# Spark SD52 Arrives.



## Bolster (Oct 25, 2011)

At last, a 2AA full-flood powerhouse on the market. 

I'm interested in the Neutral tint, and I see it has a Medium2 mode that gives 7 hours of light at 70lm. Nice, that will be a wonderful work light. 70lm for almost an entire shift. Not complaining about the 280lm Super mode, or the .5lm low mode for 50 days, either (change the batteries every 7 weeks?!). But that Medium2 mode would make my life so much nicer. About 4 oz with Eneloops in it. And of course the cool tint is even brighter, up to 300lm. IPX8 waterproofing to boot. Nice going Spark! 







I do have some questions...is that a screw-off bezel? Does this mean a red filter (or whatever) could be fitted? And also I'm curious how this light extinguishes when exhausted. A nice step-down, or does it suddenly perish without warning? And my perpetual question, what's the angle of the beam spread? Is it really a wide angle flood?


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## eart (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

Is there a link to this?

I wonder if this is going to be appropriate lamp for hiking.


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## Bolster (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?255038


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## eart (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

Impressive stats, that's for the link.

Gonna wait for some beam shots before I pull the trigger. Based on my readings here this should be great for hiking but I wannt make sure before I drop 100 bucks


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## robostudent5000 (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

IMO this will be good for camp and tasks, bad for hiking. 

a bare emitter like this without even a focusing lens like the H501, you're probably gonna have to use the 70 lumen mode just to see your feet. you probably won't see anything past 30 feet even on max and super. 

the worst part is that your eyes will have trouble getting dark adjusted. when any object, even dust, drifts through your field of view within a couple feet of your eyes, they will get lit up with 70 lumens and mess up your night vision. this especially sucks because you would probably already be struggling to see the ground more than a few feet in front of you as it is.


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## Bolster (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

I think that Spark may have some sort of screw-on reflector in the works to make their flood lamps a little more focused and trail friendly. I'll see if I can find the quote. Ah, here: 



xyber said:


> The flood-throw accessory will be a screw-in tube, kind of a removable reflector.
> 
> [and]
> 
> Hi, the removable reflector will be released later.



I think the "70 lumens just to see your feet" may be a bit of an overstatement! :duh2: And 0.5lm is the lowest setting, so I think it'll do well for night adaptation in lower modes. However, Robo makes a good point that trail hikers tend to prefer the "directed flood." I can't say whether the screw-in accessory will convert this to a "directed flood" or not. Time will tell.

My question regards trail light would be, why that _much_ light and _two_ batteries? If I could get the job done with a dimmer, more focused light that was lighter in weight, why not? For trail hiking I'd prefer a modest wide headlamp and a handheld thrower in combination. 

As for my use (working), the SD52 with its wide field of view, long run time, and 'helmetable waterproofness' should make a good combo. To me this feels like a worker's light more than a cyclist's or hiker's light.


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## psychbeat (Oct 25, 2011)

I think 2xAA makes sense for driver efficiency and runtime. 
BUT the 52 looks almost as big as the SD6. I'm not dissing it at all - but isn't a 3100mah 18650 more than 4x the capacity of an eneloop?

Just sayin...


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## robostudent5000 (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*



Bolster said:


> I think the "70 lumens just to see your feet" may be a bit of an overstatement! :duh2:



in my experience, 30-40 lumens from a bare emitter is the minimum required to walk with even a little bit of comfort. the SD52 specs on the Marketplace thread didn't mention a level between 12 and 70 lumens, hence my mention of 70 in the previous post. it will be hard walking on anything but smooth level ground with 12 lumens. and honestly, it's no fun even with 30-40 lumens. in order to adequately light your path, you really need something that will focus or direct the beam.



Bolster said:


> My question regards trail light would be, why that _much_ light and _two_ batteries? If I could get the job done with a dimmer, more focused light that was lighter in weight, why not? For trail hiking I'd prefer a modest wide headlamp and a handheld thrower in combination.



yeah. that's what i was thinking.


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## Bolster (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*




psychbeat said:


> ...but isn't a 3100mah 18650 more than 4x the capacity of an eneloop?...




