Lenslight Mini vs Surefire EB1 for throwy uses?

[curby]

Hi, I'm debating between these two lights for a small thrower. The EB1 more than doubles the throw of the E1B that I'm currently using, but is longer and has reportedly poor regulation. The Lenslight Mini offers more raw lumens, possibly better regulation, and a focusing mechanism, but I wasn't able to find a comparison for throw figures. I prefer the folded metal clip on the Surefire, but I like the compact size of the Lenslight. Any thoughts on output, throw, or more generally? Thanks!

 

[brianna]

The EB1 does not double the throw of the E1B. My advice is that since you own Surefire now you will not be happy with anything else. An optic like the TIR will always out throw a regular reflector. Yes the regulation on the EB1 is poor. I would wait and see what surefire comes out with for 2013. The regulation on the lens light Mini is flat for the first 40 minutes. Then it declines very steeply. It has a type of focusing aspheric lens Which should give some pretty decent throw.http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...R123A-Review-Pics-Beamshots-Runtimes-and-more!

 

[curby]

I coulda sworn I saw a review somewhere that said 10k+ lux for the EB1 and <5k for the E1B. That's where I got the "double throw" thing from. That said, I can't seem to find that anymore.

EDIT: found: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-(Beamshots-added)-Review-and-runtime-results Is there any indication those results might be faulty?

Anyway, thanks for the thoughts!

 

[enomosiki]

Lenslight Mini does 7,000 lux, for 163 meter throw.

EB1 does 10,000, for 200 meter throw.

 

[curby]

That matches the numbers available elsewhere, but I guess is a little surprising. Everything I've heard is that aspheric lenses are such champs at throwing, and this combined with more raw lumens should put more lux down the street. I wonder if anyone has, or can take, comparison beamshots between the LL Mini and EB1 at 100m or something more indicative of real world conditions.

 

[Vox Clamatis in Deserto]

I coulda sworn I saw a review somewhere that said 10k+ lux for the EB1 and <5k for the E1B. That's where I got the "double throw" thing from. That said, I can't seem to find that anymore.

EDIT: found: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-(Beamshots-added)-Review-and-runtime-results Is there any indication those results might be faulty?

Anyway, thanks for the thoughts!

In the thread cited above I've questioned the methodology of taking a measurement at five meters and multiplying it by 25 to get the reading at one meter with a somewhat collimated beam like the one on the EB1. I feel it would overestimate the brightness value. Of course, if both lights were tested and the values corrected in the same way, the relative results, e.g. one twice as bright as the other, would be correct.

Surface light intensity (lux) x distance^2 = peak beam intensity (cd)

Robin24K's formula works for a point source but I would suggest that things might not be as simple for the far field light distribution of a somewhat collimated source like the EB1. If the light were ideally collimated, i.e. plane waves, the intensity would be the same at one meter and five meters, right?

As the others suggested, I multiplied by 25. Also thanks for pointing out my typo. I wish I had a nickle for every time I typed E1B when I meant EB1.

That's what happens when I stay up past my bedtime :tired:

 

[curby]

Right, flashlights are not point sources of light. The different testing and measuring methodologies are why I'm not so quick to believe that the TIR, 200-lumen EB1 out-throws the aspheric, 300-lumen LL Mini by almost half. Maybe it does, but that would surprise me. This calls for a head to head comparison! =)

 

[Z-Tab]

The way the Lenslights are set up, there seems to be a lot more loss than in a pure aspheric light (with the bezel fully extended at the narrowest beam). The trade-off is that you also get a mule-type flood.

If you want a pure thrower, you might as well get something designed for that purpose.

 

[curby]

Any recommendations? I'm still trying to decide. I also had HDS on there, but the questionable clip position and long lead times are helping to keep them out of the running. For close-up work I have floody lights, so for this replacement I want something as throw-oriented as practical in something of this class (~1" OD, ~4" long, single cell).

 

[doktarra]

Lenslight Mini seems to throw a nice beam and is easily focused. I saw that you had concerns regarding the clip on the Surefire the the delrin clip on the LensLight. I ordered a LensLight Mini from Triple Aught Designs, and it came with a metal clip that is not shown on the Lens Light web sight. Interesting.... So, from a clip standpoint, you could get a metal one if u desired.