# Flood Beam Headlamp List - 2011



## Bolster (Mar 10, 2011)

Apologies -- my irresponsible ISP, COX Communications, has decided in its infinite wisdom to revoke all FTP space which I was using to host images. They took down the FTP space & deleted the images (and are charging me the same amount as before). Customer service is telling me, "T.S." Please bear with me until I can figure out where to re-host the images...IF I can find backups of the images. 

FLOOD HEADLAMPS are valued for their ability to fill your vision...including your peripheral vision...with an even, homogeneous flood of light...a “wall of light” that doesn’t require your eyes to adjust (much) from center to edge of beam. Flood headlamps are valued for: working with your hands, setting up camp, reading, walking or jogging trails, and other activities where peripheral vision must be maintained. They are not designed for seeing far into the distance. Beam angles on floody lights should run 60-120 degrees, although several inexpensive “bare bulb” type lamps throw a narrow beam of only 30-40 degrees. The narrower the beam, the lower your peripheral vision, and the more you’ll have to twist your head to see your workspace, or the more you’ll be chasing a “bouncing ball” as you jog at night. 


Remember the beamshots in this thread are all taken from different distances, with different exposures, and with different color balance settings, so are not accurate for comparing coverage, beam brightness, or tint. Refer to beam angle to gauge beam spread, lumens to gauge brightness, and descriptions of tint to judge color. Beamshots primarily tell us about the evenness vs. “hotspottedness” of the beam.


*Floody Beam Headlamps using AA cells*


*Zebralight H502* 
Announced May 2011, to be released 4th quarter this year. Likely a pure flood light in the H50 & H501 tradition. 1xAA with XM-L emitter, lensed (not reflectored), projected to output over 240 lumens on high. 


Waiting for production....


*Zebralight H501 & H501w*
The H501w is a neutral/warm version of the H501. Efficiency: H501 is 96 lumen 2.3 hour; 18 lumen 19 hours; H501w is 80 lumen 2.3 hours; 15 lumen for 19 hours. Cell: Single AA battery (runtimes tested on a Sanyo 2700 mAh cell). Waterproof: IPX8. Beam Angle: 80 degree flood. Water: IPX8 (1 meter for 30 minutes). Price $59. Beamshots and Links: First shot is mine of a H501w; second is from here, & third is holyjeez03's photo of an H501w. 









*Energizer 360 Degree LED Cap Light* - a unique ball-swivel mounted 1xAA light designed for attaching to hats & helmets. Narrow beam angle of 30 degrees makes it marginally eligible for this thread. 40 lumens for 4 hours. See Jas’ thread here. $20-25.


*FoxFury Command 10 Tasker* - Efficiency: 40 max lumen for 32 max hours. Cells: 4xAA powering 10 Nichia LEDs. Beam Angle: 38 degree narrow flood. Water: Waterproof to 3 feet. Price: c. $61. (Waiting for beamshots from manufacturer.)


*FoxFury Command 20 Tasker* - Efficiency: 60 max lumen for 16 max hours. Cells: 4xAA powering 20 Nichia LEDs. Beam Angle: 38 degree narrow flood. Water: Waterproof 3 feet. Price: c. $81. (Waiting for beamshots from manufacturer.)


*Irix Icon II*, c. $20-30, making it a price contender. Convenient dial switch. Efficiency: advertised as 50 lumens max, reported (by Spaulding) 2:20 runtime on NiMH. Type: 5x5mm regulated LEDs. Cell: 1xAA. Water: "Weatherproof" (translation: water resistant). Mild PWM on low, tint reported variously as: cool, blue, & purple. Beam angle: margins fade gradually making measures difficult, but repeated calcs put the “floodspot” around a narrow 25 degrees (although easily spread to 45 degrees). See Meganoggin’s thread here. 








*Mammut S-Flex* - 1xAA. Lumen: 35 max, also has low mode. Beam Angle: 40 degrees. Also has red LED and strobe. No IP rating. $30. Waiting for beamshots... please report if you can.


*Mammut S-Lite* - 1xAA, 20 lumen max for 10 hrs unregulated. Also a mid and low mode, strobe. $20.
Waiting for beamshots and beam angle...please report if you can. 


*Petzl Pixa 1* - Pixa 1 is flood only. Efficiency: 25 lumen for 12 hours. Cells: 2xAA. Regulated @ two levels. Beam Angle: central hotspot trigs to 37 degrees. If based on an accurate measurement, this means the dual-beam Pixas have a wider beam than the “wide beam” Pixa 1 (see Pixa 3 below). Water: IP 67 (= dust + immersion). Price on Amazon: $30. Waiting for beamshots...please report if you can.


*Princeton Tec Corona*
Efficiency: 90 lumens (8 leds) max, 1 hour regulated, then drops out of regulation. Vtunderground has recorded a 4.5 hour runtime on high with Eneloops. Midrange (5 leds) lumens estimated @ 56, with 6.75 hour runtime. Was considered a runtime champ, circa 2004. Cells: 3xAA batteries. Water: Water Resistant. Beam Angle: Vtunderground reports 30 degrees by protractor. Center weighted “directional flood” beam. Blue tint. Price: Around $50 or less. Links & Reviews: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...rinceton_tec_corona_led_headlamp_review.html_ , http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/princetontec_corona.htm beamshot duplicated below..., https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/181493 , https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/198207&page=1 








*Spark SD5* - On the drawing board, Spark’s 1AA full flood headlamp. 


Waiting for production...


*Spark SD52* - a 2AA (or 14500) full flood headlamp available in neutral white NW and cool white CW models. Neutral version runs from .5lm (50 days) to 280lm (1.5hrs) on Eneloops. Cool version runs .5lm (50 days) to 300lm (1.5hrs) on Eneloops. (Reported as high as 500lm on 2 14500 cells.) Notable is the 7-hour midlevel of 70 or 80lm, as well as the superwide beam angle: 115 degrees. Waterproof: IPX8. About $105 + shipping. 








*Surefire Saint Minimus AA* - Not released yet, but we’re told it’s a 2xAA version of the Saint Minimus. 
Efficiency: 2xAA for 1-100 lumen output range. 1.5 hours on high. Comes with red filter. 


