What is SF's Brightest Led light?

Flash_Gordon

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

IMO:

Flood L4. Pretty amazing. I can stand in the doorway of a good sized room and light it wall to wall and floor to ceiling.

Throw U2. This light is the best combiation of throw and spill that I have.

Both are lights that I have experience with. For example, I do not know how the L2 compares to the U2 in throw.

Mark
 

KevinL

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

For starters I would ignore the lumen ratings on Surefire's site. Ironically, considering that SF prides itself on properly rating its output, they've been determined by various CPF members to be woefully inadequate. But in a way that's good, because SF under-promises and over-delivers. This would be good for them too if they applied the ratings consistently.

For example, the L2 and the L4 have vastly different max output ratings, 100 vs 65, vs the U2's 80 lumen rating. Yet all of them use the Luxeon V at similar drive levels. Knowing what we do about binning, does this mean the better bins go to the L2? Unlikely. So why the huge disparity? Either all the lights are capable of reaching 100 lumens OR 100 for the L2 is overstated (which SF isn't known to do).

I'm mentioning it because I don't really want to see a repeat of the "but the L2 is rated for 100 WHYY#*(#@!(*!(@(!!*@" threads again.


The general consensus is that the LuxV lights (L2/L4/U2) are roughly equal, the difference is in the beam shape.

Best flood goes to the L2 and L4. It's as close to perfect as you can ask for. If you need OPTICALLY perfect performance, use the F04 beamshaper. Yes, occasionally I do need an optically perfect completely even flood with zero hotspot because I use the L4 as a light for closeup photography. But for all-around flood, those two are unbeatable.

Best throw probably goes to their 4th-gen KL1 or L6 with the deepest reflector although I wouldn't say these throw very far in comparison with some third party modifications. They have reasonable medium throw, but if you are looking for crazy long reach throw you're best served by the custom jobs.

Best MIX of both is the U2/L5 which possibly share an identical reflector; barring that the reflector is at least very similar. It'll launch a solid wall of light out to 50 yards, in quality dark with a little bit of moisture in the air you can almost FEEL the solid cone of light.

If I could only take one it would be the U2.
 

Trashman

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

Though SF rates the L2 at 100 lumens and the L4 at 65 lumens, I've been told in/through various posts that the difference in maximum output is barely noticeable (if at all), and after the first few (10?) minutes of use, there is no noticeable difference.
 

cy

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

very well stated Kevin!

output difference between (L4/L2/U2) these GREAT lights really depends on luxeon lottery.

currently I've got all three lights. But I've purchased and sold 10+ L4/KL4 and only three U2's.

They've all been very brite and mostly white. greenies will pop-up.

I've ended up two keepers, one U2 and one KL4 that put out Xbin brightness.

u2 lanyard.JPG
 

kakster

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

Short of custom and modified pieces, the new KL3 out-throws every other LED based Surefire. However, it doesnt actually put out that much total light.
 

matthewdanger

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

I would wager that my L5 is quite a bit brighter than the advertised 65 lumens.
 

NikolaTesla

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

The most or highest Lux reading comes from the L6:
Comparison Picture

Image does not want to load for some reason but URL is above.
There are a few more pictures in my web host album of the L series for comparison as well if you want to look.
I may be wrong as I do not own a KL3. SureFire says its rated at 19 lumens only. The L6 does out throw the U2 a bit but not much.
Has anyone done an actual side by side shout-out of the entire L series? I am not really convinced by numbers and figures unless I see the comparison photos.

What KevinL says above is why numbers lie. Side by side photos can't lie. They may be relative but realistic. Even my light meter doesn't tell it all. The highest reading light is just a pin spot compared to wide coverage which is more useful though it reads lower.


Bigger, deeper reflector, tighter beam, make more pinpoint concentration of all the available light from same 5 watt emitter.

NT
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 

Luxman

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

..what KevinL said...
My KL1 Gen4 on an e2 out throws my U2 and my wife's L2.
U2 has best comination of throw and flood and throws better than L2 and has better flood than KL1 G4. L2 is still very bright and floods a larger area best!
It depends on what you are looking for... (in more ways than one) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

PoliceScannerMan

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

I guess its one of those give take situations, but get from these posts is the U2 is the best combo for flood and throw.

I love throw, but i think flood is just as important.

Wait a minute I'm sounding like a CPFer!!!
 

cy

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

nikola, nice pic's!

no question based upon your small sample of three lights. L6 is the best performer of the three.

I still maintain that all Surefire 5watt lights with simular reflectors and simular current draw will produce aprox. same output.

and luxeon lottery will determind that individual light's final performance.

this is why I jump on TIN's offerings, especially if he states this is the best performer out of XX lights he's gone thru...
 

KevinL

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

[ QUOTE ]
270winchester said:
Kevin, doesn't the new KL3 throw much further than either the KL1 or the L6?

Nick

[/ QUOTE ]

Oops, my apologies. I have never met the new KL3 in person (or even the old KL3 for that matter) so it didn't leave an impression on me. It's possible it throws even further than the KL1 but I wouldn't be able to comment on that yet. Anybody wants to LEND me one to play with? I promise I'll return it in mint condition /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Also, I think there is yet another SF - the X200A is said to have a tighter beam (correct me if I'm wrong) plus higher drive levels than the KL1 4th-gen, so the throw title would likely go to it.
 

kakster

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Re: What is SF\'s Brightest Led light?

Unless Surefire decide to ressurect the KL2 like they did the KL3. You could fit a pretty impressive optic in a KL6 bezel.
 
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