These are my current best options for tube light-painting, either for studio or outdoors work. All listed flashlights are waterproof and they all fit in a T8 size tube. Any 1" head (25mm) flashlight is going to fit easily inside my tubes. That means most of the 18650 battery type flashlight available on the market. I usually prefer a flashlight that can be powered on from the back button. It is easier to turn on/off the light when it's inside the tube.

From my experience, constant strobe is available on all Olight, Astrolux, Thrunite, Folomov and Convoy brands. On the other hand, these brands have variable (non-constant) on some or all of their flashlights: Nitecore, Thorfire, Eagletac, Fenix, Soonfire and Klarus

Let’s start!

1- Folomov Hero (starter flashlight)

This is the best budget option! It is also the smallest 18650 battery type light on the market. It’s included in some of the tube kits from my store.

Specs: 3.9” long
Buy now: Lightpainting.store

Pros

  • Constant strobe (double click on the back button)

  • Five brightness levels

  • Extremely small

  • Very affordable

  • Single button design (back button)

  • Comes with a battery that can be recharged directly (micro-usb port on the battery itself!)

  • Included in the Starter Kit.

Cons

  • Not as bright as my other 1000 lumens flashlight. It doesn’t necessarily means that the LED itself is not bright enough, but it can have to do with the reflector and beam angle.

  • Small delay when you turn off the light from the button

  • No pressure switch available

2- Olight Warrior 3 Tactical Flashlight

*** do not buy the “3s” version. It has an optical sensor on the front that automatically dims the light when you put in in your pockets…. OR IN YOUR TUBES ***

Here's the flashlight I have been using non stop since April 2022. I use it with custom made dimmers, as demonstrated here: https://youtu.be/wKGs-Y0pr4M

Specs: 2300 lumens
Buy now: discontinued (you can still find it in some online stores)

Pros

  • It's the brightest flashlight I own that fits in my tubes

  • This is the only flashlight I use these days

  • Magnetic pressure switch

  • Magnetic battery charging

  • It is one of the most solid flashlight I own (Olight makes real high-quality products)

Cons

  • Discontinued

3- Klarus XT2CR PRO

This is the best option that is STILL available. There’s only one major drawback when compared to the Olight Warrior 3: the light stays on when you hold the button for more than two seconds. This is very annoying 😵

Specs: 2100 lumens
Buy now: Lightpainting.store (and check out the pressure switch here)

Pros

  • It is extremely bright

  • It has constant strobe, and they are equally spaced (as long as you hold the button)

Cons

  • Light sticks to on when holding the button for > 2 seconds

  • Non-constant strobe when releasing the button

4- Nitecore P10v2

One of my favorite studio flashlights. The pressure switch is absolutely necessary!

Specs: 900 lumens,
Buy now: Lightpainting.store (see also the RSW2 pressure switch)

Pros

  • Instant strobe AND instant continuous from the flashlight or from the pressure switch (without any locking like the Klarus does)

  • Instant continuous at selected brightness level (3 levels)

  • Bright enough for studio work

  • Super narrow beam! That means great light distribution in the tube

  • Solid build

Cons

  • Very stiff and bad quality pressure switch

  • Noticeable flicker

5- Nitecore MT22C

This is the best flashlight to do tube light-painting late at night with the stars and the Milky way. It has a dimmer that can be precisely adjusted to a specific brightness.

Specs: 1000 lumens, rotary dimmer dial
Buy now: discontinued

Pros

  • Rotary dimmer dial! This is everything!

  • Instant constant (at specified brightness) or Instant strobe (either from the tail button or the pressure switch)

Cons

  • Discontinued (I’m crying)