Waiting for production...


*Ultrafire UF-H2B* - 
An inexpensive <$30 Zebralight H501 look-alike, 1xAA, slight cool tint, beam spread >80 degrees. 150 lumens claimed. Information condensed from Gregozedobe’s review post in this thread, #37. 


Waiting for beamshots...


*Zebralight H51F, H51Fw & H51Fc* - arguably not a “true flood” with its brighter center, but probably qualifies as “floody.” AaronG describes it as “a directional flood” and as “all spillbeam.” The H51F is brightest of the bunch with a cooler tint; the H51Fw is a neutral/white version; the H51Fc is a high-CRI version (CRI of 85) appearing mid-2011. Efficiency H51F: 190 lumen .9 hour; 28 lumen 12 hours. H51Fw: 164 lumen .9 hour; 25 lumen 12 hours. H51Fc: 123 lumen .9 hr; 27 lumen 9 hrs. Battery: Single AA battery (tested on an Eneloop 2000 mAh). Water: IPX8. Beam Angle: 90 degree beam angle (but not a smooth even flood; has bright center). Price: $64. Links and beamshot: see https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/273573&page=9 post 261). Long discussion https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/273573. Comparative images are from GadgetGeek; lower image is Nugget’s beamshot of an H51Fw. 














*Convertible Flood/Spot Options using AA cells*


*Dosun H1*
Cells: 3xAA. Beam: Reports of a ringy beam but I can't find beamshots. Beam Angle: ??? Unknown. Price: About $70
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.


*Duracell Daylite 3AA Headlamp*
“Spot to flood focus” 80 lumen on 3xAA battery pack. Red LED on battery pack. No power modes. Not rec’d for running. As low as $13 at Costco. 
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.


*Energizer Hard Case Professional 4 LED Headlight*
Cells: 3xAA - Estimated 5 hrs @ 60 lumens according to CPFers (not 100 as advertised).
Type: flip up diffuser that may diffuse well? Beam Angle: ??? unknown - please tell us if you know. Price: c. $28
Link and discussion see: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/263334&page=1) Beamshot here: http://www.light-reviews.com/energizer_hcp_4led_headlight/  duplicated below...






Note: Beamshot of Hard Case difficult to compare, because outer edges were not photographed. 


*Petzl Myo RXP*
Efficiency: 140 lumens 50 hrs unregulated. 34 lumens 4 hrs regulated (+54 unreg).
Type: Spot, with built-in diffuser that reportedly works well for spreading the beam. 
Water: Water Resistant. Cells: 3xAA batteries. 
Beam Angle: ??? unknown - please tell us if you know. Price: Around $99 or less.
Links: beamshot see https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/229236&page=1 post 9 duplicated below...








*Petzl Pixa 3* - Pixa 3 is flood or spot or both. (Note: Pixa 2 is flood + spot combined, so doesn’t qualify for this thread.) Efficiency: 30 lumen for 12 hrs. Cells: 2xAA. Regulated @ two levels. Beam Angle: Trigs to 49, turboBB’s protractor says 56 (both of which are wider than the Pixa 1?). Beamshot by turboBB, who reports a subtle hotspot in the center. Water: IP 67 (= dust + immersion). Price on Amazon: $55. 








*Princeton Tec Apex*
Efficiency: Flood lumens unknown, 8.5 hours regulated. Has both spot and center weighted “floody” setting. 
Water: Not waterproof? (verify). Cells: 4xAA batteries. 
Beam Angle: ??? unknown - please tell us if you know. Price: Around $70. 
Link & Beamshot: see review at http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/pt_apex.htm duplicated below...








*Ray-O-Vac Sportsman Xtreme 1-AA*. 
Efficiency: 45 lumens for 2 hrs...regulated...reportedly pretty close to a true white tint...debued in 2007. Also has red and blue LEDs. 
Type: Flip diffuser. Price: A price/performance contender at $20 on-line. Beam Angle: ??? Unknown. 
Link: Supposed to be a beamshot here but I can't see it: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=173333


*Floody Headlamps using AAA cells*
_(Haven't worked much on this category yet, please suggest)_


*Black Diamond Spot* - Advertises a flood mode which ranges from 4-16 lumens (while main beam up to 75 lumens). 3xAAA. A red LED is included. Around $40. Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.


*Black Diamond Storm* - 4xAAA. Floody option is “single power white LEDs” at 25 lumens, while spot (“triple power LED”) is 4-100 lumens with claimed 50 hrs of use on high (most of it unregulated, though). IPX7. Initial regulation for first 25% of battery use. Also incorporates red LEDs and strobe modes. About $40-50. See Szemhazai’s review here. Beam angle for flood unknown. 








*Bright 5 LED* - an inexpensive <$4 Petzl Tikka lookalike, 3xAAA, cool blue tint, “directional flood” type beam. Information condensed from Gregozedobe’s review post in this thread, #37. 


*Energizer 6-LED Headlamp* - says it has a flood option, but doesn't really. Even after bead-blasting the lens to achieve more beam spread, the beam is heavily center weighted and narrow (although of decent color); the well-lit sweet spot is a narrow 40 degrees. Compare with photos of the H50 and H501 during the same beamshot shoot...yes, that's how small the Energizer’s "flood" is. Inexpensive ($12-14) and readily available. 








*Mammut Lucido TR1* - 4 LEDs make an interesting "narrow angle flood," or perhaps it's a "broad even spot," with a 45 degree coverage. It has nice consistent coverage from edge to edge. Was one of the 3xAAAs that impressed me at REI. Around $35.


*Petzl Tikka 2* - 3xAAA. “Wide beam pattern” says mfg’r. 40 lumens at 90 or 120 hours depending on mode. Unregulated. See Carrot’s review here. About $30.
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.


*Petzl Tikka XP* - 3xAAA, unregulated, 30lm max. Sliding diffuser. See tam17’s report in post #38 of this thread. 








*Petzl Tikka XP2* - 3xAAA with flip-up diffuser. Beam Angle 50 degrees in flood mode. 60 lumens max. Unregulated. Claims use on high at 80 hours (unreg’d). IPX4 (water resistant). Red LED included. Beamshot thanks to Turbo BB. Around $50.








