Fun fact, you were probably using a low CRI light. Cooler blue hues wash out your target in a wall of white, which humans perceive as brighter without actually seeing anything.

An equivalent high CRI light allows you to see your target accurately at the same brightness level, but humans perceive it as darker even though you see more.

Modern flashlights are absolutely amazing and shock 9/10 people even in the trades because they still think of the hideous 90s maglites as standard.