When you read a review, and person "A" measures a light to have 58mm wide reflector and person "B" writes in another review that the reflector of another light is 68mm wide. You expect that person "B"`s reflector is 10mm wider right? Or do you only think that person A`s measurement of 58mm should only be compared to other measurements person A have done?
I certainly think its nice that person A and person B`s numbers are as comparable as possible. I would like lumen and lux numbers to be more like that as well.
In the world there are lots of common tools for precision measuring. Its useful. Why settle for inaccuracy between different people when you can settle for accuracy?
Ok, I cant get peoples lumen/lux numbers to be dead accurate. Actually, not even within 10%. But if we could make numbers that on average are maybe as high as 20% off become closer, that would certainly help.
Usually when something is calibrated to a well defined standard, measurements should be spot on or very close to eachother. That is not the case with ANSI numbers from different manufacturers. So when people calibrate their lights towards ANSI rated flashlights they will not be on the same page depending on what flashlights they used for calibration.
Example. JM just posted a review of Fenix TK35 Ultimate edition. His lumen number on turbo was 5% lower compared to Fenix.
You can read in his review that he is using a calibrated Sphere. Now, if rdrfronty measured that light with his calibrated sphere would you expect 5% lower compared to Fenix? No, you would expect his number to probably be 10% higher or more. That is what I expect from his calibrated sphere, and its what he is expecting based on an earlier post in this thread.
Ill admit, I have not compared enough data to see that JM are generally close to Fenix, or maybe on the low side. But I based on my observations, I would expect him to measure well below rdrfronty and his lightbox, which is also calibrated.
@rdrfronty
When it comes to lux, I can see that Im not going to get you are anyone with similar meter to try and get closer to people with lower calibrations/reading meters simply because there are too many examples where your measurements or similar measurements are too close to calibrated meters.
When it comes to lumen, its a different story.
Its is clear to me, and you that in general, compared to Fenix, your numbers are typically 10%+ higher, and there are cases where your calibration is 20% higher. For the record, Im not saying your numbers are wrong, or that Fenix is closer to what is right, you have clearly done a great job with the calibration based on ANSI rated lights. I just want peoples numbers to become closer, and try to avoid a big gap.
Im just observing various peoples numbers who have also been through a calibration process. Compared to your box these guys are as far as I can see lower.
-Selfbuilt (Up towards 17% lower. At least on TK61)
-Johnnymac (His numbers seems fairly similar to selfbuilt. So lower)
-_the_ (His numbers seems fairly similar to selfbuilt. So lower)
-UpZ (I believe his calibrated sphere are based on Fenix, or close. So Im assuming his numbers are up towards 17% lower too.)
-Relic38 (Based on memory I believe he`s numbers were quite comparable with the above. Certainly closer to them. So lower. )
-jmpaul320 (Cant say for sure, but certainly seems lower. Example earlier in this thread showed Tom E measured about 8% higher on the exact same light)
-Match (1200 lumen OTF at 3A with XM-L2 U2 on copper does not seem possible based on his graphs. Which is basically what you see on a TK61. So I would have to say lower.)
-djozz (1200 lumen OTF at 3A with XM-L2 U2 on copper does not seem possible based on his graphs. Which is basically what you see on a TK61. So I would have to say lower.)
I think you will find that many people have Fenix lights close to their calibration. You can find several threads about that. That means, there are many more who are lower compared to your lumen numbers.
Id like to include this link. A person got to test 68 flashlights at Led-Lensers Calibrated sphere. They got a big nice expensive sphere!
NSFW, lumen sphere porn:
Lights were measured at 5 sec instead of 30 (since they wanted to save time).
According to google translate it was said that Fenix were the manufacturer that were closest with their ANSI numbers.
So, once again, I have an example that shows lower compared to your box.
The point of all this. Your numbers are generally higher compared to most others. Up towards 20% higher compared some. Im not aware of anyone who consistently shows higher lumen numbers compared to your box`s calibration. Do you? Ive asked the question to others earlier in the thread, and have not seen anyone been able to point at others with higher numbers. As seen, many others does seem to have lower numbers. When I say many, I mean, basically everybody who often share numbers except the ones with similar box to you.
I may be off on a several details and numbers in the list above. Its not supposed to be anything exact. So please, no need to nitpick. And sure, there will be examples where maybe you quite similar results. But I think that on average you fill find that most others are.... lower.
Im not capable of doing this precisely, but if we made a list of all the people who have "calibrated" integrating spheres or numbers that are supposed to be similar to spheres and often share them. If we then tried to extract an average (or median if you prefer) lumen number from all of them. Then that number should be what everyone should calibrate towards in order for everybody to "get the same page". That number does not exist. And will never exist. But that would have been my idea of getting everybody on the same page... If you followed that logic... Either way, I think its clear that you would have to adjust your lumen number lower.
As I believe you can see. I can not say that people with "Fenix numbers" should adjust their numbers up in order to get closer to yours. There are too many of them, and they are too close to calibrated equipment. And many of them are too close to each other.
But, as far as I can see, if you (rdrfronty) adjusted your lumen numbers down a bit, that would certainly help to get everybody a bit closer. I believe you could just talk to your brother and send a PM to Tom E, DBCstm, RMM on how to lower their calibration accordingly. That way more people would be closer when it comes to lumen numbers and you guys would still have as comparable numbers as before. Its just a suggestion. Feel free to share your thoughts why that would be a bad idea...
I want my numbers to be comparable with you, your brother, Tom E, DBCstm, RMM. Simply because we are all into high output modified lights, and all of you share a good amount of numbers. Id say you guys are responsible for a very high amount of the numbers that are being posted on modified lights here on BLF. And all of you guys have comparable numbers. But I would like to see that my numbers were not consistently a good step higher compared to "everybody else".