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Posted: 6/6/2009 11:18:26 PM EDT
[#1]
Depends on what it is being used for. In my opinion... you can never have something that is too bright.
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Posted: 6/7/2009 8:36:13 AM EDT
[#2]
For me somewhere between 120 and 250 lumens.
120 for in town and 250 for wide open spaces. 
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Posted: 6/7/2009 8:37:50 AM EDT
[#3]
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Posted: 6/7/2009 9:48:42 AM EDT
[#4]
Depends.
I find that my Surefire G2 LED (80 lumens) and TLR-2 (135 lumens) are incredibly bright at night, indoors. I have not used one after being asleep for a few hours, but I'd imagine improper use will be enough to hurt my vision as the light is reflected off the walls. Outdoors, across a yard, lot, or field, 80 lumens may not be enough. YMMV. |
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Posted: 6/7/2009 3:32:12 PM EDT
[#5]
I just picked up a Fenix TK11 and it has 60 lumens in regular mode and then 225 in turbo mode.
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Posted: 6/8/2009 5:25:33 PM EDT
[#6]
90 lumens is the min IMO
MAX for indoor 120 max for wooded or urban 250 max for open field 1,000,000 or so |
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Posted: 6/8/2009 5:56:05 PM EDT
[#7]
I carry a 1000 lumen ultrafire led rechargable light on patrol. Its great for traffic stops and anything outside in open spaces.
It gets a little bright in backyards and in white walled rooms however. I use my X300 or my 250 lumen g2 nitrolon for that. I think its different strokes for different folks basically. |
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Posted: 6/9/2009 9:49:23 AM EDT
[#8]
Yeah, it really depends on your situation. I got a Malkoff M60 (235+ lumens) a while back, and in a G2 or 6P, it's just plain too bright for using indoors. It wipes out way too much of my night vision at 3am.
I switched to an M60L (130 lumens), and it's much better indoors - a nice tradeoff between lots of brightness and not so much dazzle. My favorite right now is the Fenix TK11 - 60 or 240 lumens with the twist of a bezel, stronger throw than the G2L or 6PL, tactical clicky, cigar ring, and lanyard, all in a reasonably priced package. I looked at getting clickies for the G2s and 6P, but the switch is half the cost of the TK11, and I still wouldn't have dual output. |
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Posted: 6/9/2009 4:34:29 PM EDT
[#9]
 at some of the responses - "90 minimum"
I think it was Pat Rogers who said he wouldn't want any more than 80 indoors. |
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Posted: 6/9/2009 5:18:10 PM EDT
[#10]
I was taught that 120 lumens is at the upper end for indoor use.
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Posted: 6/10/2009 7:38:20 AM EDT
[#11]
Lumens is not everything. A lot depends on the beam pattern. A tightly focused light indoors will strain your eyes more than the one that puts out the same amount of lumens in a floody beam.
I have a modified Surefire L4 that puts out over 300 lumens with a huge diffused hotspot and wide corona. It's just fine indoors - there are no dark corners in a room after you turn it on, and it doesn't blind me at all. |
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Posted: 6/10/2009 8:42:50 AM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
Lumens is not everything. A lot depends on the beam pattern. A tightly focused light indoors will strain your eyes more than the one that puts out the same amount of lumens in a floody beam. I have a modified Surefire L4 that puts out over 300 lumens with a huge diffused hotspot and wide corona. It's just fine indoors - there are no dark corners in a room after you turn it on, and it doesn't blind me at all. +1 on this post.... This is key as why we designed our "spill" in our drop-ins to eliminate the shadows one usually see's with other lamps. This design gives the user a balanced approach of a hot spot and spill. This is a good topic and I can also add that lumens indoors is also dependent on reflection characteristics of the structure itself you are lighting up. i.e., wall paint, color, etc. I have not seen too many lights that have blinded me indoors unless I hit a mirror which has happened on one occasion as I shined a light down a hallway with a mirror at the end of it!  Not good when your room clearing. Hope this helps.
Vic |
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Posted: 6/10/2009 8:47:51 AM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
at some of the responses - "90 minimum"
I think it was Pat Rogers who said he wouldn't want any more than 80 indoors. Pat is running our 170-190 lumen (out the front drop-ins) exclusively on all his guns. He really likes the fact (besides reliability), he can see into the shadows of indoor structures. Hope this helps. Vic |
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Posted: 6/10/2009 8:51:32 AM EDT
[#14]
Also, the human eye's response to light is not a 1:1 ratio. Remember, the brighter it gets, the more your irises will clamp down.
