2015 Lights Shootout, Bike Light, Light & Motion, Lights, Lights Shootout, Taz 1200 - November 18, 2014

Review: Light & Motion Taz 1200

The good news on the new Light & Motion Taz 1200 is the price dropped from $300 to $240. The bad news is the run time remained the same at 1:30 on high. This was the leading weakness of the light from last year and we were eager to see the battery upgraded, as many of the other lights from other manufacturers have been. Even Light & Motion’s own Taz 1500 has a run time of 1:30, so it means it is using the newer/better batteries.

But it is still a good light with a great beam pattern, so the price drop to $240 is a welcome one.

The Taz 1200 is a great light that delivers 1206 honest Lumens and it seems like a brighter light since the beam pattern is very efficient. The light is directed to the ground, so there is very little light wasted into empty air. Light & Motion created a light with the beam pattern of a Seca, but with the form factor of a self-contained light. They used their knowledge with multiple beam patterns to make a light that has both spread and throw. To top it off, they gave it side lighting that can be switched on/off separately to make this an ideal commuter light as well.

To old school folks, the easiest way to describe this light is it’s like the Light & Motion Seca, but in a flashlight configuration. The beam pattern is big, even and pointed mostly to the ground with a very wide angle. It is a minor miracle how they were able to put this lens in a flashlight configuration.

At a measured 1206 Lumens, this is an extremely bright light weighing in at only 217 grams. It is ideal for bar mount use, but is light enough to be used for the helmet. A 1500 Lumen version of the Taz is also available.

Beam Pattern Photo

We photographed the lights in the same location setting with the same camera settings. The photos were taken in the back yard that is approximately 25 yards long. These photos feature many objects and a distinct background to analyze detail and beam pattern. Compare all Beam Patterns here »

Integrating Sphere Measured Lumens

This light measured 1206 Lumens in an integrating sphere. Claimed Lumens by the manufacturer is 1200 Lumens. Compare all Lumen Tests here »

Strengths

Beam pattern, beam pattern. Just like the Seca, the beam is wide and far since it has a wide, shaped beam
Mount is deceptively simple yet effective. It is very easy to adjust or transfer to another bike
Side lighting that can be switched off is very versatile
Honest with 1200 Lumen claims
Excellent cooling abilities allows it to stay at full power in difficult conditions, yet there’s no sharp cooling fin edges
Charging port is smart and can charge in 4:00 hours