HD45 VS: Pelican 2390

I was very excited to see a box from the Sandwich Shoppe arrive today. The sun finally went down and I took a couple of quick beamshots for everyone's enjoyment here on CPF. My camera isn't the greatest, but the pictures are telling, nonetheless. Enjoy!


HD45 Hi-beam


Pelican 3W HA


HHB (Honda Halogen Hi-beam):naughty:


I tried to get some pictures of the HD45 low-beam as well, but it wasn't bright enough for my camera at this distance. (About 40m.)

It wasn't a fair fight for the Honda lights since they couldn't be raised onto the target, but I was too tired to get out the jack.:shrug:

Sorry, but I can't see any pics??

GRRR. They showed up fine while I was previewing the post before submitting it.

I just re-pasted the urls for the pictures and then they showed up again. I even read all the way through one of them and it was exactly the same as what I had pasted the first time. And now, a few minutes later, they're gone. What's the deal?

no pics here either... don't we all hate it when that happens? :nana:
bernie

Edison,
Nice shots! I like how the HD45 photo illustrates the "throw" and concentration of not only the spot but the corona especially and as well!

The Pelican M6 3W is a good light for comparison as it uses a reflector of the same curved surface and focal length but a much shorter and shallower section. I took the liberty of coping your images over to my host and have posted them below. If you want me to remove them, just say the word.



HD45 - High beam



Pelican M6 3W



Honda High Beam

Thanks for re-hosting and re-posting my pictures McGizmo.:wave:

I think I need to use a better picture hosting service. Can anyone recommend a good one that's free?

The concentrated spill of the HD45 was definitely noticable while testing it out last night. While I was taking the pictures it was easy to tell them apart as the Pelican lit up the entire bottom of the frame with a weaker spill beam; whereas the curving borders of the HD45's concentrated spill was visible at the edges of the frame.

Will these be made again? Also, is the HD45 compatible with The SureFire E series and Aleph series? Just asking since the body looks like none other I have seen before.

What is a HD 45? is it a HDS? Which one throws further? I cant really tell.

-David

The HD45 is a stand alone light and it is not compatable with any other platform. It has a deep and agressively orange peeled reflector which is of the same focal length and curve of the 27 mm and 38 mm reflectors. When comparing it to the 27 or 38, you need to consider the light intensity not only within the spot beam but in the corona as well. This light is about throwing the corona or spill more than it's about throwing the spot. Terrible description! :green:

Anyway, below is the two images of edison's where I inserted a black disk of the same size for both shots, in PhotoShop:



Pelican M6- 3W



HD45 - High Level

If you look at the path from the foreground up to the spot, I think you can see what the idea behind this light is. The intent is to provide a light that will illuminate a greater depth of field between you and the distant target. A more typical reflector with a shallow depth to diameter ratio will provide a tight and concentrated spot for distant target illumination but the spill or corona falls well short of illuminating the foreground between you and the target.

As one CPF member has discovered to his disappointment, the 45 mm reflector is not a new level of throw beyond the 38 mm reflector; at least in terms of range of the spot, itself. As the run-time that was posted in another thread illustrates (hopefully ) , this light is about useful outdoor walk about or other more specific applications and not a throw monster or find the key hole EDC type light. :shrug:

IMHO we have neglected the importance of the corona and the transition to the hot-spot for far too long. This is about to change, and the HD45 is an excellent example for this, albeit with a strage name :nana:
The McR-20 and the McR-19 are other reflectors that greatly improve the corona, thjey are used in Aleph lights and the McLuxIII-PD done by McGizmo.
bernie

I don't have the Pelican to compare, but to me, the HD45 combines the 'wall of light' that a Surefire L4 or L5 puts out with the throw of an Aleph 3.

At first, without another light to compare it to, my HD45 did not seem to throw that far, but I then I realized it was because there was a HUGE corona that was almost as bright as the hotspot!

This light hits the far away trees as well as the best of them, but it also illuminates everything else on the way....

It is not the prettiest light (sorry, Don) but as far as utlility goes it is in a new class.

The low level seems much closer to the high then the specs would indicate. On low, the HD45 will last through a long dark night and then some.

Thanks, McGizmo, for another "must have".

Marc

Don,

This reflector begs to be housed in an Alelph Compatible head!

Any chance of that?

Bill

Marc,
Thanks for your comments and observations. I think the illusion created between the contrast in light levels (spot VS corona) will lend the perception of throw to the high contrast beam where in reality the actual level of target illumination may not be what it seems. As flashaholics, even outside in use, we often look at the beam and not that which the beam is illuminating. We seek and use contrast in light on the target for information but artificial contrast created by the beam can be in conflict with *real* information and/ or perception. I agree that the HD45 is no beauty contestant! :green: That was never the intent and some of its lines are in place for ruber armoring that never came to be. :shrug: It would have been even uglier had the suit of armor actually come about! Your comment about the light output not seeming to follow from the specified current drive levels I think really points to the change in efficacy relative to drive levels and the real value in underdriving these LED's!!

Bill,

I think for many, the Aleph 3 is already too big and too "top heavy" for the E series lights. The HD45 came about as I wanted a larger light based on a 1" OD battery tube with heavier wall thicknesses for a more Heavy Duty light with greater thermal and physical abuse capacity as opposed to the Aleph or E series lights. Since size was not so much a constraint, I figured I could add depth and diameter to the 38 mm reflector and came up with the 45 mm reflector.

The 45 mm in an Aleph head would be really out of porportion and I don't think the demand would come close to consumption of the parts I would have to invest in and stick on the shelf. Heck, it looks like I will be passing on some Aleph 3 parts to my heirs!

I went for a minimum size run on the HD45 parts as I feel this light is legitimate but certainly "specialized" for application and very likely limited in demand.

***********

THe HD45 is a basic and boreing light but it is a canvas that can be set upon by the user and tweaked more to their needs. With a hand drill and tap, attachment points can be made and modified. An example is shown below on one I keep in my van for "whatever".



Admittedly, I am fond of the web coil tethers! :nana: The Ti belt clip enhances the rotation of the head for switching to light levels as well as on and off.

Thanks Don,

I'll still beg, but it is a great looking light!

I wonder if there is a way to get plumbers/electricians paint on rubber sealer evenly distributed?

Bill

Hello Don,

Since your objective was to enhance the spill... What about the rumors of a 5W version?

Tom

Nice light Don, at the risk of rhyming, heavy duty has it's own beauty. Much like the Surefire P and C series lights, I'll bet that the extra heft and size makes the HD45 feel good in the hand.

Tom,
Wayne Y is working on an "x2" BadBoy version as I type. However, in terms of throwing the spill with a 5W LED, the KL6 is king, IMHO. The HD45 will give you more range with the spot to be sure but at the expense of concentration and intensity of light in the spill or corona. With a x2 driver and 5W, I think the advantage in the HD45 will really be in the addition of a lower level of output where efficacy will be better and still good light for use. :thinking: :shrug:

EDIT: Hunterson, thanks. The HD45 does have a nice "heft" to I think and is certainly a different feel than the E series light lights. (no typo there! )

SilverFox said:

Hello Don,

Since your objective was to enhance the spill... What about the rumors of a 5W version?

Tom

Click to expand...

... standing by for that one ...

bernie

VERYY nice!