Comparison: X40 vs K40M vs K50 vs Old-Lumens MT-G2 Maglite vs TK75 R86 edition, vs TK61 stage 1 vs retard light

Thanks for the beautiful beamshots & reviews. According to your pics the K40M is much brighter then the X40 in terms of lumens the X40 is slightly more?

Which light have the most side spill out of RC40 and X60? Im thinking about the outer spill that is close to your feet. Is there much brightness difference between the spill from the lights? (comparing domed emitters vs domed)

Light with battle scars > light with dust :D

If you have too many X60 lights, you can send one my way. I can take care of it. ^^

My first impression of the RC40 is like you say, its built like a tank. But still like a lightweight tank, Fenix style.

:beer:

About K40M vs X40 brightness. The X40 measured slightly higher lumen, but the differences is so small that it could just be that my light meter reads higher on CW lights. These lights have pretty much the same brightness.

When you look at the comparison beamshots and see the K40M as "much brigher", I think that have to do with several things. X40 throw a bit further and put out more light down range. Its not that easy to notice on the wide angle pictures which makes you focus more on the close up/mid range. Second, X40 puts out more light in the mid range wider out compared to K40M. K40M puts more light towards the center, which can be perceived brighter. I would also say that the X40 have a bit more light further out compared to K40M that is not seen on the pictures. Im talking about the very outer dim spill light. K40M spill is pretty much what you see, once it goes dark it goes dark. No gradual transition. X40, have a bit if very dim spill light outside of the "main spill". The transition between zero light and the typical spill light is more gradual. I hope that makes sense. Sorry if my bad descriptions made little sense. That is how I remember them when walking outdoors side by side and also some notes to the pictures. I dont need to explain where K40M is brighter since you can see that.

Here is another mouse over comparison with more zoom. (X40 on mouse over).

I think you will see easier that more of the lumens are hitting the trees in the distance, and that requires more light. You will also see more lights at the edge of the picture on the X40.

Id say these lights have very similar in output, they just have a different beam patterns and emitters.

Yes, thanks for the lengthy explanation!

Very qualitative beamshots and review. Thanks for the effort.

Looking at beamshots online sometimes feels like looking at a murder in a movie.: shrug. Race, that retard light is freaking jaw dropping!!! :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :_( Thank you for the beamshots and lumens numbers :slight_smile:

Cheers guys!

WOW! :open_mouth:

That retard light of yours is truly retarded in every sense of the word! :smiley:

I wonder if I can replicate that mod. Its doesn’t have to be as insanely bright as yours but I’m setting my sights on my X-100. J)

I really love this forum and I’m glad to be in the right company. :slight_smile:

Yeah, its quite retarded, and with good tint. :)

Have not seen your around much lately nightbird95. Hope everything is good.

I just answered your question in this thread regarding your X100.

:beer:

Thanks again RaceR86.

I’ve posted a little lately because I’ve been preoccupied tweaking the mod on the 6X XM-L Bike Light I won from ledoman. I’m also planning to do a tint mix and dedoming on this X6 bike light but it would be after I have solved its driver issues.

That must have taken a hell lot of a time. Thank you for the outstanding beamshots.

Wth is a ‘retard’ flashlight?? I’ve never heard about it but the lumens output is huge!

Well I think ‘retard’ flashlights are flashlights whose mods will only be done or attempted by retarded flashaholics. :stuck_out_tongue:

I wish I could be one of them (in a few days maybe? ) because I consider them as the elite modders in the flashaholic world, hehehe… :bigsmile:

Nice beamshots.
i think retarded for lights is the way to go. :slight_smile:

@ nightbird95 and DBSAR.. lol.. :p

The light I modified and named the "retard light" was originally sold as an OEM 12 XM-L light. OEM, as in its got no name printed on it. Which means you will most likely see it labeled with various "xxxxfire" as time goes by. Kinfire K1200S is one...

