Luxeon

I was at Cabela's today and they had a rechargable lithium powered 3watt flashlight for $80. It's part of their XPG series. Has anyone tried one of these? What concerns me is that it uses a reflector rather than optics. Would this produce a terrible beam? On the positive side it is rechargable by either 12 volt lighter plug or wall wort.
Ted

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

^Depends on the reflector. With proper texturing (like most Surefires and the Pelican M6 LED use), a reflector can kill optics in beam quality. I've NEVER seen an optic that can come close to the beam quality of a Surefire or Pelican M6 LED. Even a reflector that doesn't have lots of texturing can produce excellent beam, if designed well like the Arc 4. However, if the reflector is NOT well designed, it can produce terrible beam quality (like Gaglites). MOST stock reflectors on the market are NOT well designed, which is why they get a bad reputation for beam quality, IMO.

Optics will almost always produce a flawed beam, in my experience. The only optics that I would consider a "good" beam is that of the Arc LSH (but its still not a GREAT beam IMO), as the corona is relatively free of artifacts and there is a moderate hint wire magnification. Even popular optics like the 30mm optics Elektrolumens uses create rings all throughout the corona. They also magnify the wires (or whatever those lines are in the hotspot). Both my 3Ps have lines in the hotspot. Some optics are better than others, but I've NEVER seen optics that come close to a top notch reflector, like Surefire, Pelican M6 LED, and Arc 4 use, IMO. I'd say that on average, optics produce better beams than poor quality reflectors. However, optics as a whole only produce satisfactory beams IMO. To get the best beam, you really need a well designed reflector, preferably with orange peel texturing. Just IMO, YMMV.

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

357, thanks for the reply. The reflector as viewed through the packaging was smooth and looked deep with very steep sides.
Ted

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

^If you're lucky, you might get a similar beam as a Streamlight Luxeon Task Light 3AA. Not great beam, but an above average beam for a NON-textured reflector. I don't think even in a worst case scenario that the beam can be as bad as a Gaglight though. $80 does seem kind of high for a "Cabela's" brand LED though, you might want to see if you can arrange testing one out before buying. Does Cabela's let customers open a package to test a product? Some brick and mortar stores have let me do this in the past, if I was showing lots of interest in a product.

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

Smooth reflectors are actually better (as well as more efficient) for LED's than randomized, or textured, reflectors like those used in Surefires and the PM6. Randomizing is for smoothing the beam from a non-uniform emitter like a filament. No need to do that with LEDs as LED's are uniform light emitters. As we all know, there is no free lunch and texturing has a price (efficiency) that one need not pay when using LED's.

I'll take a good reflector over optics any day. And I'll also take a good non-texturized reflector over a texturized one any day.

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

I don't think they would cut the package open, but I do think I would be able to just return it if I didn't like it.
I would like to avoid that if I can though. It's hard to believe no one here bought one yet.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif
Ted

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

[ QUOTE ]
CM said:
Smooth reflectors are actually better (as well as more efficient) for LED's than randomized, or textured, reflectors like those used in Surefires and the PM6. Randomizing is for smoothing the beam from a non-uniform emitter like a filament. No need to do that with LEDs as LED's are uniform light emitters. As we all know, there is no free lunch and texturing has a price (efficiency) that one need not pay when using LED's.

I'll take a good reflector over optics any day. And I'll also take a good non-texturized reflector over a texturized one any day.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed on the efficiencies (pure light emission), but there are some smooth reflectors that produce crappy beams with an LED. An example is the Terralux Ministar2 luxeon mod for mini Maglites. It has terrible beam (mine do anyway), and is smooth reflector.

Even my Streamlight Luxeon 3AA which has smooth reflector, while the beam is above average it is no where near the quality my PM6 LED or Surefires. The beam of the Streamlight Luxeon 3AA is somewhat blotchy, and slightly ringy in the outer edges.

IMO, the smooth reflectors do emit more light, but I don't know of any (other than the Arc 4 which appears nearly smooth) that can match the beam quality of the PM6 LED or Surefire models.

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

The Elektrolumens 3 watt lights, such as the FT-3C can put out more raw lumens than the reflectorized 3 watters. My FT-3C, when compared to a VIP on "high" with the BulkHead, puts out more lumens, overall light, when measured by my LM631 in a dark inclosed room, Using a lux reading for overall light, the reading, where I place the light, is a 9 for the VIP and a 12 for the FT-3C. This is not measured shining the light directly on the meter sensor, but measuring overall light from a set position, both light and meter. That is the work of the excellent 30mm optic in the EL light. I am not taking anything away from the VIP, which is my favorite light, and my constant companion, but the large optic, I think, allows more of the light to make it to the real world.

Bill

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

[ QUOTE ]
CM said:
Smooth reflectors are actually better (as well as more efficient) for LED's than randomized, or textured, reflectors like those used in Surefires and the PM6. Randomizing is for smoothing the beam from a non-uniform emitter like a filament. No need to do that with LEDs as LED's are uniform light emitters. As we all know, there is no free lunch and texturing has a price (efficiency) that one need not pay when using LED's.

