The Difference of Floodlights and Spotlights on Flashlight

By  //  December 2, 2022

Floodlights and spotlights represent two types of lighting patterns. Do you know the difference between them and what is the suitable lighting pattern for your project?

For the new to flashlights, they are usually confused about their difference and application. This article brings the ultimate introduction of floodlight flashlights and spotlight flashlights.

What Is the Floodlight?

As the name implies, the floodlight is to flood the broad area with light.  It produces wider and brighter beams of light to illuminate a larger amount of area with the same wattage and lumen output as a spotlight.

The central spot beam of the floodlight is slightly concentrated and strong, but the light in the floodlight area is weak. There is a smooth transition between the floodlight area and the central spot.

The floodlight cover area has diffuse reflection rays which bring a larger viewing angle( usually anything above 90 degrees), wider irradiation range, and soft light without dazzling.

Floodlight flashlights produce highly diffused and directionless light instead of clear-cut light beams, so the lights they produce are soft and transparent. When used for illuminating, the lighting decreases much more slowly than the spotlight.

What is the Application of Floodlight Flashlight?

Floodlight flashlights are often used in situations where soft and large-area illumination is needed, such as outdoor sports, camping, hiking, fishing, mountaineering, search and rescue, and so on.

When we get into the darkness, no matter in the wild jungle or on the dark road, we are more eager to know the surroundings, and the broad beam of floodlight flashlights can meet the demand. It is also the best choice if you want to search for lost items in darkness.

What Is the Spot light?

Spotlight refers to the narrow beam of light( usually no wider than 45 degrees)  that produces intense illumination in a well-defined area. It is the light gathered by a spotlight lens or reflector.

The central spot of the spotlight is small, strong, and bright, but the brightness outside the central spot is low. Spotlights have a very good long-range shooting effect.

Generally, spotlight flashlights use a mirror-reflective cup with a small core LED. The caliber and depth of the reflective cup directly affect the degree of light gathering.

The curve design of the reflective cup determines the spot position and the shape of the spot. The excellent spot has a regular and round center as well as a clear boundary.

What is the Application of Spotlight Flashlight?

As mentioned above, the spotlight is an ideal light to light up specific areas and objects. Therefore, it can be used in hunting, high-speed night riding, special outdoor work, and other long-distance irradiation.

Spotlights are also suitable for illuminating static objects such as artwork or sculptures. If you visit a gallery or museum and want to see the details of a specific object, you can use a spotlight flashlight.

What Are the Lighting Patterns of Flashlights in the Market?

Some flashlights have only one lighting pattern, either floodlight or spotlight, whereas other flashlights are capable of switching between spotlight and floodlight, such as Olight’s Marauder 2.

It is equipped with a large LED in the center of the head to enable an 800-meter spotlight beam, and 12 small LEDs circle the edge to create a 14,000-lumen floodlight.  

During Black Friday,2022. Olight released a new marauder series product, named Marauder Mini. As the name suggests, Marauder Mini is a miniature version. Compared with the Marauder 2, it is smaller in size, lighter in weight, and more comfortable in hand. 

It is equipped with a large LED in the center to provide up to 7000-lumen floodlights and the surrounding 9 LEDs offer a 600-meter spotlight beam. One of its major features is the addition of three-color light ( also called RGB color), which are red light, green light, and blue light, greatly increasing its application scenarios. 

In conclusion, spotlights and floodlights represent two types of  lighting patterns and they play their roles on different occasions. If both lighting patterns are needed when using a flashlight, then a flashlight with floodlight and spotlight would be your better choice.