I don’t think a triple XM-L is going to out throw a good single LED with a pretty good size reflector. Single LED’s seem to be the way to go for ultimate throw. That’s been my findings as well as others who have a lot of lights.
Of course meters are all a little off here and there, and testing methods vary. But my my SR90 tested in the 138K range. My BTU tested in the 120K range. Havn’t got to test brothers TN31 yet. But the 110-120K range your saying sounds about right. I figure it and the BTU will be very close, just slightly trailing the SR90. But barely I’m sure. I have a 35W HID with a decent sized reflector that we will be running with them too. It tested right at 200K when tested at 1m. But we never tested it at 5m, 10m, etc. I’m sure it’s numbers will drop at those distance. At least I assume it will because last time we broke the big boys out the SR90 spanked it. Looks like that HID peaks about 600M, but I haven’t officially tested its peak. But it tested .3L at 500 yards vs .6L for the SR90.
Well again every sample could be slightly different. Such is the case of my TN31’s with the second one being quite a bit brighter. But it would take a great SR90 to push close 140,000 lux when selfbuilt only got 113,500 on his certified light meter. That’s the thing about light meters, everyone seems to be getting a lot different readings. And most of those light meters probably aren’t near as accurate as selfbuilts. Just my 2 cents.
Well i know for certain my SR90 is stronger than selfbults earlier model. I had TurboBB test it also to verify my lumen numbers. His meter measured in the 1875otf range and my meter measured in the 1950otf range. My light should be back from him this weekend. And I agree with you on the meters varying. I do have two readings though now measuring my SR90 about 500otf more than Selfbuilts did.
So my 140K readings are pretty spot on. And again I’ve done actually real life measurements at 700m verifying it made that distance.
Also even if my meter happens to be off, though I think it’s fairly close, I will still be testing all the lights back to back under the same conditions and test methods. That should be a pretty reliable way for testing at a minimum which light is more powerful or which light has more throw. It will certainly do that.
On the BTU, TK70, etc. I agree that a very good XML thrower can likely out throw them. The BTU has very deep reflectors, I assume like your TK70 did, but nowhere near what the SR90 or even the TN31 has. So I won’t be surprised if brothers TN31 out throws it. I’m cool with that. The BTU is still a compact powerhouse and still should have an impressive through over 600m I’m confident of. 120K should easily do that and more.
We shall see soon enough.
Just remember DENGOH’s thread, and how close the TN31 and the TK70 were, not to mention that the picture was zoomed in massively.
It totally depends on intended use.
Speaking of this Brad, I want to make sure that my pics are as accurate as possible so what settings do you recommend for good throwers at long distances? I have played a little with manual exposures but you seem to nail them pretty much every time. My camera is a Sony DSC HX100V if that matters for the settings. Thanks
Rick
Here’s what settings I use.
Manual exposure, 1.3”(which equals 1.2 sec on my camera) shutter speed, F/4 ISO 400, white balance set to fine or the image of the sun on my camera
Well you my friend have got one bad SR90 then. I have heard reports that earlier model SR90 were better throwers.
Dale sorry for going off topic. I can only add that the BTU Shocker has become an instant favorite of mine. Very powerful, heavy duty construction, and will prove to be an excellent thrower. Though like mentioned above, if you already have a TK70, the only logical reason to get the BTU is if you love your TK70 but really want a compact version of it. If that’s the case, the BTU will fit the bill nicely and then some.
Anyway, as a side note, why do some people have an issue with the price on this light? I mean it is a 3000L, 700 meter throwing, triple XML U2, with a 4” head. Very heavily built - like a tank compared to most of my lights, even the more expensive ones. What other 700m & 3000L led light can you buy for cheaper? And I mean one that does both - throw and high output. I find the $150-180 a very fair price considering what this light is capable of. And for the high quality you get - yes I said high quality. The only light that might beat it at that price is possibly a high watt HID. But then we’re comparing apples to oranges.
Well the proof is in the pudding. You can clearly see the hotspot on the TN31 clearly beats the TK70 at 110yds. The same goes for the farther yardages.
Thanks Bud. I will see what I can do with those. His SR90 is a bad boy. First generation SR90’s only put out about 1450 lumens according to HKJ and a few others Newer ones put out a lot closer to the claimed numbers by olight. All that matters is that we test the lights on the same meter on the same night at the same location. Our numbers may not be perfect but at least the comparison should be accurate. I am sure going to try and push my Tn31 past them. Hopefully I will get one like your second one or like Rikr’s.
The K40 and both Crelant collimator head lights beat the TK70 as well.
Well maybe that is what I heard that the later model SR90’s were better throwers. But I knew that folks said there was a difference in some models over others.
Rikr’s TN31 I’m guessing puts out around 120,000k or so. His is brighter than mine that puts out 115,000 lux. My first one probably is around 105,000k.
So what type of throw range do you think your TK70 had? Like 600m or so? I always assumed it would do 650-700m like the factory claim. But you think it’s short of that?
I know the extra lumens should help the btu some. Don’t know how much though. Might be 5m, 50m, or 100m. Don’t know of any calculations that take lumens in account to calculate throw.
Here’s crossing my fingers that I get one like that. Yeah in those TK70/TN31/K40 comparos of yours I was blown away by your TK70 but agreed the spot on the TN31 and K40 looked hotter.
Maybe 525yds.
Sure it matters to me. That’s why I paid $325 US for my SR90. I wanted a quality light at the same time. But being 100% honest - If I had to choose only one light to keep - BTU or SR90, I would have a VERY hard time choosing. The BTU impresses me that much. And I love my SR90 as should be obvious from my defense of it above.
Your gonna need a lot tighter beam to throw even 600yds than what you get from the TK70. I doubt very seriously that there are hardly any LED flashlights that will throw a true 700yds at my place. And it’s pitch black here. But I’m telling you 500yds is 5 football fields not counting goal posts. And that in all honesty is farther than most LED’s will do. And that is pretty much the facts as I know it.
Seriously? Don’t know man. Your shots looked a lot better than that. Crap your M3C4 will almost do that. Just about 25m short anyway. Certainly your TK would have beaten it easily enough?
But I’ve never tried a tk70, so I can’t say.
And they are my friend.
I think the TN31 photo at 110yds was my 115,000 lux one.
Well 500yd is very easy for the SR90. Now our other throwers A60, m3c4, 7g5, SR51 - they Allan out in the 450-500m range. Again tested by physical walking out that distance, using the meter to measure the lux.
But we’ll take some 500m beamshots for certain when we take our 3 big lights out very soon. We’ll let the photos speak for themselves. May try some 600m shots too. We’ll see.