CMG Infinity Ultra vs Arc AAA Std.

Hey guys,
Just wondering about these two lights.
Brightness, both imediate and over the long run.
Also, what would you pick b/w the two if size wasn't an option.
Thanks
DAn

I would totally pick the ARC either the standard or the LE! Pretty bright for it's size and it's built like a bullet. In addition for it being an awesome EDC light, ARC has an excellent and reliable customer service that you can depend on just in case anything happens to your ARC. You'll never go wrong with the ARC.

ZEPH

I brought both these lights with me on a camping trip over the summer. I'd have to say the ARC AAA is just a tad brighter. However the Ultra infinity has a larger hotspot. And if run-time is of concern, then you can't really go wrong with a CMG Ultra. Its rated for 25 hours? and that definitely beats the 5 hours from ARC. Plus you have the option of Lithiums in the ultra.

Both good lights, and I use both quite often.

cheers,

Victor

I bought an Infinity ultra from Texas Tactical Supply last week. www.texastacticalsupply.com I ordered online late Monday night and got it in the mail on Saturday. For what it is, I think it's pretty bright. Hard to say really how bright it is. Craig Johnson's review - www.ledmuseum.org - is right on with my infinity ultra; medium flood with soft fall off. The beam pattern is very nice, not blotchy.

If I were buying for friends or relatives I would probably buy the Arc AAA, simply because it would probably be a novelty rather than a tool to them, and they wouldn't mind one in their shirt pocket. Me, I bought the infinity ultra and will gladly live with the larger size/longer runtime.

Before finding this forum I was quite content with my white Photon II.After lurking here for awhile I repeatedly read about the virtues of the Arc AAA and the Infinity Ultra so I ordered both at the same time and in my opinion the Arc is immensely superior both in workmanship and beam quality and well worth the extra few bucks.I know it will go against the grain here but for EDC I still prefer my Photon over either of them,it just suits my needs better.
Mike

I already talked to you about it but...can you freeze an Ultra and have it come out alive? Maybe...no fair using Lithiums, it has to be a even playing field here...

See: this

I like both, if size isn't an option then you have to go with the size you need. If you meant size wasn't a consideration then I'd probably go w/ the Ultra for battery life, availability and cost of opperation. The Arc AAA has more of a WOW factor and is much easier to carry and hold. It is a hard descision, if funds are available take the easy way out and "get both".

Originally posted by Dan Ching:
what would you pick b/w the two if size wasn't an option

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">It's an interesting question. While both light has reliable quality and same brightness, they have different strength - one is on size and the other is on runtime.

If size is not a factor, the winner will go to Ultra due to its longer runtime and multiple type of battery support (lithium and alkaline). If runtime is not a concern, the winner will go to ArcAAA due to its smaller size.

Alan

The Arc is finished MUCH better. The CMG is still pretty rough around the edges. The anodize isn't all that great, and the edges of the HUGE lanyard tab are sharp enough to damage things carried with it. The first thing I do with CMGs is to chamfer those edges with a file. But if you take that stuff out of consideration, you're looking at two lights that are esentially identical now - except for battery size (and thus runtime). So really, that's what it will come down to. How much battery do you need or want? Nice to have the choice actually - you'll need them both eventually.

Originally posted by ikendu:

There are some disturbing posts on the Infinity Ultra that show its useful life at something like 6-7 hrs. I really have been hoping that Brock (out there Brock?) would add the Ultra to his battery life/LED chart so we could see a real apples to apples run time test on the Ultra.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yes, very disturbing, look at this graph plotted using Brock's Data! Something very weird happening! (again depends on the version he got I guess but definitely something wrong with his Ultra)


Andy

Take a look at the runtime plots that I did recently, they may help you.

http://thelightsite.cruxial.com/reviews/runtimes_archive/runtimes.html

I think you are better off buying the original infinity and using lithium batteries. gives you a boost in brightness and even output. I would much rather use the arc aaa than the ultra. The original infininty remains one of my favorite lights even though it sits out in my truck and isn't used much.

The ARC is smaller and easier to drop in a pocket and forget about, but the Ultra is runs longer, can be fed more cheaply and (for my beat up thumbs) is much easier to turn off and on one handed.

Since both can be had for <$20 if you shop around, I see no reason not to buy both!

