# Portable Hand Held Spotlight Query



## kilogulf59 (Jul 10, 2014)

OK, I am NOT a light tech, I/we simple need a good portable high-powered illumination tool. I about went nuts trying to compare stats on these things. I don't truly understand lumens, candlepower (brightness?), and I have no idea what a cree is...



Batteries or rechargeable? 
If rechargeable, how long do the internal batteries last and can they be replaced? 
Water resistant is fine, it's not for marine use. 
The colored lenses would be nice if I knew what they're for and how to use them. 
What bulb type is best? 
I'm rural so when I need light, I NEED light, say the ability to clearly see a man at 100 yards? 
Price range is open, within reason, say $150 max if it's the greatest light in the world. Under $100 is preferred. 
My concerns are quality, reliability, and longevity. 
 
Just to be clear, I'm talking about something that resembles one of these gizmos...





Much thanks to anyone willing to assist me here...


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## FRITZHID (Jul 11, 2014)

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## kilogulf59 (Jul 11, 2014)

Where are you located? *Rural Juneau Co. WI (not on a farm though)
*
What kind of run time would you like/require? *At least 2 to 3 hours.*

Do you have a tint preference? *I don't fully understand the question but I think I prefer a white over the blue if that's what you mean. *

Plug in useable or just plug in to recharge? *Plug in to recharge only. That way we can use it anywhere.*

Will you be using this continuously or will you be turning it on/off frequently? *This would depend. Probably more on/off than long term on.

BTW, thanks...
*


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## FRITZHID (Jul 11, 2014)

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## FRITZHID (Jul 11, 2014)

repost


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## kilogulf59 (Jul 13, 2014)

*FRITZHID* did not have the answer...so the query still stands...


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## FRITZHID (Jul 13, 2014)

Baiting post removed. Rule 4 violation. 

Do not post such comments in an open forum....Bill


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## Timothybil (Jul 13, 2014)

Is it really necessary to have a big honkin light like that, or is that just what you think you will have to get? Pretty much any handheld light from a major vendor that can put out over 300 out the front lumens will have a throw range of at least 100 yards/meters. One of our members uses a rule of thumb to divide the stated throw by 3 to get a realistic number for actually being able to see and recognize things, and I think most of us agree with him. I will use the Nitecore EA4 as an example because I have one. It will put out about 500 lumens of light for two hours, with a throw of 300 meters. It uses 4 AA batteries (alkaline, lithium primary, or rechargeable NiMH), and will fit inside a toilet paper tube. Best of all, it sells for around $60 USD. There is actually a group buy being set up right now for the EA41, the new version of the EA4, for $50 USD delivered. There are hundreds of other lights that are just as capable. Now, if you want a light that you can set down somewhere so that both hands are free, there are two ways to go: headlight or big honkin' light like your picture. I can't speak to the headlight issue, but there are many members here who can. As for the hands-free light, again there are many possible. One that comes to mind is the Streamlight Waypoint. It has a rated throw of about 600 meters, and a rated run-time of 8 hours on 4 C batteries. It also comes in rechargeable. Both versions sell for under $100 USD.
The first thing to do is to decide exactly what you want - hand-held or hands-free. rechargeable or replaceable cells, spot or flood, etc. That will probably be the hardest part of the process. Then start looking at what is available and what is recommended by the members here. Once you have some names, look for review and videos. Selfbuilt, a member here, has his own website with a LOT of very good reviews of all kinds of lights, including beam shots. Youtube also has a lot of video reviews and head-to-head comparisons of various lights. Happy hunting.


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## kilogulf59 (Jul 14, 2014)

_Is it really necessary to have a big honkin light like that, or is that just what you think you will have to get?_ *Timothybil I assumed, from what I've seen so far, that that is what comes with the territory. As stated in my original post, which sums up my needs based upon my knowledge of the subject, *_*“I am NOT a light tech, I/we simply need a good portable high-powered illumination tool.”*_

_Pretty much any handheld light from a major vendor that can put out over 300 out the front lumens will have a throw range of at least 100 yards/meters. One of our members uses a rule of thumb to divide the stated throw by 3 to get a realistic number for actually being able to see and recognize things, and I think most of us agree with him._ *This is, undoubtedly, a good idea. I have my own rules of thumb I use to judge the realistic capabilities of products I know something about.*