*Petzl Tikkina* - 3xAAA, 23 lumen max. Unregulated. “Wide beam pattern” says mfg’r. Out of production? 


*Petzl Tikkina 2 * - 3AAA, 2 levels, max is 23 lm for 55 hours unregulated. From $18. 
See Dd61999’s side beam shots and beam angle in post #55 of this thread. 


*Petzl Zipka Plus 2* - 3xAAA, 50 lumen max. “Wide beam pattern” says mfg’r. Around $35.
Waiting for beamshots...and beam angle...please report if you can.


*Princeton Tec Quad* - Recently upgraded to 45 lumen on 3xAAA. Regulated. “Wide Beam.” Waterproof: IPX6? (1m, 30min). Tactical version comes with Interchangeable colored filters. High is 1 hr regulated, 50 hrs total. Around $25-35 depending on model. 


*Princeton Tec Remix* - 70 lumen on 3xAAA. (Remix Pro uses 1xCR123 for 70 lumens). Reported by Carrot as floody. 


*Spark SD73* - Still at the rumor stage, Spark’s 3AAA offering? 


*Floody Headlamps using CR123 cells*


*Spark with Reflector Removed & Frosted Lens* - 
As sold, the  Spark ST6-500CW (and all its currently manufactured kin, the ST6-200NW, ST6-220CW, ST6-280OW, ST6-320CW, ST6-360CW, ST6-460NW, and so on) has a brilliant hotspot. However, the manufacturer Xyber verified the reflector is easily removed, giving a beautiful, 100-degree even floody beam. Brandocommando was the first to report this, to great success. The ST6-500CW is advertised as top level 500 lumen for 1.4 hours, but people working with their hands will be more interested in the 50 lumen midlevel (28 hours) and the 150 lumen midlevel (8 hours). Powered by 1x18650 or 2xCR123. Water: IPX8 before pulling the reflector; unknown after. Cost around $99. 








Recently, Spark has been adding a frosted lens to its package, yielding a directional flood. Here shown on a ST6-460NW: 








*Surefire Saint Minimus & Tactical & Vision & Saint* - 
- Saint Minimus, variable 1-100 lumen for 1.5 hrs on high with 1xCR123.
- Saint Minimus Tactical, same as Minimus but desert tan anodizing & camo headband & three color filters. 
- Saint Minimus Vision, a warm colored (possibly high CRI) version of the Saint Minimus, 1-80 lumens on 1xCR123.
- Saint, runs from a battery pack of 1, 2, or 3xCR123 or 2xAA, for up to 6 hrs on high using 3xCR123. 
Water: Waterproof IPX8 (1 meter 30 minutes). Angle: trigs to just 56 degrees, based on CPFer measurements.
Beamshots and Links here, here, and here. Reports of beam artifacts and green tints. 
Price: about $140 Minimus, and about $190 for Saint with battery pack. 








*Zebralight H31F & H31Fw* - Powered by 1xCR123. 
Will it be like the H51, not a “true flood” but “directed flood?” 
Released March 2011, $64. 


Waiting for beamshots....


*Zebralight H302* - announced May 2011 for production first quarter of 2012. Reported to be a “pure flood” 1xCR123 light using XM-L emitter. 


Waiting for production....


----------



## Bolster (Mar 11, 2011)

*Floody Headlamps using other power options...*


*Black Diamond Sprinter*
Efficiency: 68 lumen max, 5-7-8 (reports vary) hrs. 
Cell: LiIon rechargeable built-in, takes 4-5 hrs to recharge. Oval lens beam. Price: Around $70-80. 


*eGear X-Flare HL-400*
4.8V Ni-MH rechargeable battery pack. High 375 lumens for 25 min; low ? Lm for 9 hrs. 50 degree with a remarkably even flood beam, considering 3 emitters. See turboBB’s thread & beamshots here. $80-90.









*Spark SD6*
An 18650 full flood powerhouse. Comes in various emitter versions and tints. Modes from 500lm to .5lm. Waterproof: IPX8. See beamshots in this thread: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?323342-Spark-SD6 Sells for around $105. 


*Surefire Maximus*
Efficiency: Up to 500 lumen on custom rechargeable LiIon battery. Claims “wide diffused beam with considerable peripheral light.”


*Zebralight H600w* - a 18650-based “spot with spill” light which will be available with 750 (cool) or 500 (warm) lumen, going as low as .1 lm. $89. 


*Zebralight H602w* - an 18650-based “pure flood,” possibly with stats similar to the H600w. $89. See upcoming Zebralight products here-> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...Fc0FfUDFVSHVNS1E&hl=en&authkey=CNqP6KIC#gid=0


*Upscale Headlamps with Flood*
For those with the cash for more...


Ahorton's Custom Headlamps - various. Ahorton is a CPF’er. 
Petzl Ultrawide. 300 lumens and 180 degree coverage. Rechargeable pack. $430. 
FoxFury Performance Tasker - 64 max lumen for 6 hours on 4xAA, 45 degree flood. c. $126. 
Scurion. Their mid-level dual-beam 1000 model puts out 500 lumens in flood. $700-1300.
Little Monkey Hurricane. Dual-beam 730 lumens. $340/out of production.
Ledlampe IV. Dual-beam. Can run on AAs. Advertising 1000 lumens. $225.
Custom Idea Viper. 825 lumens. $520.


*No Longer In Production*
(but you can find them on the used market)


*Zebralight H50* 
Efficiency: 66 lumen 2:20 hr; 13 lumen 19 hrs. Cell: Single AA battery. 
Beam Angle: 120 degree flood, one of the widest available. (An H50b existed briefly, with an 80 degree flood.) 
Water: Mfg simply states “Waterproof.” Probably IPX8 like their other lights. Price: Discontinued. 
Beamshots & Links: beamshot see http://www.cpfreviews.com/ZebraLight-H50.php ... photo duplicated first below, second photo is mine... also https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/194339&page=1 post 1









*Zebralight H30*. 
Efficiency: 80 lumens for 2.5 hours, 20 lumens for 21 hours. Beam Angle: 80 degree even flood beam. 
Cell: 1xCR123. Price: Discontinued. 
Links: See WadeF's excellent review from 2008. One of Wade's photos 'borrowed' below.









