Light & Motion Taz 1200 gets power boost for 2013

[redplanet]

Light & Motion Taz 1200 gets power boost for 2013

par redplanet » Lun Juil 30, 2012 8:28 am

All-in-one lights with lamps, batteries and electronics included are growing brighter, lighter and cheaper, eclipsing even high-end modular systems from just a few years ago. new Taz 1200 pushes the envelope even further for 2013, with a monster claimed power output of 1,200 lumens.

Light & Motion pack all that power into an impressively compact and lightweight package. The Taz weighs just over 200g but measures barely 10cm in length. 

Two built-in, USB-rechargeable, Li-ion batteries provide up to an hour and a half of claimed run time on the highest setting, with two additional levels offering up to six hours of burn. 

A new 'pulse' mode will run for nine hours while a traditional 'strobe' will go for 18. Recharging times range from four to 14 hours depending on charger output.

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Amber side markers on the new Taz 1200

Two separate buttons independently control the Taz 1200's front-facing LED emitters and amber side markers. A 'race' mode simplifies operation to just high and low settings. 

Light & Motion have even incorporated a memory function into the electronics board so that the Taz fires up in the same mode as was used before shutting down.

The Taz 1200 isn't cheap, at US$299. Nor can it be easily mounted to a helmet. But its remarkable output still makes it a super-bright light for commuting or medium-duty trail use. 

Light & Motion will also offer a Taz 800 model, with 800 lumens of claimed output, for US$249.

Also new for 2013 is the Vis 180 Micro rear flasher, which at just US$49 and 61g is less than half the price of the standard Vis 180 (US$99.99) and nearly half the weight - albeit with half the output at 25 lumens. 

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The central LED and twin amber side markings on the Vis 180 Micro

Like its big brother, though, the Vis 180 Micro includes a single rear-facing, high-output, red LED paired with two amber side markers and the same clever pivoting, tool-free mounting system.

Commuters also have the option of the newly turbocharged, helmet-mounted Vis 360+ front and rear lighting system. It doubles the base Vis 360's output to 250 claimed lumens and adds an independent on/off switch for the rear blinker. Run time increases by 50 percent, to three hours on the maximum setting, thanks to higher-capacity USB-rechargeable, Li-ion cells. Total claimed weight remains constant at 130g.

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The standard Vis 360 (right) versus the new, more powerful Vis 360+

As expected, other models are seeing boosts in output and/or decreases in price as LED technology continues to improve. For example, the range-topping Seca 1700 now pumps out 1,700 claimed lumens while the price has dropped to US$469. The classic 300-lumen Stella 300 carries a new retail price of just US$149.

The popular Urban all-in-one range carries into 2013, too, with new colors and claimed outputs ranging from 200-550 lumens and prices spanning US$99-159.

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The Urban range has colors and price points to suit a range of commuters
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