_I will use the Nitecore EA4 as an example because I have one. It will put out about 500 lumens of light for two hours, with a throw of 300 meters. It uses 4 AA batteries (alkaline, lithium primary, or rechargeable NiMH), and will fit inside a toilet paper tube. Best of all, it sells for around $60 USD. There is actually a group buy being set up right now for the EA41, the new version of the EA4, for $50 USD delivered._ *Timothybil , this is very interesting to me and I am definitely interested in one. Please keep me informed as to the group purchase of the EA41. If nothing else, it would be much handier to keep in the truck than a bigger unit. I see this as more of a supplement to a bigger, possibly hand's free, light. Does this unit illuminate as big of an area as the larger models? In other words, aside from being only hand-held, is this a direct substitute for a larger model?*

_There are hundreds of other lights that are just as capable._ *And here in lies my quandary, capabilities versus quality. While I certainly do not need, nor want, a $500 light, I doubt a $19 one will fill the bill for very long. I'm getting the feeling that the capabilities I desire are nothing spectacular, average even, however, as I said in my original post, “my concerns are quality, reliability, and longevity.”*

_Now, if you want a light that you can set down somewhere so that both hands are free, there are two ways to go: headlight or big honkin' light like your picture. I can't speak to the headlight issue, but there are many members here who can. _*Hands-free would be a nice option to have and I can see me using it. I'm not, at this stage, interested in a headlamp whatsoever. Therefore, I believe big honkin' is the way to go.*

_As for the hands-free light, again there are many possible. One that comes to mind is the Streamlight Waypoint. It has a rated throw of about 600 meters, and a rated run-time of 8 hours on 4 C batteries. It also comes in rechargeable. Both versions sell for under $100 USD._ *This seems great except I have to decide on batteries versus rechargeable. I know the modern rechargeables have come a long way. They most convenient and last, especially if the pack is replaceable.*

_The first thing to do is to decide exactly what you want - hand-held or hands-free. rechargeable or replaceable cells, spot or flood, etc. That will probably be the hardest part of the process. Then start looking at what is available and what is recommended by the members here._ *Yes, it is difficult. However, running through the tutorials at the Streamlight website I believe my only issue now if the rechargeable versus battery one as the Waypoint model fills the bill completely and then some.*

_Once you have some names, look for review and videos. Selfbuilt, a member here, has his own website with a LOT of very good reviews of all kinds of lights, including beam shots. Youtube also has a lot of video reviews and head-to-head comparisons of various lights. Happy hunting._ *Thank you very much Timothybil, you have no idea of how helpful you have been. I will look into Selfbuilt's reviews and do a bit more homework, nonetheless, it seems that the Streamlight Waypoint will be a tough act to beat and I thank you for that specific recommendation as well. I would like to ask you, if I may, what the purpose of the red and green filters are and are they worth buying?*


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## TEEJ (Jul 14, 2014)

If you want to know the throw without much confusion, lumens have zero to do with throw.

Lumens represent the total out put of light....but, an ordinary 100 light bulb in a table lamp might be putting out ~ 1800 lumens. ..but, not project them very far. 

The measure of the throw is called the candela, or cd.

Lux is a measure of how bright a target looks. ..and, the lux on your target is going to dictate the amount of light you have to resolve target details. 
To see a man dressed in light clothing requires far less light than a man in dark clothing, or camo, etc.

Most people need about 1 - 5 lux on a guy in light clothing to resolve any details. 

If the guy is low contrast, 15 lux or more could be needed. 
So, there is no universally applicable rule, but, if you decide you want enough lux on a guy 100 meters away...now just say how many lux you want on him (at least 1 lux for example. ..) based on whether you think he wants you to be able to see him or not (hiding, etc) and the contrast. 

The square root of the light's cd = the range in meters to 1 lux on target.

To get 15 lux, you'd need 15 x the cd...and so forth.

The lights' ADVERTISED ranges are to only 0.25 lux....hence the advice to use a 1/3 or 1/2 that range in real life.

At half a light's CLAIMED range, it will be 4x brighter. ..and 4x 0.25 lux = 1 lux.

If comparing 2 lights with the same cd, typically the one with more lumens will throw the same distance, but with a wider beam.

Does that help a bit?


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## kilogulf59 (Jul 14, 2014)

Very much so TEEJ thanks. 

So if I have this straight, the Streamlight Waypoint, which I have just about decided upon, has a 115,000 CD .claimed.


