Ceiling Bounce Extravaganza

Let's put aside throw and beam patterns for a minute and talk about what some of us do when we first get a light. "I wonder if this brand new Fandyawesome TQ9 RFD is brighter than my old Expialidocious XP-750?" To find out, you casually palm the two lights in question, smile innocently at the wife and pretend you're headed to the bathroom. Instead, you duck quietly into the bedroom closet, point both flashlights toward the ceiling and quickly turn each light on/off alternately over and over again trying to discern which is superior. You now feel confident reporting your findings as "fact" on your favotite flashlight forum. If the specs on the Mayberry RFD TQ9 says it's 1,000 lumens and the Sound of Music XP-750 seems slightly less bright, it must certainly be 750 lumens.

With these scientific modalities firmly in mind, I present the lengthy result of just such a night, albeit one that spiriled wildly out of control.

Solarforce Masterpiece Pro 1 vs. MiniMag

This first set was a fun surprise. On the left is my brand new Solarforce Masterpiece Pro 1 sporting two 18650 batteries. On the right, friends and neighbors, is my Match-Mod MiniMag with its 5-mode R5/2 x 14500. I built this little powerhouse per Match's (Matches?) instructions and I'll tell ya what; it's the damed brightest MiniMag you've ever seen. Yeah, baby!

Ultra Fire UF-980L vs. Solarforce L2P/A001 head/3-mode T6 drop-in

How about the mighty Ultra Fire UF-980L? I've shot off my mouth ad nauseum about this incredible torch but when it comes right down to it, is it all that? Both the 980L (left) and the Solarforce L2P (right) tonight used the same AW IC 2900 18650 battery and yes, the 980L is brighter. What the 980L has over this L2P/XM-L combo (in addition to slightly more lumens) is throw. But, like I said at the start, we don't care 'bout that right now.

Solarforce L2P/5-mode U2 drop-in vs. Solarforce L2/3-mode T6 drop-in (Mr. Silver)

Is it the tint or is it less bright? Actually the U2 in this L2P (left) is a great performer. This may be somewhat unfair to the U2 because this particular L2 (right) has a habit, for some strange reason, of drawing more amps from an 18650 than any light I have. Still, I expected more from my trusty EDC U2, this was a mild surprise.

Surefire 6P/single mode Solarforce XM-L vs. Solarforce L2i/3-mode MC-E

Let's try something a little more obvious. Of course a T6 (left) will slaughter an MC-E (right) right? (rightright)

Solarforce Masterpiece Pro 1 vs. Solarforce Skyline 1

This match-up is interesting; both are throwers with XR-E emitters and even though the MPP is fully regulated, for this fight I probably should have put it in the ring with a single 18650. Still, they're not that much different, are they?

4Sevens Quark AA2 tactical/R5 vs. 4Sevens Quark MinX 123/T6

#1 comparison nobody cares about . . .

Let's hear it for the XP-G that can hang with the oh-so-cool XM-L. These two Quarks do happen to have a few things in common; both are running at 3 volts on primaries (2 x AA vs. 1 x CR123) and both are rated 180 lumens ANSI. Amazing how close in performance they are.

Led Lenser P14 (4 x AA) vs. Led Lenser P17 (3 x D)

#2 epilog, comparison nobody cares about . . .

The smaller LL actually seems brighter. A burning question, finally answered and definitive proof that cumbersome, over-priced Home Depot dust magnets are stupid.

Ultra Fire WF-503B/3-mode Q5 vs Ultra Fire WF-502B/5-mode Q5

#3 department of half-breed under-achievers

"You suck."

"No, you suck."

"Well, you suck more."

"But, I think you'll agree; we both really suck."

"Indeed, we do."

I'll let you decide which of these losers could reach the bottom of Lake Mead first. Just say no to WF-50whatevers. Friends don't let friends use 502/503s.

timeforbedFoy

Further proof that the XML is the cats ass and Foy should go to bed earlier.

Would be awesome to be outside watching the bathroom windows (blinds) flashing on and off at various intensities...

Cool pics lol!

Very clean room... I like!

Have you been spying at our house or what? :bigsmile:

Thanks for the entertaining comparison from Foy's Flashlight Lab!

Now now, let's not sink the Ultrafire host just because you put a wimpy drop-in in it. If you put the XM-L in the 503 and the Q5 in youir Solarforce L2, would you be throwing the S/F in Lake Mead?