I'd say for indoor use, and you're the only light source, 120 is fine. More is overkill. 250 lumens for outdoor use. More is worthwhile if you're working among other lights and want/need to overpower them. Other peoples flashlights, car headlights. Ambient light that "weakens" your smaller lights etc. |
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Posted: 6/10/2009 10:48:02 AM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
Quoted:
at some of the responses - "90 minimum"
I think it was Pat Rogers who said he wouldn't want any more than 80 indoors. Pat is running our 170-190 lumen (out the front drop-ins) exclusively on all his guns. He really likes the fact (besides reliability), he can see into the shadows of indoor structures. Hope this helps. Vic So Victor: as I understand it (please correct me if I'm mistaken), you have drop ins for 6P LED that goes up to 250 lumens. What about drop in heads that will replace E2D LED's dual stage head also at about 200 lumens? Thanks! |
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Posted: 6/10/2009 11:22:48 AM EDT
[#16]
It is "too bright" when a high lumen light has a short battery life.
For example: Sure fire M6 Guardian. With 250 lumen bulb you get a 60 minute battery life (six 123A batteries). With the 500 lumen bulb those six 123A batteries last 20 minutes. The 500 lumen is "too bright" to be practical since those pricey 123A lithium only last 20 minutes! |
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Posted: 6/10/2009 3:59:17 PM EDT
[#17]
Malkoff M60 module indoors (WAY TOO bright of a "hotspot") Would be GREAT outdoors:
Malkoff M60 MC-E module (Perfect for indoors, lots of "Flood"): 
PursuitSS |
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Posted: 6/10/2009 5:15:09 PM EDT
[#18]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
at some of the responses - "90 minimum"
I think it was Pat Rogers who said he wouldn't want any more than 80 indoors. Pat is running our 170-190 lumen (out the front drop-ins) exclusively on all his guns. He really likes the fact (besides reliability), he can see into the shadows of indoor structures. Hope this helps. Vic So Victor: as I understand it (please correct me if I'm mistaken), you have drop ins for 6P LED that goes up to 250 lumens. What about drop in heads that will replace E2D LED's dual stage head also at about 200 lumens? Thanks! E2 drop in heads at 1st stage, 50 lumen (approx,) and 170 (out the front) lumen's for the 2nd stage. Hope this helps. |
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Posted: 6/10/2009 5:16:06 PM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:
It is "too bright" when a high lumen light has a short battery life. For example: Sure fire M6 Guardian. With 250 lumen bulb you get a 60 minute battery life (six 123A batteries). With the 500 lumen bulb those six 123A batteries last 20 minutes. The 500 lumen is "too bright" to be practical since those pricey 123A lithium only last 20 minutes! Well some anyways.....We get 2 hours continuous with our bright lamps! 
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Posted: 6/13/2009 5:01:45 AM EDT
[#20]
The beam pattern is more important than the lumens value. A 60 watt light bulb puts out 800 lumens. Do you think a 60 watt light bulb is too bright? I don't. But when you focus those lumens into a bright hot spot, then you can dazzle your vision if you don't know what you are doing.
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Posted: 6/13/2009 1:02:35 PM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
Malkoff M60 module indoors (WAY TOO bright of a "hotspot") Would be GREAT outdoors: http://i43.tinypic.com/2q0r08w.jpg Malkoff M60 MC-E module (Perfect for indoors, lots of "Flood"): http://i43.tinypic.com/2iid1lf.jpg PursuitSS Great pics PursuitSS! JvN nailed it. Beam pattern also plays a huge role. A 235 lumen M60 is very focused due to having an 8 degree optic, but a 500 lumen M60 MC-E is easier on the eyes for having a 20 degree optic. Hmmm, may have to pick up an FM34 Diffuser for the M60... |
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Posted: 6/15/2009 9:50:42 AM EDT
[#22]
Quoted:
The beam pattern is more important than the lumens value. A 60 watt light bulb puts out 800 lumens. Do you think a 60 watt light bulb is too bright? I don't. But when you focus those lumens into a bright hot spot, then you can dazzle your vision if you don't know what you are doing. I was about to say the same thing but you already said it. Beam pattern is everything. |
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Posted: 6/15/2009 3:40:58 PM EDT
[#23]
Quoted:
Malkoff M60 module indoors (WAY TOO bright of a "hotspot") Would be GREAT outdoors: http://i43.tinypic.com/2q0r08w.jpg Malkoff M60 MC-E module (Perfect for indoors, lots of "Flood"): http://i43.tinypic.com/2iid1lf.jpg PursuitSS Excellent pics! |
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Posted: 6/16/2009 6:09:43 PM EDT
[#24]
The trick is don't shine the main beam (hot spot) in the same line of bearing as where you are looking. You are just asking for vision dazzle due to direct view of the hot spot. Angle the beam. For example, use ceiling bounce. A bright beam like from the M60 bouncing off the ceiling will essentially act like a ceiling lamp. Once you do that, it really doesn't matter how bright the hot spot is since you never look at the hot spot. Plus, the light scatter will help illuminate much of the volume. This pretty much eliminates the need for a flood type beam for indoor use.
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