I am looking for a good, bright all-round flashlight. Walking in the woods, repairing the car, lighting up an area. Most of those I have been looking at would fall under the 18650 cathegory, but I’m open to others as well. Here is what I want:
Size: Soda can size or thereabout (slightly larger is fine but not as big and heavy as the Imalent DX80).
Beam: Combination of throw and flood.
Here is the thing… I want something really bright, for the fun of it, but also useful when lighting up a bigger area outdoors. However, those really bright ones all seem to drop down their lumens after a very short time. Ideally I’d like something that can shine with say 8000 lm for at least 10 minutes. Is there anything can-sized out there that can do it?
I commonly bump in to these few when searching online:
Acebeam X80 - Brightness seems to drop very fast, although 5000 lm for 3h is not bad (I also like the UV light as a fun gimmick). Maybe too hot, and maybe too floody.
Acebeam X45 - Also decreses brightness quite a bit after just 3 minutes.
Olight X7R - Neat with the built-in charging, but I’m not sure how long it can keep a bright level.
It seems like I have come to the right place, and I’m open for suggestions.
I don’t know if you’ll be able to find a soda can light that can do 8000 lm for 10 minutes straight due to the heat generated. I’d personally be a little worried about a 8000 lm soda can light that didn’t step down after a few minutes. It’ll be hot!
I you can lower your expectations, have a look at the BLF Q8 designed and tested by BLF users here. One good thing about it is the support you will have for it here. Any questions, you can ask the developers of it right here at BLF.
If you’re into building/modding yourself, here is a light I built a few years ago: Mod: My SupFire M6 "BMF" edition (new beamshots in OP).
On max mode it gets too hot to hold after about two minutes, but it does a little more than 8000 lm… I think… I’m working on a few new different versions with a few different donator hosts, but in the end these builds cost a fair bit.
I don’t think you will be able to find more value for your money than the BLF Q8, but no, it doesn’t do 8000 lm.
The Olight X7R keeps the maximum output (12.000lm) for 3mins and then drops to 3.000 for 2 hours. I dont know your needs, but 12.000lm for 3mins should be more than enough for 99% of all scenarios. And even the 3.000lm will be enough to continue your journey.
If you need a brighter flashlight and for longer you need to go to 8x 18650, soda can flashlights with 4 cells wont do any better than the X7R.
Take a look at some Haikelight flashlights and the BLF Q8 if you want a soda can. These are however “budget” flashlights in comparison with the ones you mentioned in your post.
Don’t take this personally, Lurvas, it’s not about you:
Why do so many people think flashlight stepdown from the ultra-bright modes is the manufacturer being capricious? Don’t they stop to think that there is a reason why it happens? Or are they just, as Lightbringer loves to say, just that ‘stoopit’?
On topic: These lights that step down usually do it so gradually, you won’t even see the difference. Don’t cling to numbers too much, the importance of lumen specs is overrated anyway.
As for a soda can light, I think you’ll be very happy with a Q8 already Can’t hurt to get one if you have the dosh to burn on a mega-burner just for fun, right?
Which light (of reasonable size) will have the highest output after 10 minutes, in any mode (except strobe, beacon etc.)?
From rading the reviews here I found these numbers:
Olight X7R: just under 3000 lm after 10 minutes
Acebeam X80: between 4000 and 5000 lm after 10 minutes
I haven’t found any test curves for the Haikelite MT07S or BLF Q8.
The X80 still stands out after 10 minutes. By the way, when the tests mentions fan and cooling, they refer to some external fan I suppose, or do these lights actually have a built-in fan?
Haikelite M07s or M3 devourer are extremely bright and on flash sales they can be had for around $55-79 without batteries or charger. These are powerhouses and pretty big/heavy. 18650 lights in single cell….nothing will put out the kind of light youre talking about. Sounds like you need two lights. one big, one small EDC type.
EDC size: I highly recommend the Lumintop TD16 and TD 15S. Both can be had found and $38 flash sales.
Another option, Kaidomain KDLitker, XHP50.2. Over 2,000 lumens for $29 and quality is EXCELLENT.
Big:…well, the sky is the limit. Whats your budget?
I never discourage someone from buying a quality light but some are drastically over-priced. I have bought lights many times that are easily outperformed by lights half the price. READ test and reviews on BLF and CPF.
And maybe think again about how many lumens you really need. For sure everyone likes the wow factor of 12k+ lumens, but maybe even 3000lm are enough for you and the choices are more in this case. There is no end if you start chasing lumens, you can never have too many.
For example to walk a dog you would need 500-1000lm.
If you walk in a very dark and wide place then to see your way 50m/150ft ahead 3000lm would be also enough.
To repair the car, you will need a flashlight with magnet at the tail, very floody and aroud 1000lm.
Then comes the difference between floody and throwy lights.
If you want to light up your big garden you need flood like the X7R. And for this even 5-6k will do.
If you want to see something at 500m you need a thrower like a TN42 or TN40 etc.
In general with one flashlight you cant have all. You need a small EDC, a thrower and a flooder. There are thrower/flooder combinations but are a compromise compromise, unless its something huge. If it is small temperature and battery life will be your problem, or it will not output as much as you mentioned.
Buy 1-2 budget flashlights with decend quality and different outputs (roughly one 1000lm and one 4000lm) and see if they cover your needs. Then you decide if you really need more lumens, or something floodier or throwier or with more battery life.
4 years ago I sold my 5000 lumen "beast of a light " at the time... because it was only a bit brighter than a 2700 lumen light I had that cost about a third of the price .
I'm fond of quoting the inverse square law that says to get your brain to perceive a doubling of light , you have to quadruple the amount of lumens .
what that really means is ..."Numbers don't mean squat"
You can brag with them but the only people you'll impress are people who don't know any better.
I've always said" I'll trade lumens for tint and higher color rendering any day of the week" . I'd gladly trade something I can't see ...for something I can !
8000 for 10 mins in can size? no…… think about usable lumens within UI and MAX for fun… I have Astrolux MF01 Nichia where the MAX is 10000 lumens that runs about 1mins 30s. And 3000 lumens on high mode that gave me 35 mins before I see the noticeable step down to my eyes
HakieLite MT03 can run on turbo 9000+ lumens for 3mins and up on mine. And the high mode 2700 can go on forever that I didn’t even want to time it lol
I never really thought about tint or rendering colour. Which can sized lights have a more natural tint?
I also have to consider what’s easily available here in Sweden. Many lights would require import, which means expensive shipping, customs and additional tax.
Can’t hurt to get one if you have the dosh to burn on a mega-burner just for fun, right?