Spammish for sure. I am still a big fan of the XM-L diode. I know CREE is going to start putting out a more efficient diode at around 1200 lumens this year and I will have those in the same package. It is all about efficiency with diodes as the XM-L creates a ton of light but it also pulls about 3.1 amps or a little more to create the light. I think in the next 5 years we will see a 2000 lumen light at about 2.8 amps or less. I have a ton of HID lights including a 6000 lumen one but I'm not sure what it is good for since it is too friggin bright. Light is almost like sound and above a certain level there is a logarithmic diminishing return on investment.
Those Ebay/Aliexpress alu HIDs are bright....a bit over-speced but still bright esp for the money. HID long/short arc + lanterns or modded with PAR56/64s or auto ballasts/bulbs are the only way to get crazy throw and/or lumens which sort of makes custom LED lights look pretty dim. Unless you stick 50-100 pieces of XM-L on it.
Yeah, the only reason I sell the HIDs is that if there is ever an issue with parts it is such a hassle dealing with China for replacements. I just buy 10 extra of all the parts and stick them in a box so that people can get fast free warranty replacement. China will want you to pay 50 dollars to ship a 50 dollar ballast/bulb (just guess price) and then take 10 days to get it to you, at a minimum. I just buy the extra parts in advance, just in case...then they will replenish the used parts with my following paid shipments. I still like the LED's best for size and weight.
I sawy a Duracell 170 lumen "daylight" light at Costco yesterday for 11.95, takes 2 d-cell batteries. I was truly excited, a true budget light! I got it home and barfed on it... It focused but the light color sucked and super "artifacty." My C3-907 is at least 50 lumens brighter. I'm taking it back today... They had some 3 sets of 150 lumen lights but they sucked as well so I took them back.
The brightest flashlight I have found for the moneys the KEYGOS XM-L T6 light for $25 shipped. It puts out a legit 850 lumens. And it's only 5 and 7/8" long.
That light will beat out a lot of the bigger lights. I know. It will easily throw a beam 300yds. It may not beat some of your better thrower lights for beam distance, but it will give most a run for their money in brightess up close.
The seller claims 1300lm (Which obviously it is not) yet you say a “legit 850”.How do you know this?Do you have an Integrating Sphere or have you read a review somewhere?Please explain.
As you have this light and a camera can you please post some pictures of its pill, either out of the light or in it but from the battery end.
That's a different light altogether. Yours is a clone of this U80. Even it being a clone of the U80 means very little as totally different drivers may be being used.
What would really help is a picture of the pill in your KeyGos, either separate from the light or in the light with the pic being taken from the battery end - and - can you let us know does it have a glass lens & aluminum reflector?
If the pill is good and its glass and alu then its a v.good buy for the rice. Even if the driver is not brilliant that's cheap enough to replace.