Essentially the same brightness (for all intents and purposes). 20-25 hours on a cheap AA alkaline and it comes with a clip (headlamp on ballcap). For myself, the CMG Infinity Ultra would be the winner.

Using Brightguy prices: AAA 8 pack $4.80, AA 8 pack $4.75.

Assume 5 hours per AAA for Arc AAA: $2.40 for 20 hours!

Ultra costs $0.59375 for 20 hours!!

Now which one costs less to use????? Should be easy to choose.

Batteries are same brand and alkalines, just different sizes.

I have compared 2 LE's, 2 Ultra's and an Ultra-G with and against each other. For this small sample of lights, there is a tremendous amount of variability so ymmv.

Ultra-G: very white, some blue, as bright as the newer of my LE's, with a broader hotspot so it doesnt feel as bright. For reading, navigating indoors or out, I prefer it. I would rather light up an area evenly than scan back and forth withan equally bright, but tighter light. My Ultra-G is easier to operate, but is more bulky.

One Ultra was horrible...blotchy beam, off centered and not as bright as the dimmer of the LE's...I may arc/finity it with my EV..( now there is a bright light).

The other Ultra was very close to the "G", but had a tighter spot than the brighter LE. I gave it to my son b/c he never turns things off and run time is super on the Ultra.

The first LE was a marvel when I got it, and still is, but now I know more. It is almost as bright as the "G", but VERY GREEN, with a tighter spot.

The second LE is WHITE with a tinge of blue, nice beam...but it is a tighter beam than any of my Ultra's. It is hard to operate and doesn't come on after it has been turned on then off. It's unpredictability has relegated it to the "send back for repair" pile.

Bottom line: from my small sample of lights, the Ultra-g wins out on all counts except size....and sometimes size doesn't matter...

I'm glad to see so much enthusiasm for the Infinity Ultra!

I've owned an Infinity for over a year and really love it. The Ultra is just that much better.

However, I do think the run time of 25 hrs is likely overstated when comparing against the ARC AAA's 5 hrs. After all, a AA battery has more than twice the volume of "batteryness" (a word?).

If the two lights are about the same brightness, they are likely pulling just about the same current. So, the Ultra should last about more than double the ARC's life...but probably not 5 times more.

One of the "long life virtues" of the regular Infinity was because it was dimmer, it operated the LED in a more efficient manner; truly getting more life out of the battery as well by being a really low drain load (read some of the posts on the Maximum brand battery life vs. Energizers). Now that the Infinity Ultra has boosted the brightness to that of the ARC, CMG has given up some of that efficiency.

There are some disturbing posts on the Infinity Ultra that show its useful life at something like 6-7 hrs. I really have been hoping that Brock (out there Brock?) would add the Ultra to his battery life/LED chart so we could see a real apples to apples run time test on the Ultra.

My regular Infinity blue-green is about as bright as my Ultra white (read some posts on the "perceived" brightness of green). But...I get much more run time out of the Infinity blue-green (and at a cheaper purchase price!).

I think there is still a real value to the original Infinity design (but get the blue-green...the other colors are just a bit too dim IMHO). If you want it brighter, throw in a lithium AA and you'll get long shelf life and cold weather performance as a bonus.

thanks for the info guys.

There's an Ultra-g and an ultra?
What's the diff?

Dan Ching-

Since you must already have been looking at the ARC AAA for some time now, it could be that you might consider going ahead and getting one. I would like to know your reaction to it.

I'm thinking you are looking at the possibility of getting a brighter light...maybe one that incorporates a Luxeon Star. So, your question begs this question, slightly off topic:

Has the issue of CMG's REACTORs are "luck of the draw" and may come with a p*ck green LS been truly and consistently resolved?

Originally posted by Dan Ching:
thanks for the info guys.

There's an Ultra-g and an ultra?
What's the diff?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The "G" stands for government model.
It's the same except it has the the harder type III anodizing and it's engraved with "US GOVERNMENT" instead of "CMG Infinity Ultra".
The "G" has no pocket clip but the standard does.

Dan:

Get them both! I carry the ARC LE everyday on my keychain because it is small. If I wanted to be prepared for a survival situation, I would take an Ultra G with a lithium battery.

You can save a few bucks by buying the regular Infinity and scraping off the "black dot", getting almost as much brightness as the Ultra or Ultra G. However, I'm not sure the regular Infinity is regulated, which is a nice feature.