Convoy M21 or L21 with which emitter?

I am returning to flashlights after leaving modded Maglites a long time ago and running various factory lights from SureFire to cheap big box store options. I need and want a better light today. I think I want a large emitter for a balanced spill and flood versus a generous hot spot. I want to stick to 21700 batteries.

I need to spot black newborn calves at night in addition to the cows at ranges up to 200 yards. I also need to 'spotlight' feral hogs and predators at similar ranges. The online beam shots I have found have not been very helpful. I think the S21A heads are too small and the L21A are too large and throw-focused so, is M21B best for me? There is the XHP35 HI emitter which I am not familiar with and the XHP50.2 which I think is a larger emitter so, it may be the best one for me.

Am I on the right track? What have I missed or overlooked?

Thanks,

Sid

For long range, an Osram emitter would be better.

The M is placed size wise in between the L and S size.
Personally i do prefer the (12V) XHP35 over the (6 or 3V) xhp50, it gives a very decent throw but enough spill and gives a very nice uniform and even beam.
The XHP50 is extremely power hungry and has an ugly corona color.

An M21A (same head as the C8) with an Osram CSLNM1.TG will give you a laser-focused throwy beam. The 10% mode, in my experience, reaches 200yd comfortably in a clear night.

The M21B (same head as the M1, “P60 module” style) with an XHP50.2 3v will be quite floody and will only throw any appreciable distance by brute lumen output.

Curious about that comment. From what I read in various places, the run time between this and different emitters at similar lumen levels, run times were essentially the same.

Regarding color, the YouTube and other various beam shots often aren’t terribly accurate but, the colors I have seen seemed consistent for the color of the chosen emitter.

It is apparently an older emitter so, the newer ones probably are a little better to a lot better. Such are the problems of shopping online from a computer and not having anything close in person for a real life comparison.

Candela or Lux output in the flood portion of the beam is a good thing for spotting critters and newborn calves at night.

A tight hotspot with little flood would be like looking at the world through a soda straw IMHO.

In an urban environment though, your light would work pretty well for lighting up a sidewalk, staircase, parking lot, etc. while providing a tight beam for flashing someone while you make an escape from trouble.

For a working light like this, I think more of “situational awareness” with adequate throw. Beyond 200 yards really isn’t useful so, with ~3,000 Lumens I want more spread in the hotspot and better lux in the flood.

At 200 yards, I think you’d appreciate the definition an Osram emitter can provide. Most are pushing between 700 and 1100 lumens. At distance, Osram lights have (in my opinion) a good amount of usable spill once they get above 35% output or so. I have Convoys M21A (CSLPM1.TG), M21B (CULPM1.TG), both 6A 12 mode drivers. Of those two, the M21B has a larger spot, more spill, and enough juice to make your 200 yard range (and a little more). The M21A smokes it in throw distance, though.

The M21B with the Osram CULPM1.TG emitter would be my pick for what you want to do:

I have one and love it.

Convoy M21B with KW CULPM1.TG

This particular one has the 6A driver and puts out a lot of light. Simon (Convoy owner) also offers this same identical light with an 8A driver but it gets hot in your hand pretty fast. The 6A light takes longer to heat up since it's not driven as hard.

If you want a tighter spot with less spill then get the M21A (21700 version of Convoy C8) with the Osram CSLPM1.TG

Convoy M21A

Even better get both.

Thanks! The M21B with KW CULPM1.TG (6A current) sounds like a good option for me and is a modest cost relative to a lot of other options.

….or you could wait for the L21B

Here’s my demo video of the green version I assembled, white still to come.

Convoy designed this for me as I wanted a gun mountable L21A

The focus needs to be fixed, but I have been working with Simon to get it spot on. It gets better range than the L21A!

Funtastic, any news on convoy’s centering and focus update?

Centering is always going to be an issue with these tiny osram chips in the Convoy models that use screws to fasten the mcpcb, I almost always have to push it a little.

Simon has a new gasket installed for the focus adjustment, not sure if it’s as good as I have it, I’ll know once they arrive in 3 weeks

While I can't speak to anyone else's flashlight, centering on mine is good. The beam is well centered but to be honest, depending on how I hold it, it can seem off-centered or perfectly centered when I look at it or rotate it while looking at the emitter.

That small emitter and the shape of the reflector/head make an optical illusion to my eye, almost like a kaleidoscope. What really matters though is the beam which I have no complaints with considering the emitter.

Yes, some are okay, but most are off center. As a dealer I go through hundreds :slight_smile: and have to open up most and give them a slight tweak. You can’t tell outside though which is what these chips are for, long range