Thread: The flashlight sticky

Originally Posted by mudgripz

Amazing photos Quentin - shows just how good the Maxtochs are. And there is a quick upgrade available for that little Maxtoch M24 torch which will pop it up another 30-35% in output. Can you put those photos into a youtube link - dam good reference.

The brand new model Maxtoch 2X we've just finished designing has huge 60-70% more output than the one in your test, and weighs only 308gms - nice and light for scope mounting or handheld.

This is why we have boxes of spotties including HIDs sitting in the shed.

Ooooh, more power!
Starting to sound like someone has found a box of xhp35 leds.
@mudgripz - you may need to elaborate on putting the images to a youtube link.

I'll be watching out for the Maxtoch 2X and upgrade for the M24.

No XHP leds When designing new hunter lights Brian and I always look at the range of new leds from Cree. There are some that have much higher lumen output then the XM-L2 U4s we now use - like MTG2, XHP35/50/70 etc. These things can produce 4000+ lumens, but if you want to increase light output its obviously going to use alot more power. So these high lumens torches need to run 3-4 18650s or a couple of bigger 26650 batts to operate = much more weight, non-standard tubes, high lumens (total light emitted) but lower lux (centre beam hotspot intensity), which means shorter range.

These high lumen leds make great fun lights with lots of flood. But that's not what we are after. We want an all-purpose hunter. We want beam balance between very long distance plus good beam spill so you can spot at hundreds of meters but also have enough beam width to sweep paddocks in seconds. And we want a torch both light enough to fit on scope as well as for use as handheld. XML2-U4 with the right reflector is still best for this job. Has very good 1200+ lumen output, but still maintains just 2 batts = low weight and very good runtime.

We also weigh up another factor - CRI or Color Rendering Index. This is: "color rendering index (CRI) is a measure of the ability of a light source to reveal the colors of various objects faithfully in comparison with an ideal or natural light source." Now you can get different leds with specific CRI ratings - rated 80, 90 etc. We don't go that far. But we do experiment visually with different leds (domed, domeless and dedomed) to determine which ones give best picture definition at long distance. In your photos you'll notice the dedomed maxtoch has much more faithful colour rendition than the HID with its blue/white beam.

We also rejected some of Cree's latest Xlamp Leds - especially their new XPL-HI (high intensity). This comes ex factory domeless but retains a coolish white beam which in tests was nowhere near as good as a dedomed XML2- U4. CRI or color rendition/object picture was much poorer at long range so that an XML light running at about 290k lux gave better object picture past 300 meters than the new XPL-HI running at 370k lux - 80k lux more! We biffed this new XPL-HI also because its less efficient - has lower output than a U4, has to be driven at 6 amps which it can only hold for a few minutes before stepdown to much lower output etc. At the moment the XML2-U4 with the right reflector (and Maxtoch techs very good at getting this right) is still best option for an all purpose hunter.

The nearest competition as a factory hunter torch to the Maxtochs would be the Olight M3X-UT Javelot. This uses the XPL-HI led, produces 250k lux, can only hold that 250k for a few minutes before stepping down to much lower output, has runtime of 5-55 minutes, and costs $150US. By comparison the new 2X will produce about 350k lux on high, 260k on medium, has no stepdowns and can run for 70-74 minutes continuously at 350k, or 100+ minutes at 260k, and will cost about $90US. And being a U4 it has much better CRI/light picture.

Led Lenser not in same street as lights like Olight or Maxtoch