Originally Posted by
Dennis
To clarify my point, I am talking about usage in room clearing/searching work in normal to even small sized urban homes. You would typically not have dark adapted eyes as is the case in most urban areas. Beam shape would be one with decent spill and not all spot, which describes most 500+ lumen XM-L LED’s. Proper usage would mean not shining the flashlight straight ahead of you on walls/mirrors, but generally low at the floorboards not only illuminating typical hiding places but allowing the spill to light up the rest of the room. Your light would be angled down anyways if you are in low ready, and if a suspect presents themselves then 500 lumens straight ahead is a good thing. If you are 3rd man thru the door you can also hit the ceiling and light up the whole room for your team. Although I always run an X300 anyways and only have my light out if I am 3rd man or holstered, but the same ideas apply even with 200 lumens. Of course, in my experience there is generally no such thing as a shiny clear wall in the ghetto and if you go into a bathroom with your light pointing straight ahead you get what you are asking for :p
I admit 500 lumens is too much for looking on the ground for a lost item, but that’s why I like lights with multiple levels (correctly implemented!) or even the good old fashioned cop trick of putting your hand over the light.
Dennis.