Good point. If you compare the: 

SD6-500CW ---- to the ----- SD52CW:
---88mm ----------------------------62mm------- Length (SD52 about 70% of length of SD6)
---31mm-----------------------------33mm------- Width (virtually same)
---500lm-----------------------------300lm------- Max Mode (18650 about 1.6x the 2AA)
--80lm/12h--------------------------80lm/7hr-- Middle mode (18650 about 1.7x the 2AA)
---120g-------------------------------120g------- Weight with battery (same! With Eneloop AAs)

Very rough gauge, about 1.6-1.7x the output from the 18650, compared to 2AA, for the same weight and 30% more length.

People's opinions vary on the relative safety of 18650 vs AA for a headlamp, so I'll leave it at that (not trying to start that argument again!) but I'm sure that would figure into some peoples' calculations. There's also the convenience factor that AAs are ubiquitous and some people standardize on AAs. But yeah, if you wanted pure performance, hard to beat an 18650 cell, isn't it.


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## eart (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*



Bolster said:


> My question regards trail light would be, why that _much_ light and _two_ batteries? If I could get the job done with a dimmer, more focused light that was lighter in weight, why not? For trail hiking I'd prefer a modest wide headlamp and a handheld thrower in combination.



I have a Black Diamond Spot right now (old revision) so I haven't got much to compare to. Besides the cone of light at my feet I'd like an occasional blast to see around.. I guess handheld thrower would be good for that. On the other hand I don't see the SD52 being deficient as a hiker's lamp. 100 grams is still minuscule and runtime seems excellent too..


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## robostudent5000 (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

well, even if it turns out to suck for hiking, it'll still be very useful. for doing stuff around a campsite - cooking, cleaning, tent setup, looking for firewood - or working on stuff at a job site or in your home, there's just no substitute for a wide, even flood.


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## Bolster (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

Robo have you seen any hint about how wide the beam might be? You think we are talking 90 degrees? 120? More?


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## jake25 (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

The SD should be 120°. Or at least over 100°


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## robostudent5000 (Oct 25, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

i defer to jake.


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## degarb (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

I think this would be a hot seller if they got price down to sixty and throw in a few screw on reflectors with varying angles of columnation!!!

Who ever said the reflector needed to be behind the lens? 

However, no throw, and high price, many will pass, but with the resentment of something so close, but yet so far.


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## Bolster (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*



degarb said:


> I think this would be a hot seller if they got price down to sixty and throw in a few screw on reflectors with varying angles of columnation!!! Who ever said the reflector needed to be behind the lens? However, no throw, and high price, many will pass, but with the resentment of something so close, but yet so far.



As you may have read above (post #6), those screw on reflectors are reportedly in the works. 

I've been "making my own" as you may have seen, by doubling up Zebralight H501s to get the brightness and runtime that I want. (I know I'm not the only one to double-up on Zebralights!) Two H501s get me 80 degrees of beam at 30 lumen for ~19 hours, which is a sufficient amount of light for working attics and crawlspaces, or 160 for 2+ hours. An ideal setting would be somewhere between 30 and 160. The SD52 would give me 70 for 7, or 200 for just under 2, in one package, spending $100 instead of $120 for two Zs. (Although there are advantages to redundancy!)

The other comparison point is the other new 2AA flood headlamp out there, the Pixa. The SD52 is something of a Pixa on steroids and rocket fuel. So on paper, at least, it looks like a good tool for me, but the proof is in the pudding. I'll have to get it on my head and try it out. 

Curious that so many people are judging this light by its ability to throw (!). Obviously this light was not intended for throwing (although the reflector option will likely make it throw a little). I think that's an artifact of the many hikers who are active on this subforum. Hikers like directional flood. But, its usefulness as a work light is an open question until it's tried. At this point not even a beamshot of it exists (that I know of). 

I think it's important to remember that the "goodness" (or a lack thereof) of a particular light is very much dependent on its intended use, and the user's ability to modify it to a particular use.

That last comment is aimed at Zebralight, whom I wish would thread their bezels so we could modify beams to our liking. It appears that Spark is now doing this.


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## ryguy24000 (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

Wow finally a work light for me! Thanks Spark. I for one will get one for work. My ST5 will now go into my backpack. 
I work wit my hands everyday either at work or at play. Right cow I use an ST5. its a cool light, but I wanted more flood. I took the reflector out for a while, but I was worried about loosing or not having it when I needed. I considered a ZL 501, but I know the 502 will be out soon. Alot of BUT S in there. Thanks again Spark.

