In the last month or so I have bought a few lights, one of them being the Convoy S2. I really like the SHAPE of it and how it fits the hand. I don’t know much about lights and thought this would be a good light to check my entire yard with. As it turns out it IS a really good light and is made REALLY WELL. Feels much more expensive than it really is. The thing with this light is that if you want a light to check your HOUSE….GET THIS LIGHT. It is perfect for that. It gives a beautiful white light that lets you see everything in every room….unless your house is the BILTMORE ESTATE. The BAD part is that it doesn’t THROW very far. Last night I went outside to see how far it would throw and I would say it works really well up to maybe 25-30 yards. Past that and it starts losing steam quickly.
Now I am going to go and get a THROWER so I can see a LONG WAY. Gonna Be another CONVOY.
The S2 is a really good light, don’t take my words the wrong way, it’s just not a thrower and I don’t think it is meant to be either.
This is precisely why one needs more than one flashlight!
The S2 and S4 are fine flashlights with a nice broad beam. The S4 might be a little floodier. Great around the house, yard, working on the Jeep, etc.
Then the C8 with an OP reflector is great for longer distances, say beyond 3-4 meters or so, not so good for close up.
The C8 or L4 with a smooth reflector are pretty good throwers.
The M1 is between the C8 and S2/S4 and a good all around compromise.
I have cottontail rabbits that come into my yard at night and mow my lawn for me. They leave behind little bunny pellets that my dogs like to eat. So I go out before sunrise and pick them up. This is what the S2 or S4 is best at.
I really like my Convoy S5 for seeing the ground ahead of me, but for throwing/search light duty a larger diameter and deeper reflector is much better. XinTD or Convoy C8 are both worth considering.
Having most of the flashlights you mentioned, I can say you summed it up wonderfully. My C8s are throwers with a tight beam, my S2s are better for closer viewing, and my M1s are a good balance between the other two.
I actually have three S2s. One has an XM-L2, while the other two have XP-G2s. I like the beam profiles of the XP-G2 lights better than the one with the XM-L2. The XP-G2 gives a slightly tighter and brighter hotspot than the XM-L2. The XP-G2 lights do light trees that are a little farther away than the XM-L2 can. My C8s and M1s still throw farther than my S2s. All of my S2s have plenty of spill light, which works well for closer work (thanks to the small OP reflector).
My favorite configuration for an S2 is with 3*7135, an NLITE flashed driver, and with an XP-G2 emitter. This gives three useable modes plus a moonlight mode. On high, the light can run for over two hours. On medium, it can run for over six hours. I’ve not timed the light on low or moonlight.
I have two S2s with the above setup. One has the XP-G2 U2 1A emitter, and the other has the XP-G2 R4 5A1 emitter. The 5A1 tint is truly beautiful and gives good color rendition when focused properly in the S2 reflector. I use these spacers (sanded down slightly on the top side) to focus and center the XP-G2 in the S2 reflector:
Yeah my Convoy S5 is middle of the road, mix of thrower and flood, good up close and I can get 30-40 yards, deeper reflector than the S2+ (which means you have to have a shim if you want to put in a TIR)
If the OP actually has the S2, then that would explain the lack of throw. I put one of the 10 degree optics in my S2. It was almost as easy as putting one in the S3. I like having the optic in the S2+ better than the stock reflector.