*Zebralight H60*
Efficiency: 190 lumens for 2 hours, 45 lumens for 10 hours, with 2550 mAh cell. 
Cell: 18650 cell, which can be purchased in a range of mAh (2400-3000).
Angle: 80 degree flood. Price: Offered 2008-10 for $79, now discontinued. 


*Zebralight H60w* - the neutral/warm version of the H60
Efficiency: 157 lumens for 2 hours, 37 lumens for 10 hours, with 2550 mAh cell. 
Cell: 18650 cell, which can be purchased in a range of mAh (2400-3000).
Angle: 80 degree flood. Price: Offered 2008-10 for $79, now discontinued. 
Beamshot is the floody one on the LEFT, below. 









*Notes on various other headlamps*
To be sorted when time permits...
Energizer Micro LED Headlamp 1xAA has a 34 degree beam angle (calculated). Too narrow to count as a flood beam.


----------



## LEDAdd1ct (Mar 17, 2011)

Wow, wow, wow; what a cool thread! Very good idea and great beamshots pulls!


----------



## tedh (Mar 18, 2011)

This thread, given how Bolster has thoroughly and painstakingly cataloged the beams of all these headlamps, seems to deserve to be a sticky in this forum. I don't know the procedure to "stickify" something around here, can someone please inform?

Ted


----------



## Bolster (Mar 18, 2011)

Thanks, friends. I was feeling guilty when I first pulled this thread together because I was "borrowing" shots (with attribution) from other CPF'ers. Then the big crash happened, and I am now feeling morally justified...because my morally ambiguous pilfering actually turned out to be "saving precious knowledge." I think I'll try that defense next time I'm hauled before a judge for stealing...

At any rate, please remember this thread as you encounter other flood-beam headlamps and I'll include them. I'd like to keep this thread updated. And if you find beamshots I can stea... uh, borrow, let me know.


----------



## GadgetGeek (Mar 22, 2011)

Super! Good to be back!


----------



## Bolster (Mar 25, 2011)

I'm on a campaign to add Beam Angle measurements as I can. To qualify for this list, a light really SHOULD have a beam spread of AT LEAST 60 degrees (read through and you'll notice several don't). See any missing? If you can give me (1) Beam Diameter and (2) Distance from Light to Wall, I can calculate beam angle. Thanks!


----------



## Bolster (Mar 30, 2011)

Still need *beam angles* for these floody lights, can you help?

Black Diamond Storm
Black Diamond Sprinter
Dosun H1
Energizer Hard Case Pro (flood mode)
Mamut Lucido TR1
Petzl Myo RXP (diffused mode)
Petzl Tikka 2 
Petzl Tikkina 
Petzl Zipka Plus 2
Petzl Pixa 1 & 3 
PT Remix
PT Apex (flood mode)
PT Corona
RayOVac Sportsman Xtreme 1-AA (flood mode)

(...and any other floody light headlamps I may have overlooked. _Any light with both spot and flood_, I'm only looking for data on the flood or diffused mode.)

Please notice I've also published a paper protractor you can download here, to help measure the angle of beams.


----------



## Bolster (Mar 31, 2011)

Just added: Brandocommando's flood-modified Spark!


----------



## turboBB (Mar 31, 2011)

Bolster, betcha gonna love this one, I just saw it on Petzl's website today:
http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor/ultra-series-0/ultra-wide

Approx. 180 degree wide uniform beam @ 300 lumens!

Happy drooling!,
Tim


----------



## Bolster (Mar 31, 2011)

Awesome light! I have it listed in the "rich" or "wealthy" section...which sad to say is the section that gets ignored, because there are so few people spending big money on lights, and to do them justice, you have to do a lot of research. If you happen to purchase one I'll gladly "borrow" your beamshots!


----------



## Bolster (Apr 1, 2011)

Thanks to the folks supplying the beamshots. When I first put this thread together I was working fast and didn't have time to label all the photos. Now that I'm slowing down and updating one at a time I'm trying to put attribution on the photos themselves. If one of your photos is listed here and you want attribution, please tell me which shot(s) is(are) yours and I'll attribute.


----------



## Potato42 (Apr 6, 2011)

This should be a sticky. How does one go about alerting the mods to that? I had a heck of a time finding this thread earlier and was worried it was gone. Thanks for the great collected info Bolster.


----------



## vtunderground (Apr 8, 2011)

Bolster: For what it's worth, it's easy to mod the PT Eos into a pure-flood headlamp. Here you go (old thread, I just fixed the dead links):

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?259026-EOS-with-conical-reflector

I haven't tried this with a Rebel Eos... I'm sure it's possible though.


----------



## turboBB (Apr 8, 2011)

Thx for the link VT. I have a few EOS inbound for modding as well.

Bolster, if mods count, I modded a Petzl Tikkina2 and it now has a very nice neutral flood. I know you likely wanted only off-the-shelf products but I think by listing ones that can be modded will help open many options.

Cheers,
Tim


----------



## Bolster (Apr 9, 2011)

Hi guys...I think it's a *great* idea to list flood mods in this thread. Thanks for posting.


----------



## vtunderground (Apr 9, 2011)

As another modding note... Any headlamp with 5mm LEDs can be made super-floody by sanding the LED domes with a fine-grit sandpaper. The effect is comparable to putting a diffuser in front of the LED. I did this to my Apex, with good results. Only downside is you lose some lumens. I have before/after pictures somewhere, just need to find them.


----------



## ahorton (Apr 19, 2011)

Just thought I'd add some data about my own headlamp (mentioned by Bolster above).

This is the beam you'll get from 2 x Lisa2 RS optics with XP-Gs:
Two LEDs perpendicular to paper





Two LEDs parallel to paper





Certainly doesn't look like much flood in the image, but the camera doesn't capture the very useable beam out past 120 degrees.


----------



## srfreddy (Apr 21, 2011)

Oh guys, preordered sparks are shipping with frosted lens included. Not sure if they will be available for all sparks though.


----------



## Bolster (Apr 21, 2011)

So...that's the standard Spark body, with the addition of a frosted lens in the package? Same reflector, etc? Any idea what the beam will be like? A "directional flood" like the H51f, perhaps?


