Spec me an LED Torch

Aod · 9 Apr 2011 at 01:17

for camping use you probably want something which produces a moderate amount of light, but for a really really long time, probably also using AA batteries rather than finicky and expensive lithium and lithium-rechargeables?

this: Solarforce L2R Body combined with this: Cree XR-E 3-mode dropin while used on low or medium would suit you well i think, and you always have the option of high-mode.
no idea how much light/runtime you'll get out of it on normal Alkaline AA's, but NiHM Eneloops would probably work really nicely.

Of course, that's just one of many many lights that would suit your needs, but this has the bonus of being flexible whilst also pretty cheap.
LED-Lenser torches are usually reasonably well built, but they're very basic in terms of circuitry, they use simple resistors to protect the LED's which means that while you get long runtime, you only get full brightness for the first 3% of that time. they're also horrendously overpriced.

Mark A · 9 Apr 2011 at 01:33

Aod said:
oh the inexorable march of progress...

this is why i try not to spend too much on any one single light - they go out of date too damn fast.

This is the reason I went for the L2P. But I do like the build quality of my Fenix lights. Really want that TK15 now lmao.

BTW, when i was looking at Solarforce torches I came across the Masterpiece pro2. Is this torch any good? Anyone know how it compares to the Fenix TK30? Seems pretty decent and is a very reasonable price.

Thekwango · 9 Apr 2011 at 01:36

Aod said:
snip

cheers, didn't know you could as it were 'build' your own torch. any idea how sturdy the parts you linked are?

i should have said in my original queation, i pretty much go for the whole rustic camping experience, i.e. no campsites and out in the proper wilds, well at least as wild as Ireland can be!

as such i'd need something that can hold a decent beam for a decent length of time in case something were to go wrong.

also, sorry to tag on a 2nd question, but have you or anyone else in this thread any experience of decent headlight torches, and in regards this question price aint really a worry. I'm sure I've dropped over 60+ notes in the past 6-8 months on cheapo headlamps that die in wet/wind conditions before the batteries do!!

mrk · 9 Apr 2011 at 01:45

Hmmmm, if you do remove the tactical head to get more spill on your L2 then have an alternative way of securing the glass on the front as it will fall out as I just found out!

Aod · 9 Apr 2011 at 03:48

Thekwango said:
cheers, didn't know you could as it were 'build' your own torch. any idea how sturdy the parts you linked are?

i should have said in my original queation, i pretty much go for the whole rustic camping experience, i.e. no campsites and out in the proper wilds, well at least as wild as Ireland can be!

as such i'd need something that can hold a decent beam for a decent length of time in case something were to go wrong.

also, sorry to tag on a 2nd question, but have you or anyone else in this thread any experience of decent headlight torches, and in regards this question price aint really a worry. I'm sure I've dropped over 60+ notes in the past 6-8 months on cheapo headlamps that die in wet/wind conditions before the batteries do!!

On the durability front, the body is likely to be very durable, the switch is probably the only component that may fail. The LED module is a possble concern but it should be acceptably durable, as long as you don't deliberately throw the torch against concrete as hard as you can... ordinary drops should be fine.

If you want more durabiliy, going for a brand-name torch such as a light by 4-sevens or Sunwayman is probably a better idea, it'll be considerably more expensive but exponentially more durable, which leads me neatly onto your question about headlights.

As far as I'm aware, the best headlights without exception are made by Zebralight, and while the prices may seem to be very high for such little objects, their functionality, dependability and overall quality are second to none.
For one thing, they're IPX-8 waterproof rated, meaning they can be safely used underwater indefinitely at depths greater than a meter.

A good (apparently) UK based shop that sells Zebralight and 4Sevens torches is http://www.flashaholics.co.uk/

No, I promise I don't work for any of the flashlight retailers, although at this rate I really should.

Khaaan! said:
Hmmmm, if you do remove the tactical head to get more spill on your L2 then have an alternative way of securing the glass on the front as it will fall out as I just found out!

Solarforce sales and several other retailers sell replacement bezels in a variety of styles to replace the rather agressive and tacky (and somewhat illegal) crenelated bezel.

sent from my Desire-Z, please excuse errors and typos.

Mark A said:
This is the reason I went for the L2P. But I do like the build quality of my Fenix lights. Really want that TK15 now lmao.

BTW, when i was looking at Solarforce torches I came across the Masterpiece pro2. Is this torch any good? Anyone know how it compares to the Fenix TK30? Seems pretty decent and is a very reasonable price.

The Masterpiece Pro1 is rather well regarded. i've not seen much to do with the Pro2, mostly because the M8 is just as bright whilst also being (theoretically) considerably more throwy due to the much smaller light-emitting-area.

Aod · 9 Apr 2011 at 13:23

Mrk, i popped your switch in the post today. it should be with you monday/tuesday

Mark A · 9 Apr 2011 at 14:50

Aod said:
The Masterpiece Pro1 is rather well regarded. i've not seen much to do with the Pro2, mostly because the M8 is just as bright whilst also being (theoretically) considerably more throwy due to the much smaller light-emitting-area.

Do you know how the M8 compares to the Fenix TK30? Looks like a bargain at half the price, if it matches the performance.

Aod · 9 Apr 2011 at 15:00

I don't know how it compares to the TK30 but apparently it has more throw and equal output to a TK35.

When I get home I'll check on the TK30...
Okay, apparently the TK30 doesn't even produce it's rated 630 lumens and is beaten in throw by a Thrunite Catapult. i'm not sure how that rates to the M8 though, i'm afraid.

mrk · 9 Apr 2011 at 16:19

Aod said:
Mrk, i popped your switch in the post today. it should be with you monday/tuesday

Much appreciated!

