Renewed my faith in Maglites

[Swiss Man]

Out the other day looking for a "new" toy (XL100) http://www.maglite.com/maglite_xl100_led.asp at Home Depot didn't have any in stock so I came across a  http://www.maglite.com/AA_Cell_LED.asp.

Excited I carried it around until I found a combo pack with a 3 D cell and a 2 AA LED for $8.00 more then the single flashlight.http://www.maglite.com/D_Cell_LED.asp


Taking it home that evening I put the batteries in and WOW the 3 D is BRIGHT.  I was a long time fan of Maglite since the late 80's (my son actually owns a Maglite that I bought over twenty years ago and it still works great.)

The only trouble is I felt that Maglite was setting on their butts when it came to new things until lately.
I am impressed with the multi features on the AA and the BRIGHTNESS of the 3D.

[Styerman]

A 3D Mag-LED is my power failure lite . The AA LED isn't half bad , I use one as a backup/loaner lite for work . Had they been around back in the day , I would still be rocking a Minimag as my #1 work carry .

Chris

[David]

I like the Gen 2 Mini Mag LED also.       

[jzmtl]

I swapped a pill from 2D LED mag into my AA mag, and put a diffuser film on. It's my primary around the house light.

[darkhawk]

That mag light xl100 is not on my list of things to own
I saw the functions as good but personally i hated the motion control thing
I got rid of it and then I went for the nite ize and got the switch/bulb upgrade
http://www.niteize.com/collections/flashlights/products/1-watt-led-upgrade-iq-switch-combo
Been much more happy with this option.
I love mag light its a standard must have.

Those other function versions are amazing! thanks for sharing

Peace

[Swiss Man]

Just last night I found a Maglite XL50 at Home Depot $30.00 and just had to have it.

Now this one doesn't have ALL the features of it bigger brother (XL100) but what it does have is impressive.

One click for HIGH two clicks for low and three clicks for strobe.  I like this design alot better then the XL100 I think they have too many features.

It feels good in the hand and throws a serious beam just wish it came with a carry sheath.

[Essexman]

Yep maglite are great,

Here's a couple of mine..

A mini mini mag


A 2D lightly modded


Yep they make great hosts.

I've not tried any of the new mags that have come out yet, they cost too much here in the UK 

[SlackOne]

I'm liking the looks of the XL200.  It's basically the same as the XL100, but instead of having to have the light oriented just "so" to get into different modes, you just click through them.  It still has the motion sensor, but it's only used for stuff like adjusting the brightness.  The MSRP is frightening though at $60...that puts it way too close to good 1xAA lights from Zebra, 4Sevens, and Fenix for me to seriously consider a 3xAAA.  If street price lands closer to $30, I'll be more tempted.

The lack of a lanyard hole is somewhat maddening, though :/

[Pacu]

I still like to carry a multi D cell maglite when i'm walking the dogs. That way i have something handy to beat the hell out of someone or some thing with should i need it. I keep one in the jeep too.

[Gareth]

Yep maglite are great,

Here's a couple of mine..

A mini mini mag
(Image removed from quote.)

A 2D lightly modded
(Image removed from quote.)

Yep they make great hosts.

I've not tried any of the new mags that have come out yet, they cost too much here in the UK 

I gotta ask how you did up the mini-mini-maglite.   Is there a tutorial somewhere?

[NutSAK]

I want to like that XL50, but I just can't do 3xAAA. 

[jekostas]

I want to like that XL50, but I just can't do 3xAAA. 

Protected 18500 perhaps?

[jekostas]

I want to like that XL50, but I just can't do 3xAAA. 

Protected 18500 perhaps?

Right, never mind - I just saw the battery carrier that Mag uses in those lights.  It would be a PITA.

[Essexman]

I gotta ask how you did up the mini-mini-maglite.   Is there a tutorial somewhere?

A very nice man on CPF sold it to me! But I understand they are easy to make. You would need a lathe and I think it was a 5/16 whitworth tap to rethread the cut off end for the tail cap.
The LED drop in was from another CPF memeber called "download" here's a link to his sales thread  http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=307890
 Which I see is closed now. 

[Gareth]

Cheers mate.  I'll be honest and say that it looks like slightly more hassle than I can be bothered with.  Plus I don't have a lathe.