Robo Get an ST5 with a hand held back up for your outdoor adventures. that's what I do. I like the ST5 because it is small and very light weight. The battery's are the same as my radio and GPS so i can use them in an emergency situation.


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## robostudent5000 (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*



ryguy24000 said:


> Robo Get an ST5 with a hand held back up for your outdoor adventures. that's what I do. I like the ST5 because it is small and very light weight. The battery's are the same as my radio and GPS so i can use them in an emergency situation.



i think you meant eart, right? he was the one who expressed interest in buying the SD52 as a hiking light.


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## ryguy24000 (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*



robostudent5000 said:


> i think you meant eart, right? he was the one who expressed interest in buying the SD52 as a hiking light.


yeah


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## eart (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*



ryguy24000 said:


> Get an ST5 with a hand held back up for your outdoor adventures. that's what I do. I like the ST5 because it is small and very light weight. The battery's are the same as my radio and GPS so i can use them in an emergency situation.



That might be the way to go. Looks like ST5 beats the pants off Black Diamond Storm and the like. Except BD has exception runtimes. Ah, decisions.


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## Bolster (Oct 27, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*



xyber said:


> The beam angle is around 115 degrees.



Also received confirmation that SD6 and SD52 use the same screw-down bezel, so the forthcoming reflector will fit either. (Xyber says it may even be compatible with the upcoming SD5, and SD73--I have no idea what the SD73 is). Xyber says the bezel thread size is 20.2, and Spark is contemplating making screw-in filters--maybe. 

Xyber also indicated that the headlamp flashes when the battery runs out but that "it really depends on the power management chip inside." I don't know what to make of that...are there different power management chips being used?


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## ryguy24000 (Oct 27, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

Since SD"52" means 2 AA I winder if 73 is three of battery format?


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## jake25 (Oct 27, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

7 = AAA


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## Bolster (Oct 27, 2011)

*Re: Spark SD52.*

SD73 ... a 3AAA light?...Wow, something for everybody!


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## DIΩDΣ (Oct 27, 2011)

> *Output/Runtime
> SD52-NW
> *Super mode: 280lm/1.5 hours
> Max mode: 200lm/1.9 hours
> ...



Ok silly question but why do the pics say 500 lumens?






With 500 lm avail I think we have a winner! At 300 I'll wait until the XML ZL's come out and make a decision then. This would make a great headlamp for sure, but I still like the form of the ZL for other uses and EDC. 2 batteries give better runtimes but the question is do you want the second battery on your head (more weight and bulk) or in your pocket? If I knew I needed both (like Bolster wanting 70 lm / 7hrs to get through a regular shift) then this would save the hassle of changing batteries once per use. If the second battery is there just in case, I might rather cary it in my pocket. Very interested to see about what reflector/lens additions they make too...


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## Bolster (Oct 27, 2011)

I didn't catch that! I'm guessing, prototype? Notice that the image in message #9 (a more recent image) doesn't say 500. Just SD52-CW. Yeah, wouldn't 500lm on 2AA be the bees knees! Someday it will happen. Hey Diode, not trying to sell you a Spark over a Zebra, but just FYI the SD5 is next on the drawing board. It may go head-to-head with the ZLs--seems likely to be the closest competition to ZL to date. 

Imagine all the fighting on this forum when you have those two contenders making a similar light! It'll be the H502 vs the SD5 wars. Friendships will be torn asunder. Blood and gore will litter this forum. 

I'm going to make a prediction--the competitor who gets a beam modification system out there first will have a significant advantage. I think people would go for that over the brightest possible emitter. I've got my fingers crossed that ZL will have a threaded bezel and auxiliary lenses/filters by the time the H502 is released.


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## jake25 (Oct 27, 2011)

That was an early prototype. On 2xAA alkaline or eneloops it'll do 300 lumens. On 2x LiPo4 14500s, it'll be closer to 500 lumens. I believe the production model will only say "SD52-CW"


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## raphaello (Nov 1, 2011)

Has someone received their SD52 yet? I think everyone will be grateful to see some "real" light pictures and some inside beamshots, if possible :thumbsup:


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## woofwoof (Nov 4, 2011)

I received my SD52-NW a few days ago. Very fast shipping. I like the design and the finish seems good. The threads aren't as substantial as my other lights, but no big deal IMO. The clip, mag pad, and tripod accessories are well designed. The beam is smooth and the neutral tint is very nice.