Aod · 9 Apr 2011 at 16:50

No problem. sorry i didn't get round to getting it sent sooner.

mrk · 9 Apr 2011 at 23:45

Was shooting the sea at the local boat yard and did a few beam shots:

Ultrafire C8 on XR-E Q5~

Solarforce L2 on XP-G R5

The Solarforce XP-G really doesn't centrally beam that well but it does throw a lot of light around the spill. Looking at the XM-L reflectors that come with the one I ordered it looks like that should beam quite well.

Both torches were able to light all of the the boats you can see in the pictures, the C8 being more central of course. And I heard the strangest noises, like someone was chucking something into the water every now and then in the distance, I shone the beam at all the boats and there was a small lantern light flickering in one of them..... I wonder if we have a Dexter down here

Snow-Munki · 13 Apr 2011 at 19:48

Hi,

Read through most of the thread but basically looking for a sub £30 torch.

Ideally take just standard AA and pocket sized. Any suggestions ?

Going to take it travelling where some places might be very dark,

Thanks.

Mark A · 13 Apr 2011 at 20:08

If you could stretch to £35 then the Fenix LD20 is a really good torch.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fenix-LD20-R5...231?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c411f797

Or you can get an ITP SA2 Eluma for £33 plus you get %8 discount by using the code CPF at checkout, bringing it within budget.

http://www.flashaholics.co.uk/itp/itp-sa2-eluma.html

I'm not clued up on the cheaper torches like Ultrafire though, i'm sure someone will recommend you something cheaper.

Snow-Munki · 13 Apr 2011 at 20:44

Thanks very much.

Out of interest, any smaller torches, like a signle AA/AAA size ?

orbspeed1 · 13 Apr 2011 at 21:50

Itp do a cracking little aaa light you can get it from flashaolics amongst others.

Ps someone said in a previuos post that lithiums and rechargeable lithuims are expensive and finky whilst that can be true, but with a little research they can be brought cheaply online (lithuims last longer and are cheaper than aa as a rule) and rechargeable lithiums if used correctly are very good and safe.

mrk · 13 Apr 2011 at 21:57

Thanks Aod, the switch came yesterday but I had PC failure so been busy

I have taken the switch out but my L2 switch housing does not want to unscrew!!!

Aod · 13 Apr 2011 at 23:03

Khaaan! said:
Thanks Aod, the switch came yesterday but I had PC failure so been busy

I have taken the switch out but my L2 switch housing does not want to unscrew!!!

How strange. I'm not aware of any reason why that should be the case...
Might be a case of brute force, though I'm loathe to suggest it.

mrk · 13 Apr 2011 at 23:08

Aye, I will get a thin pair of pliers so I can twist the screw better I think

The XM-L shipped from DealXtreme btw, should be here by the end of the week!

Aod · 13 Apr 2011 at 23:21

Snow-Munki said:
Hi,

Read through most of the thread but basically looking for a sub £30 torch.

Ideally take just standard AA and pocket sized. Any suggestions ?

Going to take it travelling where some places might be very dark,

Thanks.

My suggestions to TheKwango here and here apply to your question for similar reasons, I'm presuming that you'd
Prefer a torch that emits a usable amount of light but lasts a long time, rather than one that burns like the sun and goes through batteries every few minutes.

The L2R + Dropin that I suggested to thekwango would probably suit you well as long as the torch isn't in a needed-for-your-survival situation; the durability of the chinese torches is unpredictable, although for the price you could easily get two or three.

Snow-Munki said:
Thanks very much.

Out of interest, any smaller torches, like a signle AA/AAA size ?

Single AA torches are okay, but tend to be somewhat low on the light-output and Runtime standings. I have an iTP EOS A2 that takes a single AA which can either; produce lots of light for an hour or produce enough light for almost three days.

With an AAA light, take an AA light of the same type, halve it's runtime and take 20% off it's brightness and that's what you'll get.

In a situation where you might want light for a long time, I wouldn't reccomend AAA's

orbspeed1 said:
Ps someone said in a previuos post that lithiums and rechargeable lithuims are expensive and finky whilst that can be true, but with a little research they can be brought cheaply online (lithuims last longer and are cheaper than aa as a rule) and rechargeable lithiums if used correctly are very good and safe.

Lithiums can be bought relatively cheaply online, but you're still looking at more than a pound per cell unless you go for the explosion-prone chinese cells.

Rechargeable Lithiums are fine, but do require a fair chunk of investment, AW cells and Pila chargers are expensive, and lesser cells and chargers are very much capable of going wrong and burning your house down.

That's not to say that AAs are perfect but they're undeniably less expensive, especially when bought in bulk.
Additionally, Eneloops or other low self discharge cells can be ideal due their high current discharge capabilities (compared to alkaline) and they last for ages.

Khaaan! said:
Aye, I will get a thin pair of pliers so I can twist the screw better I think

The XM-L shipped from DealXtreme btw, should be here by the end of the week!

Sounds good. I hope you enjoy the XM-L, but I warn you, it will be even more floody than the XP-G

Again, all sent from my phone. Please excuse typos, bluntness etc...

mrk · 15 Apr 2011 at 21:53

But looking at its reflector it looks more akin to my C8 reflector so I imagine it has a stronger centre spot than the XP-G's as that's got no centre margin!

I managed to get the switch out today, used tweezers of all things lol.

Your switch is a bit different to miner as well: