Torchlight hobbyist? Anyone??

[Andy Ho]

Zephirum - I managed to see L1 torch. But can't find KL3 but all I find is head conversion. In fact, which is better and why is L1 exp then KL3?

What does thrower and flooder means? Thrower as in throw far of light and flooder mean bigger diameter?

p.s. your mail box is full

A light that can shine far is called a thrower. One that gives off a wall of light that cover a very big area is called a flood light. Surefire is neither a good thrower nor good flood light but it gives you a very good balance of both. A light that throws too much always compromise on the flood, not very good if you need that wall of light for illuminating everything in front of you. A light that floods very well is a bad thrower, lousy when you need to spot something far away. I like Surefire because it always gives me a very good balance of both.

Do you need a small light or a big light? If you need one that is really small, I would advice you to get the E1L. It outputs 25 lumens and when you attach the KL1 head to a 2 cell E series body you get 30 lumens, only 5 lumens extra but a lot longer runtime on 2 batteries. E1L doesn't have 2 stage light output and sometimes even the 25 lumens is still too bright.

IMHO, the L1 is a relatively good light with 2 stage power setting, but is much longer than the E1L. It is almost the length of E2e.

For 2 stage light output where I can use for trekking, I would go for the A2 Aviator. The 3 LEDs is nothing fanciful, with only about 5 to 7 lumens but it is very good for finding things around where bright lights is not really necessary, and it is very energy efficient. When more light is needed, you always have the option for a 50 lumens incandescent output. Incandescent is very good in jungle areas as it brings out the details of foliage better than LEDs. What is best is that this is the only incandescent light direct from factory that has a fully regulated power output that gives you constant 50 lumens output without diminishing brightness until the batteries die. Although only 50 lumens, you will soon realise that a 60 or 65 lumens incandescent light will not give you that same brightness after maybe 20 or 30 mins of usage because they are not regulated. I just bought an A2 Aviator and it is thus far my favourite light. Even my M6 doesn't come close to being my favourite. My next favourite is my E1L.

 

[Koelsch]

i do hav bicycle attachment for my torches but i dun hav a bicycle... :bsmilie:

go Tekong need powerful torch meh? prefer if u buy aft Tekong...

wad is ur budget? ;p

not really having a budget. i'm scared of that dark mah! and i don't know. i just have a thing for bike lights. haha someone told me to bring a extra torchlight for tekong. so should i? :dunno:

 

[sORe-EyEz]

not really having a budget. i'm scared of that dark mah! and i don't know. i just have a thing for bike lights. haha someone told me to bring a extra torchlight for tekong. so should i? :dunno:

i think u should but it should not b too ex. i oso scared of d dark- like falling into s***.

ideally ur torch is
. small (so ur bunk mates wont c liao 1 2 take)
. tough
. weather proof
. long batt life (2hrs +, IMO ttz gd enough)
. able 2 shine a rather wide area

u stil not yet say ur budget... :sweat:

aiya can i jus recommend u Inova X5T. under $90. :sweatsm:

 

[Koelsch]

i think u should but it should not b too ex. i oso scared of d dark- like falling into s***.

ideally ur torch is
. small (so ur bunk mates wont c liao 1 2 take)
. tough
. weather proof
. long batt life (2hrs +, IMO ttz gd enough)
. able 2 shine a rather wide area

u stil not yet say ur budget... :sweat:

aiya can i jus recommend u Inova X5T. under $90. :sweatsm:

if i think it's worth it for me to bring into camp, i think i'll just buy it. recommand me something la since you guys are the pro -.-

 

[Zephirum]

Thanks Andy for answering some of the question.

Why L1 is more expensive? It is because it is a final product whereas the KL3 is just "half" of the actual torchlight. As mentioned, to use the KL3, you'll need to buy/own one of these Surefire lights:

C2 Centurion
G2 Nitrolon
G2Z Combatlight Nitrolon
Z2 Combatlight
C3 Centurion
M2 Centurion Millennium

All the above lights are what I consider "medium size" Surefire, but it is still much smaller than you C/D size M@glight. So with these a/m lights, you have to unscrew the head and fix the KL3. The L1 and E1L are "small" lights. If you really wanna to take the plunge and go all the way with unlimited budget here are a few good thrower LED lights:

1) Night-ops Gladius
2) LEDextreme Predator
3) Aleph III (Custom light)
4) PR-T head with Surefire E series body
5) ...

There are a few others which I couldn't recall off hand now....nonetheless the furthest throwing Surefire Luxeon LED light is the KL3+C/G body. Hope this post will clarify your doubts.

Zephirum - I managed to see L1 torch. But can't find KL3 but all I find is head conversion. In fact, which is better and why is L1 exp then KL3?

What does thrower and flooder means? Thrower as in throw far of light and flooder mean bigger diameter?

p.s. your mail box is full

 

[josho]

I guess both of u had mention the model is better for me.

