Comparison Nitecore HC60 vs Nitecore HC30

General type of flashlight.

General-purpose hand-held flashlights are divided into full-dimensions and compact. However, in addition to this, you can find many models on sale with a narrower specialization and / or specific design and mounting features: headlamps ; tourist devices, including autonomous dynamo flashlights, flashlights with an L-shaped design and diving models; powerful hand-held lamps and ultra-compact keychains ; auxiliary lighting systems; as well as under-barrel models and baton flashlights, which are widely used in law enforcement agencies. It is worth noting that one model can belong to several types at once. For example, most under-barrel flashlights are equipped with a removable mount for installation on a weapon, and without such a mount they turn into hand-held or hand-held compact; and L-shaped models are not, in principle, an independent type of flashlight - most often this is a design feature of hand-held compact or head-mounted devices (or even models that combine both of these options for use).

— Manual. Full-dimensions manual flashlights lo...nger than 20 cm and weighing more than 200 g represent a kind of “mid-range”. They are designed for tech for whom compactness does not play a decisive role and functionality is important first and foremost. Such flashlights can carry more than 1 LED and powerful power sources, providing a good light flux; they are often equipped with various additional functions.

— Handheld compact. This type of flashlight is somewhat larger than keychains, but can still be classified as a compact device: handheld compacts look like a tube up to 20 cm long and weigh up to 200 g. They rarely have more than one LED installed, but their dimensions and weight already allow them to use fairly powerful power sources, which has a positive effect on the characteristics of the luminous flux (see "Max. luminous flux"). In addition, this type of flashlight can use a number of additional functions, such as focus and brightness adjustment (see below).

— Forehead flashlight. Flashlights designed to be mounted on the head — usually with special elastic straps that can be adjusted to your dimensions. The mounting features impose restrictions on the weight and dimensions of the flashlight, which affects its functionality. When purchasing such a flashlight, it is worth considering that high brightness in this case can be a disadvantage — if you need light to work with objects in close proximity, excessive brightness quickly tires your eyes. In this case, it may make sense to pay attention to models with adjustable brightness (see below for more details). Typically, such models have the ability to adjust the beam angle, but it would not hurt to clarify the possibility (and features) of such adjustment separately.

— L-shaped. Flashlights in which the beam of light is directed perpendicular to the body; the body itself, as a rule, has a cylindrical or close to it shape. Most of these models by their basic format belong to hand-held compact ones, and many also allow use in the headlamp format (see above for both). Be that as it may, L-shaped flashlights with the possibility of hand-held use have a characteristic clip on the body - on the opposite side from the lamp. Such a clip allows you to hang the device on a belt, the edge of a pocket, an element of an unloading vest or other special clothing, etc.; in this case, the beam of light will be directed forward, the vertical position of the body will ensure the stability of the device, and the user's hands will be free. (Note that the first L-shaped flashlights designed for such wearing appeared as an element of army equipment - back in World War II, the American military fully appreciated the advantages of such a design).
As for the head-mounted installation, in such cases the body is placed horizontally, and its mount is made movable. By rotating the flashlight in such a mount, you can set almost any angle of the beam; at the same time, regardless of this angle, the position of the flashlight remains equally stable (whereas in some headlamps with "heads" of an inclined design, such a "head" may tend to fall forward as the mount wears out).

— Hand-held lamp. The most powerful type of hand-held flashlights, which can even be called "hand-held spotlights." Most of these devices are designed to produce a long-range and at the same time fairly thick beam of light - much wider than in many other types of flashlights. In fact, the illumination range of hand-held lamps often exceeds 100 or even 200 m, while the large beam width allows for very effective detection of individual objects even at such large distances. Another, less common type of such devices are models that have a short range, but are capable of illuminating a large area.
In any case, flashlights of this type are quite large and heavy, so they are not initially designed for constant carrying (although even one and a half to two hours with such a device in your hands usually does not cause much discomfort). It is worth paying attention to hand-held lamps in cases where the effective detection range (or bright illumination of a large area) is of the utmost importance to you. In particular, such devices are very popular in rescue services: a powerful beam of a "portable searchlight" can be indispensable during search operations in the dark.