----------



## srfreddy (Apr 22, 2011)

Bolster said:


> So...that's the standard Spark body, with the addition of a frosted lens in the package? Same reflector, etc? Any idea what the beam will be like? A "directional flood" like the H51, perhaps?



Yeah, if you meant H51F.


----------



## Bolster (Apr 22, 2011)

Indeed I did. Corrected. Thanks!


----------



## sakurama (Apr 24, 2011)

Hi Bolster, 

Well your thread over at Garage Journal got me to join this site. I've read all your links, then another few hundred posts here and now I think the one that suits me the most or at least interests me the most is the Surefire Saint but I've not found any information on the "Vision" you mention. If Surefire is slow to introduce this has anyone modified a Saint for a "high CRI" light?

Thanks for starting me on this as another avenue for OCD. :thinking:

There seems like a big jump from the Saint to what are $500-1000 caving specific lights. Still reading and researching...

G


----------



## Bolster (Apr 24, 2011)

Interesting question...I don't know...probably deserves its own thread. I don't recollect seeing anybody modifying a Saint, but perhaps it's been done...?


----------



## carrot (Apr 24, 2011)

Bolster said:


> Interesting question...I don't know...probably deserves its own thread. I don't recollect seeing anybody modifying a Saint, but perhaps it's been done...?


 
I think I heard about somebody attempting it but I don't remember the outcome. All I know is it seems like it would be very difficult because the two halves of the light appear to be epoxied together.


----------



## Bolster (May 3, 2011)

May 3 2011 - Updated with "rumors" about the H502 and H302, due end of the year or beginning of next.


----------



## vtunderground (May 9, 2011)

Bolster said:


> *Princeton Tec Corona*
> Efficiency: 90 lumens (8 leds) max, 30 hours regulated. Midrange (5 leds) lumens unknown (guessing 56), 38 hours regulated. Was considered a runtime champ in 2004.
> Cells: 3xAA batteries. Water: Water Resistant.
> Beam Angle: Vtunderground reports 30 degrees by protractor. Center weighted “floody” beam. Blue tint. Price: Around $50 or less.



As a small correction/update... Per the Corona owners manual, Alkaline regulated runtime on 8 hi is 1 hour, 5 hi is 3 hours, 3 hi is 6 hours and 1 hi is 20 hours.

Here are my runtime measurements with Eneloop NiMH's:

8 hi - 4.5 hours (90 lumens)
8 lo - 9.75 hours (45 lumens estimated)

5 hi - 6.75 hours (56 lumens estimated)

I haven't done any further testing, due to the amount of time involved (1 lo should give an estimated 77 hours of regulated runtime!)


----------



## blubricks (May 10, 2011)

Bolster said:


> May 3 2011 - Updated with "rumors" about the H502 and H302, due end of the year or beginning of next.


 :-( Was looking forward to having one for my upcoming backpacking excursion. TBT, I've been eyeballing all the XM-L's but everyone seems to be slow to incorporate. No money in the tills, I imagine. Suppose I'll have to keep looking.:sick2:


----------



## Bolster (May 10, 2011)

vtunderground said:


> As a small correction/update...



Where did I get those incorrect runtimes. Corrected now, thank you!


----------



## robostudent5000 (Jun 2, 2011)

bump to request addition to "Threads of interest".


----------



## Bolster (Jun 3, 2011)

Snipped from another thread's discussion, so we can talk about it here...



gcbryan said:


> I also think it would be more helpful if the entries were more complete. Maybe people who have those headlamps can post a more complete synopsis and Bolster can (if he wishes) keep editing the original post.
> 
> For instance (and no offense meant here) the lights that he likes are more complete than those he isn't as interested in  However the point of the thread should be to make it easy to compare features of all the headlamps since everyones idea of important features is different. Otherwise only Zebralights would be included
> 
> ...



Good points you make. 

(1) I would very much like to see a Spot Beam Headlamp List. I don't think I'm the guy to do it, I don't know much about these spot options so I'd not know where to start. But I'd sure read it and contribute if there were one. 

(2) Regarding completeness...I've tried not to be too "reviewy" or judgmental in the original post; I'm trying to get just the basics, a list; enough to create awareness so people can research the lights on their own without the nagging feeling they're missing a floody light option they might want to consider. My #1 desire for the list is that it have an entry for every known (obtainable) floody light. 

I'm primarily trying to pin down: (a) cell type (b) beam spread (c) a few runtimes, generally a top and a mid level (d) tint (e) evenness of beam (f) approximate price (g) waterproofing. If I go into much detail based on existing CPF discussions I get complaints that I'm "plagarizing" (as you have seen) so I like a minimalist approach. 

Where I could improve the post dramatically is tracking down the good review threads. I've done that in a few places but it could be much better. Could I ask those reading, to post good review links in this thread? And as always, I would like to add missing floody lights as I can. 

(3) Regarding the BD storm, Szemhazai has posted a good, current review of that light. However, Szemhazi has been quite vocal about his dislike of me and my posts, so I won't incorporate any of his postings or opinions as that would certainly cause him additional offense. However I will link to his review, and hopefully he will contact me privately if he wants me to remove the link. 

Thanks for your thoughtful reply! Feel free to post what needs to be added to this thread. Some photo credits are missing; if you spot your photo please let me know and I'll credit you for it. Thanks.


----------



## gcbryan (Jun 3, 2011)

As someone else mentioned...I think Szemhazai was just having a bad day.

I can see your point of trying to just have a basic list of headlamps where the reader can then do their own research.

I was just looking at it from the viewpoint of having a basic list of headlamps where it was easier to make some basic comparisons before doing research on the more promising units. but I see your point as well.

I know when I was trying to learn more about the more common headlamps I found it a little frustrating to try to remember which models had which basic features. Most reviews (in general and not just here on CPF) talk about how great a headlamp is with out really listing the negative points as well or without pointing out what features it doesn't have that might be common in others.

I don't know quite what the easiest and best way to do this would be however. I just like to know if a unit has a spot, frosted spot, flood, red LED, what the high and low settings are, waterproof, glare issues, how you change setting etc. The XP 2 for instance has a spot but includes a diffuser, the Eos has a frosted spot but no flood. The BD Spot and Storm have a frosted spot and a flood. 

I never really ran into a comparison chart anywhere that listed these basic things. That doesn't mean we need to change your thread to include those things however  I was just thinking out loud


----------



## DM51 (Jun 3, 2011)

Excellent thread - added to the Threads of Interest sticky.


----------



## tedh (Jun 4, 2011)

If I can jump into your discussion here - I like the idea of the floody list. It's an important feature to a lot of headlamp users. I think additional lists for additional features would be great. A list of all neutral headlamps, and so on. What I would really like to see is a master list of all good quality headlamps. But, it's too much work, I think, for anyone to take on at this point. Nearly as good would be a list of all the headlamps reviews - and not to put words in your mouth, gcbryan, that looks to be what you're doing with the comparison thread you started. Once we get all of this stuff stickied they will be great resources to all users. The two types of lists, the master review list and the specific feature lists, really go together, I think. 

Ted


----------



## Bolster (Jun 4, 2011)

Thanks tedh. What's the linked image file? It's not displaying. Some kind of a screenshot?


----------



## tedh (Jun 4, 2011)

I have no idea what that is, or how it got there. I'll edit the post to remove it. 

Ted


----------



## Gregozedobe (Jun 9, 2011)

*Ultrafire UF-H2B, another Floody Beam Headlamp using one AA cell*

I recently came across a non-ZL headlamp that has a pure flood beam (totally even with no hot spot) – The *Ultrafire UF-H2**B*

After discussion with Bolster he asked me to post what I noticed about this light, so here goes (not a proper review, but hopefully some useful info)*. *This is a right angle light with a top clicky, a (removable) top mounted clip. It runs on 1xAA battery. I haven’t used it extensively, but so far am pretty happy with it (especially considering the price I paid). My observations so far (with differences to H501 noted):

· Obvious copy of the Zebralight H501, but longer (86mm vs 72mm).

· Single click for on/off, double click for SOS, Press and hold for IBS (infinite brightness setting) with memory, but the ramping is a bit quick.

·  Much stiffer switch (won't get switched on accidentally).

· Quite well manufactured (threads etc).

· Anodizing is pretty hard, with a satin black finish.

· There is significant parasitic drain when switched off (as noted by others). I measured 4mA, which would drain an AA eneloop in about 21 days. I leave mine with the tailcap slightly unscrewed to stop it flattening the battery. But I also do this with all my ZL lights, as their soft switch means they are easy to switch on accidentally.

· Works fine on an AA eneloop (that is the only battery I have used in it).

· Nice even beam, a bit colder (bluer) than my H501 (but not annoyingly cold to my eyes, and my H501 has one of the nicest tints of all my “cool white” LED lights).

· Slightly wider beam than H501 (but still quite even – 160cm vs 150cm width at 100cm).

· Slightly less bright than my H501 on Hi, very similar on Lo.

· Has a quite strong magnet in the tail.

· Nice packaging.

· Has a very robust clip, but the clip would need to be removed to use it as a headlamp with the supplied soft rubber mount and strap.

· Good value for money (I bought mine from DinoDirect for $US 28.14 )

 · Link to Ultrafire UF-H2B headlamp/tasklight :
http://www.dinodirect.com/UltraFire-UF-H2-CREE-Q5-150-Lumens-Headlight-Task-Light.html?cur=USD

I don't know whether it will immediately replace my much-loved H501, but it is shaping up. to be an excellent back-up ("one is none, two is one" etc....). 



 I also bought some very cheap "*Bright 5 LED Headlamp for Camping (3*AAA)*" to give away to the unprepared when I go camping. (I hate lending my good lights to anyone, especially when I have no idea how well or badly they will be treated. These are perfect for that purpose (where my $0.40c fauxtons aren’t the right light). My observations based on my limited use to date:

· Very good value for money.

· Has 5 x 5mm LEDS, quite a cold "tint" but fine for “non-flashaholics.

· Beam pattern is a bit like a H51F – at 100cm it has a 60cm centre bright zone, with a smooth transition to a much wider spill (but unlike a H51F there are quite a few beam artifacts in the spill). 

· Has a bit more throw than a ZL H501, which I suppose is sort of “damming with faint praise 

· Very compact (bare light without the strap bracket is 58mm (w), 40mm (h), 38mm(t).

· The light slides out of the strap bracket, can be placed on a horizontal surface to shine up at about a 45° angle, and also has a strong magnet on the back, so is quite versatile.

· Strap is not long enough for big heads wearing beanies.

· Fixed angle (but seems to be a reasonable angle for close-up work, and the beam isn’t a thrower so they seem to have got it right.

· UI is off, disco1(one LED flashing after the other), disco2 (>2Hz strobe ), Hi, off

· Takes 3x AAA.

· Fairly cheaply made (as you'd expect).

· Batteries are a bit of a tight fit.

· Polarity markings hard to see.

· No parasitic drain, and IIRC the current used on Hi was approx 160mA ?

· QC not perfect - I bought 10 headlamps, all work, but one had a LED that doesn't illuminate (the light is still perfectly usable anyway).

· Better than I expected for the money. In fact I’d rate them as exceptionally good value for money at the $US 3.25 I paid.

· Link to "Bright 5 LED Headlamp for Camping (3*AAA)":
http://www.dinodirect.com/5-LED-Head-Lamp-for-Camping.html



 
If anyone has any questions feel free too ask (either PM or in this thread as appropriate) and I'll try to help out.

gregozedobe


[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]


----------



## tam17 (Jun 10, 2011)

One more flody headlight to consider is first generation Petzl Tikka XP (E89), which is still available new, although a in tactical version (TacTikka XP). Format is 3xAAA, not regulated, around 30lm on max. setting. Very useful flood beam for outdoor use IMHO, red flood filter available. Beamshot with diffuser slider on:







Cheers,
tam


----------



## Ent (Jun 13, 2011)

Note run time on PT Corona and high. One hour sounds low while eight sounds high. Does the lamp show any indication it is dropping out of regulation apart from going dim? I find with rechargeables around three hours the light dims (2650MAH Engergiser and Duracells - now rated 2450 in shops) while on lithium around three maybe four hours on full pulled it up. Seems to run forever after that but rather dim. Nice broad spread but does have a blue caste, at least to my eyes. Very heavy feeling on the head but well built. Generally well regarded in Tassie's wet climate. Great for hanging over work areas as static light. Stupid start high then dim sequence which is typical of PT plus SOS function part of the sequence. Biggest issue is very easy bumped on in a full pack. Use plastic insulator when in the bush. A light that has done its time and needing updating in my opinion but can be trusted in most harsh conditions.

