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goldhawks
2
May 1, 2016
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Could anyone comment how this would compare to this one?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RCATDJA/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00RCATDJA&linkCode=as2&tag=faveable0bd-20&linkId=MOU5AJLOZ23S72KN
I did some looking around and it seems that this is a very comparable light. Just wanted to know other people's thoughts.
May 1, 2016
j.a.l
716
May 1, 2016
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goldhawksWell, they are fairly different.
The one you linked to is a zoomable; it has an aspheric lens, and will go from very floody to so focused that you project an image of the LED chip. I have a light with the same head (but with a 26650 body). I personally don't like it - lights with aspherics need to use a high-quality lens, and these don't. Lots of distracting artifacts in the beam.
The second big difference is that Solaray isn't known for quality. Jetbeam has a good reputation. Now, I have lots of questionable lights, I'm kind of in to them. But in particular, I would be leery of a cheap rechargeable - there is a lot that can go wrong, and indeed, the first Amazon review there is about a charging mishap causing a fire. Lithium battery fires are no joke - for starters, you almost certainly don't have a class D fire extinguisher around the house. Also, deadly fumes.
My advice - if you want to play with cheap lights, go to somewhere like Banggood. I've gotten some fun ones for under $10. (It is even more fun to make your own.) But don't cheap out on chargers or batteries. There's a saying that is apparently a cliche in battery-engineering circles: the only difference between a battery an a bomb is the rate of discharge. And keep in mind that in-light chargers are applying current to a potential fire hazard in a tightly contained, strong aluminum shell, thus allowing pressure to build up for a more energetic main event.
Sorry to be a safety cop. I'm not trying to scare anyone - 18650s and similar are safe if you respect them. Just use your head and learn a bit about them if you haven't already.
Anyway, back to your question - this is going to be a substantially nicer light than the Solaray one. If you just want raw lumens, you can find cheap pocket rockets - high-powered LEDs are really cheap these days, and it isn't hard to shove one in a tube. When you pay more for a light, you're getting some combination of better workmanship and electronics, more thoughtful UI, better-designed optics, aesthetics and materials.
Some lights more directly comparable to this one would be the Nitecore MH10, Fenix PD35, Olight S30R, maybe the Thrunite TC12. Zebralight's SC600 Mk. III series is wildly popular among flashlight obsessives as well. It doesn't have the built-in charger, though.
Goodness, that got long. Sorry about that. Hope this helps some.
May 1, 2016
goldhawks
2
May 1, 2016
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j.a.lHey, don't mind the length at all. In fact all of that was very helpful! I appreciate you putting in the time to help square me out on this one. I do like the fact that the other one had that variable zoom. Are there any that you would recommend that are comparable to this one, but also have that feature? Again, thanks for your time bud.
May 1, 2016
j.a.l
716
May 2, 2016
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goldhawksGlad you found it helpful. I haven't played a whole lot with aspherics - the really fun ones tend to be huge and really expensive. You might look for when this shop has lights available: http://www.onestopthrowshop.com/category.sc?categoryId=3 . Try the Small Sun, unless you're willing to spend serious money on one of the bigger ones. They are very nice lights, but the shop is small, demand is high and they sell out quickly when they have a batch.
May 2, 2016
j.a.l
716
May 4, 2016
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goldhawksHi again,
Apologies for more yet more blathering from me, but I read about a light that is closer to the price range of this one, comes from a reputable manufacturer, and seems like a fairly nice zoom light - the Fenix FD40. I don't have one, but here is a review/discussion on a site where flashlight obsessives dissect the minutiae of basically every light in existence: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?411586-Fenix-FD40-Review .
Hope this helps.
May 4, 2016
goldhawks
2
May 5, 2016
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j.a.lHey, it's no problem, I enjoy getting other people's opinion and that one will be considered for sure!
May 5, 2016
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