I divide that by 3 = 38333.33333333333


The square root of 38333.33333333333 is 195.7890020745122 or 1 Lux @ 196 meters.


So I can probably expect almost 2 Lux @ 100 meters out of it?

--------------------------------------------------------------------​ TEEJ, do you know the purpose of the red and green filters and are they worth buying? One of the things we would use this for is wildlife spotting out back if that helps.





--------------------------------------------------------------------​I noticed that in his tests on the Waypoint http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?349702-Streamlight-Waypoint-Review-(4xC-12V), Selfbuilt used AA Eneloops in C cell sleeves. That is great because I have a few of these and a good charger. Is there any advantage or dis advantage to using AA's instead of C cells?


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## AnAppleSnail (Jul 14, 2014)

115000CD would give 1 lux at 340 meters (sqrt of 115000). We have 4 lux at half that distance. This is because a given blob of light at 340m, is half as wide and half as tall, at 170m. So it doubles intensity, twice.

Quality AAs in C adapters may give shorter runtime* but can be easily recharged. In theory, a C cell has 5000mAh and an Eneloop 2000mAh, but an alkaleak will often be out-performed by a quality NiMH in high-drain situations.

I guess red and green filters are meant to help you hunt. I find that it takes some practice with filtered light to see well. There are certain things that stand out. For instance, moldy tomato stems that are not obviously moldy, glow orange when lit with red+blue light. Tomatoes that will be ripe in two weeks appear brown under this light, and 1 week from ripe they appear red (Even when both appear identically green under full light). Weird, huh?

Edit:
C4 LED means "Whatever LED we wanted to use." These days it's often a Cree, XP-C, XP-E, XP-G, or XM-L. Those are different models of LEDs by Cree.

"ANSI Range" = sqrt(CD*4). The Ansi range (Meters to 1/4th lux) = (Lux) * 4, square root.

I suggest 5 lux as a target, so sqrt(115000/5) = 150m.

Streamlight makes boring, reliable flashlights. They aren't talked about much here on CPF because they don't use super flashy technology. They do work nicely, though.


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## Timothybil (Jul 15, 2014)

kilogulf59 said:


> _Once you have some names, look for review and videos. Selfbuilt, a member here, has his own website with a LOT of very good reviews of all kinds of lights, including beam shots. Youtube also has a lot of video reviews and head-to-head comparisons of various lights. Happy hunting._ *Thank you very much Timothybil, you have no idea of how helpful you have been. I will look into Selfbuilt's reviews and do a bit more homework, nonetheless, it seems that the Streamlight Waypoint will be a tough act to beat and I thank you for that specific recommendation as well. I would like to ask you, if I may, what the purpose of the red and green filters are and are they worth buying?*



Well, red has traditionally been the color used to preserve night vision, although at high light levels I believe that to be somewhat of an onymoron. My understanding is that green is used a lot by hunters, etc., since supposedly the vision of deer, et. al., in insensitive to that color. For your stated purpose of identification at a distance, I don't think they would be necessary.

As AnAppleSnail said, by using the C adapter, you lose runtime, but gain rechargeability. Since the Waypoint has an extended runtime with C cells, I think using the adapters with NiMH AAs would probably be a good fit for you. If you are going to be using this light frequently so that you would be recharging on a regular basis, any good NiMH cell would work. On the other hand, if your use will be infrequent, you will want to use Low Self Discharge (LSD) NiMH cells, of which the major (only?) brand is Eneloop. There are a couple of threads stickied at the beginning of the Flashlight Electronics - Batteries Included Forum that would be a good tutorial on NiMH cells.


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## kilogulf59 (Jul 15, 2014)

I'd like to thank everyone for the help and education and I do mean education...

I ordered a Streamlight WayPoint, the one that takes 4-C cells. I also picked up 4 AA to C cell adapters. Now I'll be able to use C's, AA's, or the 12V if I take it in the truck. FYI, spotlighting deer is somewhat of a pastime here abouts.

FYI, I use eneloop pro AA batteries and have a La Crosse BC-700 charger, both of which I learned about here at CandlePowerForums as well.

Thanks again all...this place is THE best!


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## kilogulf59 (Apr 12, 2016)

Just thought I'd post an update. Over 2-years and it still running strong. We use the AA Eneloops with AA to C adapters mainly and I couldn't recommend a handheld spotlight more. Thanks to all here for the help on this purchase and hopefully this thread will assist someone else....


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