2 x 123 Xenon

2 x 123 Xenon

I first started talking about this over in the LED forum ForeSight Lights

I've been playing with this light ever since I picked it up this afternoon...and I gotta admit, it's growing on me...fast. Not in any way because of fit and finish, which seems to be only fair at best...but rather because of it's very bright light.

It's a 2 x123 Xenon, which sells for only $14.99 at Target. The more I thought about it, and the more I started looking around for any of the better known, similarly small sized (this one is only 4 7/8" x 1 1/8"), 2 x 123 lithium powered, 6 volt Xenons out there, the more that it occured to me that there really aren't all that many as yet.

With less than two months in the CPF, I'm still very new to all of this, and still fairly naive about what makes for a good flashlight...or at least what makes a flashlight good for me (I like small and bright). But it just seemed to me that with 6 volts powering a Xenon bulb, doesn't this light inherently have to be pretty bright? I mean...in spite of how cheap this is, with those specs, doesn't it pretty much have to be as bright as all get out?

I have no idea if ForeSight's claim of 1/2 million candlepower is even remotely true, but I do know that in terms of just out and out brightness, this light blows away my 3 watt Luxeon QIII! (which in fairness is more spill than throw). And it is dramatically brighter than my Dorcy 1 watt luxeon, which Flashlight Review rates at an Overall Output of 38.

The switch is a "twisty"...that goes intermittent by loosening the cap a little and pressing the rubber button. The reflector is not perfectly smooth, but rather has a sort of stipled effect (which I think I read somewhere, can be a good thing).

The point of all this, is that after being exposed to the sheer brightness of this light (albeit I'm sure their are plenty of lights out there that put out a "cleaner" beam), I'm now more than curious about other incandescents, and am already considering another purchase. (Looks like I'm about to expand beyond just the Luxeons, which got me here in the first place...I still love the pure white of the Lux 3, but I am definitely digging on the screaming brightness I have found in this somewhat cheapo light! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Re: 2 x 123 Xenon

I've never used that particular light, but I've owned several 2x123 incandescent lights and they do vary in output and throw. The Brinkmann Maxfire is available at Walmart for $20 and I can assure you that it is probably 95% as good as the Surefire G2. And if on down the road you have a hankerin for even more output, the Surefire P61 lamp drops right in and is a definate improvement but at the cost of less runtime. For only $5 difference, I personally wouldn't risk it unless you absolutely adore the looks of the Target light.

And the Dorcy Spyder has a funky beam, but probably has the best total output and throw of any comparably-priced 2x123 light I've used. Mine was the older model with smooth reflector... supposedly the newer ones have a textured reflector. If the updated model just cleans up the beam and doesn't hurt the throw or output too much, it would make a very nice light in the price range.

Re: 2 x 123 Xenon

Actually, I'm leaning toward the Pelican M6.

I don't yet feel the need to spend SF kind of $$$ on a flashlight (although I do suspect I'll probably work my way up to that fairly quick), but for now I would like something at least relatively close in quality to my QIII, which I very much like...The QIII is obviously not the absolute finest money can buy in terms of overall fit and finish, and quality of light...but it's nothing to sneeze at either.

The 2 x123's are a good size...5" is pretty small (I also just got the 2 x 123 version...QIII's "Mom", which has a 2-way switch). But I think I'm always gonna be on the lookout for something even smaller...I assume it'll be 1 x 123. Basically, a QIII...but even brighter! And I'm now beginning to suspect I'm going to find that in an incandescent.

Re: 2 x 123 Xenon

You should also consider a Surefire G2. It's cheaper than the Pelican M6, and seems to be a popular one around here. I know I really like mine. It is very bright, if that's what you are looking for. If you want a 1 x 123 incandescent, there's always the Surefire e1e.

Re: 2 x 123 Xenon

I've been busy checking out all of the different options (where I got the idea that there weren't many 2 x 123 Xenons out there is beyond me) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif...

I've been taking a closer look at three lights priced in that $30-35 range, the SF G2, Pelican M6, and the Streamlight Scorpion (and similar-sized Sreamights such as the TT, all with slightly different features). As near as I can gather from the reviews, all things being relatively equal, the M6 is the brightest but not the nicest, the G2 as the entry-level SF is the least bright of the three and made of a plastic-like material (Nytrolon), and the Streamlights seem to offer the best all around package in terms of performance and quality.

The E1e seems to be the obvious choice for 1 x123, but according to Flashlightreviews, my QIII outperforms it in both Throw and Overall...so what would be the point.

For now I'm gonna keep cruisin through all the many choices in this size (what was I thinking?)...I'm in no rush having already purchased 5 lights in as many weeks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif