# Magicshine MJ-880 flood and spot?



## glader60 (May 4, 2006)

Does anyone know if he MJ-880 has a flood and a spot light configuration? Where one of the LEDs is a spot and the other is a flood? If so, is the spot on the left or right when sitting on the bike? If it has a spot and a flood I think you would want to run the light on the bars so the spot was more toward the center of the bike. In other words, if the spot is on the left, then the light should be mounted to the right of the stem so the spot is more centered on the bike. If both LEDs are the same then I guess it doesn't matter which side of the stem the light is mounted. My plan is to use the MJ-880 as a bar mounted light only as I have a really nice spot for my helmet.


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

Glader60, check our site in about 2 weeks.


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## lonefrontranger (Jun 29, 2004)

glader60 said:


> Does anyone know if he MJ-880 has a flood and a spot light configuration? Where one of the LEDs is a spot and the other is a flood? If so, is the spot on the left or right when sitting on the bike? If it has a spot and a flood I think you would want to run the light on the bars so the spot was more toward the center of the bike. In other words, if the spot is on the left, then the light should be mounted to the right of the stem so the spot is more centered on the bike. If both LEDs are the same then I guess it doesn't matter which side of the stem the light is mounted. My plan is to use the MJ-880 as a bar mounted light only as I have a really nice spot for my helmet.


this does not directly answer the spot vs. flood question, but there have been several mentions in these threads of using a separate forward / centred mount that attaches via a slim bracket, or pair of brackets, to the handlebar. This makes it possible to bar mount the light _directly in front of the stem_. It's like putting a short section of handlebar in front of your handlebar to give you extra real estate for mounting lights and keeping them centred.

I am utterly failing at finding any of the links right now via search and my google-fu is failing me as well as I'm not entirely certain what search string I'm looking for. Hopefully another helpful sort will stumble onto this, especially since the thread(s) I saw them mentioned in were not far down on this page IIRC.

I run small bikes with narrow bars, and between having a bell, a Garmin 800 and various other crap (my CX bike has topmount levers) on the bars, I'm thinking something like this would not only be a problem solver but in my case might be the only solution.


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

lonefrontranger said:


> this does not directly answer the spot vs. flood question, but there have been several mentions in these threads of using a separate forward / centred mount that attaches via a slim bracket, or pair of brackets, to the handlebar. This makes it possible to bar mount the light _directly in front of the stem_. It's like putting a short section of handlebar in front of your handlebar to give you extra real estate for mounting lights and keeping them centred.
> 
> I am utterly failing at finding any of the links right now via search and my google-fu is failing me as well as I'm not entirely certain what search string I'm looking for. Hopefully another helpful sort will stumble onto this, especially since the thread(s) I saw them mentioned in were not far down on this page IIRC.
> 
> I run small bikes with narrow bars, and between having a bell, a Garmin 800 and various other crap (my CX bike has topmount levers) on the bars, I'm thinking something like this would not only be a problem solver but in my case might be the only solution.


















These are probably the mounts you are looking for HEADLIGHT MOUNT as far as mounting exactly on center, as long as the light is pointed straight ahead, 9" one way or the other would not be noticeable when the light is spread over a 10 ft area.


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## mtbRevolution (Aug 10, 2012)

glader60 said:


> Does anyone know if he MJ-880 has a flood and a spot light configuration? Where one of the LEDs is a spot and the other is a flood?


Both lens are identical. We classify it as "combination light" because it's in between flood and spot. Dominik yanked one apart, like he usually does. Link here.

Leonard


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## glader60 (May 4, 2006)

Action LED Lights said:


> Glader60, check our site in about 2 weeks.


What's going on in 2 weeks?


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## russ3706 (Feb 15, 2007)

I bought a brand new MJ-880U (with new XML U2 leds) last week, and the first thing I did was shine it on a wall with one side covered. There is definitely a difference in the two beams, with one side being wider and more diffused than the other. On visual inspection both lenses look similar, but I suppose they could have different thickness/power/focal length etc. or distance displacement from the the leds. Or possibly it's just due to manufacturing irregularities. Either way I'm stoked that they are different, and leads to a perfect beam for my application (my only riding light, on the helmet). 

With this light I stopped using my bar lights, as I don't need them at all since this thing puts out so much light. It really is the sweet spot between having enough flood/diffusion to see in the immediate vicinity, combined with far enough throw to make a great helmet light (for me). It as a huge hot spot.

Also, the helmet mount for my MJ-808 works perfectly with the MJ-880. You have to make sure you have the light centered properly on the mount (the leading edge of the light's mounting base is wider than the helmet mount) but I have not had any issue at all using the old helmet mount, and don't really understand why they would make a different mount for the MJ-880, you don't need it. I can shake my helmet violently (more so than I would ever experience while riding) and it stays put right on the center of the mount no problem. 

The first night I took it out, all of my riding buddies were curious to see what this thing was all about, so we had a light shootout in the parking lot. Everyone was blown away by it. Believe it or not it was a little brighter than my buddies brand new Light and Motion Seca 1700, with a much bigger hot spot. Everyone in the parking lot (7 of us, 2 who were just random people that I asked to give their opinion) agreed the new MJ-880U was brighter than the Seca 1700. I never dreamed that would be the case, as I've been coveting a new Seca for years (I had the original Seca 700). My buddy who just spent $450 on his Seca was pissed to say the least, considering I got this at $182 delivered. 

Runtime has been fantastic. I tested it with a fan on it at home and got 2 hours 43 minutes on high. If I get bored I am going to test it on 70% power, as that is most likely what I'll run it at half the time. Or I may even do a test with it on 100% for about 1.5 hrs, then see how long it will go at 70% after that...

I am out of town till Sunday night, but will take some beam shots of it, both on the trail and on a wall, and try and show the difference in beams for each led. 

Overall I can't say enough about it, and am completely stoked. I guess time will tell whether it lasts. Who knows, maybe it will fail in a year and my buddy with the Seca can feel a bit better about his purchase, but I have had the original MJ-808 for years and it has been flawless.


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

glader60 said:


> What's going on in 2 weeks?


Ok, it's here.
An interchangeable wide angle optic for the MJ-880.










Beam shots to follow.


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

Beam patterns with and without the new wide angle lens.









Standard optics









With wide optics (both sides)

Too my mind it makes the light much more useable. The small bright spot dancing around just doesn't work for me.


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## russ3706 (Feb 15, 2007)

Any pics of one side wide, one side standard?


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

I can take one tomorrow if you think it's really needed. I'm pretty sure it will be half way between the two.


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## russ3706 (Feb 15, 2007)

Wait, whaaaat? Haha, don't worry about it if it's trouble. Just curious how intense the hot spot would be with one wide optic. 

I'll know soon enough. Ordered!


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## russ3706 (Feb 15, 2007)

Here are beam shots with an MJ-880U with one standard optic and one wide optic. For comparison the first photo is an older P7 MJ-808. Second is the MJ-880U both standard optics. Third is MJ-880U one wide, one standard optic. I haven't had a chance to ride with it yet, just backyard play. 

Pics were taken on a Nikon D90 with the settings Francis had for his beam shots: 
Full Manual, 4 sec exposure, F4, ISO 100, WB Daylight

The large tree in the foreground is 90 feet, the three closely grouped trees next to the small boulder in the background are 165 feet, and this is where I had the lights aimed.


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## russ3706 (Feb 15, 2007)

Here is a garage door shot. I had to adjust the exposure time to 1/8 sec, otherwise it was just a blown out white spot. This gives a more consistent comparison.

Same order as the above pics.

The 880U beam does not look quite this yellow in person. It is warmer than the P7 808, but not yellow like it appears here. I had the white balance set to daytime, since that is what Francis uses in his comparisons, but I don't think it played well with the 880U.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

I really like the pictures of the one wide and one standard optic. I may be sold on this for my next light. I was considering the cygolite 1100 Xtra but this is a $100 cheaper.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

My one question is how secure is this band fixing method to the bar? On rough trails does the light stay in place?


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## russ3706 (Feb 15, 2007)

I've only run it on the bars once, and it was only to test it out. I do have large diameter bars, so the band was very tight, so I don't think it would slip, but don't know for sure. I run it on the helmet with the 808 Magicshine helmet mount, which is much smaller in diameter, so the band is not nearly as tight, and I have never had it slip on the helmet, but obviously my head is not going to jar around as much as the handlebars (hopefully!). I can try running it on the bars next week and see if it is a problem.

I found this video of a solid mount for the 880, but on the website reference it wan't there...

Custom solid mount for the new Magicshine MJ-880 (2000 lumens) - YouTube


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