Neophyte needs to choose something for a pro

LED Flashlights – General Info
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Not sure I'm in the right forum so correct me if I'm wrong! I have no clue what a good deal of the posts here mean....consider me a seriously uneducated flashlight/torch user. I have a friend I'd like to buy a gift for and HE knows what to do with one, though probably not all of facts surrounding what makes one good.

He's a professional outfitter for hunting and safari groups in South Africa and mentioned that an aquaintance had a flashlight (torch to him) with - a zoom spot feature that used "a simple push/pull motion", was made by a well known manufacturer (though that could be a SA brand or a US brand) and that he has lots of flashlights but this was somewhat new to him.

I'm assuming it would be LED, but what do I know? I also assume that since cameras are my passion and I have many more than I need, he's bought many flashlights over the years that don't do the job he needs, even though they may be the newest, or greatest... or maybe this one just caught his fancy!

Have no idea how big he meant for it to be, I see here that could be a problem. I do know, from night trips with him, that a flashlight is much more than a tool for them. There are no streetlights anywhere so it's seriously DARK and they use the wide beam for walking & not stepping on things that trip or bite you(poisonously!).

They also use the wide beam for warning animals that might eat or charge you, that they are near. I'm thinking if the beam were adjustable at many focal lengths, as you raise it in 'warning' you could also focus a bit to make the warning go farther.

But the main reason he wants the push/pull focus beam is that once an animal is spotted or heard, there is very little time to focus the light with a twisting motion. He wants to see what's there at a great distance, quickly.

I've wasted a ton of time looking for something like this online...not happenin'. We ordered what we thought would suffice, paid $129 for a huge flashlight that I don't think my friend will want to carry - it's big and heavy. It'll do nicely for seeing the animals in our new backyard though! I'm thinking something less than 2 feet in length (what we got) but not really small either. It just has to have enough power to see a good distance in pitch dark and also be a push/pull zoom that has a good range between full open and pinpoint.

Any suggestions? If there are answers out there, I know this is where to find them!

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What edc said (a.k.a. Trustfire Z5). Good quality, bright enough, very nice flood. Good run time because of two cell configuration. (And multi-cell light shouldn't be a problem for a pro). Simply the best flood-to-throw XM-L I have seen this far!

BUT none of those flood to throw XM-L lights is very good in throw, so you might need to consider accompanying it with a good (but still quite inexpensive) thrower, for example FandyFire STL-V6

Both of those use 2 x 18650 batteries, so it's easy to carry spares as pairs (measured & matched before the safari).

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He may or may not use 18650/16340 batteries. He may have custom lights for various purposes, but not necessarily lithium batteries in a standalone fashion. I'd focus on AA/AAA/C/D batteries.

He is probably looking for a Led Lenser, which makes flood to throw lights. Most F2T are cheap crap, and underdriven or dont throw very well. The XM-L emitter is very large and doesnt throw well at all because it is far away from a point source of light...plus its light angle is wider than other emitters. An XR-E will throw the best.

Heres the specs: http://www.ledlenser.com/product/m14

Uses 4xAA batteries, and has a rapid focus mechanism. Not the brightest light at 230 lumens, but its pretty decent output. However it is expensive.

The X21 is their overkill version. Big heavy light that uses 7 XR-E emitters to produce 1000+ lumens in a flood to throw package.

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There is also this budget version of LL X21 (powered with 6xD battery, flood to throw)

I have two of these. About 1000 lumens. Works well, but is simply too big (and pricey - about $150, half of X21?).

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Thanks so much, to each of you. I sent for the Trustfire Z5 but couldn't find the Fandyfire anywhere except chinese shops that are all closed for New Year's. I don't want to wait until the middle of February so I'm searching now for the M14. I really like the idea of only having to use one hand for that one. Thanks to the three of you, my friend will have the best tools to fulfill his needs. Thank you!

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Thanks again to everyone, Peter loved his Z5 and M14! They were just what I was looking for.