— Tourist. Tourist lanterns are mainly tech originally intended for lighting in a camp, at a halt, etc. Such devices provide diffused light with a horizontal coverage of 360° and most often allow installation directly on the ground. In addition, most of them have a hook for hanging, sometimes supplemented by a built-in magnet (see below for both). Thus, such a lantern can be attached to a tree branch, under the ceiling of a tent/awning, etc., significantly expanding the area of illumination — or hung on a backpack or other equipment, lighting the way for several people at once.
Most tourist flashlights have only this specialization; however, there are also models that allow other options for use. Usually, these are hand-held compact devices of a special design - with a retractable diffuser made of white matte material. Such a device allows you to turn a directed beam into a diffused light with full horizontal coverage; and when such a beam is not needed, the diffuser can be hidden in the body. However, some more traditional tourist models also have a folding design - it makes it easier to carry outside of work, especially if the device needs to be hidden in a backpack or bag with other things.

— Dynamo flashlight. Flashlights equipped with a built-in generator (dynamo machine) that produces energy using the user's muscular strength — usually, this requires pumping or turning a special lever. Thus, the built-in battery can be recharged even in the complete absence of power sources (and such flashlights most often operate from batteries). Such features are especially relevant for tech who often have to be "far from civilization": tourists, military personnel, researchers, etc. At the same time, dynamo flashlights can have different specializations — compact, tourist, etc.

— For diving. Flashlights originally created for diving and long-term stays at great depths — usually 50 m or more. Such models by definition have a sealed waterproof case (see "Dust and moisture protection"). In addition, the design of diving flashlights often includes specific features designed to provide additional convenience and safety. For example, the case can have a bright color or additional inserts that increase visibility underwater, and also be made of lightweight material — so that the flashlight released from the hand floats to the surface, and does not sink. Often the device is supplemented with a carabiner for attaching to equipment or a hand strap (see "Package"). It is because of such additional features that not every flashlight with a high level of water protection is considered a diving flashlight. Therefore, it is worth looking for a lamp specifically for diving among the models of this category.

— Auxiliary lighting. Lanterns designed to provide additional stationary lighting where there is no light or not enough. In some ways, such models are similar to tourist camping lights (see above), they can also be used in a parking lot or tent. However, this is not all: many auxiliary lights are initially designed for use in workshops, garages, etc. Some of them can also be hung on the open hood of a car, which is very important during field repairs. But such models are not designed to be carried in hands: this is technically possible, but not very convenient.

— Keychain. This category includes the most compact models: their weight, as a rule, does not exceed 50 g, and the length is 10 cm. Hence the name — most of these flashlights can be worn instead of a keychain on a key ring. In fact, the main advantage of keychains is their ease of wearing: you can always have such a flashlight at hand. The main disadvantage is their low power: keychains are usually equipped with one LED (see "Amount of diodes"), and any "solid" power source will not fit in a compact case. At the same time, such flashlights are quite enough for simple everyday tasks — for example, to light the road on an unlit section of the street or to find a keyhole if the light bulb in the entrance burned out.

— Underbarrel. Flashlights designed to be mounted on a weapon — most often under the barrel, but technically, side mounting is also quite acceptable. Many such models are essentially compact handheld flashlights (see above), supplemented with a removable mount on the weapon (or the ability to install on such a mount — see "Package"), and, in most cases, a remote button (see below); however, there are also purely underbarrel models, in which the mount is not removable. In both cases, the mount is usually designed for a standard Weaver/Picatinny rail, but it would not hurt to clarify this point separately. This also applies to the possibility of full-fledged use with firearms: the fact is that some underbarrel flashlights are designed for airsoft guns and are simply not designed for powerful recoil.

— Baton flashlight. Flashlights with a baton or baseball bat-shaped body that is strong enough to strike. Such a flashlight can be a very useful addition to a guard or law enforcement officer's equipment. Note that some so-called patrol flashlights — hand-held flashlights in a large and strong body of traditional design — can also be used as a "strike tool." However, for them, such use is an extreme case, while baton flashlights are initially created to be as reliable and shock-resistant as possible. Therefore, patrol models in our catalog are still not classified in this category, but as ordinary hand-held flashlights.

The maximum range at which the flashlight provides any effective illumination of objects. Different manufacturers have different criteria for this efficiency when measuring ranges, and therefore it is only possible to unequivocally compare among themselves in range only models of one manufacturer. At the same time, this parameter allows us to compare models from different manufacturers with some certainty: for example, flashlights with a lighting range of 15 m and 100 m will clearly belong to different range classes, regardless of manufacturers.

Note that the range of illumination depends not only on the maximum luminous flux provided by the lantern (see above), but also on the features of its design: the narrower the beam is provided by the reflector of the lantern, the greater the range will be, and vice versa — scattered light does not spread far. Some models allow you to adjust the beam width depending on the requirements of the situation (for more details, see "Adjusting the focus").

It is also worth bearing in mind that models with the same claimed lighting range can cover different spaces. For example, a hand lamp (see Type) with a reflector diameter of 20 cm will be able to provide a wider beam than a conventional hand lamp with a 5 cm reflector. And although in both cases the objects that fall into the light spot will be illuminated in the same way, however, in the first case, the size of the spot itself will be larger, and the actual efficien...cy of the flashlight will be correspondingly higher (in light of the fact that it is easier to "feel" individual objects with a wide beam, especially at a considerable distance).

The angle of light or illumination provided by a flashlight.

The meaning of these parameters is generally the same — we are talking about the angle that forms the edges of the light flux diverging from the lantern. The only difference is what is meant by edges. So, speaking about the angle of the glow, they usually mean the angle directly between the edges of the main stream; beyond these edges the light does not propagate. And the word "light" refers to a relatively narrow sector in the centre of the light flux; there is also light outside its edges, but its intensity is low, and effective illumination is provided only within the light zone. Thus, there is no fundamental difference between these terms — both of them characterize the width of the sector effectively covered by the lantern.

In addition to the coverage width itself, the luminous flux density and, as a result, the effective illumination range also depend on this indicator. With the same number of lumens (see “Maximum luminous flux”), a small coverage angle allows you to brighter illuminate objects that fall under the beam and provide greater “range”; and a large angle, respectively, will mean extensive coverage, but with a small effective range and less illumination of objects within the beam.

Also note that if the coverage area has the shape of a rectangle, then for different brands (and even in different models of the same brand) this parameter can be designated differently:...in some cases, the angle is measured along the larger side of the rectangle, in others — diagonally. Most often, this difference is not fundamental, but exceptions are possible; in such cases, you should refer to the official documentation of the manufacturer.

Maximum runtime of the flashlight without changing batteries or recharging the battery.

Note that in models with brightness control, this time is indicated for the most modest and, accordingly, economical mode. For example, in a flashlight with a maximum luminous flux of 1000 lm, the claimed operating time of 20 hours can be achieved at a brightness of only 30 lm, and at maximum battery life may not exceed half an hour. These nuances should be clarified according to the detailed characteristics. However, also note that additional modes of operation (see below) are not taken into account in this case: for example, if the flashlight from our example in SOS mode can operate for 30 hours, the characteristics will still state 20 hours.

It is also worth bearing in mind that for models with replaceable batteries, the actual operating time will also depend on the quality of such batteries. For example, for flashlights for AA and AAA elements, battery life is most often given when using high-quality alkaline batteries; if instead of them inexpensive saline ones are used, the operating time may be several times shorter.

In general, when choosing a flashlight according to the maximum operating time, it does not always make sense to focus on “long-playing” models: they often have either low power or impressive weight / dimensions, and the price can significantly “bite”. Flashlights with a long battery life will be useful first of all to those who have to s...tay “away from civilization” for a long time: extreme tourists, rescuers, military, etc. And for most everyday tasks in a modern city, and even for trips to nature for several days, up to 10 hours is enough.

The ability to charge the flashlight from a standard USB port. Such connectors are mandatory for modern computers and laptops, they are found in other types of equipment (from tablets to audio systems); in addition, USB power adapters are produced for household sockets and car cigarette lighters. Thus, charging from USB significantly expands the capabilities of the flashlight: instead of a specialized charger (which, moreover, can be forgotten or lost), you can use any USB port for this.

Note that compact models (for example, keychains - see "Type") are often equipped with their own USB plugs, but a larger flashlight may require a cable.

The charging port itself can be microUSB or USB C. In some cases, there are models with a proprietary cable, on one end of which there is a USB A plug.

An indicator that indicates the level of charge of the battery installed in the flashlight. The design and functionality of such an indicator can be different — from a simple LED that changes colour and/or mode of operation depending on the state of the battery, to an LCD display that can display a specific charge level. However, anyway , the charge level indicator makes it easier to monitor the state of the battery and reduces the likelihood of being left without light at the most inopportune moment.

- Flashlight charger. A device for charging batteries directly in the flashlight. Note that models with both non-removable and removable batteries can be equipped with such a “charger”. In any case, such devices are extremely easy to use: you do not need to remove the batteries and put them in a separate device, just connect the flashlight to an outlet, auto outlet or USB port (memory devices can use different power sources, this should be specified separately). In addition, some flashlights with this function are able to work even while the battery is charging (in fact, from the mains). At the same time, chargers of this type are not as universal as "chargers" for individual batteries (see the corresponding paragraph).

- Car memory. The presence in the kit of a device for charging a flashlight from a car cigarette lighter (or a standard auto socket of the same size). Typically, such a device has the form of a simple plug with a cable; the cable can be made detachable. And in some models, a separate car charger is completely absent: to charge the battery, the flashlight itself is inserted into the cigarette lighter socket, and the body of the device plays the role of a plug. See "Power - Cigarette Lighter" for details.

- USB cable for charging. The presence in the kit is separately only a cable for charging, but without a...complete plug into an outlet. At the same time, you have the possibility to charge, for example, from Power-bank.

- Battery charger. A device for charging the batteries supplied with the flashlight. Only models with removable batteries are equipped with such a device - in fact, the battery must be removed to charge. This may create some inconvenience. On the other hand, batteries are usually made in a standard size, which gives many additional options. For example, you can buy a spare set of batteries and use it while the main one is charging, or even put disposable batteries instead of "native" batteries; The charger can be used not only for flashlight batteries, but also for other compatible batteries.

— Power element(s). A battery is included with the flashlight. This feature allows you to use the flashlight immediately after purchase, without buying additional batteries separately. Note that the presence or absence of a battery in the kit does not depend on the type of battery itself (see "Power"): for example, models for the original battery are not always equipped with such a battery. Therefore, if readiness for work “out of the box” is critical, you should choose a flashlight for which the battery is directly declared in the kit. At the same time, it does not hurt to clarify which element the product is equipped with - a disposable battery or a rechargeable battery.

- Light filters. Removable filters, commonly used to color the beam of a flashlight in one color or another - red, blue and / or green. See "Additional Modes" for more information on such colored lighting; Here we note two points. Firstly, the set of light filters can be different: for example, red light is common, but green and blue are much less common. At the same time, for some lamps, additional light filters are produced separately, they can be purchased in addition if necessary. Secondly, if a flashlight with colored light does not have filters in the kit, it means that this model uses separate colored diodes or, much less often, built-in filters. Both the one and the other option turns out to be more convenient from the point of view that to switch colors you do not need to mess around with interchangeable accessories (which you can forget somewhere or lose). On the other hand, additional equipment somewhat complicates and increases the cost of the design of the entire device.

— Clip for carrying. The presence in the design of the flashlight of a special clip (clips) - similar to that used in portable players, ballpoint pens, etc. This clip allows you to fix the flashlight on clothing, for example, on the edge of a pocket. This function is intended primarily for ease of wearing: a flashlight fixed with a clip will always be in one place, without getting lost or confused in your pocket.

- Bicycle mount. Fastening for installation of a lantern on a handlebar of a bicycle. Allows you to use the lighting device as a source of head light and indicates the presence of a cyclist on the road at night. As a rule, the holder is fixed on the steering wheel by means of a screw clamp, and the flashlight is held in it due to the elasticity of the mount.

- Strap. The presence in the design of the lantern strap for mount on the hand. It protects the device from falling: even if you accidentally open your fingers, the strap will hold the flashlight on your hand (or at least delay the fall so that you have time to react). And in diving models (see "Type"), such a device can, on the contrary, keep the flashlight from floating up. In large-sized hand-held lamps, the strap may be designed for ease of carrying on the shoulder, but such options are quite rare.

— Case. Existence in a set of delivery of a special cover for storage and transportation of a lamp. Such a case protects the device from excessive contamination and provides some degree of protection against damage. In addition, it can come in handy for protecting surrounding fragile items - for example, if you have to transport them along with a flashlight in a tightly packed bag or backpack.

- Underbarrel mount. Attachment for mounting an underbarrel flashlight (see "Type") on a weapon. Most often, such a mount is designed for a standard Picatinny / Weaver rail, but other options are possible; This point does not hurt to clarify before buying. In any case, this equipment is convenient because the mount does not need to be looked for separately; on the other hand, it may not be suitable for non-standard "seats".

- Without mount. The absence of a mount on a weapon in the delivery set of an underbarrel flashlight (see "Type"). Such models were originally intended for use for a different purpose - usually as hand-held compact ones (see ibid.), and the possibility of installation under the barrel is provided as an option. Also, you should pay attention to this option if the weapon has a non-standard way of installing flashlights - the mount for such an installation is easiest to buy separately from the flashlight.