How much does a E1L and 1L cost in the shop. im kinda thinking in one of these. I guess the length E1L and 1L suit me the best but aint sure which is the better one for me to get it.

BTW, whats 2 stage power setting?

Thanks Andy Ho & Zephirum for letting me understand more. Appreciate alot.

 

[Zephirum]

The diff. between E1L and L1 is that E1L has only one brightness level, the L1 has 2 brightness levels, i.e. one "LOW" an one "HI". This is the 2 stage power setting. Low brightness is like 3-5 lumens on only one CR123A batt and can last up to 80 hours as stated in Surefire website and that's why I mentioned to you it has the longest runtime among all Surefire lights and BTW this is one of my EDC (Everyday carry) light. It saves a lot on batt cost. Sweet! The E1L though smaller but many times when I use the it, it is simply TOO BRIGHT that it can flinch you if you use it to illuminate near objects, and that is when the LOW mode in L1 is so useful and I would say 80% of the usage I would only need the LOW mode in L1. The HI mode is for throw and is about 27 lumens. Also, since I have a big hand I find the E1L is not so comfortable to hold in my hand because it is just too small to hold, so I prefer the length of the L1 better, not too long and not to short, just perfect fitting. The E1L is a good gift for your girlfriend.

Another difference is that the regulator in the E1L is built into the bezel with the light engine whereas the L1's regulator is on the body.

I guess both of u had mention the model is better for me.

How much does a E1L and 1L cost in the shop. im kinda thinking in one of these. I guess the length E1L and 1L suit me the best but aint sure which is the better one for me to get it.

BTW, whats 2 stage power setting?

Thanks Andy Ho & Zephirum for letting me understand more. Appreciate alot.

 

[josho]

The diff. between E1L and L1 is that E1L has only one brightness level, the L1 has 2 brightness level, i.e. one "LOW" an one "HI". This is the 2 stage power setting. Low brightness is like 3-5 lumens on only one CR123A batt and can last up to 80 hours as stated in Surefire website and that's why I mentioned to you it has the longest runtime among all Surefire lights and BTW this is one of my EDC (Everyday carry) light as it is so sweet that one CR123A batt can run for so long, saving my batt cost. The E1L though smaller but many times when I use the it, it is simply TOO BRIGHT that it can flinch you if you use it to illuminate near objects, and that is when the LOW mode in L1 i so useful and I would say 80% of the time I would only need the LOW mode in L1. The HI mode is for throw and is about 27 lumens. Also, since I have a big hand I find the E1L is not so comfortable to hold in my hand because it is just too small to hold, so I prefer the lenght of the L1 better, not too long and not to short, just perfect fitting.

Another difference is that the regulator in the E1L is built into the bezel with the light engine while the L1's regulator is insdie the body.

nice!!! thats a gd explanation!!! thanks./ look like i know what i wan.

 

[redstorm]

What is a P6? Is it a Surefire 6P? Or Pelican M6? If it is a Surefire 6P you can always buy the optional lanyard for hanging around your neck. If not, you can always get a roll of paracord to tie round your torch.

Oops.... sorry, it's a Surefire 6P. Any idea how much does the lanyard cost? Thanks.

 

[yanyewkay]

wow.. 2003 thread until now still surviving.. with the new 1000 post cut off limit.. i think you all can start season 2 liao.. I'm just here to say I'm was here..;p

 

[Mezzotint]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this thread.

I've just did some research on Surefire flashlights and I must say they are not cheap but definitely good quality flashlights. Here are some enquiries to ask some of the torchlight experts-cum-collectors. Hope u all dun mind as I'm pretty new in this field.

Currently I'm doing nocturne photography which requires me to do lotsa of light-paintings. I got one cheap 5 LEDs small torchlight but somehow its output power isn't enuff for me to do small area light-painting using self-made color gels.

My questions are:
(i) Is Surefire torchlight like model E1e or E2e or 6P Original, light power strong enuff for my lurid light-painting?
(ii) Which light is better i.e. incandescent or LED for Surefire?
(iii) On budget wise, if I'll to get Maglite instead, which models do you recommend for small & large light? Please advise.
(iv) What type of light is in Maglite torchlights?

Thank you very much for yr time and effort in answering my questions. Hear from u guys soon. Cheers!

 

[Andy Ho]

wow.. 2003 thread until now still surviving.. with the new 1000 post cut off limit.. i think you all can start season 2 liao.. I'm just here to say I'm was here..;p

I am sorry to say I was the guilty one who started this whole torchlight thingy. Sorry to CS for taking up the bandwidth. :embrass:

 

[Koelsch]

haha recommand me a torchlight good enuff to bring into tekong thanks. provided no budget. =p

 

[Andy Ho]

Oops.... sorry, it's a Surefire 6P. Any idea how much does the lanyard cost? Thanks.