However, in terms of output I was a bit disappointed. I got this version because of it's high output ratings on Eneloops. However, even on its highest setting I felt it didn't really light up a room like I was expecting. Now, this is my first light that is a true flood--just a bare emitter with no reflector, so I may have been wrong to expect a brighter light, so take that into consideration of my opinion (perhaps my disappointment is more with floods than Spark). 


I have a Quark R5 AA, Thrunite AA, and a Princeton Tec Eos. In a bedroom sized room, the SD52 seems dimmer than all three lights, even the 70 lumen EOS. It's no comparison to either the Thrunite or Quark on either 1450s or Eneloops. Again, the comparison of a flood to a reflector light may not make sense, but I'm just going by my overall impression of how well a scene about 10 feet away from me is lit up. Also, there's not much difference between max and super on AAs. For me the SD52 on AAs seem more useful at very close distances (i.e. within about 2 ft) in situations like working on a tabletop, but beyond that, like working on a car in the garage during the day, the brightness just isn't there for detailed work. Btw, the low levels are very low, so people who want to preserve night adjusted vision will like that. 


The story improves a bit when I power the light with a 14500 and dummy cell. Then the brightness level is more impressive -- basically more like what I was hoping for. There's also a distinct boost in output on Super. However running on 14500 isn't great when the whole reason I got the light was because I wanted a bright headlamp running Eneloops.


So overall, I think it's a nice light. Just not the ideal one for my intended purpose.


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## Woods Walker (Nov 4, 2011)

Cool looking headlamp. I do a bunch of night hikes and throw is needed on less known (to me) trail or during fall/winter when snow covers the trail and you must use throw to find the markers.


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## jake25 (Nov 4, 2011)

I haven't gotten my hands on the SD52 yet but w/ the SD6 I believe the sentiment for it can be the same. It doesn't "feel" like 500 lumens but I know it is since it uses the same driver as the ST6 which does put out 450 OTF lumens in a home made IS. According to Spark it's 300 lumens on 2xEneloops, 350 lumens on 1x14500.


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## raphaello (Nov 4, 2011)

I am so sorry to hear those things about the SD52. I was following its thread on CPF MarketPlace since they first mentioned about this light hoping that it would be one hell of a headlamp. Now I'll have to back up and wait for a little while to see what Zebralight will offer with the H502 ...


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## Bolster (Nov 4, 2011)

Hello all--my SD52 has arrived at the P.O. so I'll be testing and posting soon. A comment however: 



woofwoof said:


> I have a Quark R5 AA, Thrunite AA, and a Princeton Tec Eos. In a bedroom sized room, the SD52 seems dimmer than all three lights, even the 70 lumen EOS.



For some reason, the SD52 is persistently being compared against throwy lights. This has me scratching my head. You would be hard pressed to find a wider flood light on the market (115 degrees), the lumens are spread across all those degrees, yet people are criticizing it for not being throwy enough. 

Reminds me of the farmer who buys a Ferrari. "How do you like that thing?" he's asked. "I hate it," he replies. "Darned thing can't stay in the furrows, can't plow or disc worth a darn, and I can only haul one bale of hay in it at a time. All the things I want it to do, my horse does 'em better." 

The SD52 is clearly a specialty wide flood light, it is not a one-size-fits-all light, and it makes no attempt to throw beyond having lots of lumens. (I think that's what's throwing people off--they think high lumens means high brightness.) Given its specifications, to me it looks like its niche would be a worklight. Therefore it should be compared against similar lights like the all-flood 2AA Pixa, which is built for a similar market. Or the H501w, or the H50, or other wide-angle floody lights. Which I will do when I get my hands on it. I'm no shill for Spark; I own mostly Zebras. But I think the light should be given a fair comparison in the market it was designed for, not peremptorily damned for uses for which it wasn't intended. 

And I'm fairly certain by looking at the specs that this light was not designed for night skiing or bicycling or other activity requiring distance vision. Headlamps are tools, pick the right tool for the job. If you need to pound nails, don't use a screwdriver.