[Ashley]

Well my mini mag lite came in awful handy yesterday. I'm at work and there is no lighting due to job be outsourced and were just waiting for our last day, and well I pulled out my mini mag lite and put it in candle mode I used it until the batteries died. Lol

[NutSAK]

I want to like that XL50, but I just can't do 3xAAA. 

Protected 18500 perhaps?

Right, never mind - I just saw the battery carrier that Mag uses in those lights.  It would be a PITA.

Ah, it's all good.  18500 would certainly be an improvement if it could work...

[getpower]

Lets see here,

I got my first AA Mini Mag when I was like 8 years old or something and I have that exact light sitting beside me right now on my night stand.

The next Maglite that I got was when I was like 14, and I got a green 4D cell incandescent one.

Then when I started my first full-time job, I picked up the same 4D cell light in black.

Ive come across a few more since then including an LED 4D cell that I bought myself for Christmas a couple of years back-that light stays in my truck.

I have recently bought an XL100 and my boss borrows the thing all the time. I have a very flashlight-needy job, and my boss loves the thing. Sometimes I think that he leaves his flashlight in his office just so he can use it.

I also love the XL100, but I think that there are too many stupid features.

I found out also that I was going to be going to Home Depot within the next 1/2-hour with a buddy, and if they have the XL50, I'll more than likely pick one up.

Have a nice night gentlemen.

[flashaddict]

I've got 2 Malkoff drop-ins for my 2 cell and 5 cell D mag lites. a little on the expensive side, but worth EVERY penny! Just an amazing amount of light compared to the mag lite led.

[N_N_R]

Found a topic devoted to Maglites, so here comes my laic question... how many lumens/what throw does the old Mini Maglite have? I got mine from a friend, I guess used, and I threw away whatsoever papers/manuals/descriptions it had and surprisingly I'm not able to find any proper info online.

I was just comparing the Fenix E11 with the Maglite Mini and I was REALLY surprised to see the Maglite reach the same distance like the Fenix even with a more... intense spot. Well, narrower and .. yellower, but still. So the Fenix I know for sure is 105 lumens/72m throw or so.

Thanks

[Gareth]

there is a list of most maglite's and their outputs and run times on a table about half way down this page: http://www.led-resource.com/2010/01/maglite-led-flashlight-review-and-guide/

It has the standard 2xAA as having 12 lumen.  Go's to show that one big advantage of a focusing system is that it's able to make the most of a comparatively low output.

[tattoosteve99]

If you really want a super mini mini mag I suggest looking at budget light forums. A p-60 sized drop in will fit in a mini mag with minor modification. That's going to be a new project for me when I get all these mods caught up. You could use a high power 4.2 volt battery in it as well.

[N_N_R]

there is a list of most maglite's and their outputs and run times on a table about half way down this page: http://www.led-resource.com/2010/01/maglite-led-flashlight-review-and-guide/

It has the standard 2xAA as having 12 lumen.  Go's to show that one big advantage of a focusing system is that it's able to make the most of a comparatively low output.

12 ?! omG, thanks a lot!   I'll definitely read the link later Have to hurry, have work to do... forum, leave me alone...

[Essexman]

If you really want a super mini mini mag I suggest looking at budget light forums. A p-60 sized drop in will fit in a mini mag with minor modification. That's going to be a new project for me when I get all these mods caught up. You could use a high power 4.2 volt battery in it as well.

I've made a few of these up the other week. I just went with the 2AA, 700mA boost driver and a Cree XPG. Great mod, breathes new life into the old minimag.

[Tofty]

Theres alot of mileage to be had with the maglite bodies, iv'e been thinking of doing something to my minimag AA that goes beyond just using the led convertion bulbs, but with an empty shell there is an infinite choice of led/driver/battery combinations to go with.
I liked the look of this one though:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?310016-Mini-Mag-triple-xpg

The biggest problem i see with this one is adding a switch to it, as the original switch would need to be removed. A new tail cap that contains a small clicky might be the best option for functionality but it would have to be able to cope with quite a high current which small switches mostly can't.

[tattoosteve99]

How about a switch from an e series surefire. They are small and can handle quite a bit of current. I know I run a awcr123 in mine and so far no problems.

[gustophersmob]

there is a list of most maglite's and their outputs and run times on a table about half way down this page: http://www.led-resource.com/2010/01/maglite-led-flashlight-review-and-guide/

It has the standard 2xAA as having 12 lumen.  Go's to show that one big advantage of a focusing system is that it's able to make the most of a comparatively low output.

12 ?! omG, thanks a lot!   I'll definitely read the link later Have to hurry, have work to do... forum, leave me alone...

Unfortunately, in a lot of ways lumens is not a very good measure with which to compare different lights.

As I understand it, lumens is a measure of the total light output of the emitter, but depending on how the light is made, some of those lumens may not be in the hot spot.  That is why a Mag with a focusing head can appear brighter, at times by putting most of the light output into the hotspot. 

The downside is that there is quite a bit of light generated that is "lost" inside the Mag's head when it is extended to focus.

That's why a a 12 lumen mag with a focused hotspot can seem brighter in a certain area than a pure flood light like some of the Zebralights (that put out 200+ lumens).   Its just that the Zebra's output in this case is spread out over a large area.

A better way to compare how lights use their lumens is the lux measurement.

From wikipedia:

"The lumen can be thought of casually as a measure of the total "amount" of visible light in some defined beam or angle, or emitted from some source. The number of candelas or lumens from a source also depends on its spectrum, via the nominal response of the human eye as represented in the luminosity function."

"The difference between the units lumen and lux is that the lux takes into account the area over which the luminous flux is spread. A flux of 1000 lumens, concentrated into an area of one square metre, lights up that square metre with an illuminance of 1000 lux. The same 1000 lumens, spread out over ten square metres, produces a dimmer illuminance of only 100 lux."

So, basically, It is hard to judge a light based on its stated lumen output.  In my experience you have to try it out to see if it is suited to your intended application based on how the lumens are used.

[N_N_R]

Unfortunately, in a lot of ways lumens is not a very good measure with which to compare different lights.

As I understand it, lumens is a measure of the total light output of the emitter, but depending on how the light is made, some of those lumens may not be in the hot spot.  That is why a Mag with a focusing head can appear brighter, at times by putting most of the light output into the hotspot. 

The downside is that there is quite a bit of light generated that is "lost" inside the Mag's head when it is extended to focus.

That's why a a 12 lumen mag with a focused hotspot can seem brighter in a certain area than a pure flood light like some of the Zebralights (that put out 200+ lumens).   Its just that the Zebra's output in this case is spread out over a large area.

A better way to compare how lights use their lumens is the lux measurement.

From wikipedia:

"The lumen can be thought of casually as a measure of the total "amount" of visible light in some defined beam or angle, or emitted from some source. The number of candelas or lumens from a source also depends on its spectrum, via the nominal response of the human eye as represented in the luminosity function."

"The difference between the units lumen and lux is that the lux takes into account the area over which the luminous flux is spread. A flux of 1000 lumens, concentrated into an area of one square metre, lights up that square metre with an illuminance of 1000 lux. The same 1000 lumens, spread out over ten square metres, produces a dimmer illuminance of only 100 lux."

So, basically, It is hard to judge a light based on its stated lumen output.  In my experience you have to try it out to see if it is suited to your intended application based on how the lumens are used.

Thanks. As I said, I just enjoy lights without reading much about them So, yeah, thanks for the explanation. For me it goes this way: the newer the light, the better it must be Yeah, I know what most people are thinking now    And I was really really surprised to see that the old Maglite, when focused, reaches the same (about 70m) distance as the new Fenix E11, which was supposed to be better, in my opinion.

[Gareth]

It's really all a matter of what you need to use the light for.  Most modern LED lights try a strike a balance between throw and flood.  In truth a lot of people really need more flood than throw in a lot of applications, and so general purpose lights (like the E11) are balanced towards that.

If you really want to have a light with lots of 'throw' then they exist as well, certainly ones that will put the Maglite to shame.

It's also worth remembering that for many years Maglite were king of the hill, so just because they aren't up to the same standard as modern LED's, doesn't make them bad.

[gustophersmob]

Just to clarify, my intent wasn't to knock Maglites, IMO they definitely still have a place in the flashlight world.

Just trying to explain why a 12 lumen light can have a similar throw to a much higher lumen light.