I could have named it Frank, Hank or Lisa.. But I decided on a name that suited the light`s.. ehm.. character better.. Essentially its just 12 emitters in direct drive powered by 6 low resistanse cell for the highest amount of glorious light. :D Nothing fancy (see the thread on it for more details). Its also got a driver in there for modes and such, but the driver is currently retarded, so for now its just full output or nothing. :D I kinda like it that way. J) Output drops instantly by a lot due to voltage sag and heat. Its pretty much as bright as you can make a 12 emitter XM-L2 light (at startup). In the right sphere, with CW emitters and AR lens the light could produce over 17000 lumens at startup, maybe even 18000. Most manufacturers stick to around 3000 lumens in similar sized lights. And those lights are not exactly running cool.. So you can try to picture how this modified light is.. Lets just say it lives up to its name.. ;)

Just by reading the specs, I can see where you are going :slight_smile: Not something I have the skills of making ever or anything I would want to touch. Sure sounds dangerous with the amount of cells + direct drive :slight_smile:

Verry impressive comparison, would the battery charging handle of the x40 work on the k40m?

Thanks for comments.

Good question stanley. X40 and K40M bodies can be swapped back and forth. Battery carriers are different, but with same voltage output. So in theory you could put the X40 body on the K40M and get battery monitoring and built in charging. IMO K40M have a higher need for battery monitoring compared to X40. BUT, I don't know if the X40 battery carrier will handle the higher amp draw from the K40M. Im not feeling like testing that bit. At least not right now... If something goes bad in the battery carrier due to too high amp draw and you then start charging. May not be a happy ending to that story.

Modded K40M with X40 body would be sweet though! Im very tempted to test it, but my experience with the K50 battery carrier have not been that great, so Ill probably pass. I prefer modded K40M over stock, so that would not make it easier for the X40 battery carrier either. If someone else have both lights and want to do some extensive testing, that would be great. 0:)

I did some "LEGO-ing" with some other lights. Some not featured in OP.

Supbeam X60 and Thrunite TN35 bodies and heads are compatible both ways.

X60 head compatible with X40 and K40M bodies.

X60 body not properly compatible with X40 and K40M heads.

X60 looks awesome with a short body.. :D A bit front heavy though.. X60 needs higher voltage, so I never tried to power it up, but bodies fit.

I´ve used the X40 body with the TN32 head several times and it worked fine.
K40M is on the way, so i think in 2-3 weeks i will do the test with the K40M.
Do you know the batterie current from the K40M and the X40? Both have aprox. eaqual Lumens, so the current cant be so different?

I have not measured. But im guessing current is fairly similar or slightly higher in the K40M. Since the K40M is regulated, current will increase and become higher with lower voltage cells. So it will become more demanding compared to X40.

On a K40M that is modded for max output im expecting to see roughly twice the peak current draw with low voltage cells compared to peak current in the X40. So that will be quite a difference. I got a stock K40M as well, but after having a modded one Im not going back to stock.

I would not expect to see any issues with the X40 carrier in the TN32. Which you have confirmed.

Its a good chance X40 body will work fine with K40M head, but we don't know until someone tries. If you want to be careful I would get some Panasonic cells down to 3,6V. And then do many 1 minute runs and check if the battery carrier started to get hot after (or check every 2-4 runs ). Continue testing until you hit low voltage warning or all the way to cut off.

I wonder if a more neutral tint XM-L2 emitters in the X40 make it closer to output color of the K40M. ( something around a 3B bin) as i found the XM-L 3B tints the closest i have to the MT-G2s i have. )

I would agree that 3B is pretty much as close as you can get. And having multiple of them would get you close to an MT-G2 tint wise as you probably have seen. My Solarstorm T4 with 4x3B are very similar to an MT-G2 in tint. When buying the X40 swapping to NW emitters were my plan. I would prefer to do a minor tint mix though. I normally do. I would have liked my X40 much better if I put in some proper NW emitters. Still considering to do a little mix in order to "fix" the tint from my de-domed emitters. Or swap them all, or sell the light... Time will tell...