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## woofwoof (Nov 4, 2011)

Bolster, I only mentioned those lights because that is my only frame of reference as I explained in my full post where I also noted that the comparison of a flood to a reflector may not be the right way of thinking about it. Nevertheless, I figured since the lights I mentioned are widely known, it might be useful for some people for quantifying my perception of "brightness" in a small room. 


My intended use was as a work light at close distances mostly in the range of 3-10 feet, certainly not skiing or bicycling. I'm finding even for fairly closeup work during the day when there is ambient light such as in a garage, I'm not really getting as much output on Eneloops for it to really work _for me_. On a 14500, then the output is at the level I need. Your explanation of lumens being spread out over a wider angle makes a lot of sense. Anyway, lesson learned.


Looking forward to hearing your more experienced observations.


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## jake25 (Nov 4, 2011)

woofwoof how about aiming the SD52 at the ceiling and doing a ceiling bounce test. See how well the SD52 and all of the other flashlights light up the room. That way you can get a measure of lumens vs lux (how throwy/tight the hotspot is)


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## Bolster (Nov 4, 2011)

woofwoof said:


> My intended use was as a work light at close distances mostly in the range of 3-10 feet, certainly not skiing or bicycling. I'm finding even for fairly closeup work during the day when there is ambient light such as in a garage, I'm not really getting as much output on Eneloops for it to really work _for me_.



My work range is 2-12 feet for the most part, so we are looking at the same work ranges. If it's too dim for use, I will be very disappointed and will say so. I have no emotional attachment to the light or the brand. This is my first Spark ever. I will be comparing the SD52 to the H501w so we can have some frame of reference. 

Regards your using the light as a supplement for ambient daylight...I know what you're talking about, that's a whole different ball of wax. You need a bright light for that, particularly if your pupils are dilated to daylight-shade levels. My Zebralights are generally useless for that sort of task, and I have to revert to a bright focused beam under those conditions (generally a handheld). I seldom even try to use floods in daylight shade, except to fill the shadows a bit. Again, not the sort of use the SD52 was designed for, with its 115 degree beam.

The ski and bicycle comment wasn't aimed at you, Woof. The SD52 has already been criticized "on paper" (ie, by its specs alone) by some outdoor enthusiasts, who like narrower beams and are waiting to see what the optional screw-on reflector will do.


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## woofwoof (Nov 4, 2011)

jake25, I took a look with the ceiling bounce as you suggested (using Eneloops in all lights). The lumen ratings for the different lights make more sense now and correlate better with what is observed. In general, bounced into a ceiling, the brightness in a very small room of the SD52 is in the ballpark of the Quark and Thrunite with all three being quite a bit brighter than the EOS. Of the first three, the Thrunite XML is still brightest with the Quark R5 (CW) just slightly edging out the SD52 (NW). I guess I was also hoping the SD52 with 2 AAs would do more than the 1AA lights. btw, aside from the brightness/no throw issue, it's a very nicely designed light and I will like it for use in situations where lower light levels are sufficient.


Thanks for the insights Bolster. I'm getting a better understanding of what situations a flood is good for. I was just surprised by how quickly light dropped off. But it makes sense since the SD bare emitter probably means light decreases with distance squared, which might even be more than other floods with a lens (?)


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## robostudent5000 (Nov 4, 2011)

woofwoof said:


> Thanks for the insights Bolster. I'm getting a better understanding of what situations a flood is good for. I was just surprised by how quickly light dropped off. But it makes sense since the SD bare emitter probably means light decreases with distance squared, which might even be more than other floods with a lens (?)



light from a bare emitter drops off very fast. i can see other people being disappointed with this light if they don't know exactly what they're getting.


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## degarb (Nov 4, 2011)

That is because the conventional reflector better 'reflects' how the eye sees (cones and rods), lighting up what you are actually seeing--not wasting lumens/batteries on areas you cannot see. Ideally for much more efficient than flood and equally natural feeling light, you need a 16:9 aspect ratio--both in hotspot and corona-, more like high definition tv. Any hotspot greater than 12-18 inch diameter at 1 meter is a waste of electric for most tasks; but even getting that big of a hot spot exponentially will shorten your useful runtime.

Now, when the screw on reflectors come, this will give us a light to suit *all* tasks. That said, my Browning nitro rebel 100 could just unscrew the lens for a pure flood, circa 2008.


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