I am not so sure how much it cost. I usually get my Surefire stuff from Sheares in Singapore but of course a lot of people find them too expensive and ordered through the net. I just don't like the hassle of waiting so long for the shipping and some of the item may not be in good condition when it reaches me, exp, I got an MN16 bulb from overseas and it is a lemon when it reaches me. Luckily the dealer there agreed to ship another one for me but it will mean another long wait.

You can try www.lighthound.com if you don't want to get in Sheares.

 

[sORe-EyEz]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this thread.

I've just did some research on Surefire flashlights and I must say they are not cheap but definitely good quality flashlights. Here are some enquiries to ask some of the torchlight experts-cum-collectors. Hope u all dun mind as I'm pretty new in this field.

Currently I'm doing nocturne photography which requires me to do lotsa of light-paintings. I got one cheap 5 LEDs small torchlight but somehow its output power isn't enuff for me to do small area light-painting using self-made color gels.

My questions are:
(i) Is Surefire torchlight like model E1e or E2e or 6P Original, light power strong enuff for my lurid light-painting?
(ii) Which light is better i.e. incandescent or LED for Surefire?
(iii) On budget wise, if I'll to get Maglite instead, which models do you recommend for small & large light? Please advise.
(iv) What type of light is in Maglite torchlights?

Thank you very much for yr time and effort in answering my questions. Hear from u guys soon. Cheers!

u looking 4 flood or spot beams? i wont recommend Maglite as their beam :thumbsd: , not smooth. how far do u 1 2 project tt beam?

if i not wrong Maglite is incandecent. but there r LED mods available online.

wads ur budget range?

 

[sORe-EyEz]

haha recommand me a torchlight good enuff to bring into tekong thanks. provided no budget. =p

i tot i did recommend u in my prev post?

 

[Andy Ho]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this thread.

I've just did some research on Surefire flashlights and I must say they are not cheap but definitely good quality flashlights. Here are some enquiries to ask some of the torchlight experts-cum-collectors. Hope u all dun mind as I'm pretty new in this field.

Currently I'm doing nocturne photography which requires me to do lotsa of light-paintings. I got one cheap 5 LEDs small torchlight but somehow its output power isn't enuff for me to do small area light-painting using self-made color gels.

My questions are:
(i) Is Surefire torchlight like model E1e or E2e or 6P Original, light power strong enuff for my lurid light-painting?
(ii) Which light is better i.e. incandescent or LED for Surefire?
(iii) On budget wise, if I'll to get Maglite instead, which models do you recommend for small & large light? Please advise.
(iv) What type of light is in Maglite torchlights?

Thank you very much for yr time and effort in answering my questions. Hear from u guys soon. Cheers!

Surefire is indeed expensive. I got burnt a lot of time but my addiction to empty my pocket is too strong

If you are doing night photography where a lot of light painting is required, you might be better off using a more powerful light than E1e or E2e. Trust me, even 120 lumens is not really good enough if you are shooting at f/11 or f/16. I always have my friends shine a few lights for me in Ubin while I am shooting. Among the lights are M3, M4, and M6, and I am shooting at ISO 400, f/5.6 and 1/15sec. Of course, I wasn't exactly doing light painting as I am not using a tripod and painting in the lights on a timed exposure but the concept is similar.

I once did light painting on a tripod in Ubin with a 3 C cell Maglite when shooting on ASA 100 with aperture f/16 and shutter at 10mins. Guess what? Despite burning in the rock for the whole of the 10 mins, I see nothing but a black mass on my picture.

If you are on a tight budget, go for the ROP. It is a very good modification made from a Maglight torch, capable of very high power, and it is rechargeable. And this is with big thanks to a Singaporean inventor named Kelvin. A standard Maglite without modification is just too weak. Read up in Candlepowerforums. You might want to do a search there or ask around.

 

[Andy Ho]

haha recommand me a torchlight good enuff to bring into tekong thanks. provided no budget. =p

You don't need a torchlight in Tekong. It will definitely be confiscated. Tekong is a recruit camp where they teaches field discipline during training. No lights, no smoking, no talking in jungle. Enemy can even see a cigarette tip a kilometer away. So, no lights. :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[sORe-EyEz]

You don't need a torchlight in Tekong. It will definitely be confiscated. Tekong is a recruit camp where they teaches field discipline during training. No lights, no smoking, no talking in jungle. Enemy can even see a cigarette tip a kilometer away. So, no lights. :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

i wonder wad does he mean wen he say "no budget":think: ?

 

[Andy Ho]

i wonder wad does he mean wen he say "no budget":think: ?

:dunno: :dunno: To me, no budget can mean "I am too rich, no budget limit", or "I am too poor, so no budget". Haiz... I just can't make out what is the meaning of "provided no budget".