Laser Excited Phosphor (LEP) lights have been around for a number of years, with Kyocera even manufacturing the key components right here in the USA.
LEP lights allow a highly focused beam, providing high candela numbers and minimal spill due to the small light emission area of the design. This makes them well-suited to target identification at a distance. LEP lights are less suitable for close-in searches and environmental awareness due to this tight beam.
Firebird Electro-Optics has now released two handheld and two weapon mounted LEP lights. These lights all boast over 100,000 candela. I could not find lumen claims on their site, but I would guess around 600-800 given my experience with other LEP lights.
I’ve personally carried multiple LEP lights, including the Z-Bolt Blazer. I’ve also used the Weltool W3Pro in certain situations. LEP lights are useful for illuminating long distances. However, their focused beams are require splashing the light off surfaces indoors, and the beams are almost useful for admin tasks such as reading a menu in a dark restaurant. Further, in marine environments, the lack of spill can be disorienting. That said, for large spaces and use at distance, LEP is hard to beat.
Would you like to see LowLightDefense review these or other LEP lights? Please leave a comment down below.