I'll take a good reflector over optics any day. And I'll also take a good non-texturized reflector over a texturized one any day.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't agree more. Even with small mini-mag reflector, light beam from 1W HD or 3W are WAY better than optic. For 1W/3W SE, it's difficult to get good result on smooth reflector though. I only use optics on 1W LD except the FT-3C. If I have a reflector that fits FT-3C, I'll definitely replace its optics.

Alan

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

[ QUOTE ]
357 said:
An example is the Terralux Ministar2 luxeon mod for mini Maglites. It has terrible beam (mine do anyway), and is smooth reflector.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nothing's wrong with mini-mag reflector. Like my previous post mentioned, 1W SE is difficult to get good result on smooth reflector. If Terralux Ministar2 uses HD, you will get completely different result. However, 5W SE does get pretty good result at least on Maglit smooth reflector. By the way, I think SL3AA uses LD.

Alan

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

[ QUOTE ]
357 said:
[ QUOTE ]
CM said:
Smooth reflectors are actually better (as well as more efficient) for LED's than randomized, or textured, reflectors like those used in Surefires and the PM6. Randomizing is for smoothing the beam from a non-uniform emitter like a filament. No need to do that with LEDs as LED's are uniform light emitters. As we all know, there is no free lunch and texturing has a price (efficiency) that one need not pay when using LED's.

I'll take a good reflector over optics any day. And I'll also take a good non-texturized reflector over a texturized one any day.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed on the efficiencies (pure light emission), but there are some smooth reflectors that produce crappy beams with an LED. An example is the Terralux Ministar2 luxeon mod for mini Maglites. It has terrible beam (mine do anyway), and is smooth reflector.

Even my Streamlight Luxeon 3AA which has smooth reflector, while the beam is above average it is no where near the quality my PM6 LED or Surefires. The beam of the Streamlight Luxeon 3AA is somewhat blotchy, and slightly ringy in the outer edges.

IMO, the smooth reflectors do emit more light, but I don't know of any (other than the Arc 4 which appears nearly smooth) that can match the beam quality of the PM6 LED or Surefire models.

[/ QUOTE ]

Baloney! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon6.gif The textured reflector in the SF L6 is better than the smooth parabolic in Nuwai's 5 watter. I just looked at both lights. Maybe 10% beter- more even light. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mpr.gif

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=547908&page=2&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=


NikolaTesla /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

An Arc lamp is the Spark that takes away the Dark--HID Forever!

My Lights

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

Guys, read the last sentence of my post. I qualified it with "a good reflector" That means it must be matched to the LED. Also, if you're going to make comparisons, make sure you compare reflectors of similar size. No fair comparing a 2in reflector with a 1.5in one for example or comparing the Surefire L6 with a Nuwai. Any dummy can design a crappy smooth reflector. But if you take two reflectors made for the Luxeon, texture one and leave one smooth I bet you would pick the smooth one in a blind (well, that's a bad term to use isn't it) test.

CM

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

Like I said the difference may be 10%. Artifects (beam distortion) are not corrected by smooth reflectors

NikolaTesla /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

An Arc lamp is the Spark that takes away the Dark--HID Forever!

My Lights

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

Sorry I don't buy it, I consider that apples to oranges comparison. Also, take a look at an Arc4+ smooth reflector and tell me the LED has beam "artifacts". Again I don't buy it.

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

[ QUOTE ]
CM said:
Sorry I don't buy it, I consider that apples to oranges comparison. Also, take a look at an Arc4+ smooth reflector and tell me the LED has beam "artifacts". Again I don't buy it.

[/ QUOTE ]

The Arc 4 has no "artifacts", which is why I listed it as having perfect beam (as most Surefires and the Pelican M6 LED also IMO have perfect beam--no artifacts and very smooth transitions).

I think the Arc 4 reflector is perfect shape and a really well made reflector (it doesn't need texturing to make up for imperfections in the reflector shape)?

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

.357, precisely my point /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif The Arc4 is a perfect example of an excellent smooth reflector with no artifacts. In fact, the IMS reflectors (very smooth) give almost similar results to the Arc's machined reflector. I've seen the beam from a Mag 2D with a Lux III and it is also very smooth. This stuff about needing texturing for smoothing the beam from a Luxeon LED is hogwash.

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

I may be wrong, but I've found that texturing is a good way to smooth the beam coming from an imperfect reflector. If you have a good reflector that is designed and manufactured for use with an LED, then texturing is neither needed or wanted.

I can honestly say that I've dealt with hundreds of the IMS SO17XA reflectors. None of them were textured and all put out absolutely beautiful beams, even the ones that had (what I would call) a defect.

Re: Cabela\'s 3 watt Luxeon

I went to their website yesterday and saw a 2 bulb 3 watt luxeon, that uses 3D batteries. Sells for $99.00. Anybody got this light? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif