U20 also at Manafont, but it also has a strobe:
which of those two Ultrafire lights is brighter? I am still learning about Cree emitters.
Hi there s1mp13m4n, I hope we can help you find a nice AA light. There's a lot of good choices out there. Quick tip, you probably already know this, but the name of the light usually doesn't correspond to the type of LED. For example, "Ultrafire C3" does not mean it has a "C3" emitter, it's just a moniker, nothing else.
As for emitters, the most common and best emitter designs you will hear on BLF are...
XP-E, OSRAM, XP-G, and XM-L
...in approximate order of desirability. There are obviously many other LED designs, but for starters these are all good options. And each of those emitter designs has another designation associated with it like "Q5" or "R5" or "T6". This second number is a bit more complicated to explain, I approximately understand it but maybe somebody else could chime in who knows more. But it's worth mentioning that although an XM-L for example is potentially much brighter than an XP-E, it could theoretically be dimmer due to many factors such as the amount current they run through it, or the reflector.
The Ultrafire U-20 is probably brighter than the C3. However it should be noted that the U-20 has strobe modes. Also, both the U-20 and the C3 both tend more toward throw and less toward flood. Although between the two, the U-20 would probably flood more.
Hope this helps! Let us know what you decide on.
I have a U20 and really like it a lot with 14500. its normally 1 mode but a slight twist counterclockwise open s up the 3 modes. it does have strobe so thats probably out. I also have the xeno e03 xml. it is a bit over your budget at $29.99 http://tacticalhid.info/e03
it is a bright floody light and works on nimh and 14500s.
Alright, I think I would prefer more flood than throw with a smooth beam with less of a hotspot overall. I put foggy scotch tape on my Fenix LD01 to smooth out the beam and make less of a hotspot. I want something brighter than my 80 lumen LD01. I am not sure if that helps much. I am reading Flashlight wiki as well trying to learn but it is confusing with all the info at first. :) What are other good choices as I am new enough to not have any brand preferences or LED type favorites yet. LOL
Ive got the xeno E03 on my hat and use it for work as it is really floody. ive also got the sipik sk68 which is a flood to throw light. and can be purchased off ebay for $8. you can use it in flood or throw mode. https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/1001
If you can stand the strobe mode, you might want to look at a 3-mode version of the Sipk SK58. Not half bad for the price.
When people said C 3 they were basicly saying because it's a stainless steel light .. it's just a different feel.honestly a AA basicly does what a AA does .You can't make the output do something crazy or it would just kill a battery flat right now .So a couple gundred lumens is all you can ever expect out of a AA and a 14500 in it will add to the brightness but usually not so much that it blows you away ..Even so when it does increase the output alot .it decreases runtime and usually makes the LOW mode unusable . Sounds to me like you're looking for a xpg because it's more flood . A q5 and a R2 will have that hotter hot spot for more throw ..basicly inside you want flood.. close up lights up the whole area .. outside you want more of a throw .. every light is a mix of flood and throw smaller reflectors like in the AA AAA lights make for more flood and bigger deeper reflectors give more throw . smooth reflectors have more throw and orange peeled ones more flood . so it's all a mix of what the emitter narurally does , the reflector , size shape and texture ..confused Yet?
One of the main reasons why BLF exists is because there is NO correct light /no perfect light .And spending a lot doesn't make a light more correct ...It would be cheaper to fly to Scotland and play with Don's 150 lights for a week than it is to buy and try and wait for DX to send you the wrong thing ...
OK yes I want this light to be more flood for close up inside use. Something to keep in my pocket to read menus in a dark restuarant, look for something in the car, something dropped under the bed, something 5 feet away in my bedroom. This would not be my outside light for distance. I am still unsure of what to get but am looking at these lights:
http://cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1075
HELP!! LOL :)
I'd buy the C3 stainless steel from t-mart .. it's $10.50 and it's a great light , it ships fast and no one will ever hate it ..looking at a q5 vs. a xpg on the wall . the flood or throw is barely an issuse it has such a short reflector talk about flood or thow is almost silly . if you want a low and a medium spending 9$ extra is your call the manafont no disco version is nice too .
cnqualitygoods is out.. it has 8$ shipping on it
the u 20 is the best of the bunch but i'm not a fan of it ..I didn't buy it when it was ona super special sale to blf members for 12$
the sipik 68 is an option .. it's only one mode and has a definate style that you either like or hate I like flood to throw lights ..so does everyone ...they are just fun to play with .
So if you're looking for my compromise ..I'd say buy the sipik ..8$ off ebay and buy the single mode stainless steel c3 . for 19$ total 2 lights
I'd do that before I bought the U 20 for $20
at the end of the day style is a big factor too .. do you like the looks or feel of it ?
Don't forget that if you want modes, the C3 stainless steel from t-mart for $10.50 only has 1 mode. Same goes for http://cgi.ebay.com/Adjustable-Beam-200lm-CREE-Q5-LED-Flashlight-Torch-Mini-/270736202868?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item3f09229c74
I just ordered one of these http://www.dealextreme.com/p/nf-x8455-flood-to-throw-zooming-cree-q3-wc-3-mode-160-lumen-led-flashlight-w-clip-1xaa-1x14500-90381
I have purchased some of the Sepik 1-mode (E-Bay/Ultraok) versions with out any problems. The last two I got for $7.75 each (best offer) There is also this one (no clip or rear clickie) http://www.dealextreme.com/p/nf-x8626-flood-to-throw-zooming-cree-q3-wc-3-mode-160-lumen-led-flashlight-w-strap-1xaa-1x14500-90382
The U20. One of mine gave 295 lumens at switch-on with a 14500 as opposed to the stainless C3 which gave me 250 with a 14500. But the stainless C3 on high with a 14500 gets too hot to hold in under 5 minutes. There is also an aluminium ultrafire C3 with an XP-G R5 in it which is currently the brightest unmodified single AA light I have but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't prepared to do fiddly stuff to sort out the very, very common continuity issues in aluminium C3s.
The stainless steel C3s are completely different creatures from the aluminium ones and don't have strange issues the way the alu ones do.
After reading all of this I am going to do something I never do and recommend a light I don't have. It sounds like the Romisen RC-29 from Shiningbeam would be exactly what you are looking for, plus if you order it today you will have it by Friday and you are guaranteed it will work with no tinkering.
http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-180/Romisen-RC-dsh-29-II-R5/Detail
If the above is what you want this is what you need:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/uniquefire-aa-s1-3w-osram-160-lumen-led-flashlight-1-aa-1-14500-24220
Very floody, very bright, nice natural tint and cheap.
Thanks nautic. was going to suggest AA-S1 at 9usd from DX as i have good luck with them but feel like i am becoming that lights champion on the site and there are a bunch of good lights.
the romisen rc-29 from shiningbeam at 21.75usd is a great plan. company ships fast ( to the states anyway), great customer service, nice modified romisen in a XP-G r4 OR r5, the only flood -to-throw i own. more expensive sure, but good company in brooklyn.
I'm with E1320 the RC-29 is a wonderfull little light, Flood to throw are not everybodies cup of tea, but in this case I think it's the way to go, especially if you find yourself taping the front of the light to atenuate the hotspot.
Comparing to the Sipik the RC-29 has a larger illumination area in flood mode, and the zoom is actuated by rotating the bezel not by pushing/pulling.
I dont know however if the shiningbeam model has modes or not.
OK everyone, thank you all for the great help and advice. I am still unsure as what I may get. I am on this forum because I can not afford a lot of lights listed on CPF. At the same time I am a bit sceptical about the quality of a light from a place such as DX. This simply may be all rubbish that I have built up in my head about things made in Chuina. LOL :) Here is what I mean....will the light simply work out of the box? Will it break if I drop it be accident? What if I forget it is in my pocket and it falls in a sink full of water while shaving? I am not trying to be a bother at all, I simply am new to all of this and also do not want to waste my limited income money. Heck if I had more to play with I would buy 5 lights and have different ones to pick from depending on my mood. LOL :)
It looks like the Ultrafire U20 might be the "tank" or best built of the group plus it is waterproof to IPX8, I like that idea just in case. Yet I can gettwo lights from DX for $21. Then there is than Romisen from Shiningbeam. :) So many good choices.
If you're buying a cheap light and want it to be waterproof, I recommend when you get it you immediately check to make sure that all the o-rings are in place and well lubricated.
. I think the trustfire R5-A3 might be the closest thing to what he's looking for .Flood, 3 modes , moddable easily to get rid of the flash, higher lumens than other lights ,much greater increase on 14500, pocket clip,Not a bad light .