Why are so few 5W lights flood lights?

I'm looking to EDC a 5W LED light that's small--say, under 6.5 inches and less than 7 ounces--and offers a wide flood. I've found only two models: The OMBU X-55 and the Nightcutter M60L.

The Nightcutter stopped being offered to the general public earlier this year but is still available on a few sites, for about $150. For that price, you get a 10-degree and 30-degree optics and a 90-degree head.

The Nuwai ALX-352L almost fits the bill. But it's too long and heavy to keep in my belt pouch.

The Nuwai TM-301X (QIII's big brother) is certainly small enough. But at 3 watts, it wouldn't give me appreciably more light than the next keychain light I'm likely to buy (QIII or similar).

I'd have many more choices if I could take a light with a more concentrated beam and cover its lens with diffusing film. I don't mind If I lost 10 percent of the total light.

So what's the verdict on diffusion films? Will they give me what I'm looking for?

SF L4? Small 5W, more of a flood light.

If you try one of the SF beam shapers, I think you will be very satisfied with the results and the cut in eficiency is not too bad at all! It is better to have less light, where you want it than more light where you don't!

The 5W die lends itself to more of a flood beam but frankly, in most instances, I think 5W's provide more lumens in a flood than is typically needed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif The L4 with a beam shaper and 2 stage switch is a fantastic package, IMHO.

I second, er, third, the Surefire L4.

It has a hotspot, but its rather wide, and it fade out to a bright flood well.
It is my best led "room filler", its real good at lighting up an entire wall across the room.
Just dont expect it to throw much outside, but even outside its really nice, good walking light, you dont have to point it aournd alot since its lighting up a large area.

Add one of Dons wonderful 2 stage switches and it really performs well, you can turn the brightness down for close up work.

..

TW4 & KL4 w/CR2 both with two stage tail are on my EDC rotation

Thanks, guys! I didn't know that Surefire paid attention to flood lovers.

L2: 6 1/4 inches long, lightweight, dual output, and a real wall of light.

Really like my L2.

SF L4 with McE2S switch by McGizmo should be the king of production 5W flood lights.

Then there's the custom thing ...

LuxV in an L1 head and so17xa reflector (stippled proto)

... outfitted with a 2-stage switch. This is a real flooder.

Any LuxV in a 27mm reflector (Pelican M6, McLux-PR, Aleph1) gives you a nice medium flood with just a little bit more throw than the L4:
The L4:

The LuxV/27mm conbo (driven harder and a better bin):


My favourite is the LuxV/27mm combo ... basically a flooder with some throw, too. The easiest solutiion is to buy an Aleph1 head with a LuxV LE and a 2-stage (a must) ...

bernie

you don't even need the F04.

The 5 watt xpg from cabelas is a wide flood beam too. Its like a square beam. If you remove the lens, its a wide angle flood light.

What about Browning? Browning sells a Black Ice version 6V 5W flashlight. It runs off 2 Li batteries and is quite small and light. I have no idea as to the quality, though most Browning gear is pretty good. Don't know who manufactures the light for them, either.

Anyway, lists for $156 and my local shop has it for $129.

Standard 6V 5W LED
Same light w/ camo print and dimmer switch

I think the L4 is the best of the 5w floods.....so far.

it isn't even a question.
see my sig

I'm becoming a big fan of multiLED lights. They offer a broad, even beam and at a low price. It seems that every two months, each form factor gives birth to a brighter model at the same low price point. Increasingly, the newer models include amenities like lanyards and clickie switches.

I just bought the 21-LED MEK (2x123A) from a forum member. He writes, "I use to prefer Luxeons but frankly at this price, these things compare favorably and even exceed my hottest 1 watter (Inova) and compare to some 3 watters in total lighting-up-a-room power."

I'd love to see a new forum just for multiLED lights.

IMO, Mainly because the 5 watt luxeon needs a lot of power and capacity for a decent runtime. That doesnt mean it hasnt been done. Theres the TW4... uhh.... ok, TW4 is like the only one I know of at the moment that is a small sized 5 watter. Even with an R123 it runs for only about half an hour.

What about a good 3 watt luxeon in an Aleph 2 head?

If you mean a NG 750 on 1x123 or around there, I would say medium throw and good flood.

The forthcoming Pentagonlight S3 and S4 look promising, though too rich for my blood:

S3 (20 white 5mm LEDs, 4 yellow, 40 lumens): http://www.pentagonlight.com/item_detail.cfm__id.248

S4 (55 5mm LEDs):
http://www.pentagonlight.com/feature_lightsource.shtml

Go and ask Don (McGizmo) very nicely and he might be able to make you a custom flood light. A few years back I got a McLux-PR 5W X-bin flood light from him, runs off 3 CR123 batteries. Boy the bead blasted reflector does a perfect job! It is wonderful, the flood is very wide, very even (NO defects) and very white. Nothing compares to it. To get a good flood you have to have plenty of light, so a good 5W is a minimum. I also built a flood light head torch using a Lamina ceramics BL2000 and a Led dynamics driver (see my posting for details). That gives an even wider flood, that is just as even. For short range work (<few meters) nothing can beat a super flood, you don;t need to constantly move the light to see things. Of course I also have some super thrower lights too.

Hope this helps. It is nice to know there are other flood-lovers out there!

PeterW