Cheers


----------



## grayhighh (Jun 15, 2011)

Nice review, well-done.


----------



## B0wz3r (Jul 25, 2011)

Reposted by request.

ST5-190NW compared to an H51w with DC-fix on the lens.

Note that I used too high of an exposure on these pics, and so the hotspots you see in them are more defined than what actually appears to the eye. Visually, the Spark with the frosted lens has no hotspot; only a bright center area that gets gradually dimmer towards the edge of the beam.


----------



## Bolster (Jul 25, 2011)

That's a great quadra-beamshot, B0wz, thanks for posting it. Does a good job of showing the differences among diffusion options.


----------



## B0wz3r (Jul 25, 2011)

Bolster said:


> That's a great quadra-beamshot, B0wz, thanks for posting it. Does a good job of showing the differences among diffusion options.


 
No worries. Sorry it's not better quality; I did it just as a quick and dirty way of getting the shots. I do have a tripod I could use for my camera though, and it is capable of manually setting the exposure, so I might muck around a bit and try to do some better shots at a lower exposure that better reproduces what I actually see in the beams. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get to it this week though; we're leaving on a week long family camping trip on Wed. and I've got my hands full with preparing for that. And we just bought a new (used) Sienna so I've got to round up a set of dedicated lights and emergency supplies to use as permanent supplies for it.

At the very least I can play around with my camera to see if I can find a decent manual exposure setting to more accurately represent what the beams actually look like. The shots I posted are okay in terms of what they show in the periphery, but the hot spots aren't really like what I see at all. In fact, they show that the H51w hot spot is larger than the ST5 hotspot, but what I actually see is the opposite.


----------



## Bolster (Jul 25, 2011)

Good deal. My best beamshots come from setting lights on a forward surface (table, second tripod, etc), then setting the camera on a tripod behind, switching the camera to manual, and generally underexposing until the camera shows me more-or-less what I see. I've never quite figured out the best color balance to set the camera, but I use the daylight setting mostly. It doesn't quite agree with my eye, though. Your beamshots with the heavy hotspots are normal for what you see when you set the camera on automatic. Then it's up to how your camera weights the light...it's attempting some sort of weighted average, which almost always fails to capture what the eye sees. Long live manual exposures!


----------



## Danielsan (Sep 1, 2011)

I want a flashlight or headlamp as a gift for my father, he is reading books in bed before he sleeps. I showed him my H31 ZL Headlamp and he liked it. The thing is that i want an AA Version that works with Eneloops because CR123 are to expensive for everyday use and i dont want lithium rechargeables since ive read to many storys about them. So i thought a ZL H51Fw CRI is the best for the job? I mean it looks strange to wear a headlamp in bed but who cares.

Then i rememberd that some AA flashlights like the quarks have a clip that can be positioned on the top or the bottom for use on a base cap for example, so this would be a nice alternative in my mind, is there a small flashlight for one AA or even AAA batterie with a clip that can be attached on top or bottom and with flood neutral tint for reading? Or is the ZL H51fw CRI the better solution? or wait for the ZL H502?


----------



## varuscelli (Sep 1, 2011)

Danielsan said:


> I want a flashlight or headlamp as a gift for my father, he is reading books in bed before he sleeps. I showed him my H31 ZL Headlamp and he liked it. The thing is that i want an AA Version that works with Eneloops because CR123 are to expensive for everyday use and i dont want lithium rechargeables since ive read to many storys about them. So i thought a ZL H51Fw CRI is the best for the job? I mean it looks strange to wear a headlamp in bed but who cares.
> 
> Then i rememberd that some AA flashlights like the quarks have a clip that can be positioned on the top or the bottom for use on a base cap for example, so this would be a nice alternative in my mind, is there a small flashlight for one AA or even AAA batterie with a clip that can be attached on top or bottom and with flood neutral tint for reading? Or is the ZL H51fw CRI the better solution? or wait for the ZL H502?


 
I'd recommend the ZebraLight H501w, which is less powerful but has much longer run time than most of the other ZebraLight offerings. For reading and other close-up tasks, an extremely bright light is not really needed and longer run time is often more desirable than the higher brightness levels that can be achieved with other lights. The flood of the H501w makes it perfect as a reading light. The H501 and H501w run on a single AA battery. I run mine or a variety of rechargeable batteries like Eneloops or higher capacity rechargeable PowerEx and Duracell batteries for longer run time. 

Check out the ZebraLight Mods thread and look at the pics of the variations using the small lamps on a neck lanyard which is often much easier and less intrusive than having to slip a headband on and off. 

ZebraLight Mods

Make sure you scroll through the entire thread so you can see the variations that people have posted, which should trigger your imagination for what can be done. Headbands, hat clips, pocket clips, lanyards and many other devices for holding/using the lamps in a variety of practical ways are illustrated.


----------



## GadgetGeek (Sep 1, 2011)

I too would recommend the H501w for reading. It's excellent up close because there is no hotspot. 

If you think your father would prefer something a little more versatile and with a little more throw I would suggest the H51Fw. It's the best of both worlds. At this point in time if I could only keep one it would be the H51Fw. I mostly use the low settings and occasionally medium when I need a little more light/throw. An Energizer Lithium AA battery lasts a very long time at these settings.


----------



## varuscelli (Sep 1, 2011)

GadgetGeek said:


> I too would recommend the H501w for reading. It's excellent up close because there is no hotspot.
> 
> If you think your father would prefer something a little more versatile and with a little more throw I would suggest the H51Fw. It's the best of both worlds. At this point in time if I could only keep one it would be the H51Fw. I mostly use the low settings and occasionally medium when I need a little more light/throw. An Energizer Lithium AA battery lasts a very long time at these settings.


 
Even though I don't own any of the H51 versions, you make a good point about its versatility. When you want the higher settings, they're there for you with the H51, and the H51Fw (floody, warm) would give him that warmer and more natural tint like the H501w does. In any case, from the little bit described by Danielsan, the one of the floody lights sounds like the way to go (probably floody warm). 

But also -- if his father would be using the lamp more for semi-long stretches of reading before going to sleep, it's possible the H501w might still be a better choice for longer run time...and I think I'm right about the run time part -- that is, that even if the H51Fw were used on the lower settings the H501w might still allow longer run times. But that's just how I interpret the specs as presented on the ZebraLight website, and I could easily be wrong about the comparative run times when the H51Fw is used on lower settings...(I haven't studied runtime tests on these lights much, so please correct me on that if I'm off in my interpretation)... 

The exceptional light weight of the H501w might be a consideration, too (even if minor) with slightly better "hardly know it's there" factor, I guess.


----------



## GadgetGeek (Sep 1, 2011)

I haven't done any runtime tests either but from the Zebralight website they appear to be very similar to me.

If you can't decide buy both!


----------



## varuscelli (Sep 1, 2011)

GadgetGeek said:


> I haven't done any runtime tests either but from the Zebralight website they appear to be very similar to me.
> 
> If you can't decide buy both!


 
I think after re-evaluating the specs from ZebraLight, I'm inclined to believe that the H51Fw would be the best all around choice. It's certainly a more versatile flood with its high (H) setting and on its H2 settings has a solid runtime that matches the H501w on its high setting. 

And for reading, using it either on the headband or on a lanyard looped through the standard ZebraLight holder is the way to go, I think. I lean toward the lanyard, personally -- cinched up kind of high on the chest and angled appropriately for the position of the book. The pocket clip could also be used for reading and even the pocket clip clipped to a hat (but clipped to a hat it would likely also shine back into the eyes a bit).


----------



## GadgetGeek (Sep 1, 2011)

varuscelli said:


> I think after re-evaluating the specs from ZebraLight, I'm inclined to believe that the H51Fw would be the best all around choice. It's certainly a more versatile flood with its high (H) setting and on its H2 settings has a solid runtime that matches the H501w on its high setting.
> 
> And for reading, using it either on the headband or on a lanyard looped through the standard ZebraLight holder is the way to go, I think. I lean toward the lanyard, personally -- cinched up kind of high on the chest and angled appropriately for the position of the book. The pocket clip could also be used for reading and even the pocket clip clipped to a hat (but clipped to a hat it would likely also shine back into the eyes a bit).


 As far as the published runtimes go keep in mind that Zebralight used a 2000mAh battery for the H51Fw and for the H501w a 2700mAh battery. If you use a 2700mAh battery with the H51Fw it will run even longer than the published times.

Excellent lights, you can't go wrong with any of them.


----------



## Blue72 (Sep 17, 2011)

out of curiousty I measured my sons Petzl tikkina 2, because the wide beam was impressive regardless of the blue hot spot the led put out.

The beam angle measures 120 Degrees!


----------



## Bolster (Sep 17, 2011)

Measuring beam angle--sadly there's no accepted standard for it. If you measure to how far the beam throws any light whatsoever, you can get really wide spreads on lotsa lights. When I do beam measurements on floodly diffuse lights, I measure to the point where the brightness appears to have faded to half of what the center is. Admittedly a rough measure. For me, if my iris has to widen to see into the darker spill areas, I don't consider that as ideally useable light. I'm sure others would disagree, it's an arbitrary method, really.


----------



## Blue72 (Sep 17, 2011)

I agree Bolster, I based my measurements on usable light without having to strain to see what you are looking at while hiking. I did not include outer rings or dim area's. I will try to post pics next week to see what measurements you would come up with on your standards


----------



## Blue72 (Sep 22, 2011)

Ok Bolster I took a few pics for you. I originally measured the beam with a protractor. This what the beam looks like. Keep in mind I do not have the greatest camera and the outer beam is brighter, but it gives you a general idea












To give a better idea of the flood angle I took another pic with the headlamp pointed 90 degrees away from the target. The target being the hanging towel. So you can see how far the beam spreads. I know everyone has different standards in measuring beam angle, But the beam you are seeing is more than bright enough to identify things in the trails with your peripheral vision.











Hope this helps!


----------



## Bolster (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks for the Pix. To me that looks like a traditional "spot with spill" beam, rather than a floody beam. I will add a reference to your pic from the list in the original post. Thanks again!


----------



## Blue72 (Sep 24, 2011)

Bolster said:


> looks like a traditional "spot with spill" beam, rather than a floody beam.



I agree, but the wide spill is impressive, especially for a cheap $18 light. It might not be true flood. But its a cheap alternative for someone who wants a lamp that lights up their entire line of sight.


----------



## Bolster (Oct 28, 2011)

Oct 28 update...am I missing anything that should be here? Thanks.

PS: If anyone's looking for the beam angle gauge, I've reloaded it here.


----------



## Blue72 (Dec 2, 2011)

I took apart the tikkina headlamp and sanded down the 2 led's with fine sandpaper. It eliminated the blue hot spot and smoothed out the beam.

The beam is actually smoother than what the picture below is showing. It is now just a "wall of light" with no noticeable hotspot


----------



## robostudent5000 (Dec 2, 2011)

dd61999 said:


> I took apart the tikkina headlamp and sanded down the 2 led's with fine sandpaper. It eliminated the blue hot spot and smoothed out the beam.
> 
> The beam is actually smoother than what the picture below is showing. It is now just a "wall of light" with no noticeable hotspot



the old sandpaper/steel wool on the dome trick. i tried this on some 5mm LEDs after reading about Fenix E01 owners trying it, and got similar "wall of light" results, but i also got a increase in glare and a big loss of output. my guess is that the Tikkina with sanded LED's is awesome indoors, but is it usable outdoors? do you think you could hike with it?


----------



## Blue72 (Dec 2, 2011)

After sanding I polish up the bulb so the output is not as diminished. I also find toothpaste works better because it makes for finer scratches. However, I did not want to get it on the circuit board of the tikkina.

As far as hiking.......will let you now after this weekend!


----------

